Fate Glass Moon

by AllTheWorldsMangos

The events of Tsukihime and Fate/stay night would always take place separately. But what would happen if the two stories were to happen simultaneously? Fuyuki 2004. A Grail War, with 7 servants, a boy who sees death, a boy striving to become a Hero of Justice, a battle between Ancestors and the Church. Chaos begins.

4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Acting on Impulse II

-oOo-

Day 3

"Akiha-sama, there is someone outside requesting for you."

"…"

In the main living room of the Tohno mansion, Akiha gave the maid a questioning look. It was the cusp of dusk, approaching 7 o'clock. Sipping a cup of tea, she had been waiting patiently for her brother to arrive home. The school had called to say he had left early due to health reasons, yet the boy was still to arrive. While she had initially been growing more and more irritated, as time passed, it had gradually started shifting to worry. He had promised to be back on time today and if he had left school sick he might've gotten into trouble on the way home.

Her nervousness had continued to grow as she sat, cup of tea in hand acting as a miniscule source of calm. It made it all the more worrisome when Hisui had returned from her post keeping watch outside just to say that Shiki wasn't back but that some other guest was here for her. She had no plans for a visitor but as head of the household she was obligated to at minimum, check who it was.

"Kohaku, stay inside. Hisui, what can you tell me about our guest?" She placed her teacup down, her hair swished elegantly as she made for the door.

"He…is an old man," She hesitated. "Very old, bald and in robes. He says that he knew your father, apart from that…there is little else I can comment on." The maid's brow is slightly creased. Her description didn't imply anything wrong which meant there must be something else about him that bothered her.

"Very well, you may remain here as well if you wish." Leaving both her maids behind, the girl briskly left the mansion's indoors. Hisui watched her with a slightly worried expression as she exited. After a moment's hesitation, she followed her liege.

While it wasn't that late, the air had already grown colder. It would have been quiet besides their footsteps if it wasn't for that noisy buzzing. Hisui recognised it from earlier today. It only seemed to grow in volume as they got closer, not overbearing, but noticeable. The mansion gate loomed as the pair approached. Just outside its iron, a singular figure presided.

Hisui was accurate in her description. Everything about the man screamed decrepit. His pallid, wrinkly skin that seemed to stretch over his skeletal frame. Hunched over with a walking stick, he looked as frail as a dried-up autumn leaf. His dark robes giving him the briefest sense of dignity. A deep brow cast a shadow over his eyes, two white orbs glowing dully as they zeroed in on them. They were the one part of him that shone with a sort of vitality. The depth behind those pinpricks of light was overbearing, it made his otherwise weak appearance seem much more alive. His presence left an unsettling aura.

Akiha stepped forward, arms crossed. Her face showed no outward reaction to his appearance. "I hear you have requested of me. Do state your identity and business for being here, it is quite late after all."

"Are you not even going to offer an old man like me a seat inside, how uncouth." His mouth cracked open revealing the whiteness of his crooked teeth. "Though I do apologise for my late visitation. My name is Zouken Matou, perhaps you already know of me?"

"Zouken…Matou…?" It was a name she was only partly familiar with. Being aware of the notable families living in the area was a given as part of her role, especially considering the special qualities they possessed. They weren't very far, but she was unaware of her father to have had any involvement with them. Generally, he had advised staying away from them, he never mentioned Zouken to her.

Zouken raised a brow as he observed her quiet contemplation. "I am surprised your father has never spoken of me. I suppose you could say that I was a business associate of his, though our relationship never brought much to fruition."

The buzzing noise persisted, it's the only background noise to the conversation. Hisui's eyes darted around, unsuccessfully trying to pin-point its source. Akiha doesn't take her eyes off Zouken. Just him talking had already set her on edge. The way he spoke of Makihisa bothered her. It was not without respect, but also with disappointment.

"I am unaware of your relationship with my father, what exactly is it that you worked with him on?" she asked, her voice measured.

"You know him, obsessed with finding someway to keep his control. I believe my services had the higher chance of compatibility than Tohsaka." He spat out the last name. It was another one that she had only a passing knowledge of. Sometimes, she spotted the young girl around but generally kept out of her way. Makihisa had advised her to stay away from them.

"Compatibility…?" Akiha questioned.

"Absorption and binding are our speciality, when it came to matters of the flesh and blood...compared to Tokiomi, I was much more knowledgeable in the results he wanted. Yet with all my knowledge, no solution was reached. He was unwilling to attempt…certain methods." He let out a dry laugh.

Hisui flinches at the sound, its grating, an assault on the ears. Akiha felt a slight sense foreboding. Her father had seriously interacted and looked to this…thing for help? Calling it human seemed too generous. As his laugh subsided his eyes instead turned to look at the wary, red-haired maid.

"Of course, its not only himself he tried to control." He grinned. "That other maid of yours was also someone he wanted to see if I could…enhance. I was confident in certain sure-fire methods, but he didn't want to risk the chance of losing her. A shame, she could have been quite the useful resource, I'm still willing to take custody of her if available."

Hisui's face twisted sharply at his word, her eyes widening while Akiha's narrowed. "Disgusting." He knew. For Makihisa to confide in him with this, he must have been more paranoid than she thought. Acquaintance or not, the way he spoke of Kohaku did nothing to please her. Akiha was thankful that she had left the maid inside, her sister being here was already bad. It was a subject sensitive enough as it was without his thoughtless words. The idea of leaving Kohaku with him disgusted her.

"Apologies, but she's not for sale, I'd recommend withholding such comments in the future, Zouken Matou. Since it's getting late, I have to ask, what exactly brings you to my doorstep this evening?"

"Just idle curiosity, I have yet to introduce myself to the new family head of course. Makihisa would be proud to see you stepping into the role. However, some of your decisions would no doubt concern him." He gives a slight tilt of the head. His eyes shine as he raises his voice with glee. "I happened to see the disgraceful scene outside your property this morning. And while I was there, I managed to spot the most unusual guest leaving your home."

"…"

The mockery in his voice was evident. She says nothing, simply glaring as the man continued.

"Bringing back that boy, taking advantage of your father's death already? Naughty girl."

For the first time, Akiha let her hostility show. Her arms, which had been folded slowly withdrew, her long haired swayed ominously. By her side, Hisui shivered, the temperature appeared to be dropping. The tension rose as Akiha glared daggers at the elderly man.

"What do you know?" she growled. "And what do you plan to do?"

Despite the man being shorter than her, she could feel that he was looking down on her. His expression still expresses humour, paying her tone no heed.

"Calm down there little girl," he snickered. "It is difficult to hide things from my watchful eyes. That little project you kept alive and that boy's true origin were of great interest for me to decipher. You can't expect me as a magus to reveal my secrets to you. Thusly, I could care less about revealing your own to the boy in questi-"

"You have made clear all I need to know." Akiha cuts in. "Even…Even if you were an associate of my father, as an outsider you have no right to the workings of this family, I declare this now as the current head that I will do with it as I please." If he wasn't going to reveal how he had acquired the information, then the conversation was pointless. She didn't want to see him anymore, talking with him further might lead her to do something regrettable.

"In fact, unless you have any other important business, I would advise you to vacate the premises."

He pauses for a moment before a low cackle escaped his lips once again.

"Don't be so hasty little girl. You've yet to reach the depravity of your father but I'm sure its only a matter of time. Blood does run thicker than water after all. That goes for both you and the boy."

The man retreats from the gate with that parting shot, his laughter fading. His wily frame slowly meanders down the path until it is out of sight. With it, the buzzing noise vanishes as well. Akiha does not stop watching Zouken until she is sure of his complete disappearance. Hisui lets out a shaky breath that she didn't even realise she had been holding. The entire exchange had been distressing.

"Hisui, if Nii-san is not back in the next hour, you and Kohaku will set out to look for him. I will watch the house on my own." She felt the need to be thorough, Zouken had perused through so much already.

"Y-yes, Akiha-sama." She gave a short bow, remaining at the gate while her master returned to her home. She walked with grace and only those who knew her closely would recognise the worry hidden behind her eyes.

"Nii-san, please don't get yourself into any more trouble." Akiha cared for her brother much more than most would ever know.

-oOo-

At the same time in another part of the city. A completely different feeling towards a sibling was being thought.

"Tonight, will be the night my Onii-chan dies."

Illyasviel von Einzbern was sure of it. It was her main desire in coming to this land in the first place. Sure, her grandfather had gone on about the importance of keeping up the Einzbern legacy, participating and winning the Holy Grail War, claiming the prize her family had sought for centuries now. That was her role as a Homunculus of the noble family.

But really, she wanted nothing more then to eliminate the boy that stole everything from her.

She had been in the city for a couple of days now and she had already spotted him. A high school student, carefreely going about his days. He would surely be a magus in the upcoming war, and what better opportunity to kill him than in the midst of that combat. After all, there's no way she could give him a painless death after everything he took from her.

Taking Kiritsugu all for himself. Yes, killing him then and there would be too easy. Once he summoned his servant, only then would she trample on everything he had just the way he had trampled on what was her own. The anticipation was almost as sweet as the upcoming kill.

There were some positives however, exploring the city had been nice. She had never got much of a change of scenery growing up in the wintery forests surrounding the Einzbern mansion. The world seemed so bright and beautiful. The skyscrapers with neon advertisements, all the different people and jobs at work. Sneaking out - without Sella and Leysritt - noticing to explore had been her favourite past time. Just wandering around this unfamiliar environment was refreshing.

"Really, what were they so worried about. Nothing can hurt me with Berserker here," she thought confidently.

Really, she was invincible, even without Berserker she was probably the strongest mage in the city and with him she was untouchable. While the blue-haired woman she had bumped into was exceptional, even her magic circuits paled in comparison to her own amount. Add berserker and no one could stop her, or they could die trying.

So, she walked without fear, this would be her beloved Onii-chan's final night. She'd give him ample time before going straight to find him. For now, she would enjoy the empty streets. The girl had yet to come across any people on her escapade, par for the course she supposed. Though she didn't much care for the bloodsucking creatures, it was a problem of the Church, and Berserker could beat any that got too close.

The vacant town was serene, a nice contrast to the bustle of the day.

"….Dr…..its….jus….eam…"

"…?"

She heard a strange voice. The words were difficult to make out. There, in a non-descript park, collapsed on a bench, was a boy. He was dressed in school uniform, Homurahara. Dark hair, glasses, head downcast, average height and build. He had his head in his hands and was mumbling something under his breath over and over interweaved with a few groans. A knife was on his lap. There was clearly something wrong with him.

While most normal people would give a customary glance before moving on at the clearly crazy person, Illya was unaware of these societal norms. She was curious and had nothing to fear. Not missing a step, she easily sidled up to the teen. His words became clearer as she got closer.

"Its just a dream. It's a lie. Its just a dream…" Again and again. Those wore the words he spoke. Oblivious to the world.

"Hi there, Onii-san!" Illya gave a polite greeting.

"Its just a dream. Its just a dream. Its not real…"

His mutterings continue. He pays the child no mind as he continues uttering that single phrase.

"…Onii-sa~n" She tried again. Leaning forward this time. Because of her short height, he was only slightly below her head even when sitting down.

"Its just a dream. Its not real…"

Once again, no response.

Illya pulled back with a slight pout on her face. He was ignoring her, that or he was extremely out of it. It was like he was in some sort of trance, a state of delirium. Still, how rude of him to pay a young girl like herself no mind. She took a quick look around to make sure there was no one near before reaching out and grabbing both his hands. Pulling them apart, she forces him to look at her face. And directly into her eyes.

Upon making eye-contact his body seizes up, as if rigidly tied up with rope. She holds him in her gaze for a few seconds before ending it, his body sags back into the park bench.

"W-whu? What was…?" He blinked confused. Instinctively, he pulls his hand up and feels for the glasses on his face.

"Ah, Onii-san. Are you finally going to stop ignoring me?" Her red eyes gleamed. Using her mystic eyes for something so trivial would surely annoy Sella, especially when he wasn't a magus or master. It wasn't big deal really, she had released him near instantly, just a little shock to the nervous system to get his brain running.

His eyes blearily focused on her, they still looked haggard. "What…am I doing here? Who…Who are you?"

Illya frowned. "Really? You're the strange one Onii-san, sitting on this bench and ranting about it being all a dream or something. I was the one curious about you."

At that he, he freezes up again, this time not of Illya's fault. Staring off vacantly into space his face twists in horror before he lunges to the side, the knife on his lap clatters onto the ground. There's a bin next to the bench. Illya grimaced as the boy began throwing up, he retches violently as he coughed into the bin. Maybe she should have just left him alone after all, she didn't come over to be disgusted.

With a few more coughs, he lifted his head back up. His face is pale as he stares off to her side and a little upwards. His eyes are wide.

…

Yeah, this wasn't worth it, he was in no state for any kind of talk. She makes to leave before she realises something. Where he was looking, it was odd. Despite being the only person, he hadn't been staring at her. He had been staring straight at…

"Berserker…?" The dematerialised giant by her side. Her curiosity was renewed. Maybe he would be more interesting to talk to than she thought. A non-magus being aware of her servant wasn't that impressive on its own, his presence was powerful enough that when she wasn't paying attention even a random passer-by might be struck by a sudden feeling of dread. Even then, he had been directly staring at him. Right in the servant's eyes.

"Hey hey, how is it that you can see Berserker?"

"…Berser…what?" He's confused. More than that, he's also scared.

That already told her that he likely didn't even understand it himself. He really was just a random person. "Maybe a spontaneous psychic ability? Mystic eyes?" These things not appearing in known magi or bloodlines were rare, but it wasn't the most outlandish possibility. If he wasn't a part of the war she didn't really care. Illya attempted to diminish her servants presence as much as possible and had him stand a little further away. Moving on, she decided on her next question.

"Never mind that. What was it that you were talking about earlier? Muttering that thing again and again. Something about it not being true…?"

"…No…I can't say it to a little girl like you…" His voice sounds horrified. "I-It doesn't matter…It was a dream anyway, there's no way it could have happened. It was all a lie, it has to be…"

Oh great. She was beginning to lose him again. Was he trying to convince himself? He didn't seem too sure of his own ramblings. Clearly there was something more going on here and at this point, going through all this effort just to receive nothing would be annoying. The Homunculus gave the teenager her most innocent expression.

"C'mon then Onii-san, tell me what happened," she whined. "I won't tell anyone, it'll be okay."

He shook his head doggedly as she continued pressing. He continued shaking his head, vehemently denying her interrogation. He was starting to test her patience here. She thought it would be fun squeezing the information out of him but she was considering just resorting to suggestion, even that might be difficult seeing how against it he was.

"If it wasn't even real then its fine!" Illya stomped her foot. A small show of childish annoyance. "What was this dream that was so bad it had you like that?"

…

He paused, the whirlwind of thoughts running through his mind is obvious. After much internal deliberation, he sighs, his shoulders dropping.

"This is all a dream anyway…no way I'm seeing strange foreign little girls like you with more ghosts…" he murmurs. Illya waited patiently as he came to his decision.

"I…I…" he's hesitant. Practically forcing the words out of his mouth. "Earlier today, on my way home…I saw a complete stranger…a woman with golden hair."

Illya nods to show she is listening and gives him an encouraging expression to go on. She was practically stewing in anticipation. It seems to do little to help his mental state.

"I…don't know what came over me…Before I even knew what I was doing, I had followed her all the way home…and….and…."

His expression breaks. "I killed her."

…

…

…

"Oh…Is that it?" Illya said simply.

She's a little disappointed. If it was real, then it looks like she had stumbled across some random accidental killer. She supposed that for regular people his reaction was understandable but really, she had been hoping for a bit more, especially if it was a dream as he had said. Maybe a big dramatic fight, some tragic story of heartbreak. This was a little simple, "I saw someone and killed them." Still, if it was real, a boy with his thin frame and weak self managing to kill someone was a little fascinating. She knew looks could be deceiving considering her own appearance.

"Really, I was expecting something much worse than that." She sighed before taking a step back. "I mean, I'm going to be killing someone tonight anyway so you really shouldn't feel too bad."

Whatever, it was time to make him forget about this conversation and move on. Her circuits start to activate before her actions are stopped by him talking once more.

"No, you shouldn't."

"…?" She blinked.

While his voice was a little shaky, it was perhaps the steadiest she had heard him during their whole conversation. He had finally focused on her with a serious expression, conviction shining behind his glasses.

"Killing someone….is a terrible thing to do," he said. "Life is…fragile. Humans are fragile. Something that can break so easily…must surely be cherished. Someone very important told me that. For me to have done something like this…I must be crazy…" His face blanches and his voice cracked, he sinks back into the bench. All thoughts of the girl in front of him absent from his mind.

"…"

Illya stared at him in silence. "…must be cherished huh?" She felt a fiery spike of anger. "A terrible thing to do?!" Who was he to tell her who she could and couldn't kill. He had no idea of the extent of things that was stolen from her, the entire family that was stolen from her. He knew nothing of the pain of being abandoned and completely alone while her own father forgot and ignored her entire existence. Dismissing his own child for some other sibling. He knew nothing. Nothing! And yet he had the gall to preach to her about killing. How dare he. A naïve boy experiencing his first bout of hardship no doubt.

There was a deep growl as Berserker reacted to his master's growing fury. Focusing, she calmed herself down. At least her servant would never betray her. Getting angry at this random boy would do her no good. Really, she should never have talked to him in the first place, now she was just in a bad mood.

Some simple suggestion and he had forgotten ever meeting her and was fast asleep. She spotted the knife and reached out to pick it up, it was spotless. In fact, for someone who had just committed a murder, he was fairly clean. Placing it in his pocket, she finally left the scene.

The girl disappeared, memories of the conversation remaining with her alone.

-oOo-

Rin and Archer's evening had been spent examining the multiple sigils around the school, they were what was powering and would eventually activate the bounded field. The truth of the matter was horrific, a trap that would encase the school building, melting down its occupants and harvesting their souls. It was a disgusting effect. Since servants were spiritual in nature it would be a great source of mana and nourishment for one, but Rin found the process vile. It was purely focused on the students and would be largely ineffective against magi.

Unfortunately, she couldn't find a way to completely eliminate it. She had thought the magus who constructed it was third-rate, but the skill of its construction was amazing. Its possible that the magus didn't do this and that it was actually done by their servant, in that case, Caster? All she can do is temporarily stall its activation by draining magical energy from it. That would only halt its progress momentarily until she found and dealt with them-

"So, which one of you pretty ladies is the one I have to kill? I personally hope it's the other one, she looks like it'd be much more interesting."

On the rooftop of one of the school buildings, Rin whirled around at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. Locating its source atop the water structure. She mentally took stock of Archers position.

The man's appearance was certainly striking, in his blue armoured body suit, navy hair and muscular physique. He had a slight feral look to him as his eyes leisurely roamed her. His arms held a deep crimson spear draped across his shoulders. It matched the colour of his iris'. Of course, there was no doubt about it, a servant. It was unfortunate to run into one here, fenced in at all signs with little space, she was already caught in a disadvantageous position. From the look of him, he had to be a Lancer class. The second-best knight class at close range combat, how unfortunate.

"I'm afraid that if you're looking for a master, I'm your best bet." Rin said warily. "Sorry to disappoint." There was only one other 'pretty lady' he could be talking about. Archer had already informed her of Ciel watching her examine the field all this time. For a servant, locating her wasn't a problem, but Rin wouldn't had even noticed her if Archer didn't point her out. She hadn't been watching the whole time, but even now she couldn't tell where she was. The fact that someone like her could hide all trace of herself was frightening.

None of that mattered right now, if she wanted proof that she wasn't behind the barrier, then her senpai had it now. Though it didn't look like lancer was the one behind it either. Anyway, It was time to focus. This was her first real fight of the Grail war and she had been preparing for it for all her life. She couldn't let Tokiomi down.

"Anfang" she muttered.

With that short incantation, her circuits flared to life. The spearman releases an aura of battle and leaps down. His weapon draws a red arc in the dark as it spins towards her. A battle between legends had just begun. This was the start of Rin Tohsaka's Holy Grail War.

-oOo-

A witch hunted the streets. Dark robes and a hood hid her face, the smallest bit of fair skin visible. She appeared to float as she drifted in the shadows of streetlights.

Volatile, that's what her position was. Ever since her summoning it seemed that nothing was going right for her. First of all, her tragedy of a master. Caster had no regrets in killing him. The man was an absolute fool. Arrogant, narcissistic, obtuse and greedy. She would have almost been able to tolerate him if it wasn't for his uncanny resemblance to that man from her past. Plus, his blatant mistreatment of children as wasteful 'resources' in aspects she could replicate with ease.

Yes, her current contract was leagues better for her. He was the light she had needed in her moment of darkness and if it was for the sake of preserving that connection, she would win this war with all she could. For once she would fight for the sake of her own happiness and not be led on by the wiles of someone else.

That led to the current dilemma, her lack of fortification. Mount Enzo and by extension Ryuudou Temple was all she could have wished for when it came to constructing a base for the Holy Grail War. Its position on a major leyline made it the greatest spiritual land in Fuyuki, possibly in Japan. The natural landscape itself was also difficult to circumvent. With her abilities in territory creation, it would become the ultimate fortress for her operations. A place to draw mana from the populace while also acting as a powerful defence against servants.

There was only one problem.

The main gate. Due to it needing an outwards connection to the leyline, the bounded fields would be unable to cover the main gate and steps accessing it, meaning any servant could walk up there unimpeded. It was a hole in an otherwise perfect position. Her attempts to circumvent it through magecraft had been unsuccessful. She had come to the conclusion that some sort of defence mechanism would need to be placed to protect the entrance.

But what could stop a servant? While with time, she could summon beings that would take the average servant some effort to put down, or even convert the entire landscape to a more advantageous one by making something similar to a reality marble. Both of these options however, required vast amounts of time and resources. Two things she could only get once she had set herself up at the temple.

Currently, starting up her major bounded fields would only act as a beacon to all enemies of her location. Right now, she had been diverting most of its resources into hiding any trace of her presence or the presence of mana in the area. In a way, she had been acting more as an assassin in terms of concealment for these days, but it was still only a matter of time before she was figured out.

In the end, a solution had come to her. What else should one use to fight against a servant, except anther servant? The idea was genius, with her expertise, manipulating the system shouldn't be too hard. Yet, it hadn't worked. Using the Temple Gate as a catalyst produced nothing and no matter what she couldn't summon a Saber. Looks like the Grail was pickier than she thought. If she had found a master yet to summon a servant, then it might've worked out.

While unfortunate, it didn't leave her with no options. The idea of a servant on her side was still the way to go, one would just need to be stolen instead. Looking at the war ahead, it seemed that the participants so far were tailor made to go against her. Seriously, three already had average to above average magic resistance while another was impervious to all but the highest rank of noble phantasm. Once Saber inevitably appeared, that would be yet another magic resistant foe.

So…who to choose? She still had enough power to reinforce her new master, with both of them together, their selection was still small. They needed a servant with decent strength, preferably good in close range (though it could be worked around), with easy controllability and something strong even against magic resistance. Filling all these criteria would be difficult.

You know…if it came to picking allies, why even stop at servants? There were plenty of other beings in the city that could be used to her advantage. An idea to keep in mind for the future.

-oOo-

Ciel rushed inside the school building. In her heart, she already knew it was too late. While fast, she had been watching the fight from a distance and arriving there before either master or the two servants was an impossibility. The boy would already be dead by the time she made it, even then, she continued to run. Bursting through the school doors, flying through the stairwell and kicking off the walls, she reached the upper corridor. The blue spearman was already gone, she slowed as she approached the scene in front of her.

Tohsaka, alone, staring down at the corpse a schoolboy.

It was… her own fault. Ciel couldn't believe herself. For all her talk of protecting the students, she had already failed to save one. Useless, for all her ability. With that cursed spear he must have died instantly.

"Tohsaka…" She stopped herself. There was nothing for her to say. After all, as a magus in the war, Rin would have been obligated to kill him anyway if Lancer hadn't. Perhaps he was lucky to have died swiftly to a hero of legends.

Rin slightly twitched at the sound of her voice but didn't turn around. The girl in red simply stared at the body laying on the floor. Her fingertips were trembling. Ciel doesn't understand. Was the girl not used to such things? She was young after all. Perhaps it was her first real exposure to something like this. Her frame looks much weaker in comparison to the confident figure that talked to her at school. Rin lowered herself and with those shaking fingers, turned the boy over revealing his face.

"Ah…Shirou Emiya." Ciel had only known of him for 3 days yet the impression she got from him was strong. The fake school janitor. always willing to help. He was driven, more so than most people, it was a determination that she found a little endearing. Even Noel had expressed a liking for him, it would be sad to see him go.

"Idiot…it just had to be you." The murmur is almost inaudible.

It is upon seeing the boys face that Rin's expresses shifts suddenly and her posture changes. She immediately dropped down and starts rummaging around in her clothes.

"Tohsaka? What are you…-"

"Shut up, he's still alive."

Her interruption startles her. It was impossible. The feeling that spear gave off, the time it took to get there (even if short). There was no way the boy wasn't dead. Stepping forward Ciel crouched down opposite Rin and checked for herself. There it was, the smallest sliver of life present in his eyes. His chest was barely moving, but his body still had life.

"Not for long though." She thought. Healing arts weren't a focus in her or his knowledge (they didn't need to be). His heart was destroyed beyond any regular physical injury, the entire organ would need to be replaced. While she could stabilise him for while, the burst of mana needed to bring him back from the brink was beyond her scope of abilities. A failure would lead to him simply suffering more before his death.

But then, what was Tohsaka doing? The girl's face was stricken, she looked…angry. Hurriedly, Rin pulls out what she was rustling for. It's a gorgeous pendant on a sliver chain. The cut and red shine of the gem was impeccably. More importantly however…

"That magical energy..." Ciel said.

"It's a family heirloom, it has over a decade's worth of mana in it." She explained curtly. The tension that was normally present between the two of them was gone as Rin was completely engrossed in the boy in front of her.

Ciel didn't doubt her words, the energy coming off it was substantial. Gathering all that energy inside it must've taken years. The miracles that thing could produce was near limitless in the bounds of magecraft. The Tohsaka's jewel craft really wasn't something to be underestimated. Wait, if Rin was taking something like that out now.

Then that meant.

"You're using it…to save him?" She asked.

"…"

There's no answer. The silence was damning. A magus using such a prised possession of their bloodline to save the life of a non-magus was absurd. There was no way a girl of Rin's upbringing wasn't aware of this fact. Logic dictated that this was completely against any teachings a magus would have gone through. The rules of the War itself were specifically geared towards the killing of witnesses. Ciel stares at the girl as she works on the boy.

Rin grit her teeth. "Look, I'm just doing it because there happens to be someone at school would be really upset if he were to die, okay? I'm not doing this for myself, if it was anyone else, I would have left them to die."

Still, that didn't change the overall situation. How was this the same girl that had spoken to her so malignantly earlier at school? Even if it wasn't because of her own personal reasons, it was still because of something connected to the feelings of someone. Why would she use something so valuable for someone else's sake of mind? You can't say it doesn't matter if you would go through these lengths. Ciel couldn't wrap her head around it.

Until the answer came to her.

Of course, it was something she had missed from the beginning. Something she had easily dismissed based on her own assumptions. The executor stands, looking down at the twin-tailed girl.

"You're a good person, Rin Tohsaka. He's lucky to have someone like you looking out for him."

"W-What!" She stuttered at her senpai's frank admission.

It was so simple. The girl cared. She tried to deny it with her flimsy excuses, but everything she did showed the contrary. Examining the field after school, rushing to his body, shaking at his corpse. Maybe it is true that if it wasn't this specific boy, she would have left them to die, but considering her response from before she even knew his identity, she wasn't completely callous. The talk at school…had partly been an act. She really did prioritise the school student's safety.

"L-look I'm telling you, its not like that!" The girl had reddish tinge on her cheeks. It seemed that she had interpreted Ciel's silence in a strange way.

For the first time, Ciel gave a tiny, but genuine smile at the girl. Rin scowled before continuing to attend to the boy. That was fine, it didn't matter if she treated her the same. She didn't expect to become friends. Pulling open a window, Ciel leaped outside leaving her two juniors in the corridor, entrusting the boys safety to her.

-oOo-

In a private room on an upper level of Fuyuki Church, a blonde-haired boy analyses a collection of papers. They were reports left to him from Kirei on the current state of the war. Mario had received the documents the night before and would be updated every day of any new happenings occurring.

He holds the papers aloft, lying on a couch, feet hanging off the edge. Reading reams of data wasn't his favourite past time but it was something he had to deal with often due to his position. Sometimes, the contents were even interesting. These specifically, were a list of the participants. Looking at the first name he lets out a slow whistle.

"Wow, they got a real big shot to play." The McRemitz was a notable enforcer. Sometimes both the Mages Association and the Church would send out members to eliminate the same target if they were particularly troublesome. In a lot of these cases, it was reported that of the magi and executors that survived these high-level hunts, Bazett was always one of them. Interestingly enough, Kotomine Kirei was the other. He would have to inquire to whether they were well acquainted, and if she knew what was going on with the psycho.

It was reported that she had summoned Cú Chulainn as a Lancer class servant. Of course, the Fraga would summon a Celtic legend, the blood runs in their veins. Keeping an eye on her would also be of importance, the Association catching wind of the mess this place had turned into could be bad. It was his priority to reach Roa first and a certain psycho from the Clock Tower would love to trample all over the Apostle infestation present here.

The other representation from the association was the magus Atrum Galliasta. He was a fairly new family to the Clock Tower with middle eastern origins, looks like he was searching for some prestige. He has apparently built a facility in the outskirts of the city and is investing a large amount of funds. The servant he summoned was Caster, but he wasn't happy about it. He had requested a way to summon a different servant and had even offered a contract to Lancer's master to kill his own servant so he wouldn't have to use a command seal. He hasn't been seen for a while since then.

"Probably some cocky upstart way out his league." He dismissed. Someone similar had participated in the last war but they actually had the talent and prestige to justify their boldness.

Speaking of talent.

The heir to the Tohsaka had summoned an Archer, Kirei had been her legal guardian for the past ten years after her fathers passing. This fact made him feel the briefest hint of sympathy, the man did not look like any sort of caring parent. The girl herself was supposedly exceptional as a magus, high knowledge in general theory, skilled in reinforcement and her families jewel magecraft, prowess in martial arts. His eyes widen slightly, an Average One? That's rare, she would likely be a formidable magus in the future, one to keep an eye on for sure. Her servant's identity is unknown.

"You know, lookin' at what she's got goin' for her, she could actually be a suitable host," he contemplated. "Wealthy, fair status, and most importantly, high magical potential. She has a lot of attributes the Ancestor would have sought for." Ciel was certain Roa was male, but it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on her.

Turning the page, another notable name. The Einzberns had summoned a berserker, and for quite a while now. Illyasviel was the current lesser grail as well as a master, one of the most innovative homunculi ever constructed. Apart from her incredible magical energy output, not much else is known. She has not been in much contact with the Church herself bar boasting "berserker is the strongest". A confident one. Her servant's identity is also unknown. Considering the low lifespan of homunculi, it was unlikely Roa would choose her.

The two other classes summoned were Assassin and Rider, both of their masters were unknown though one of them would likely be the Matou heir as one of the founders. The family had been in steady decline for years so this might be their last chance. Zouken was a…contencious subject, there were many in the Church that debated over whether he was some sort of Dead Apostle. Kirei said that he was close, yet not close enough to warrant elimination as far as he could tell, but, any opportunity for that to change would be welcome. A verdict shared by many.

"…oh?" The peculiar details provided by the priest on the girl Sakura was interesting. Magi family circumstances were sure-fire trainwrecks it would seem. He had reached the end of the list of participants. Flipping back, he double-checks to see if he missed any servants or masters, but it appeared he had covered them all.

Strange, no one had summoned Saber. From what he had learned it was supposed to be the all-round strongest class, the fact it was last to be called was odd. Surely, she would have been number one to gun for.

Overall, the participants looked like they'd be nothing but trouble, the worst part was that some of the masters weren't even confirmed. Really, was it too much to hope they kept their murder-death-kill game on the low end? The amount of cover ups needed was going to be monumental considering the firepower they'd be swinging about.

…

There are voices, in the main hall of the Church. Kirei and two others. "May as well go and listen." He swings himself off the sofa, and leaves. The rooms located on the upper floors were quite lush and modern, definitely something unusual in comparison to the rest of the church. The priest had been vague in regards to how he got the funds to construct it. Writing it off as 'rooms constructed during the time the church was a temporary orphanage after the fire'. It still didn't explain why they were so luxurious.

Not that it mattered, he doesn't spend much time in the Church. Despite being a catholic something about both the building and its owner felt off.

The voices became clearer as he approached the Nave. Three people. Kotomine was engaged in conversation with the Tohsaka heir as well as another unknown boy with red hair. Making sure to stay out of sight, he listened to the conversation happening below.

"Then let us start, Emiya Shirou, you are Saber's master, correct?"

"That's wrong, I certainly made a contract with her, but I don't understand much about this Holy Grail War thing."

"Unbelievable." He mentally face-palmed. It was almost funny. The boy was completely oblivious to anything regarding the Grail War yet was somehow both a magus and the one to summon Saber. The founders would be rolling in their graves if they were to learn of people like this participating in their ritual.

"Wait a minute, Emiya?" That family name held some significance. In the world of Magecraft, for a period of time the name Emiya was one of both fear and derision. The 'magus killer'. A cold and ruthless mercenary who would go through any means to accomplish a task. Dozens of kills under his belt, he was considered a dangerous figure by both the Association and the Church. Though his hunting of Dead Apostles were appreciated by the Church, his seemingly lack of remorse was reviled. He had even fought and survived in the previous Grail War, against top class adversaries like Kirei himself.

If someone as threatening as that had a heir…

"…some ridiculous things where masters kill each other? I want to avoid the murdering of other people, if possible, I don't think it's the right thing to do."

Denial. The second surprise from him. As the conversating progressed, the boy continued to object to the idea of killing any other people he may have to come against. The boy was not simply against it, judging by his tone of voice, the very idea of killing was something he was strongly averse to. Impossible, there was no way the son of the magus killer was this much of a pacifist. Someone as emotionless and destructive as that man was said to be…was the boy not actually his son? Even if adopted, he was completely lacking in the mentality needed for a magus.

"Which in of itself isn't a bad thing. In a conflict like this however, its goin' to just get him killed."

It looked like the job of convincing him about the dangers of the war was beginning to take effect. Even he couldn't deny the extreme power a servant held. Of course, the best strategy for victory would be taking out the other masters. Even then, he still stubbornly refused his role. It was almost comical how obstinately against it he was.

"I don't see why Kirei doesn't let the boy go," he thought. "It's obvious he wants no stake in this death game. Even the girl can see that."

Shirou Emiya keeps pushing his perspective as he learns more and more details. The Grail, master servant contracts, victory. The overseer freely educated him on the war's intricacies. The boy continued to remain stubborn.

"I don't have any reason to fight, I'm not interested in the Holy Grail, and I don't feel like a Master even if you tell me I am," he states. No matter what he learned, he was still refusing.

"That is fine, if you have no reason to fight," The Priest's smile widens. "So I take it, you are not troubled by what happened 10 years ago? After all, those flames were the outcome of the winners wish in the last war."

At these words, the boys body freezes. His face looks sickly. His expression is visceral, twisted in horror. This was no simple reaction to the remembrance of the great tragedy of Fuyuki. This was much more personal. Even Rin had expressed worry at his response. Something about the event was deeply rooted to the boy, and Kirei had expertly prodded at that sensitivity, effortlessly extracting his emotions on a platter for all to see.

It was clear, the priest wanted Shirou Emiya to participate in the Grail War, but why? It could be something as simple as a grudge held against the boy's father, petty payback for losing? It didn't seem like his style. Just what was the man's angle? The more Mario learned about the mysterious clergyman the less he seemed to understand.

In the end, his methods had worked.

"I won't run away, I will fight as a master. If the cause of the fire ten years ago was the Holy Grail War, I can't let it happen again," Shirou said.

Looked like the conversation was over. Both Emiya and Tohsaka made their way out the Church's doors, leaving the still smirking Priest. The boy had changed. His expression was determined. A fire had been lit inside him. The bishop wonder's how he'd react to knowing that the winner of the previous war was his own father? His mentality was unpredictable. He'd like to have a closer talk with him sometime. It's rare to come across someone like that. Much less a magus like him.

He returned to his room with a shake of his head. "…Who am I kidding? The Kid's not gonna survive a week out there."

-oOo-

The boy's body had flown so smoothly. Berserkers axe had hit him, and his torso had practically crumpled in on itself. Illyasviel had watched. Watched as her clueless Onii-chan expressed no knowledge of her existence. Watched as he charged in, completely defenceless, to save the servant fighting for him. Watched as he had been launched after taking the attack meant for Saber.

It was so simple. Just like that, the boy was surely dead. It hadn't even been much of….much of anything. So easily, he had already died. Humans were fragile just like he had said. There was no saving him. All her years of revenge had ended in that one simple interaction. How…uneventful.

Oh.

Never mind. It looked like he was made of stronger stuff. He was barely breathing. Even from this distance she could see the slow rise and fall of his chest. The terror on the other girls faces as they rushed to his side, the dead look in his eyes as he looked towards the sky.

Boring.

She suddenly no longer felt like finishing him off. She could do it at anytime, so why bother going through with it now? Calling for her servant, the white-haired little girl left the scene.

-oOo-

Shirou jolted awake with a start, surprised to be even waking up at all. Its dark, so likely still deep in the night. He was situated on a park bench on some nondescript street in the less modernised area of Shinto. His schoolmate, Rin Tohsaka was watching over him with an unimpressed expression while his knightly servant looked at him with slight concern. He was used to waking up to a beautiful girl at his side, but that was with years of friendship with Sakura, this was a little more startling. Especially when her face was so close to his.

"Master, you are awake. I'm glad you're unharmed." Saber said.

"W-What? Oh…. Uh, yeah."

He's a bit flustered looking into her eyes. As his mind catches up with the situation he jerks upright. Grasping at his clothing he hurriedly rolled up his shirt and coat to inspect his torso. Expecting some sort of gaping hole or ugly scar, he finds…nothing.

"I'm…not hurt?" Its only natural he's perplexed. If he recalled the events prior, he had been brutally gouged by the stone slab of Berserker. The behemoth of a servant had been gaining the upper hand on Saber, his strength and speed had been incredible. His swings were easily tearing up the environment, upheaving the earth and smashing through trees with ease. Saber was unable to defend against the power behind his attacks. She was on her last legs, there was no way for her to survive the enemies next assault, her damaged figure faltering against her adversary.

"For her to be like that, it wasn't right." Was what he had thought.

In a moment of desperation, he had rushed forward, pushing her out of the way and taking the blow in her place. There was no way he could have survived, death should have been instantaneous. The attack definitely connected, the tattered state of his clothes was proof of that. Even now he remembered the feeling of being sent flying as his blood traced an arc through the air. With the height he gained, he would have easily cleared that high jump from school, more than double it even.

"I'm just as surprised as you are. If you were capable of healing such mortal wounds, then I can't help but feel annoyed with myself." Tohsaka commented as he awkwardly pat his abdomen.

"What? No way I can do something like this! I thought it might've been you."

"Really? Maybe your pact with Saber has something to do with it. Making you recover from that sorry state is something way beyond my scope of ability…at least, it is now." She gave him a slight glare. Why did it feel like she was holding some sort of grudge? He's not sure what she's insinuating but decides against probing.

"If you didn't know you would recover, then I suppose that reckless stunt of yours was even more idiotic than I thought."

"…No need to be that way, its not as if I did something wrong," he murmured. Really, what was she so angry about? If everyone here right now managed to survive then what was the problem?

"Oh really? Rin leaned forward, her arms crossed.? "Then let me ask you a few questions. Think of it as a test from what you've learned today. First, how do servants exist?"

"Oh, well…" he's a little surprised by the sudden questioning but decides to answer as best he can.

"…they can sustain themselves with a supply of magical energy, right?"

"Correct, and what supplies that magical energy?"

"Um…they receive it from the connection…with…their…master…" His reply faltered.

"Yes, yes. And do tell, what would happen, if the master were to die by, oh, I don't know, getting himself bisected by the weapon of another servant?"

"…"

There's no point in answering. He had already reached the conclusion she was aiming for. It appeared that his attempt at saving Saber might have been the thing that doomed them both. From her perspective, his actions were a reckless risk with no positive outcome. Even then, trying to save her still felt like the right thing to do. He couldn't just sit there and watch her die. The woman in question says nothing at her master's interrogation but her posture leans heavily in agreement towards Tohaska. Rin still seems unsatisfied with his realisation, as if expecting more.

"Honestly, I'm beginning to regret even offering you an alliance, the number of times you've almost died in the past day is astonishing." She sounds tired. It must have been a long night for her. His frequent flirtations with death only adding to her exasperation. He attempts an apology but is rebuffed as the topic moves on. The girl described what happened in the aftermath.

After he had fallen unconscious, Berserker's master, Illyasviel von Einzbern had mysteriously left shortly thereafter. Her reasons were unclear. Shirou was bewildered by the seemingly unhinged albino girl. Why did she talk to him with such familiarity? Why was she so hell-bent on killing him? Was that just how most magi acted when it came to the Holy Grail War? He voices his concerns to the more experienced girl.

"I suppose that is the proper decorum as a magus in the war, nothing was out of the ordinary apart from her strange fixation on you."

Oh great, did he have some sort of hit put out on him? He had somehow incurred the wrath of someone who Rin said had the strongest servant in the war.

"But then again." Rin continued, a little slower. "Enemy masters are not the only thing you should worry about. Normally I'd expect you to be aware of this, but you've managed to permanently lower my expectations of you as a magus, you know those killings that have been occurring recently?"

Shirou grimaced, his hands slightly tensed. It wasn't even a question; they had been a constant source of frustration for him. The who and why's eluding him. "Yeah, of course I'm aware. Don't tell me they're part of the Grail War as well?" Saber notices his expression with a frown as she listened to Rin.

She shook her head. "No, its actually a separate matter. You see, the nickname they've gained as the 'vampire killings' actually hold some weight to them."

"That name…was actually relevant to the source?" Shirou was surprised, he had heard about some of the gruesome bodies being found drained of their blood but he had thought it was sadistic quirk of the serial killer. The implication in Rin's words implied something far more sinister and considering the host of supernatural concepts he'd been recently exposed to.

"Are you telling me that vampires are actually real?" He almost felt like a child asking the question. The response he gets is as serious as they come.

"Well, not in the sense you know. The correct term for them is actually, Dead Apostle."

"Dead…Apostle?" He questioned the term, confused. His servant's reaction is more abrupt. Upon hearing her words, Saber's eyes instantly sharpened, focusing intently on the girl. Almost instinctively she adopts a more guarded stance.

"Rin, are you sure? An Apostle is here in this city at the same time as the war?"

The girl's hand reached up and began nervously twirling a dark lock of hair, hesitant to continue. "Well… I'm not just sure of that." Rin looks away under the servant's gaze. "From what I know…It's also been here for at least two weeks and is considered to be one of the 27 Ancestors."

…

The blonde knight is in shock as she absorbs what the girl just said. its the first time Shirou had seen such a look of surprise on the woman's face. It surpassed the surprise she had when first hearing his name. Clearly, this was something serious if even she was acting like this. Shirou couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease settle in his stomach.

"Alright. Don't keep me out of the loop." He looked between the two girls. "What exactly is an Ancestor or Dead Apostle?" He's not expecting anything good considering the name. Saber's reaction only intensifies his worry. Rin takes a deep breath before she begins.

"Emiya-kun. Dead Apostles are essentially, former humans who have attained a twisted form of immortality. Usually through means of magecraft or by being turned by another Apostle. They sustain their semi-immortal existences by consuming blood, thereby also gaining strength. Once they establish themselves within a city, they prey on its inhabitants under the cover of darkness, slaughtering and feasting upon them until they amass enough power to claim the city as their own. Any humans they don't kill are instead converted into lesser familiars to do the apostle's bidding. With these methods they can live on for hundreds of years."

Shirou listened to her explanation in silence, the chill of the night beginning to feel even colder still. Now he understood why she had mentioned vampires. What she had described was a bloodsucking monster. Something like that was preying on the populace. The sick feeling in his stomach lingers as his body tenses up. The shadows of the park suddenly appeared much more threatening. His body's pulse quickens slightly.

"Even worse," Rin continued, "Of these Dead Apostles, the Ancestors are a grouping at the very apex of them. A sort of upper society. They are a categorization of 27 that have lived for thousands of years. Over that period, what their capable of has travelled beyond human comprehension. The 'principle' they covet becoming a representation of their rank. Eliminating one is a monumental task that requires serious resources from the Church, people who are experts in hunting supernatural entities. Tracking down just one can take hundreds of years."

…

Her words hang in the air. Saber's face remained grave. Shirou now understood her earlier reaction. If these beings were as strong and dangerous as Rin claimed for them to be…

"Then, are they even more powerful than a servant…?" he asked. Servants themselves could be considered inhuman after all. Thinking back at the fights he'd seen, Archer, Lancer, Berserker, Saber. In many ways, he found their abilities and existences just as incomprehensible.

Rin's mind seemed to pause at the question. Saber is the one who answers instead.

"That's a difficult thing to say, for a lesser or greater apostle it would usually be no problem for the majority of servants, but for an Ancestor it becomes much more difficult. In a way, Dead Apostles are like the antithesis of us Heroic Spirits, we live to affirm human history while they exist as a vile corruption that defiles it."

Her tone holds nothing but disdain for the creatures. Denial of Human History? No wonder. For a Heroic Spirit, they must be a natural enemy.

"I of course, believe that no vampire could ever stand up to me in combat. You should having nothing to fear with my support, master."

He absorbs her words with consideration, her confidence is reassuring. Though at this point, his mind is already made. Finally, he had a clearer understanding of the terror that nested in his city. He would finally be able to work towards stopping madness and fear that gripped Fuyuki. Ending the senseless deaths and disappearances was surely the right thing to do as a step towards his dream.

Rin holds up a finger to his face, interrupting his thoughts. She notices the determined gleam in his eye, its an expression she's seen before.

"Emiya-kun, listen here." She warned. "Your servant is strong, maybe even one of the strongest in this war, but you never know what you're up against when it's a Dead Apostle Ancestor. There's no telling what might happen, I'd recommend avoiding contact, the Church has already sent people to take care of it. The point of your role is to win the Holy Grail."

…Of course. Her words made sense, if what she described was true. Its possible that with his inexperience, all he would be doing is running to his death. He had already made an example of it tonight. One wrong move and he may just be forfeiting both his chance at winning the war and his own life. But when he thought about all the victims so far, that family on the intersection torn to shreds, the missing Toyama-sensei...

"Even then, I can't ignore them. If they're attacking the innocents of this city…then I have to stop them." Saber's expression twitched but remained mostly neutral at her master's declaration. The resolve was apparent to all who heard them.

Rin gave the master and servant pair an exasperated look.

"Seriously?! Fine then, if you want to get yourself killed so badly it doesn't matter to me!" She ran both her hands through her hair in irritation before turning away. "We'd best be going home now. I still have to take care of my servant that you injured. For now, I'll co-operate with you to make sure you don't get slaughtered like a lamb, at least, until my servant is healed. Once that's done, we'll be enemies, so don't get too close, understood?"

Without waiting for an answer, she strides away, her dark hair swishing angrily as she vanishes into the darkness. He's a little worried about her hasty exit considering what she just told him but clearly, she was confident that she could handle herself. Plus, they were expected to follow.

"…Really, that girl." He smiled softly. Calling him an enemy in one line and then giving him advice and warnings in another, staying with him until he woke up, she really wasn't honest with herself. Rin Tohsaka was a nice person. Even when he vowed to do something reckless, she still honoured their earlier agreement to become allies. "She'd be a lot cuter if she let out her feelings more often."

"Master." Saber voice draws him out from his musings. "You're vow to enact justice on the Apostle is admirable despite its rash nature, as your servant I will assist you to the best of my ability. My search for the Grail may be unyielding, but I will not ignore innocents in danger. My main goal is still the retrieval of the Grail and victory in this war, do not forget that." She extended a hand. "As long as our goals align, I will be your sword."

For just a moment, he hesitated. He would much rather prioritise the saving of innocents over the necessary procurement of the Grail. Though both would help in contributing to his goals, he could not, would not ignore the danger presented by a Dead Apostle. For now, it didn't matter. There was no more running away. No more second thoughts. This war was his to fight and win. Reaching out his own arm, the two shake, firmly establishing their contract to work together.

"Thank you, Saber." He awkwardly placed a hand on the back of his head. "But please, the whole 'master' thing feels a bit uncomfortable, you can call me by my name. Its Shirou Emiya."

"Shirou then," She smiled. "Yes. That sounds pleasant."

"Um, Emiya if you wouldn't mind."

"Shirou is fine."

He looks away, a little flustered. He feels a little embarrassed hearing first name coming out her mouth with such freedom.

"Well, lets go catch up with Tohsaka, wouldn't want to disappoint her any further, would we?"

"I believe that only applies to yourself, Shirou."

-oOo-

The Priest is alone.

The Blond haired boy had left Fuyuki Church shortly after Emiya and Rin had finished their business there. The old building overlooking the city had returned to its lonesome state. Its one usual resident, Kotomine Kirei, a priest serving as its only inhabitant. Taking this night to exercise his duties as an overseer rather than actively being out hunting the streets had proven to be worthwhile.

"Shirou Emiya." He feels the most wonderful shiver go down his spine. The lord must have been looking at him with fondness. The child of his fated enemy, participating in the Grail War once again. Yes, no matter the outcome, his actions and emotions were sure to be worthwhile. There was so many things the boy was unaware of, so many wonderful ways his spirit could be crushed. And even if he were to conquer all these tribulations and win the Grail? Attempt to utilise it? Well, that might just be the most enjoyable outcome of them all.

"My oh my, more jesters just keep being added to the stage. Mere children and fools alike. I can't help but laugh at what has become of this farce of war." Emerging from the depths of the Church was a handsome golden-haired man.

Perhaps calling him handsome was an injustice. His complexion was dramatically radiant. He moved with an air of absolute authority. Dressed in casual and fashionable black and white clothing, it appeared regal when on his frame. His manner of speech was so confident, the mere idea of going against it seemed impossible.

Kirei gave a slight bow of the head. Anyone would say the mans reveal was deserving of much more, but it would suffice.

"I suppose it is a far cry from the ritual you previously took part in," he mused. "Though I find myself quite intrigued at the way things may play out. It might even reach the same heights as last time."

The golden man scoffed. "Comparing this squabble to the conflict I participated in would be a disservice to those who fought. The King of Heroes, King of Conquerors and King of Knights all in one place. It was truly a battle worthy of being immortalised in history."

Of course, he was the first to be mentioned of the three. Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes. And the one and only unknown resident of Fuyuki Church. A carry on from the 4th Holy Grail War that should never have survived into this era yet had persisted. An incarnation from the mud that spewed from the finale of the previous war. With his sardonic words, he languidly relaxes on a pew. In his hand is a glass of wine, the specifics of its contents are unknown, its value surely priceless.

"Indeed, my apologies." Kirei said expressionlessly. "If that's the case, will you be clearing up this city through your own means? I do not speak on their behalf, but I'm sure the Church would very much appreciate your assistance."

While the way he spoke may have been considered polite to most people. To a person like Gilgamesh, his presumptuous tone could be considered an insult. It is only due to the unique facets of their relationship that they don't incur the Kings wrath.

"Hmph, Acting out on the filth that proliferates this city is beneath me. My treasures do not deserve to be stained by the blood of such reprobates. Exerting my own efforts in their extermination is much beyond their value." Gilgamesh's' expression took a displeased visage. The disdain of which he spoke of the creatures with was massive. If they had existed during his own time, they likely would have been wiped out long before the common era.

"No, I will not be the one to do so. Instead that task shall fall on my dutiful Knight. Yes, she will no doubt be the one to seek out and eliminate them in pursuit of justice, whether she will prioritise their extermination over her pursuit of the Grail will be quite the beautiful struggle." He smiled. "Once the infestation has been dealt with, I shall go and reclaim her, being by my side once more will no doubt be a worthy reward for her diligent service. Until someone worthy of my presence appears, my participation will be nondescript."

He capped off his arrogant words with a sip. This was the natural thought process of the Heroic Spirit Gilgamesh. A man who believed he already owned it all. A man that could accomplish anything with little effort and thus exerted none. Some may call it conceited, but for someone like him, it was simply an expected and dignified way for the King to rule his garden that had lost its luster in the modern era.

Kirei listened to the end of his deliverance. "How generous of you to leave the participants to their own devices. I'm sure that it will prove to be entertaining. However, I must say, I didn't expect your abstinence to reach so far as to even avoid being seen by the bishop."

Mario Gallo Bestino had been unaware of the man's residence despite having visited thrice already, it would seem that upon his visitation, Gilgamesh's appearance would become scarce.

The King's eyes narrowed. "Do not misunderstand. That boy has good intuition, beyond what his age suggests. The moment he were to lay his eyes on me, my peace of mind would be forfeit. Having him attempt to survey my every move would become tiresome and eliminating him would be a bore." His eyes swivelled to the Priest. "You yourself are already under suspicion, you would do your best to curb your own illicit activities. I doubt he'd be fond of your interaction with the girl."

Kirei smirked. "Illicit? It was unconfirmed whether or not the girl had turned. Seeing her poor, pitiful form, I couldn't help but feel sympathetic. I merely acted as any Priest should, listened to her worries, and gave her advice. You could say that the rejection of her nature struck a chord with me. The fact that my associates weren't there to witness the interaction is of no fault of my own."

A light chuckle burst from the servant's mouth. "Sympathy? Pity? A most humorous justification. I do wonder if such a thing would've even fooled your past self."

His glass is finished. He lets it go and it dissipates into a golden mist, once more returning to his gate. He stands, a smile still on his lips as he meanders down the center aisle towards the main entrance. Where he was going was of little importance, he went and did as he pleased. The doors of the Church opened seemingly on their own as he approached. Silver light trickled in, illuminating his brilliance. He glanced over his shoulder.

"Do try to keep things entertaining, perhaps this will become a fine comedy after all. The loss of someone of your unique disposition would be a waste. To be bereft of such an intriguing retainer...Though I am sure the rest of the world would not see it that way."

With that final command, the King left the confines of the Church, the doors slowly draw to a close like the curtains of a play. Darkness filled the Cathedral.

Once more, the Priest is left alone.

-oOo-

With their pledges made, Shirou, Saber and Rin made there way into the streets of Miyama on their way home. The journey is quiet. At this time, with all the warnings from the police and media, the chances of running into someone was extremely low. Heading into alleyways would also lead into encounters with what Rin called 'The Dead' so they were generally avoided.

Saber had already been in two (three if you count Archer) fights that night, sustaining injuries from both of them. It would take a while with a magus like Shirou for her to heal up to full strength. His incompetence made it so that he couldn't even dematerialise her into spirit form. He cursed his uselessness, if only he was more talented at magecraft. At least with her figure in a yellow raincoat she'd be a little harder to recognise at a distance.

He couldn't stop himself from watching her face as they travelled. Even when slightly obscure by the hood, her features were captivating. What could someone of her look and warrior status possibly be? She had saved and fought for him twice now. An ancient legend from history…The only female knight he could think of was Joan of Arc. For some reason he got an extreme sense of dread at the idea of mentioning this to her.

The woman had refrained from telling him her identity on account of him being susceptible to mental manipulation which he supposed was fair. She was just maximising her chances to win with someone like him.

That did remind him.

"Saber, you were summoned in response for a chance to claim the Grail, right? What is it that you want to wish for-"

"Shirou, a girl just turned down that alley."

His query is interrupted. Up ahead, Saber had spotted someone. While spotting someone else was rare, it wasn't necessarily impossible. He didn't get a good look at them himself but the fact that Saber pointed it out was a cause for concern. What purpose would a lone girl have wandering through the backstreets? It gave him a bad feeling.

"That was…" Rin began to say something but stops. Her brow is furrowed. She seemed hesitant to say more. They've come to a stop a ways down the path from where the girl turned. Saber seems to be staring at the spot intently, it just made Shirou more worried. Should they just ignore it and continue on? What if the person was in trouble?

While contemplating whether or not to investigate, they began to hear sounds.

Normally it would have been imperceptible but in the silence of the night its easier. Even then, its hard to make out what it was exactly, something falling? A strange ripping? It's coming from behind the building, the same place the girl that Saber saw disappeared to. The sounds repeat over and over, its never the exact same. Shirou began to take a step forward but is stopped by a gauntleted hand. Saber's face is hardened in response to the noises.

"Shirou?" Saber questioned. Its a request for an order, some sort of approval before acting.

He feels his abdomen for a moment before motioning to continue. Rin still said nothing, she looked nervous. Saber gave them both a sharp look.

"Alright. Shirou, Rin, stay behind me, this does not bode well," she commanded.

They both gave a nod of affirmation. Slowly, they crept forwards. The noises seemed so much louder in the darkness.

Suddenly, the night is punctuated by a shrill scream. Rin and Shirou jump as the loud sound pierces the silent city, it's a shout filled with fear. Just as quickly as it began, it was abruptly cut off.

...

Without wasting any more time, Shirou dashed forward. Saber swiftly overtook him before his second stride had even hit the ground, Rin followed close behind.

Their steps echo as they ran through the twisting back lanes towards the source of the cry. As they approached, the previous sounds grew louder and more distinct. Ripping, almost like paper, but fuller and more wet. In the compact passageways, it seemed to resonate from every direction. Each time it repeated, Shirou felt his heart beat a little faster.

They turn the final corner and come to a stop.

The moonlight shines down illuminating the scene in the alley.

Red.

Red all over.

It was like a scene straight out of hell. The floor, the walls, the colour appears everywhere. Splattered upon every surface is blood. A thick coat across the ground and dripping down the walls. The stench was overwhelming. Shirou felt bile rising in the back of his throat. He puts a hand over his mouth to quell the sensation.

Spread amongst the blood was the crimson liquids source. The pieces strewn around haphazardly couldn't even be called human anymore. Gaping wounds in torsos, ripped off limbs. The mounds of flesh weren't even recognisable. The most individualistic parts were the heads. Eyes gouged out. Chunks torn open. Mouths gaping, stuck in an expression of terror. Identifying features is impossible. Blood still spouted from the necks like a broken fountain. The carnage was immense. A tapestry of mutilated art arranged in a nightmarish mosaic.

It was right in the centre, the origin of this hellish landscape. Crouched over one of those desecrated bodies was a girl. A blue skirt, yellow sleeveless jumper and a white shirt. Stained with blood, the original colours seemed like an after thought. She was leaning over a lifeless form, brown twin-tailed hair hanging over it.

Methodically, her arm reached downwards, grabbed a chunk of flesh, and pulled. There is the sound of ripping as the flesh gives, tearing lose with little resistance. She tilted her head back, letting the blood and viscera flow into her mouth. The gulping from her throat is sickening. Once finished, she tossed the piece aside, discarding it into the mess of gore.

He felt sick, Shirou took an uncontrollable step back. At the sound of his step, the girls head swivelled, her red eyes focusing on the three of them, bloodshot, a deep crimson. Discarding her raincoat, Saber brandished her invisible blade, positioning herself in front of Rin and Shirou. The girl lets the body she held slip from her grasp as she rises, revealing the grotesque remains of a young girl. The perpetrator faces them, eyes darting between the three intruders. Face in shadow, her mouth opens.

"Ah, Tohsaka-san, Emiya-kun. I didn't expect to see you here."

In complete contrast to the scene's surroundings, she gives them a completely regular greeting. Her face is innocent, if not a little cheerful and her tone is light. Her mannerisms where exactly that of a regular high school girl seeing some friends out in town. The nonchalant greeting sent a shiver down Shirou's spine.

"Yumi-Yumizuka. What are you doing?" Rin asked warily, her face was pale.

"Hmm, oh this? How embarrassing, you caught me at an awkward time Tohsaka-san." She lets out a little giggle. Rin flinched at the sound. "You see, I was really hungry, and they were the only people around so…"

She smiled. Its cheerfulness is chilling.

"How? How could she smile in a place like this? Did she not understand the tragedy that was before her?" Shirou couldn't understand, his thoughts are in disarray. "Someone from their school? Who is she? Yumizuka? Why? Why? Why? Why?"

Rin's face is horrified. "Yumizuka, don't you understand what you've done? You-...all these people."

"Oh, that." She bashfully puts her fingertips together. "Sorry it's a bit messy, I'm not very good at sucking up people's blood without making them a familiar. Don't you think this was a better solution? Plus, It would hurt them less if they were already dead. Though I may have underestimated my own strength here…."

Blood drips from her clasped fingers. Every droplet seemed deafening as it hits the ground. Its strange, the classmates are exchanging question like any other day in school. Only the backdrop is a nightmare. He couldn't understand her.

"How?" he croaked, talking with the scent of iron almost made him gag.

"…hm?" Yumizuka tilted her head at Shirou's question.

"How can you smile so freely, after murdering…all these people?"

Its unnatural. The girl is surrounded by death yet acts as if its completely normal. Its wrong. This thing masquerading as Satsuki Yumizuka is utterly wrong. Yet the image of the girl continues to smile at his question.

"Oh Shirou, you're always so worried about other people after all. Don't worry, its not like I killed them because I hated them. If I didn't kill them, I would die. I needed their blood to live so its fine."

"Hck-"

Her words are so frank. He couldn't understand the reasoning. She did it because she needed to live? It was…fine? A girl like her was really the cause off all this. This carnage that surrounded them. Satsuki's hands drop back down to her sides as she looked at Rin and Shirou's twin expressions of horror.

"You know, there's no need for you to worry, todays actually my first time, so I had a lot of blood. I'm full so there's no way I'll attack you, or that fancy knight of yours." She looked at Saber. "You know, who are you anyway? I didn't know Tohsaka or Emiya kept such strange company."

"I wont bother answering your questions, Apostle. I'm sorry that a girl like you turned out like this." Saber replied seriously. "I will put you out of your misery,"

"Apostle," Shirou noticed the word. "The thing Rin was warning me about?" He could barely concentrate without his eyes drifting to the bodies surrounding him. In his wildest dreams, he had never imagined this scene of butchery.

"Sorry?" Yumizuka frowned. "There's no need to be sorry. I'll admit, I was sad at first, but after a lot of thinking I learned that maybe its not so bad. I mean, I'll finally be able to understand him. Once I become a great vampire, a killer on his level, I'll finally understand."

Her words were incomprehensible. No one present there could understand her. Hearing the girl's words, Saber stepped forward, but, is stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

"Shirou…"

"Saber, we can't." Shirou said, his voice low. "She's still…She's still just girl. We can't just kill her." Even if she had turned into whatever thing she was now. He couldn't just abandon her. There had to be some other way of helping her. His servant doesn't remove the arm on her shoulder but kept her gaze on Yumizuka.

"Shirou, there is no other way of returning a Dead Apostle back to normal. Killing her now is the only way to prevent further deaths. I'm sure that Rin also understands that." Saber said firmly.

"…"

Rin bit her lip but said nothing. Saber was right. There was no way to revert someone back from becoming an Apostle. As much as she wanted to help her fellow classmate, there was no way of saving her now. "And if she's a danger to all these people" Shirou thought. "Killing her would be the right choice?" Yumizuka listened to their talk with curiosity. The frown on her face persisted, but with a bit of confusion.

"Kill me? But why? I haven't done anything wrong. I need to eat to survive and that's what I did. Why does it matter that it happens to be human? I needed to live. I was going to die. Don't you understand? I would be dead." Her voice rose, becoming shrill. "Dead and alone! Disappearing in the darkness all alone with no one! Not knowing a thing! You think this is what I wanted!?"

"That's…" Wrong. Is what he wanted to say but the words don't come out of his mouth. Every part of his body screams at him that what she's doing is wrong, but in the face of her pleading voice he is unable to respond. Surely, this wasn't what she was really like? He's disgusted in himself, here at this moment he's unable to give her an answer.

With his brief lapse in concentration, Saber burst forward. The distance is covered in an instant, her sword swung downwards, aiming for a neat bisection across the girls body. Shirou had no time to react.

Yumizuka's eyes widened at the rapidly incoming assault, reflexively she leaped upwards, her fingers, now claws, dug into the back wall of the alley as her body slammed into it. Holding herself up with one arm, she glared back at the knight. There's a cut diagonally across her clothing, but no blood seeps from the wound. Impressively, she had managed to just barely dodge Saber's strike.

"Saber, stop!" Shirou yelled at her sudden attack.

The servant looked up at the Apostle after her failed offensive. A beacon of blue and yellow in this sea of red. She was surprised the girl managed to dodge the strike. Even while dramatically injured and weakened, she was sure of her success.

"Why!? I don't understand! All I want to do is live!" the girl snarled. Flexing her muscles, she launched herself, landing atop the building. "I'll be seeing you, Emiya-kun, Tohsaka-san. I get the feeling you're friend doesn't want me to be around so maybe some other time. Oh." Her expression turned soft for a moment. "And if you see Tohno-kun, tell him that I'll be like him very soon, and not to worry."

"Yumizuka! Wait!"

Ignoring Shurou's call, her figure vanished over the rooftops. Rin said nothing as she goes, her face is deeply troubled. Saber bent her knees as if to follow but abruptly comes to a halt. Bringing up her weapon. She slowly withdrew backwards.

"Saber? What is it." Shirou asked. His voice is a little harsh because of her previous actions, he had felt that there was still room to reason.

"I believe there is another servant around here."

"What? Seriously" Rin instantly has a gem in her hand and spins putting Saber at her back. At this point, she was getting really tired of the things tonight was throwing at her. "Where are they?"

"…"

There is silence. Saber's eyes scanned the vicinity. Every one of her senses seemed to be operating at max. After almost a full thirty seconds, she spoke once more.

"I am unable to place it. While I can clearly detect the servant, I am unable to pinpoint the exact location, it feels very faint. It must be an Assassin. This environment is not suitable for your protection, and considering the events of this night, I'd advise we leave."

Her explanation finishes. She doesn't even have to check to know that her conclusion was in agreement with. Rin clenched her fists, staring out onto the rooftops as she backed up towards the exit. Shirou took one last harrowed look at the alley. If only he had gotten here sooner, he could've...

He averted his eyes.

They retreat, leaving the bloodbath behind.

-oOo-

Authors Note:

And day 3 complete! Longest day at around 26k words (this part ended up being longer than planned) but to be expected. Its the beginning of the main storyline of both games! A little exposition and set-up heavy chapter, day 4 will be the real start of the action.

The big climax of the chapter, Yumizuka. Yeah, I'm sure that whenever (if ever) Red Garden comes out that everything about her here will be severely outdated but whatever. I wanted her in here so she's here (changed the rating to M just to be safe). I had wanted to also include Bazett on the Fate side of things but she kind shifts a lot of the focus on her due to how strong her with Lancer would be. I didn't want to include her just to have her killed early on or crippled for most the war.

Answering a couple of your wonderful reviews:

-1Pelican117

Thank you for enjoying and your criticism. I quite enjoy writing Ciel, Archer and Rin interacting.

Far side might be a bit much as you said. I had even considered adding some elements of Heavens feel but it really kinda overcentralises the plot. In terms of pairings…I'm honestly still open. Shiki/Arcueid will be a given I think, but Shirou is undecided. When it comes to rehashing scenes, yeah sorry, I tried to at least add something different to (most of) them whether through narration or dialogue but yeah, they'll be gone as you say.

-Potato23

You ask and make a lot of good points. Magic resistance would of course be a problem if Roa were to face a servant directly, but would Vlov have the same difficulties? Correct me if I'm wrong, but Idea Blood isn't the exact same as magecraft even if it can be used to facilitate thaumaturgy right? In that case, magic resistance shouldn't be too effective. Of course, even then, they are still at a heavy disadvantage. But then again, working around that weakness should be fun.

All the DAA's that appear in Tsukihime would likely always be at a disadvantage anyway unless I gave Roa some mega op servant. After all, both are technically not even real DAA's. An actual DAA would be much more challenging...

-GameCrusher55

Awesome that you enjoyed the last chapter and thank you for your input on certain characters. You already noticed most of the changes so yeah. I wasn't aware of Roa's thoughts on heroic spirits in Type Lumina, so thanks for that. In regard to other stuff, I probably won't be including many aspects from Fate/school life. However, it'd be great if this story did reach a phase where Caren could appear…

-Naosj

Yeah, this is a narratively very dense story. I'm barely out the prologue and yet there are so many things that need to be covered from every character. Easily the biggest struggle I've been having. Was kinda expecting it though. Unlike most crossovers, I'm (trying to) fully bring in everything from both worlds.

-GrantWalker581

Arcueid and Shirou will of course have to cross paths, no way Shirou wont absolutely object to Dead Apostles that go around killing innocents.

-DB oblivion

Rin, Ciel and Archer is a grouping I've been quite enjoying writing. In that case interactions will be aplenty. I do wonder just how Ciel ended up giving him that shroud, they must have been pretty close. The grouping of Kuzuki, Taiga and Noel make me want to write a couple side stories of just their school antics.

-uchihafan3551

Lmao I seem to have given Shiki the 'Mystic Eyes of Spoiler Perception'. Let's him detect and attract major plot points or character with little accuracy and vagueness.

-SG

I'm trying to make this its own thing, but I guess you could say its built off the framework of UBW and Fate on the Stay night side. And near side on the Tsukihime side. In terms of pairings, I'm still undecided. I won't include Tachi or the scrapped Shielder class servant because I have no idea how to work that in anyway.

Thank you to everyone else who reviewed! Its my first fanfiction and the support make me happy. Updates will probably slow down from now sadly. I hope to put something out every 1 or 2 months, but it could likely be longer. See you whenever that is! Thanks again!