Greetings, my friends! It's a pleasure to be back with you all! Amidst a wave of exciting updates, it's all thanks to finding myself in a special state as an author, determined to offer you even more excellent and interesting works.

To be honest, this story has been tucked away in my personal files for quite some time. However, I was recently inspired after rewatching the "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" movies. This masterpiece served as inspiration for "A Sword Lost Among Cobwebs," and although the story was already conceived, I decided to refine it before sharing it with you.

I've added some details that had gone unnoticed in the original project, and I want you to know that I'm deeply immersed in the plot development process. I already have some solid ideas about how the upcoming chapters will unfold and how we'll arrive at the present of the series.

With great enthusiasm and love for works like "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" and "Fate/Stay Night," I present to you this prologue. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to share this work with all of you, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Are you ready?

Enjoy!

Time passed relentlessly for Shirou; eight years to be exact.

But the memories of his previous life as the apparent older brother of a girl named Miyu had begun to fade at a pace he couldn't control. He couldn't recall exactly what had happened, but a trace had been left amidst lingering uncertainty, clinging to him like an immovable shadow.

It was strange. Though he had always tried to preserve the emotions behind those fleeting flashes of his past, it became increasingly difficult to grasp them. Nevertheless, Shirou now faced new challenges in his current life.

Which brings us to the present, residing in the Queens district of the bustling city of New York. The revelation that he had been living in such an imposing metropolis had been disconcerting for him, especially considering his previous Japanese origins. Adapting to this new culture had been quite a challenge, but he found solace in the values and principles that still resonated in this part of the world.

But today was no ordinary day in Shirou Emiya's life. The young man found himself secluded in a corner of his room, his gaze lost on the horizon. Although one would expect him to feel secure in his own space, the atmosphere was charged with an unusual tension.

The walls, painted in soft tones contrasting with warm hues, and his bed covered with a handmade quilt, a gift from his Aunt May, not to mention the shelves overflowing with books, a thoughtful gesture from his Uncle Ben. These were just some examples of the love and care he had received throughout his stay with them.

Don't get me wrong, Shirou appreciated the tremendous efforts his aunt and uncle made for him, which is why he felt a heavy knot in his heart. Especially because today marked two years since the premature but tragic loss of Richard and Mary Parker, his biological parents.

However, he may still retain vague fragments of his previous life, but this did not mean that Shirou had the mental strength necessary to cope with it. Moreover, his current state was far from his past, and five years of memories were not easy to forget, so the loss of his parents continued to weigh heavily on his heart, their absence still palpable, a wound that never seemed to fully heal, even when he had found happiness in his new adoptive family.

Sitting on the floor with his legs crossed, Shirou reflected on the mix of emotions that had overwhelmed him in recent weeks, reaching a climax on this particular day.

From his previous life, Shirou had faced numerous trials and sacrifices that had left their mark,

Although he couldn't remember all the details, the shadows of those experiences still haunted him in this new life, posing a challenge to expressing his feelings openly. He couldn't quantify the damage, but the shadows of reminiscences were sometimes visible, sometimes insignificant that he tended to forget them. That's why he might still feel the effects in this new life, which posed a challenge to expressing himself openly, so he would keep that as a reminder as a goal to conquer in the future.

For now, the sadness and longing for his biological parents intertwined with the gratitude and love he felt for his aunt and uncle. The duality of his emotions represented a considerable challenge for a child his age, but Shirou was a special child. He had shown on certain occasions an unusual degree of maturity, which his relatives attributed to the burden carried by the elder brother of the Parkers.

Richard and Mary Parker had been exemplary parents to Shirou Emiya. A loving and devoted couple who had created a home filled with unconditional love. His father, Richard, was a man of authority and respect, but also a caring and understanding human being. His mother, Mary, radiated kindness and affection in every gesture and word. Together, they had woven a warm and secure family environment, filled with love and care for both children.

But for the past two years, his paternal uncles, who had assumed the role of adoptive parents, had become fundamental figures in their lives. Beyond their role as parents, they had proven to be mentors and guides in this new family dynamic. Through their actions, they had instilled in him and his younger brother the seeds of kindness, empathy, and the desire to do good in the world. The lessons taught by Uncle Ben would serve as a moral compass, guiding their steps in the future.

Although his biological parents were no longer physically present with them, Shirou had decided to always carry them in his heart. He would honor their teachings and values, making them an integral part of his identity. Amidst this new home filled with love, he experienced a warmth as genuine and real as the one he had felt with his biological parents. He deeply appreciated his uncles for giving them this fresh start.

For these adults, the presence of the two little ones had given them the opportunity to be parents, a gift they unfortunately never had. However, they were not discouraged; on the contrary, they became a refuge in the storm in both brothers' lives, especially Shirou, whose slowly recovering crystal heart could now be surrounded by people who loved him.

That is why, despite the challenges the future might bring, Shirou Emiya knew that, like a small ray of hope in the darkness, he would carry with him the legacy of his biological parents and his beloved uncles, keeping the flame of their memory alive in every action he undertook.

At first, the whole process went unnoticed by Shirou, but as he grew, he began to be aware that things weren't quite normal. Especially because he sensed that something in his 'world' didn't fit the mold called 'normality'. Slowly, the small cracks in the facade of the life he had shared with his biological parents became more and more evident. Although he couldn't express it clearly, he felt that there were secrets that had been hidden from him, unanswered questions that crowded his childish mind like shadows in the dim light.

Not to mention that his whole world changed when he turned three, when he became Peter's older brother, further complicating his inner world. Before, he had Mom and Dad to guide him, but now he had to learn to be a good big brother to Peter, and that was a challenge he was fully prepared to meet in this new life.

Perhaps it was a form of atonement or maybe a way to honor Miyu, his little sister in his previous life, but Peter was his new little brother in his current life. So, remembering the smile they shared the first time he held him as a baby reignited part of the fire that had been extinguished in the midst of the snowstorm. Thus, taking this new role seriously, he enjoyed a bond that brought moments of peace to his soul but often left him with more questions than answers.

While the absence of his parents saddened him, sometimes, especially when he closed his eyes in the darkness of the night, he could feel their love around him. He knew that, somehow, Mom and Dad were still watching over him from some distant place, like bright stars adorning the magical night sky. Not to mention the strange persistent sensation every time he admired the moon with his telescope, not to mention his new hobby of studying the planets of the solar system, especially Venus, but that was another story for another time.

Now, in the present, both brothers lived with their loving aunt and uncle, Ben and May Parker. The Parkers provided them both with a sense of security and belonging that they both craved. But lately, for Shirou, the strangeness persisted within him. He didn't know if it was because of the absence of his parents or the fact that Peter, his younger brother, held a special place in his life. It was a role that posed constant questioning and challenges.

Amidst this uncertainty, for the past few weeks, those confusing memories had been emerging with greater force, increasingly bewildering him. But this phenomenon had become routine every time he slept. This caused his childish dreams to be flooded with the presence of countless weapons scattered like gravestones: some were shiny, others were rusty, and he even noticed some partially fragmented.

In recent nights, this had changed, as it seemed he could touch them, but this action only elicited a feeling of nostalgia and longing. Shirou couldn't understand why he felt these emotions, getting lost in his thoughts about his apparent origin or if it held a deeper meaning.

But what intrigued him was that all of this had changed yesterday, as he had woken up in the middle of a completely frozen space, a wintry wasteland forgotten in time, where the only thing in the sky were monolithic gears that remained motionless, as if waiting for something to start their march. This was one of the few memories he had from his recent awakening, so he couldn't help but wonder what had caused this change, as every time he tried to remember something about that place, it triggered a cascade of emotions that left him on the verge of tears.

"Why was I dreaming of a place like this? What was all this about? Was it some kind of prophecy? Or just part of my hyperactive childish imagination?"

"Hmm," he sighed, determined to think about it later. For now, with the portrait of his parents in hand, Shirou plunged into deep reflection, wishing to understand all those mysteries surrounding his previous life and discover who he really was. The portrait, worn by time, showed his biological parents, Richard and Mary Parker, smiling with a warm and loving expression, like guardians watching over him in his quest for answers.

Over the past two years, Shirou's modest room had acquired a new essence due to the changes that had been added to his personality. The walls were adorned with drawings and schemes of comic book heroes and cartoon characters, something typical for a child with a newly discovered 'hero' complex. However, in one corner of the room, sketches of weapons and various artifacts had recently emerged, reflecting his new and deeply 'peculiar' interest. Especially because for the past few weeks, Shirou had become intrigued by the hypothetical forging of legendary weapons and immersed himself in readings on magical topics, a passion he had recently shared with his younger brother.

In another corner, an imposing shelf housed history and mythology books, gifts from his uncles that encouraged his new interest, allowing him to explore his constant quest for answers to questions that went beyond the everyday. However, what truly remained hidden from outsiders was under the bed, where Shirou kept a small box. Inside were the remnants of an ongoing project: a dismantled clock mechanism, inherited from his Uncle Ben when he served in the army. So, taking the appropriate time as a personal challenge, Shirou had set out to restore it and bring it back to life, longing to see his uncle's proud smile when he succeeded.

The boy sighed as his gaze fell on the window offering a view of the small 'garden' project in front of the house. He had worked hard alongside his Aunt May and enthusiastic Peter, as an activity to create more homely bonds with his family. Enjoying the evening breeze gently swaying the branches of the nearby park trees created a beautiful sight as the sun began to wane, tinting the sky with golden and orange hues over the homes and buildings. This moment, where a new reality unfolded, his new reality within the suburbs, but for Shirou, it also served as a constant reminder of what he had lost and the unanswered questions that plagued him.

Young Shirou felt overwhelmed by that sense of strangeness. His gaze shifted to a photograph he held in his hand, a frozen moment in time of his parents. His father smiled as he hugged him, and his mother held his younger brother, Peter. The four formed a loving family, but the two elders, two wonderful people who had loved and cared for him, seemed to be hiding something, something he couldn't comprehend.

"Mom, Dad..." Shirou whispered softly, as if his words could reach his parents somewhere distant, "What are you hiding from me?"

The boy clutched the photograph tightly, as if that simple image could grant him the answers he longed for. His inquisitive gaze met the smiling eyes of his parents in the photograph, as if through their gazes they were trying to communicate something to him, something he still couldn't decipher.

Amidst his thoughts, a soft but firm voice interrupted Shirou. It was none other than Peter Parker, his biological little brother, a very intelligent child for someone only six years old. He himself knew that, for his little brother, the loss of their biological parents had been the end of his world, but Peter had decided to emulate the 'mature' behaviors that he exhibited. Shirou wasn't sure how to handle this stage as an older brother, especially because this was one of those days where he himself didn't feel sure how to handle it.

But apparently, for Peter, this was one of those days where he was also having a pretty tough time, his face overflowing with melancholy and sadness. Now that he remembered, he had been in 'automatic mode', so everything had passed vaguely after they had visited the cemetery with their uncles.

Peter approached Shirou with a warm, albeit somewhat dim, smile and asked with his usual innocent curiosity, "Shirou, are you okay?"

Shirou nodded, although a slight shadow crossed his gaze. "Yes, Peter. I was just thinking about big brother things, you know?" he responded tenderly, aware of his little brother's gaze fixed on the photograph. He felt guilty for feeling melancholic, but with a resigned sigh, he placed a hand on Peter's head. "You're a very smart little brother, Peter."

The little one shook his head and stuttered through tears, "But... but you're sad too about our parents."

"I am," Shirou responded, having decided to be honest with his little brother, looking at him as only an older brother could. "I know you are too, Peter, but you're not alone," taking the little one's right hand, he continued, "Yes, I know that today marks two years since our parents had to leave us. But you must know that our parents are always watching over us, even though we can't see them. You know that as your big brother who can't lie, I'm not telling any lies!"

However, Shirou's words didn't seem to have a great effect on the younger one, so feeling defeated, he opted to change his strategy. He pulled a small treat out of his pocket and offered it to Peter, who looked to Shirou for comfort.

"Besides, you know I'll always be here for you, Peter."

Tears began to overflow from the little one's eyes, who took the treat with some difficulty. Shirou noticed that, despite not having found the right words to express his pain and longing, Peter still followed his impulses as the younger brother and accepted the sweet with a gesture of gratitude. With tenderness, Shirou enveloped Peter in a powerful embrace, whispering in his ear in an attempt to calm him. "We're not alone, Pete. We have Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Who have always been so good to us. So, you mustn't forget that we still have a family."

Peter smiled partly, but Shirou understood that he hadn't expressed himself correctly, looking amusingly at his little brother, he decided to amend his mistake.

"I know... I know... I know Pete, I mean, We're a family even now!"

"I know Shirou, I also remember Dad's motto!"

Hugging his little brother again, the redhead whispered in his ear, shedding tears he had tried to contain with the 'pride' of being an older brother, but finally being released, "And you know very well that Dad was always right, as he used to say, 'The Parkers are always united!'"

Peter nodded with a shy smile as he clung to Shirou, accepting his innocent but comforting words. The brothers shared that hug as a gesture of brotherhood, until they finally separated, deciding to share the rest of the afternoon by being honest with each other, expressing their thoughts and memories about the beloved parents they had lost.

The room was filled with memories of their childhood, with toys scattered everywhere, children's books, and photographs that narrated their childhood together. With their minds and hearts calmer, Shirou decided to put away the photograph, acknowledging that, although their parents were no longer present physically, the love of both brothers for them remained palpable in their hearts.

Unfortunately, I must conclude the prologue here.

To be honest, I never thought of publishing it, but as it often happens, life surprises us with unexpected emotions. However, I want to express my gratitude for the enthusiasm I felt while writing "I became a big brother." The feelings I tried to capture in this prologue are very special to me.

With this, KaleidoMirror bids farewell for now. Until next time!