Prologue: The Guardians at the…. Lair?

Unknown place; Unknown date

Unknown pov:

A piercing cry, reminiscent of dragon's roar, broke through the gloom of the throne room, loud and full of heart wrenching despair.

I jerked awake upon my throne made of orichalcum, wondering what the noise was that had disturbed me from my slumber. Yawning loudly enough to shake a mountain, I stretched my arms above my head. Blinking blearily, and with my mind a foggy mess, I looked downwards at the scrying portal that was older than even I was.

It took me a few seconds to process what I was seeing, the shock of what was happening in front of me, was enough to jolt me to full alertness. For the normally inert runic symbols were now thrumming with power. Power that I had not supplied it with.

Then I was hit with sudden understanding, as with a flash of light, I beheld the view of a pale blue orb with countless stars creating a beautiful backdrop. It was of course not just a mirror, but a fully fleshed out projection of this place of potential.

"Ah, that would explain things somewhat." I thought ruefully as I gazed at the planet hovering before me. "This version of Earth always has something depressing going on, thanks to those damnable Magi and those damn Vampyres… but something seriously wrong must have happened for it to reach me all the way here."

Earth was the home of humanity, a world of possibilities. In many possible histories of this world full of life, magic has had an impact upon mankind, for good or ill. One such possible reality is the Moonlit world, a place once full of mystery, but as mankind advanced their scientific theories further, the mysteries of magic faded away. Leaving only magecraft behind, powerful yes, but inferior to the magics wielded by the people of the Age of Gods.

But now was not the time for recalling old history, it was the time for action. With a gesture of my hand, I caused the projection to zoom-in on the location of the cries. When the array finished with its task, my eyes beheld a scenery filled with vibrant nature, similar to several countries of my home world.

Grass of the deepest shade of green beneath the backdrop of a beautiful deep blue sky. Patches of flowers were also growing here and there in this green field while nearby sat a towering old oak tree that dominated the landscape near a clear cerulean colored lake. One could hear birds singing happily in the background from a nearby forest, while in the distance stood a tall ivory tower. I could also swear someone was looking back at me from inside of it.

However, despite all the beauty of the landscape, there was an undertone of great sadness. And as the array's scrying spell approached the lake another noise could be heard. Weeping. In this gorgeous landscape that could only be described as paradise, one could hear cries of pure despair.

"Why?!" came the mournful cry from under the oak tree.

"Why did this have to happen to him? Must we be forever separated by the whims of fate or gods?!"

A young woman in a teal blue dress lay crying underneath the ancient oak tree, tears flowing from behind her hands as she held them to her face, staining her dress. Her blonde hair swaying in the air as the wind carried her cries of despair throughout her surroundings.

"Oh dear, oh dear…" I thought as I visibly winced at the sight of the young woman wallowing in her grief.

"Oh Shirou….," the young lady wept. Then her hands fell away from her face, to reveal eyes of a brilliant emerald hue, tears still falling from them like waterfalls. The expression on her face was now marred by anger; the look reminiscent of draconic fury they held before they immolated the targets of their ire with dragon fire.

Raising my left hand, I had the runic array pause that image, while with my right, I pinched the bridge of my nose. For the name Shirou, was the name of someone who the denizens of the world I was in had thought long dead. Nevermind the other implications of him being…. No, I need to focus on calling… his family. I gulped.

"...I need to speak to them about this," I thought, barely suppressing my glee at the ramifications and also trepidation at the meetings ( and therefore paperwork) to come and also the frank refusals to accept he was alive. "This…. This could change everything."

If there was one thing about dragons that I had learned the hard way, is that you don't threaten their offspring or mates. It appears some fools might have angered a dragon in mortal form, and they may have killed another dragon, one who was thought long dead.

"Time, I may require your assistance." I said to seemingly thin air, before a woman appeared.

"Yes my lord?" The woman named Time replied, her voice seemingly coming from everywhere at once. As she spoke, she bowed respectfully to me. Her mortal body had long faded away leaving behind a humanoid form mirroring the celestial movement of the universe. That is, the form she took was made of an unobstructed view of stars in the night sky.

"Did you know of this?" I asked quietly, gesturing towards the runic array and the projections it still displayed. "Did you know Shirou was still alive?"

"Yes, my lord I did," she replied, her voice the mournful echo of dying stars. "But, I was only recently informed about him still being alive… until just a few hours ago when he was executed by those he had saved from a great disaster."

The shadows of the throne room lengthened and swelled, as my fury of what I was just informed of nearly sent my power out of control. I took a few calming breaths to try to regain some of my composure. It wasn't working.

"So he is dead…." I ground out. But then a sudden thought struck me. "Shouldn't he have been able to escape? I mean, he couldn't have just transfor….?"

"No he could not, my old friend," Was the response that came, not from Time's lips, but from a woman clad in polished armor, with a one-hand and a half blade of exquisite craftsmanship strapped to his side. "He was not aware of his heritage, nor of anything else related to it."

Her face was less stressed than the last time I had seen her, looking nothing like how she was back when she was dying, but younger and without the stress of the weight of leadership. It made her look beautiful, with her bright scarlet locks and beautiful green eyes.

I recognized the sword strapped to her hip, the aura very different from what I remembered it being. I had once wielded it before, many, many years ago; before my self exile. The Elder Sword is a powerful blade, one which I used to save my home universe, and in the process, exile myself from it to this fortress in the outer realms.

"Ayra? How did you….?!" I began, but stopped myself, it wasn't the time to ask her how she had come to be here; and started again. "What do you mean he didn't know? What could have possibly happened to have prevented him from knowing of his bloodline?!"

"A Fire," She replied simply.

I simply gaped at her, the absurdity that a fire of all things could do anything to Shirou.

"Come on," she said, grabbing my arm, her fluffy cat ears flicking to and fro in annoyance, alongside the swaying of her equally fluffy tail. Her piercing emerald gaze turned from me towards a door behind my throne. "The Great Wyrms wish to speak with us about him, they said they're going to do something about this whole mess. They even called in Akatosh from his planar reality. Something about time travel?"

I had only one thing to say to that as she dragged me to the council chambers….

"What?!"