Honkai of Fate
Chapter 1: He's cursed, are you the cure?
After the incident at the 4th Fuyuki Holy Grail War, Shirou was adopted by his father, Kiritsugu Emiya. Though despite being an adopted son by the Magus Killer, Shirou treated Kiritsugu like a real father, never once even trying to say his real name and instead keeps on calling him "Father", "Old man", or "Dad".
"Hey dad! You said that you are a mage, right?" Shirou asked his father.
"Yes, son. Why do you ask?" Kiritsugu answered, wondering about his son's question.
"Is it alright if you teach me magecraft?"
At that, Kiritsugu was a little hesitant, but he didn't want to deny his son's request but he also doesn't want his son to walk with death in his mind once he learned magecraft.
With Shirou looking at Kiritsugu with a burning dedication and passion to learn, the father just sighed in defeat.
"Alright then, I will teach you." Kiritsugu said, his son filled with excitement in his eyes that the father found amusing and chuckled a little. "But you must remember this, Shirou."
Kiritsugu then placed his right index finger on his son's forehead. "To be a Magus is to walk with Death." He said in a strict yet warm tone of voice. "Are you up for it?"
Shirou became a little hesitant about what his father said. "To be a Magus is to walk with Death…" He repeated his father's words softly. He became hesitant because of those words, but is he truly afraid of death when he already faced his own Hell at such a young age? No! To hell with it all! If saving others means that he will die, then so be it! He will be the bait, he will be the burden, and he will be the one to save even at the cost of his own life. With a new determination, his fire burned even greater so in his eyes. Kiritsugu was shocked to see those flames in his son's eyes, but he was even more shocked at what came out of his son's mouth.
"I'll do it!" Shirou announced. "If I am able to save those who suffered, they I don't care if I have to walk towards death itself. I'll face Death if it means saving others! I won't hesitate to help others!"
Kiritsugu was speechless to say the least. The young boy he saved was so innocent and pure, that he didn't know what he will walk through when he said those words. But even still, Kiritsugu knows that the fire he saw in Shirou's eyes is going to be the one that saves many, for he also knows what true hell is like, both of them experienced it. Their own personal hell. So what does it matter if Shirou is walking with death by his side? He knows that Shirou could care less about his own life if it means to save those who need saving. If Shirou was born from the Flames of the Hell that is The Great Fuyuki Fire, then Kiritsugu knows that Shirou would use those Flames of Hell to save others so that they will never experience that same hell ever again!
With that, Kiritsugu let out a laughter of amusement and joy as he now understood the fire in his son's eyes completely.
"Very well, Shirou. I'll teach it to you!" Kiritsugu said with a smile, a smile that he hasn't shown or given to someone in a long time, his genuine smile of joy and peace.
With that night coming to an end, Shirou's days were a lot busier than he thought it be. Training with Kiritsugu while also learning a few things about magecraft as well as balancing his elementary/middle school work is harder than expected, but Shirou didn't care. He pretty much got used to it and feels happy now that he get to spend a lot of time with his father more often than he used to be.
Right now, Shirou and Kiritsugu were in the Emiya Residence's Dojo as Kiritsugu is training Shirou is magecraft.
"Hng! Hng!" Shirou was trying his best to fire off a simply fire spell, even though it was supposed to be something simply that he learned from a book, he couldn't do it.
"Hmm…" Kiritsugu was wondering why a simply spell like this wasn't working on Shirou. Then he understood. "Shirou, stop for now."
"Huh? Already? But we didn't even managed to-"
"There is something that I need to do to your body for a bit. Just give me a second." At that, Kiritsugu started drawing a magic circle on the dojo's floor, Shirou was curious as to what it was. After a few minutes, the circle was finished.
"Stand in the middle of the circle, Shirou." Shirou did as to what his father told him to do.
"Okay… Now what, dad?" Shirou asked.
"Just a second…" Kiritsugu then walked out of the dojo and came back with an average size red gem. "Now listen carefully, son. I'm going to infuse this ruby gem with my magical energy and I want you to swallow it whole. I am then going to activate your magic circuits with it from the inside. It will be painful, so bear with it."
Shirou was a little nervous at that, but he nodded and took the ruby from his father's hand after he infused it with his magic energy. Shirou then placed the ruby in his mouth and swallowed it whole like he was told to. He then felt Kiritsugu's hands behind his back.
"Bear with it, Shirou. This is going to really hurt you." Kiritsugu then activated his magic and started to activate the dormant magic circuits in his son's body.
The pain was extremely painful to say the least, but Shirou endured, he had to. With a screeching pain, his body feeling like it was burning, he clenched his fists tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Kiritsugu was nearly at the final stages of the process and now all he needs to do is activate his son's magic circuits. "Shirou, think of a mental trigger! Something that you can think of that acts as an activation!"
"A mental trigger?" Shirou thought to his mind. "The pain is unbearable, but I have to do what dad says!" With a force of will, he thought of the hammer of a gun firing and that was when Kiritsugu knew that his son now has a mental trigger.
With a rush, Kiritsugu entered the final step of activating his son's circuits, he then went deeper in the process to figure out his son's origin and element along with the activation of his circuits. Finally, the process was complete.
"Twenty-seven circuits, Shirou." Kiritsugu said.
"Twenty-seven circuits? What's the number for, dad?" Shirou asked as he panted heavily as he fell on to his knees.
"It's the number of your circuits, Shirou. The higher the quality and quantity of a Magus's Magic Circuits are, the higher forms of magic that they can use."
"Is that why I struggle at such a basic fire spell, dad?" Shirou asked his father again.
"Yes and no." Kiritsugu started. "There is also another reason why you struggle so much to fire such a simple fire spell like Gandr is also because you are not compatible with the element of fire. A Magus has an element and an origin, the more aligned the Magus's element and origin to a certain something, the more powerful their spells are."
"Then, what's my element and origin, dad?" Shirou looked at his father with excitement.
Kiritsugu smiled at the excitement of his son. "Both of your Element and Origin is "Sword", son. You are an incarnation of a sword."
"An incarnation of a sword?" Shirou repeated his father's words.
Kiritsugu nodded his head. "That is correct son, your entire body is made out of swords, and you are a materialization and embodiment of a sword."
"Does that mean that my magecraft must be only about swords and stuff?" Shirou asked.
"Since you are an incarnation of a sword that pretty much sums it all up for you, Shirou." Kiritsugu confirmed his son's question.
"Sword magecraft… I wonder what I can do with it." Shirou said to himself. "Dad, let's keep training! I want to learn more about my powers!" Shirou said enthusiastically towards his father.
Kiritsugu couldn't deny that he has grown a bit soft towards his son's behavior towards learning magecraft, but it is something that he was glad that he taught his son. For it was a way for both of them to bond with each other, and to train him even further.
Days and days went by after Kiritsugu had unlocked Shirou's Magic Circuits. It was quite fulfilling for Shirou to say the least. He and Kiritsugu learned that projection seemed to be most compatible spell for Shirou to use, along with Reinforcement and Structural Analysis. After a few weeks of training with Shirou's unlocked Magic Circuits, he formed his new variant of Projection that he calls Tracing. With the mental trigger in check and an imaginative mind, Shirou was able to create weapons that he sees, it was mostly swords that he was most comfortable with considering both his element and origin to sword itself.
Weeks turned into months before the both of them even noticed. Kiritsugu was quite enlightened to see Shirou improve on his own version of Projection and to see to it that his son improves even more, he enrolled Shirou in both an Archery club and a Kendo club, least to say, Shirou was extremely excited about the idea.
Months became a year. After spending so much time with Shirou, Kiritsugu can say that he had a good life with his life, although it was short lived, he could care less about this short life if it meant to see his son happy with him.
Right now, Kiritsugu was sitting at the porch on the Emiya Residence looking at the stars and full moon with a small smile and glinting light in his eyes.
"Strange…" Kiritsugu muttered to himself. "Here I was thinking that I lost the light in my eyes all those years ago. But to think that Shirou would be the one to revive such light…" He laughed a bit at the thought. "Hahaha… Ah…" He then heard footsteps coming his way and he turned to see Shirou.
"Hey old man, if you are going to sleep, do it in your bed." Shirou said as he sat right next to his father.
"Haha… No, it's fine Shirou…" There was a brief silence between the two before Kiritsugu spoke again.
"When I was little, I wanted to become a champion of justice."
"A champion of justice?"
"Yeah…"
"What happened? Did you give up?"
"Yeah. A long time ago, Shirou. A very, very long time ago… It's unfortunate, really. Back then, if I realized it much earlier that being a hero is a limited onetime thing, I would've stopped much, much earlier in my lifetime. Because of that, it became hard to call myself one."
"That's too bad then…"
Kiritsugu shook his head as he patted Shirou on the head. "No, it's not a bad thing, Shirou." He started. "It's because of that very reason that I met you, son."
"Me?" Shirou asked.
"Yes. Although, I will admit that I regret not becoming a Hero of Justice, trying to become one and managing to meet you because of it is the greatest gift that I could ever have." He then turned to Shirou with a small smile and light in his eyes.
"Then… Since you couldn't do it, let me be the one to do it for you!" Shirou answered loudly.
Kiritsugu was a bit surprised but let out a laugh. "Hahahaha! Oh Shirou…"
"What's so funny, old man?!" Shirou demanded as he pouted.
Kiritsugu calmed down his laughter and said to his son. "Listen Shirou, whatever you do, don't become a Hero of Justice."
Shirou was a bit surprised by that sentence, yet Kiritsugu wasn't finished.
"The road to becoming a Hero of Justice is a hard and torturous path. I don't want you to go on such path, understand?"
"I… I understand, dad." Shirou nodded his head in agreement.
"Good…" Kiritsugu said as he stared back at the moon. "Listen, don't become a Hero of Justice, Shirou. Instead, try to become something even greater than a Hero of Justice. Become a protector. It doesn't matter if you are a protector of something, just as long as you know that in your heart, you are protecting something that truly needs to be protected. A warrior of something, be a protector that truly knows the differences between the evils and goodness of humanity, understand what is truly right, and find ways to become more human and less of a tool as you do so, son. Be human, yet stronger than a human and less of a tool for destruction and battles."
Shirou was speechless at his father's words as he was left to his thoughts for a few minutes. Then after a while, he thought of something. "Then… how about a Protector of Humanity?"
"A Protector of Humanity?" Kiritsugu asked.
"Yeah! If becoming a Hero of Justice is a path that isn't something that I should cross, then how about becoming a Protector of Humanity instead? Doesn't that sound cool?" Shirou said enthusiastically as he walked on their house's courtyard and spun around to meet his father's eyes with his arms spread out.
"I will be a human that protects humanity from its crisis and evils! I may struggle and fall, but I will forever stand up again in order to protect the people! I want to be a Protector of Humanity who protects everyone and everything that is human in my eyes! A protector in its truest form!" Shirou said with a big smile.
Kiritsugu took in Shirou's words deeply in his heart and mind and let out another good laugh. "HAHAHA! That's a good dream, Shirou! No, it's an excellent goal to have. But remember, you can't save everyone, Shirou. But always remember that you can save those who are in deep need, understand?" Kiritsugu asked his son this as he doesn't want Shirou to fall as he did in the past.
"I understand, dad! I promise you this; I'll be a Protector of Humanity, one who saves those who are human in my eyes and not just in the eyes of the people, and that I can't save everyone, but I can save those who I can! That I promise you!" Shirou said in a cheerful, courageous, and determined tone of voice.
"Hahaha…" Kiritsugu couldn't help it anymore, he knows his time is nearing and he thought that he will have regrets when he die, but now, he doesn't have to regret anymore. For Shirou is here, he knows that Shirou will succeed in his goals. "Truly, it was a good life…" He closed his eyes and with his final words. "I can be at peace now… Good luck, Shirou, my son…" And there and then, only did Kiritsugu Emiya, the feared Magus Killer died. He may have regretted not becoming a Hero of Justice, but he doesn't regret meeting Shirou, and he clearly doesn't regret hearing Shirou's new dream before he died.
"Old man…?" Shirou asked as he moved closer to Kiritsugu, only finding that his father had died. Yet Shirou didn't cry, instead he smiled softly. He knows his father doesn't have any regrets anymore that can be the only explanation why he died here and right now. Shirou placed his hands on his father's lifeless cheek and pressed his forehead on his father's. "Rest in peace, dad… I promise you: I will become a Protector of Humanity. One that you can be proud of."
The funeral for Kiritsugu Emiya was somber yet sorrowful to say the least. Not many of those who visited Kiritsugu's grave knew that he was the Magus Killer, but those who do kept quiet about as to keep the secret about the world of magic being revealed.
Taiga and the other Fujimura Yakuza members were there as well, Taiga hugging Shirou tightly as she cried tears. Shirou however didn't cry for he knew that Kiritsugu died peacefully, so tears were meaningless, but he did feel saddened now that his Father that he remembers ever since the fire was gone. Nevertheless, this funeral wasn't something that he can be heartless about, not that he was heartless in the first place anyway.
Another year has soon passed and now and Shirou was now thirteen years old. He didn't stop going to both the archery and kendo clubs even after the death of his adopted father, he didn't slack off in his Magus study either, some might say that he became a specialist in Projection Magic and at such a young age as well, he even got into a bit of hand-to-hand combat training. So in conclusion, Shirou's fighting experience and magic ability were being trained by himself and is improving more and more as days go by.
Shirou was wiping his forehead with a towel as he just finished his training for the day when suddenly-
*WHOOOM*
A small portal appeared in his courtyard.
"Is that…? A portal? Who used it?" Shirou said to himself as he concentrated his magical energy to sense the boundary field his father set up. "I don't sense any other Magi around…"
Curiously, Shirou went and made a closer look up on the portal. He tried to touch it by reaching for it, but before he knew…
"W-What…?!" Shirou exclaimed in a panic as the portal started to pull him in even though he hasn't touched it.
He was then soon fully pulled inside the portal.
Black… that was all that Shirou could see until a young girl's voice called for him.
"Hey…! Hey…! Hey, wake up…!" A young girl's voice said.
Shirou then opened his eyes slowly and what he saw left him in complete shock. He was no longer in his home, nor in his courtyard. Instead he was in an unknown place, it looked like a prison with multiple other kids wearing white robes only as clothes.
"Hey, are you alright…?" The young girl's voice said again.
Shirou looked up and finally saw where the young girl's voice was coming from. The girl had purple hair and bright yellow eyes with a thin orange cross going horizontally and diagonally in her pupils and the orange color was also surrounding the sides of her bright yellow eyes, she also wore the same white robes as the kids were wearing.
"W-Where am I…?" Shirou asked.
"Where are you? Hm…" The young girl thought for a bit and looked at him again. "Someplace that can't to be called home anymore, I guess."
"Who are you…?" Shirou asked again.
"Me? I'm Sirin. What's your name?" Sirin asked as she tilted her head to the side.
"I'm Shirou. Shirou Emiya." Shirou said.
Sirin then smiled a little and spoke. "Nice to meet you, Shirou."
And that's how the young redhead met the young girl that is to be the second Herrscher in near future. Will Shirou be able to change Sirin's heart and thoughts about humanity? Or will things only escalate in a more deeply and darker path with their newly made friendship as time goes by?