30 years ago…

March 2004

Even though there was a magus guard on either side of her, Rin walked into the Clock Tower with her head held high. She'd expected this, after all.

Shirou and Saber had destroyed the Holy Grail. Even if it was corrupted, the Mage's Association was still furious that this effectively ended the Holy Grail War on its fifth cycle. How were they supposed to grant ill-gotten wishes and summon heroes from the past and future if they didn't have the only artifact with enough magical energy to allow those to even be possible?

Not that Rin cared. Destroying the grail allowed Shirou, Sakura, Illya and herself to get away with their lives and freed Sakura from the Matou family's schemes. Rin was still trying to figure out how to be a proper older sister, but she felt confident that someday she and Sakura would be as close as they should have been.

And one step to that was beginning today, with the Clock Tower's insistence on a trial to determine if the events in Fuyuki were worthy of punishing the surviving Masters. Rin had been called upon to testify about the whole sorry event, partly due to her status as the Head of the Tohsaka Family and partly because the Einzberns were too powerful for them to even consider touching Illya. Not that Rin was complaining, she trusted herself more than she trust the Homunculus when it came to diplomatic events, thank you very much.

The Clock Tower was just as magnificent as Rin had always heard it was, but she refused to allow herself to look around. Knowing the magi waiting for her, they would hear of her curiosity and use it to paint her as a child instead of a magus to be taken seriously. Instead, she kept her gaze fixed straight ahead.

In hindsight, that probably wasn't the best idea on her part. Rin was so focused on what was in front of her that she missed the boy walking toward her entirely until he sent her crashing to the ground.

"Ow!" Rin cried instinctively, glaring up at the boy in question. He was still standing, staring down at her with wide hazel eyes. In his left hand was a book, which was obviously the reason he'd run into Rin in the first place.

"I am so sorry, I didn't see you!" the boy apologized, his English crisp which managed to infuriate Rin even more. Of course she ran into the prim and proper English magus and ended up looking like a fool. "May I help you up?" He held a hand out to her.

"I should hope so." Rin glared at him, placing her hand in his. He pulled her up easily, but Rin didn't ease up on her glare. In actuality, she took great satisfaction in watching pink bleed into his cheeks. "I would have thought the Clock Tower would expect more from its magi."

"Miss. Tohsaka!" one of her magi guards cut in harshly, glaring at her. "Watch your tongue."

"Hmph!" Rin flicked her hair over her shoulder and stepped past the boy, intent on forgetting him entirely.

"Wait!"

The boy's voice caused Rin to stop in place, though she couldn't explain why. Curious despite herself, she glanced at him over her shoulder. He still looked horribly embarrassed, but there was a determination in his eyes that intrigued Rin, nevertheless.

"Miss. Tohsaka," he continued, "I have heard that you are one of the most knowledgeable magi of our age. When your meeting with the board is complete, would you care to join me in the library? I'd like very much to learn from you."

"Perhaps," Rin hedged. Despite the fact that she hadn't agreed to meet him, the boy's hazel eyes lit up as if she had given him a present. Warmth curled in Rin's stomach and she was all too aware of the reassuring weight of her pendant in her pocket, a constant reminder of Archer.

"Then I shall look forward to that," the boy smiled. "Excuse me." He bowed, as if she were a princess or something, and turned to continue down the hallway.

What a strange boy.

When the light vanished, Anya blinked for several moments before her vision cleared. When she could see again, she first breathed a sigh of relief since everything in her apartment was intact. No need to make Itsuki suspicious so early in the war.

Once she determined that, she took a deep breath and faced the Servant she summoned.

They were tall, close to a head taller than Anya herself, with long, wild silver-gray hair, which fell down to their waist in a wild mess as if it hadn't been cared for recently. They had a masculine physique, though despite their obvious musculature they were slender and their tanned brown skin had a muted quality to it. They stared down at Anya with almond shaped greenish-gray eyes, their pupils slit almost like a cat's and glowing slightly in the dim light. They also wore dark gray woven plate armor with blood red cracks throughout the whole of it and a faint scale like pattern. At the top of their body suit they had a v neck, which showed off their skin and was decorated silver tooth-like protrusions. To complete the look, they wore clawed gauntlets, clawed boots and a helmet that resembled a dragon's head that left the lower half of their face exposed.

"You are my Servant then?" Anya asked, her voice soft to match the ambience that hung over them. This felt like a sacred ritual, even more so than summoning a Servant for war. It felt almost…holy. This person, who towered over her and looked so much like someone you didn't want to mess with, answered her call.

"Mm," they grunted, nodding in confirmation. They stared at her with their slightly glowing eyes and Anya couldn't look away.

"What Class are you?" Anya questioned, stepping carefully.

"I am…Berserker," the person confirmed. They didn't move even a millimeter and yet it didn't feel strange to Anya. It only felt…like this was just how they were.

"It's nice to meet you, Berserker," Anya stated. Slowly, carefully, she raised her right arm so her palm faced Berserker, not as a warning but as a sign of trust. "I'm Tohsaka Anya, but you can just call me 'Anya'. I'm a woman, so my pronouns are she/her. May I ask your pronouns and name?"

Berserker stared at her, their eyes still unreadable. They probably didn't fully understand just what Anya was asking, but she wouldn't assume they didn't know. She had seen others who looked like one gender on the outside but were actually another on the inside. She knew what it was like to not be called by the name one chose and considered true.

She'd seen the look in her father's eyes when he introduced himself with her mother's name, the look in her mother's when she called all of her children by a different name when they were in trouble.

Anya would never deny someone their true name.

The silence hung over the two of them, heavy but not quite oppressive, until Berserker raised their own right hand and pressed their palm against Anya's. Their clawed fingers stretched beyond her own, but she held their gaze steadily.

"I am…a man, but…not," Berserker answered, speaking as if he were choosing his words carefully. Anya nodded in encouragement, filing away 'he/they' in the back of her mind. "And my name…"

Berserker trailed off, not answering for a few minutes. Anya watched his eyes as something flickered behind them, as if they were trying to remember his name. Anya stayed quiet, pushing her palm further into Berserker's, reminding them that she was there. Berserker's eyes focused shortly after, meeting Anya's gaze with a steady glow behind his eyes.

"Fafnir."

The name was spoken softly, hesitantly, between the two of them, but Anya heard it all the same.

"Fafnir," Anya repeated, tasting the unfamiliar syllables on her tongue. He nodded at her and she allowed a smile to curl her lips. Her fingers folded forward, slipping between his before he pulled away, as if her touch burned him. Anya brushed it off. They were a Berserker after all. Perhaps they thought they wouldn't be able to avoid hurting her if she held his hand. "Thank you, for giving me your Name. I swear to protect it."

Fafnir glanced up, blinking at her in what she thought had been surprise.

"Master is…unexpected," they stated. They clenched a gauntlet covered hand, as if holding himself back.

"I try to be," Anya said a second before she let out a long yawn. "Sorry, sorry, it's just late. I'm…gonna go to bed now. We'll work everything out tomorrow."

Fafnir let out a quiet grunt of agreement and Anya took that as good enough for now. Magical drainage really was no joke. As soon as Anya reached the bedroom she had claimed for herself, she climbed into bed without bothering to change into her pajamas.

As soon as her head hit the pillow, she drifted off to sleep.

Sleep.

His Master was sleeping. That was a requirement for the human body.

When was the last time they had slept?

…

They couldn't remember. Memories were hazy, slipping through his fingers like particles of sand. He couldn't even begin to hope they'd remain.

It would all be lost eventually. It always was.

…always? How could he know that if he had no memories?

The mind was so strange and they were not used to it being so quiet.

Yes…quiet. Their mind was quiet, that was what was so different. Before he had been summoned, his mind had been so very loud. But now it was empty of any voices but their own.

What a strange thought to have, but it was the only way they could explain it.

Before they were summoned, there were many voices within his mind. Now, there remained only one: theirs. Was this what it was like then, having your mind to yourself?

No…the Grail had assigned them to the Berserker class, which meant that they had Madness Enhancement. Should his mind truly be so quiet then?

Or perhaps he was simply all the more dangerous that this madness was not so obvious?

Fafnir…no, Berserker felt uneasy at this thought. It was the only way they could think to describe how they felt. His gaze traveled to the room his Master, Anya, had entered. She was laying in the bed, sleeping on top of the covers. Her hair fell across her shoulders as her back rose and fell in a steady rhythm.

Berserker frowned. She looked cold. There was a blanket at the end of her bed.

Carefully, as if the fabric would rip at his very touch, Berserker picked up the blanket and draped it over their Master's shoulders. She sighed once she was covered, grasping the fabric and burrowing into it.

She was so small. Berserker frowned again.

This was their Master in this war and she looked so small, like a single swipe of claws could kill her. Berserker glanced down at his own claws, changing his mind from 'could' to 'would'.

This was their Master and it was Berserker's job to keep her safe. With a firm nod, Berserker turned his back to Anya and sat down beside her bed.

They would watch over her.

They would protect her.

Throughout the night, people of history and legend stepped back into the world, answering the call of seven people and seven people only.

The Holy Grail glimmered with magic as the final Servant entered this world. Its role was complete, for now. When the victor stepped forward and claimed the Grail as their prize, it would begin its part once more.

A relic with enough magical potential to grant a wish, any wish.

A relic which had not existed in this world for thirty years now.

A relic which seven Masters and seven Servants were now prepared to fight until death to obtain, no matter the cost.

The Sixth Holy Grail War had begun.

Anya woke to sunlight shining on her eyes and a heavy feeling in her limbs. She was so tired…why was the sun waking her up, anyway? Was Himari standing in front of her, waiting for her to open her eyes to make her morning pun?

No…it was too quiet for Himari to be waiting for Anya to open her eyes. Her little sister would have been giggling if she was waiting to unleash her favorite pun. So it wasn't Himari.

Letting out a sigh, Anya forced her eyes to blink open. Oh. She'd forgotten to close the blinds last night. Anya groaned at that, every muscle in her body protesting the action of getting up to close them. God, she was not a morning person.

"Anya…"

Startled, Anya sat up, her eyes meeting slightly glowing green-gray eyes which watched her carefully. That gaze caused everything to come rushing back from the night before.

The summoning ritual, where she had called Berserker Fafnir to her side before she went to sleep. A blanket was pooling on her lap and Anya found her gaze focusing intently on it.

She hadn't pulled that over her last night, hadn't even had the capacity to consider it. Which meant…

"Did you put this on me?" she asked, the words leaving her lips without any conscious thought on her part. Berserker nodded, tilting his head forward just slightly. "Thank you." Anya's fingers tangled in the soft fabric, the warmth and fuzziness reassuring.

A smile pulled at her lips.

"This was a gift from my parents," she explained. She let the blanket go, smoothing it out so the sakura petal pattern could be better seen. "They bought it for my tenth birthday and I've always brought it with me, wherever I go." She glanced at Fafnir from under her lashes, seeing them staring at her. Her cheeks flushed when she realized she was babbling. "Sorry, you probably don't care about this. I should get up, anyway, make some breakfast-"

"Soft," Fafnir said, cutting off Anya's rambling with a single word. She stopped and turned back towards him. He was still sitting on the floor, their gauntleted fingers gently tracing a sakura petal on the blanket. "It's soft."

"It is." Anya nodded, unsure of what to say.

"I…like it," Fafnir stated, turning almost shyly to meet Anya's gaze. She smiled.

"I'm glad, Fafnir," she whispered as gently as she could.

"Berserker," they corrected sharply, turning away from Anya and staring once more at her blanket. "Please. Call me…Berserker."

"Of course," Anya agreed even as confusion raced through her mind. She'd heard of a Servant who couldn't remember their True Name and Servants who kept their Names from their Masters simply to be cautious with how well known they are. But a Servant knowing their True Name and preferring their Class? It was unexpected.

But just because it was unexpected didn't mean anything. Anya would respect it all the same.

"Well then, Berserker," she smiled, clapping her hands together. "How about we get some breakfast?"

Breakfast wasn't too bad. Anya had ordered groceries yesterday in preparation of whatever Servant she summoned, so while she let Berserker eat the already prepared food, she made more food both for herself and in case Berserker was still hungry.

The clock in the kitchen confirmed it was 8am, meaning Anya had about a half hour before she was expected at the library.

"At least I didn't oversleep," she sighed as she clapped her hands together before she started eating. Berserker glanced up and she read the question in their eyes. "I got a job at the local library, I start today. I thought it'd be a good cover when it comes to researching on Servants and everything. You can come with me, if you like? At least in spirit form today. Gotta figure out how to explain you being here to Itsuki-san."

Berserker didn't offer any possible solutions, but that was fine. Anya did her best work when she was allowed to just talk it through like this. Perhaps if she warned Itsuki on her way out this morning it wouldn't be such a big deal?

It…would probably be a big deal either way, but beggars can't be choosers. Anya sighed quietly but ate her breakfast regardless.

All she could do was try, after all.

"A roommate? You know the apartment next to yours is open, right? They could rent that out," Itsuki pointed out when Anya came down to the lobby. Berserker was in spirit form behind her, silent as a ghost.

"They won't be staying long enough to sign a lease." Anya winced, mentally praying that was correct. "They've already told me the couch is more than enough and wouldn't let me convince them otherwise."

"Military?" Itsuki guessed, tilting their head to the side. "Or just used to going without?"

"A mix of both," Anya chuckled, brushing her bangs back. "So I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Itsuki laughed. They leaned back on their heels, their hands keeping them steady by grabbing the desk. "I may not be the biggest fan of people, but it'll be my good deed for the year. If you get a dog, I'll let them stay even longer."

"Fan of dogs, I take it?" Anya smiled, laughing slightly. Itsuki nodded eagerly, their brown hair slipping in front of their eyes. "I'll let you know if I do. I gotta go, but I'll see you later, Itsuki-san!"

"Bye, Tohsaka-san!" Itsuki waved as Anya made her way out into the frosty morning air.

She let out a sigh of relief.

"That went well," she whispered under her breath, for Berserker's ears only. He grunted in what she assumed was agreement. "But I don't think I'll be kidnapping a dog anytime soon."

"Dogs…good?" Berserker questioned, his voice curious. Anya smiled, even if he couldn't see it.

"Yeah. Dogs very good," she agreed. Berserker let out a hum of acknowledgement.

The walk to the library was pretty quiet after that. Not that Anya minded; instead she took it as a chance to look at the Command Spell which now marked her left hand.

It looked like a rose, with two layers of petals and a stem that extended to her wrist. It was a pretty design, one Anya might be tempted to get tattooed on her wrist when this was over, like her mother.

It was strange, thinking about what would happen when the war was done, as if Anya could guarantee she'd still be alive then.

There were no guarantees in any war, least of all the Holy Grail War.

"Anya…?" Berserker's quiet voice brought her back to reality and she glanced at them. "We're here." He tilted his head to indicate the library.

"Ah, right. Thank you," Anya smiled. She took a deep breath in. There was no time to be thinking about the future right now. She needed to remain focused on the present and nothing else.

With that thought in mind, Anya marched up the library stairs.

Working at the library was pretty simple all things considered and Anya found herself grateful for it as she took over the checkout counter. It was a peaceful time and during her break she was free to explore the shelves.

She'd found a book that mentioned 'Fafnir', which she'd grabbed and checked out without looking through it too much. It looked to be a book about Germanic myths and legends, which from her previous reading could be a hit or miss when it came to Christian additions. Celtic mythology and Norse mythology always got hit the worst, from what she'd found.

All in all, it was shaping up to be a pretty boring day.

"Wow! This is a library? It's huge!"

Anya glanced over at the girl who was cooing at the library's entrance just a bit too loudly. She looked to be in high school, wearing a pretty yellow sundress. Following after her was an auburn haired woman, who seemed to be reminding her to be quiet. She didn't look old enough to be the girl's mother, but perhaps her older sister?

"Anya," Berserker whispered, drawing Anya's attention even if she stayed completely still. "I sense that woman…She is…a Servant."

Anya stiffened, feeling her natural smile become plastic against her face, like a mask that didn't fit quite right. Her gaze shifted to the girl, who was now speaking quieter.

She could just barely sense magic on the girl, but it was there, nonetheless. The girl was a magus, meaning she was most likely the woman's Master.

Rage simmered under Anya's skin. She'd known young teenagers had been Masters before, hell, her own mother had only been 16 and her aunt 15. But she had hoped that this one would leave children out of it this time.

It seems she wasn't so lucky.

"Hi!" The girl's voice was so close now that Anya jumped. The girl was standing in front of the desk, smiling guilelessly up at Anya. "I'm Yamada Hanako and this is Saber! We're here for library cards!"

Anya gaped down at the girl, Hanako, completely lost on what to do. A glance at the woman, Saber, however, confirmed that in the end, it wouldn't be her choice.

Centuries ago…

Date unknown

Dark, so dark.

Everywhere he looked was dark.

There was no end to it and there never would be again. This would be their world until they died.

If he still could die.

Death…what was that again? It was a familiar word, but they couldn't remember what it meant.

They couldn't remember much of anything, really. It felt like everything he was, is and will be would be forever confined to this darkness.

Perhaps the darkness was where he came from, perhaps this was their home.

If it was, it didn't feel like it.

"Faf…nir…"

The voices were back. They weren't sure which hell was worse: the silence or those voices, calling that singular name over and over again.

"Faf…nir…Faf…nir…"

It was ceaseless, unending, a torment that was designed to drive him to the brink of sanity, if he ever had any to begin with.

A beginning? Did they have one? Or was this their beginning, middle and end all at once?

"Faf…nir…"

Gold glimmered in the corner of their eye. It was beautiful and it was his and it made his stomach squeeze in a way he couldn't describe. This was theirs and no one else's. The only light in this dark, empty world he called his.

"Faf…nir…Faf…nir…Faf…nir…"

It was beginning again. The gold pulled at him at the same time it made him want to destroy it. But that was their sun, their treasure. They couldn't destroy it.

They couldn't destroy it.

Sun…treasure…what did that mean? And what were they feeling? It hurt…it hurt…it hurt…

"Faf…nir…!"

He would remain here until the day he died. They would be here until the world itself ended. Neither of these were true. Both of them were.

He screamed.

And I'm back again! I'm so glad you all enjoyed the intro to all the Masters last time, and now we get to meet Berserker and Saber as well! I hope you guys like the new format too, it's something I want to keep up through all the chapters going forward (me, trying to find an excuse to slip Rin/Ivan in? It's more likely than you think). Thanks again to CandleFire45 and NSPunny for betating this for me and NSPunny for helping me iron out overarching plot details. I'm having a lot of fun with this so far and I hope you all are too! I can't wait to see what you think! But that's all I have for now, see you soon hopefully!