Hell. That's how he would describe the place he's walking through. It hurts; everything burns, his legs ache. He's tired and wants to lie down and close his eyes, but he can't. Stopping now means certain death, and he would die in this place, surrounded by fire and fallen debris. He has to keep going. It hurts: his skin burns, his muscles ache, his breath is short, and the smoke blurs his vision and seeps into his lungs.
Voices cry out as he continues his futile trek through this hell on earth, the voices screeching for help, for someone, anyone to come and save them. But he doesn't stop; he can't stop. If he stops to help, he will die along with them. So he continues on, not looking back, ignoring the cries and screams for aid.
He keeps going, and after what seems like ages, he sees a figure through the smoke. He can't make them out with all the smoke everywhere, only seeing a silhouette. But all he needs to do is get to that person, and he's saved. He's so close, he's—
Suddenly, as he gets closer, a charred black plank crumbles under the weight of rubble, its structural integrity burned away as it slides down, crushing him. As the debris crushes and falls atop him, his legs, chest, and left arm squashed under the rubble. He looks at the retreating silhouette, his only hope to escape this hellscape getting farther and farther away.
He struggles to escape the rubble, pushing and pulling with all his might. But his throat is too dry from the ash and soot to scream, so he coughs and sputters instead. He's going to die here, but he doesn't want to die. He'd do anything not to die here, he claws at the concrete, tearing the skin from his fingertips on a desperate attempt to pull himself out.
"How pitiful. Nobody is coming to save you. You're basically half-dead because of these paltry flames, yet you still struggle and cling to hope," as the boy hears a voice somehow cutting through the roaring of the flames and the screams and pleads of the desperate, coming out clear amidst the chaos, holding a sophisticated tone.
The boy looked up, and in front of him was a man wearing some form of a business suit, it was a deep black similar to the charred wood surrounding them, with only red accents and tie-breaking the monotony. The man's eyes, however, were the most striking feature. They were a deep, piercing red, almost glowing in the dim light of the fire. They seemed to look straight through the boy as if peering into his very soul.
The man's face was obscured by shadows, but his eyes glinted with a strange intensity that sent shivers down the boy's spine. His voice, though calm, carried an unsettling weight as if he held secrets too dark to share.
The boy's breaths come in shallow gasps as he struggles to speak, his voice hoarse from the smoke. The boy reaches out to the man with his other hand, the one not buried under rubble, as if begging for help. Even though he couldn't see the man's face, he could feel the man's gaze burning into him.
"My, my, I knew I picked you for a reason. You're buried underneath rubble, your skin charred, emotions thrown away, and your body broken, yet you still continue. Your want and need to live outweigh everything else," the man says. "how endearing."
The boy's heart races as the man's words sink in. Despite his desperate situation, he finds himself drawn to the man's presence, though a part of him feels a creeping unease at the intensity of those glowing red eyes.
"I... I don't want to die," the boy manages to choke out, his voice barely above a whisper amidst the crackling of flames.
The man's lips curl into a faint smile, though it's impossible to discern whether it's one of amusement or something more sinister. "Ah, but who does, my dear boy? Death is such a finality, isn't it? But fear not, for I offer you a chance. A chance to escape this torment, this agony. All you need to do is accept my offer."
The boy's mind races, torn between the instinct to survive and a primal fear of the unknown. "What... what do you want from me?" he asks, his voice trembling.
The man's smile widens, revealing a hint of gleaming teeth. "Only a simple exchange, my dear boy. Your life for... something of equal value. Something precious. Something... irreplaceable."
The boy's brow furrows in confusion and fear. "What... what could I possibly have that you would want?"
The man's eyes glimmer with an otherworldly intensity. "Ah, but that, my dear boy, is for you to discover. So, what say you? Do you accept my offer? Do you choose life over death?
As much as he wants to keep listening, the boy can't. His body is slowly succumbing to the burns and the rubble crushing his lower half. Everything is slowly going dark as he becomes more and more numb.
"Ah, here I go prattling on. Well, I came here to offer you a deal. A deal I know you can't refuse," the man continues, his tone ominous.
"Do you want to live, boy? Because if so..." the man lowers to one knee and outstretches his hand. "All you need to do is shake my hand."
The boy stares at the man's hand for a few seconds. If this were any other situation, he would have denied the man. But now, he has no choice, or he will die. What the man is offering couldn't be worse than this hellscape, right?
The boy steeled his heart, reached out, and shook the older man's hand. Suddenly, as he shakes the strange man's hand, the wind picks up, dispelling some of the smoke surrounding them. This allows the boy to see the man's face, twisted into a wicked grin, his midnight black hair flickering in the wind, and his dull red eyes seeming to glow in the dark.
"Well, my little rider, your wish has been granted."
Ash and soot swirled around them, but curiously not getting into his eyes or lungs, it engulfed the man he just made a deal with, to the point of where the last thing he saw was the man's glowing red eyes.
It couldn't be that bad... right?
Rubble flies past as a man in an all-black suit can be seen digging through said rubble. This man is Kiritsugu Emiya. He goes by a few titles, but two right now are currently the most prominent: Magus Killer and the most recent title, victor of the 4th Holy Grail War, but if you asked him; he didn't feel like a winner.
"There has to be someone, anyone!"
He was a broken man he had lost so much, and sacrificed so much, for the greater good. What does that leave him? Empty, his wife gone, his daughter, he would never see her again most likely after this. But he has to try to save at least one person. He couldn't save all these people, and he would have to live with the guilt of this for the rest of his life, but that didn't matter all he had to do was save one person, one that's all he needed. If he can't save anyone, that would surely break him.
"No, no, no!" The man yells in despair as he finds another broken corpse, mangled and burned beyond recognition, he feels his heart sink as he grips the debris. He truly is a failure, not being able to save a single person.
"H-Help..."
Just as he has given up hope, a voice rings out. It's weak, barely heard amongst the burning and falling debris. All that matters to the Magus killer right then and there is that he heard it. Somehow, he heard it despite the roaring flames and dying wails of thousands, he could hear one voice that was still alive.
Though he was tired both mentally and physically the smoke filling his lungs, his muscles sore and the blistering heat getting to him, but despite that, he ran. He ran as fast as he could, stumbling against debris, but he kept going. All that matters is that someone is alive. He will save them, he has to save them.
His eyes darted around, looking for the owner of the voice, they were around here; they had to be. He flings rocks and blackened wood behind him. His lungs burn, and his muscles ache, but he needs to save this person. If he failed, if he couldn't, he knew his spirit would break, that he most likely wouldn't have the strength to pull himself from this burning wasteland.
After a short time searching, he pulls up one large piece of rubble and under it, he finds a young boy. He has short auburn hair and is wearing a jacket and jeans with tears across them. Kiritsugu smiles. He smiles as he picks up the young boy from the rubble. He did it, he had saved someone.
The boy in question stares up at the man who pulled him from the rubble, he looked nothing like the man in the business suit, his eyes were more tired and didn't glow in the dark, but there was a smile on his face, a weary but honest smile, and in that moment the boy could only think of one thing.
'I want to smile like that too.'
Before going limp and falling unconscious in his saviors arms
Kiritsugu, now with the boy in his arms, continues his trek out of this hellscape. He has already steeled his heart to many tragedies, so he won't look back. He can't look back. He hobbles through the debris, not looking back, ignoring the cries for help. He doesn't stop. He chooses to save this boy. He picks the many over the few, and in this situation, the boy is the many.
As Kiritsugu clutches the boy close, he knows they are nearly out of there. Just a bit further, and they're home-free. Truly, fate is cruel. As Kiritsugu walks towards the exit, the fire starts swirling around him. The wind suddenly seems to pick up as ash, soot, and fire swirl across the whole area.
Kiritsugu knelt, cradling the young boy in his arms as rubble and flames swirled around them. The wind and flames slowly die down around the two, Kiritsugu looks at the boy whom he had held against his chest.
He could feel the boy's heart rate slowing, he was barely breathing. The Magus killer rests his back against some of the remaining rubble that hadn't burst into flames. The smoke was getting unbearable, they needed to get out of here less they be consumed by the flames
The Magus killer looked around spotting the exit that they needed to take to get out of there. He took a few steps towards the way out, before the flames seemingly came to life, sealing it off their exit, Kiritsugu noticed something; he couldn't put his finger on it but this fire is different. It seemed more intense than normal, but he couldn't question it he had to find a way out of this hellscape, a wave of fire rushed above them, the sudden heat making the older man wince.
The flames then stop spewing. Kiritsugu gathers his wits and peeks around the corner to see what had created those flames. In the distance, he sees it. A skeleton completely wreathed in flames.
It stands in a circle of ash and flames each step it takes melts the concrete into hot lava, the air is actively baking around the strange creature as if everything within its vicinity seems to ignite. If Kiritsugu had to say anything, this had to be the third craziest thing he had seen through this war, up there with Caster's giant tentacle monster. The strange creature of bone and flame then begins walking towards them, burning everything in its path.
Kiritsugu ducks back behind the rubble, his mind racing on how to get out of this situation. He doesn't have the time to look for a new path out of here. The smoke and flames would kill them before they could find another exit, fighting whatever that thing was in his condition was definitely out of the option. He can't just run through the flame-ridden path of his old exit now that he can see what those strange flames could do, melt through solid stone like nothing.
He has no options, no plan, no way out. He looks at the boy in his arms who is still unconscious through all this. His chest felt tight as he cursed his own weakness.
"I can't even save a single child. I really am pathetic," the man pats the boy's head, thinking of his own daughter, and how his actions had damned her, now she would never have even the semblance of a normal life that he was able to grant her. "...forgive me, Illya."
"Oh, already giving in, Kiritsugu Emiya? I was expecting more of a struggle from a broken man like yourself. How disappointing."
Kiritsugu looks to his left and sees a man in a black business suit, black as the ash around them, the only color on him being the suit's red accents and his red tie standing across from him. His most glaring feature though is his red eyes.
"The man's voice carries an unsettling weight, cutting through the chaos of the flames and the screams of the dying. Kiritsugu's tired eyes narrow as he regards the figure before him, a mixture of weariness and suspicion etched across his features.
"Who are you?" Kiritsugu demands, his voice hoarse from the smoke.
The man in the suit simply smiles, a chilling grin that doesn't reach his eyes. "Oh, just a humble dealer of sorts. But enough about me. Let's talk about you, Kiritsugu Emiya. You're in quite the predicament, aren't you?"
Kiritsugu grits his teeth, his grip on the boy tightening. "What do you want?"
The man chuckles softly, the sound sending shivers down Kiritsugu's spine. "Ah, straight to the point, I see. I'll make this simple for you, Kiritsugu. I can offer you a way out of this situation. A chance to save yourself and the boy."
"What do you want from me?" the Magus killer asks the man before him, who is most definitely supernatural in nature. The mysterious man merely smiles at Kiritsugu, seemingly enjoying the power he holds over the other man.
"Why, I am merely asking for you to work for me, and not a quick job, or a one-time thing no, no, no, this is something that is more, permanent," the man says, his smile widening. "In exchange, I will grant you and the boy safe passage out of here. You will be free from this inferno, and you will have a chance to start anew."
Kiritsugu narrows his eyes, studying the man carefully. He knows better than to trust deals that seem too good to be true, especially in his line of work. But the situation is dire, and he doesn't see any other way out.
"And if I refuse?" Kiritsugu asks, though he already knows the answer.
The man's smile fades slightly, replaced by a look of disappointment. "Then I'm afraid you and the boy will meet a rather... unfortunate end here. But don't worry I am a man of my word, in return for your service, I'll get both you and the boy out of this place alive, and I'll even get rid of that... creature."
The man then outstretches his hand to Kiritsugu, and the Magus killer stares at the limb. He can hear whatever that thing was getting closer, the fire consuming everything around them, and the smoke building up, and he can feel the heartbeat of the boy in his arms continuing to slow. Kiritsugu has no options and no way out besides this, Kiritsugu clenches his jaw, weighing his options. He knows that agreeing to this deal could have consequences he can't even begin to imagine. But the alternative is death, and he's not ready to give up just yet.
"Fine," Kiritsugu says, his voice firm. "I accept your offer."
The man's smile returns, wider than ever. "Excellent choice, Kiritsugu Emiya. You won't regret this, I assure you."
Kiritsugu sees the man's face twist into a smile, god he hopes he doesn't regret this, fire and smoke swirl around the three of them, and Kiritsugu can barely see the face of the man.
"Hey, what's going on, what are yo-!" Then suddenly, the Magus killer lets out an anguished howl as he feels something blazing hot, seemingly sear into his very soul, burning his circuits. It was a pain that he felt reach down into his bones before it died down his vision was blurry and he glared up at the suited man who had a smirk on his face.
"Sorry, merely sealing the deal," the man says, his voice tinged with amusement. "Now, let's get you and the boy out of here, shall we?"
With a snap of his fingers, the flames around them seem to part, creating a path leading away from the burning building. Kiritsugu doesn't hesitate, he picks up the boy and starts running, following the path the man has created for them.
As they make their way through the flames, Kiritsugu can't help but feel a sense of unease. He knows that he has just made a deal with a being of unknown power, and he has no idea what the consequences will be. But for now, all he can do is focus on getting himself and the boy to safety.
As they walk through the now-clear path, Kiritsugu can't shake the feeling of unease settling in the pit of his stomach. He knows he's just made a deal with a being he can't fully comprehend, and he can't help but wonder what price he'll ultimately have to pay.
But for now, all he can focus on is getting himself and the boy to safety.
As they reach the edge of the inferno, Kiritsugu looks back one last time, half-expecting to see the man in the suit watching him from afar. But there is nothing there, only the flames and the smoke.
With a final push, Kiritsugu emerges from the burning area, the cool night air hitting him like a welcome relief. He collapses to his knees, the weight of what he has just done crashing down on him. The sound of sirens in the distance approaches, as finally law enforcement get involved.
But as he looks down at the boy in his arms, still unconscious but alive, he knows that he has made the right choice. He may not know what the future holds, but for now, he has saved a life, and that is enough.
He no longer felt the burning of his skin or a tightness in his throat, the smell of smoke was gone, replaced by a cool and pleasant breeze. The young boy's eyes slowly opened taking in his strange new surroundings. What he sees isn't the fiery hellscape from before, nor does he see the man who had saved him. Instead, he sees he is on a flaming skeletal horse standing in a grassy plain. He is facing a battle that seems to be happening in the distance.
The boy's mind races with confusion and fear as he tries to make sense of his surroundings. How did he end up here? Where is the man who saved him? And what is that battle raging in the distance?
As he tries to gather his thoughts, the flames beneath him crackle and the skeletal horse beneath him begins to move, carrying him closer to the scene of the battle. Despite his fear, the boy finds himself unable to look away.
It is between an armored warrior and a massive black dragon, its horns pitch-black, its leathery powerful wings causing the wind to bellow and gust with a single flap. Its pitch-black scales are contrasted by the grey underbelly and the glowing turquoise markings across its underbelly. The warrior is challenging the massive beast, the boy can only see the back of this warrior and his billowing cape, but something else catches his eye, the man's weapon.
It was a sword and a large one that, shimmering with an emerald glow, he was enraptured by it. He wanted to get closer to get a better look, but he couldn't move his arms or legs to tell the horse to get closer. The man wields a massive sword, its blade shining with a radiant light that seems to push back the darkness of the dragon's presence. The boy watches in awe as the warrior dodges the dragon's fiery breath, moving with a grace and skill that seem almost supernatural.
The dragon then rears its head back as the warrior rushes towards it. The dragon lets out a deafening roar, and the boy can feel the heat of its breath even from a distance. As the warrior approaches, he raises his sword high, and with a mighty swing, he strikes the dragon's neck. The blade cuts through the scales like butter, and a gush of black blood sprays out, painting the ground beneath them.
The dragon lets out a howl of pain and rage, thrashing wildly. The warrior, undeterred, continues his assault, striking again and again with precision and strength. With each blow, the dragon weakens, its movements becoming slower and more labored. The beast in retaliation lashes out with its claws and tail, but the warrior dodges and parries with ease, his movements fluid and practiced.
But before the final blows could be struck, the scenery fades, and the boy opens his eyes and he's faced with a ceiling, and the buzzing florescent lights of a hospital. It was all a dream, but that dream, felt so real, like he was right there watching what he knew was a legend in the making. The boy sits up and takes in his surroundings. He is in a standard hospital room with a chair a few feet away from his hospital bed, and there is a window to the right of his bed.
As he takes in the look of his room, the door opens, and the man who walks in is the man who saved him, he seems tired, but upon seeing that the boy is up, a small grin forms on his face.
Kiritsugu, after having a small conversation with the boy he saved and seeing that Avalon worked as intended, and had healed him, the magus killer started looking around looking for the man he made a deal with. But it doesn't take him long, as he exits the hospital and walks towards his car.
There he is, standing right next to the magus killer's car in the parking lot, most definitely waiting for him. Now that Kiritsugu has the man right here, his mind is racing. What did this man do to him and the boy when he "saved" them from the fire? What does he want from him? What jobs does this new permanent employment entail?
"Now, Kiritsugu, you must be wondering what I want from you and the boy," the inclusion of the boy he had saved surprises Kiritsugu.
"He shouldn't be involved in this," the magus killer focuses his eyes on the man; he is wearing an inverted version of the business suit he had first seen him in, with a red jacket and pants, a black tie, and a white undershirt. "I remember that our deal only involved me working for you and in a more 'permanent' function than what I'm used to."
The permanent part may not even be a lie; whatever that burning sensation was that day, it had seared itself onto his very soul. He could feel that it was some form of geass, and here was the man who had signed it with. The man with his red eyes seems amused at the magus killer's response; as if there is a joke he isn't in on, and in a way, he is right.
"Why, yes, you're right. The deal I made with you only involved you working for me permanently, but..." the man's face breaks into a slight smile. "That doesn't mean anything about the deal I had already made with the boy."
The magus killer knew that whatever that glow was from the boy's chest was the action of this man right here. The man in the suit chuckled at Kiritsugu's cold gaze, seeming amused by the Magus Killer's unfriendly demeanor "Now, there's no need to be so hostile. I am merely here to answer a few questions on your new employment."
Kiritsugu doesn't like the situation he is in. He had no read on this man, he seemed so calm and approachable holding a certain charisma, but seeing as he got rid of that thing in the fire.
He wasn't sure he could take him, especially considering in his current condition. But he was never one to take things lying down as the magus Killer reached into his jacket pulling out his Thompson Contender, firing at the inhuman man.
The bullets from Kiritsugu's gun tear through the air, aimed directly at the man in the suit. But to Kiritsugu's shock and horror, the bullets seem to simply dissolve into thin air before they can even reach their target. The man stands there, unaffected, his smile widening into a smirk.
"My, my, such hostility," the man says, his tone mocking. "I'm afraid that won't work on me, Kiritsugu. You see, you belong to me now, and I'm not so easily disposed of."
Kiritsugu's grip tightens on his gun, frustration, and anger boiling within him. He knows he's outmatched, but he refuses to back down without a fight. He glares at the man before him, as he keeps his weapon trained on the man, trying his best to keep his cool. Kiritsugu lowers his gun, his expression unreadable. "What do you want from me?" he asks again, his voice low and cold.
The man's smile widens, revealing a hint of amusement. "As I said before, I want you to work for me, now will you listen or will you try to use that toy of yours again?" The other man taunted.
Kiritsugu grits his teeth, his mind racing with thoughts of what this man could possibly want from him. But he knows he doesn't have much of a choice in the matter. He may be outmatched, but he won't go down without a fight. With a deep breath, he holsters his gun and meets the man's gaze with a steely determination.
"Fine," Kiritsugu says, his voice firm. "I'll listen."
The man's smirk widens into a grin as he gestures for Kiritsugu to follow him. "Excellent choice, Kiritsugu. Let's discuss the details of your new employment, shall we? Walk with me."
As Kiritsugu follows the man, he can't shake the feeling of unease that settles in the pit of his stomach. He knows that he has just made a deal with a being of unknown power, and he can't help but wonder what the consequences will be. But for now, all he can do is focus on getting himself and the boy to safety.
The man leads Kiritsugu to a secluded spot in the parking lot, away from prying eyes and ears. He turns to face Kiritsugu, his red eyes glinting in the dim light.
"Now, Kiritsugu, let's discuss the terms of our agreement," the man says, his voice smooth and confident. "
You are to watch over that boy even after your death, and should he ask for it, you are to give him advice, you are to be his mentor, teach him everything you know, you are to be his father figure in a way. Great for you, right? The second time the charm." The creature in the form of a man, eyes seem to sparkle at the magus killer's glare at the not-so-subtle dig towards the man's parenting skills
Kritsugu chose to bite his tongue and merely clenched his fists, as something in that sentence caught his attention.
"Y-you're not implying what I think you're implying, damn it," muttered the Magus Killer, he had made a mistake his fists clenched tightly "And what's your interest in him? He's just a normal child. What value does he hold to you?" This thing, it couldn't have something to do with the third magic, could it, what did he mean by 'watch over him after your death'?
"Do not bother yourself with the life after death as you are now. You are already going to die in a few years. I am just making sure you do not go to waste," the man replies cryptically, his red eyes gleaming with an otherworldly intensity. "As for the boy, let's just say he has... potential. Potential that I intend to cultivate for my own purposes."
Kiritsugu's mind races with questions, but he knows better than to press further. Whatever this man's intentions are, he knows he has no choice but to comply, at least for now.
"Fine," Kiritsugu says through gritted teeth, his voice laced with resignation. "I'll do it. But know this, I won't let you harm that boy in any way."
The man's smile widens into a grin, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it, Kiritsugu. After all, he's far too valuable to me to risk harming him.
The man then turns his head to the left as if staring at something. "It seems I must go, but before I do, I will answer the question of why I am so adamant about the boy's well-being. Why, it's because he's my adorable rider, so I am merely making sure that he's taken care of. Besides, his future involves you more than you think."
The man's words send a chill down Kiritsugu's spine. What does he mean by "rider"? And why does he refer to the boy as his? But before Kiritsugu can press further, the man vanishes into thin air, leaving behind only a faint echo of his laughter.
Kiritsugu stands there, alone in the parking lot, his mind reeling with questions and uncertainty. He knows he's just made a deal with a being of unknown power, and he can't help but wonder what the consequences will be.
A/N
God I'm a liar, so yea I gave this chapter a touch up, and while I intended it to just be grammar I spent a bit longer and just revised the whole thing and even added 2k more works. Though I'm proud of it, especially happy with giving Mephisto a bit more personality and focusing more on Kiri's despair and how Kirtisugu even when pushed into a corner would still try to fight. Yea, so I hope you guys enjoy this revised Chapter 1, chapter 2 and 3 are next, then I'm back to just making more chapters.