Song: ELEMENTS · RIDER CHIPS Featuring Ricky
All Shirou Emiya could recall were various flames that underwent all of a sudden. Dead bodies charred into nothing but ashes. Screams that no longer came. A darker strata that engulfed the entire atmosphere. Flames that never seem to die. Him, stuck in a rubble, as he felt hard in breathing, with prickling wounds that streamed a little blood. And tears.
It came from a man named Kiritsugu Emiya - with tears of never-ending regret and a joy that was regained, after what seem like an eternity. His father had saved him from that pitchfork darkness. One that would eventually be known as the Great Fire of Fuyuki.
He never knew at the time. But that time was a time of war - a competition of sorts between masters, on who would get the prize. A Holy Grail. That was what the conflict was named after. It is said to grant one's desires. How could anyone refuse such? Kiritsugu Emiya was one of those who took part in such a war, to prove his ultimate desire of salvation. A childish dream, that could forenaught be nothing but an unreality.
For who can truthfully save everyone?
A twisted goal for insanity.
"...Who's there?" After Kiritsugu spoke, as he drew his weapon forward.
"...Calm yourself, Emiya Kiritsugu, I am no enemy of yours," An old man's voice spoke under the flames. A man who resemble those of dark aristocracy clothing. Grey hair and beard, hiding a handsome face, that had crimson eyes. He held a walking black cane on his hands.
"...You," Kiritsugu muttered softly, as if in shock. "You are..."
Then, that was what Shirou could truthfully recall, before everything turned black.
Lines. That's what Shiki Tohno would have. A strange phenomenon that gifted him with the curse to see through lines that shouldn't be there. If it hadn't been for his "Sensei" (*1), he'd...
...He'd didn't know what he'd be able to do. It was a curse - and some twisted person would say that it would be quite the useful skill, to be able to cut down anything in your path, through which these lines would intersect and crossed. That's how Shiki Tohno would see the world as it is. Lines... All of them... And spoke of the fragility of his own world...
If he didn't become considerate and thoughtful of what he would do, he may end up killing someone, and he couldn't take that back. He once recalled taking a knife, when he was in the hospital, as a child, and... started cutting. Destroyed a bed. Causing the medical staff to panic and see him as an abnormality - someone to entirely avoid.
Until Sensei brought him a pair of glasses that made him able to live normally. If he takes the glasses off, he'd seen them again. Those lines that form a disturbance around the very world he lived. Cracks. All of them. Too easily temptable to trace and switch - slice off.
...But it seems that there was an exception to that very rule. A few among others.
One of them was standing right in front of him. Standing side by side with his fellow Kamen Rider and partner, they would face the most ancient being on Earth. This, and the rest of his kind, were known as the Undead. They have been around since the Earth began.
A story follows - That the first man, Adam, became the very first Kamen Rider - Kamen Rider Chalice, and fought in the very first war that determined the entire fate of humanity. Adam was also an Undead. The Human Undead. And he had fought against thousands and thousands of these strange predatorial conceptual beings that make up the blueprint of what actual life would be like for Earth itself.
Standing right in front of them, was one of those Undead.
The Smilodon Undead.
The metaphysical conceptual blueprint for the prehistoric sabertooth tigers that were now completely extinct.
It swiped fast. Shiki, as Kamen Rider Garren, tried to dodge its' attack, rolling to the side, but the monster was too fast. All of the Undead are. This was a unique skill of theirs. They were ancient warriors of old antiquity. In a time when the world was still an Age of Gods. It still is such even in this modern day, but back then, it was even more such. A time of primordials and mysteries. Where beings of great power once walked this very earth.
A spark flies, "KAH!", sending Garren towards the cold floor, before rolling over and made use of a card and grabbing the Garren Rouzer from his holster, inserting it towards the gun like a credit card checking in. The first had the image of an Undead - a Rouzer Card. The second had the image of a Servant - a Class Card.
FIRE!
ARCHER!
He stood up and used his gun to fire several energy bolts. Materializing around him in a circular pattern were what appeared to be energized bows that fired continously, which along with the bolts, would strike at the Undead ferociously, making it grunt. However, that was not enough. Of course it wasn't. All Undead were sturdy as hell, he thought. Shots like this would not be enough.
SLASH!
Shirou, as Kamen Rider Blade would make his move, using a forward slash attack against the Undead, which he blocked with his claws, and was about to use his other free claws to stab him around the stomach, before his attack was intercepted by Blade, who moved and blocked it.
UPPER!
He would perform a upper cut punch on the Undead, making it grunt and stumble, along with a combination of multiple kicks, faster than the eyes could see, sending it away. But the Undead somehow teleported behind Blade.
"GAH!" He felt an erupting pain in his back, followed by various other slashes, before sending Blade flying straight ahead and crashing through several trees.
What is this that Illyasviel was feeling right now? It was a strange feeling. And it was already bad enough that she can barely keep her eyes up with the fights that are occurring. They were happening too fast. It was like, one blink of an eye to the next. She hates to admit it, but her foolish and stupid onii-chan and his unknown compatriot were faster than even her servant.
...Kamen Riders?
Illyasviel had definitely heard of that name. Fictional heroes becoming a true reality, is what the ignorant public and the media would call them. They weren't Servants, that was something that the organizations of the world that dealt with magic and the supernatural knew.
In truth, before the show of Kamen Rider had been conceived in the 70s, there had already been sightings of these strange warriors, known by different names throughout the world's history, that were all generally called Kamen Riders, in various languages. Some were even quite obscure.
There was that recent discovery of an ancient power - of a Kamen Rider that was known as Kuuga.
In the year 2001, Kuuga had started to assist the law enforcement and the organization S.H.I.E.L.D. against the threat of the Grongi, a pre-historic tribe of demonic beings with unclear origins, whose leaders were known as the N-Class, which were classified as Lords of Hell that belonged to the First Sovereignty.
That was one Kamen Rider that sprung to her mind. He wasn't the only one. In the year 2001, there had been other Kamen Riders that were heard of to be active and take arms against various threats. Among them was the name of Kamen Rider Blade... the same Kamen Rider that her onii-chan had donned.
That's... That's just not possible. She could not help but thought, even if contrary to reason. How did...? How did that no good brother of hers had become such a thing? A hero? Him? Don't make her laugh. You're telling her now that the man who took everything from her is the same one who is loved by the masses as a hero. Was this some kind of a sick cosmic joke?
"ACK!"
Illyasviel's heart felt like stopping as she sees this monstrous creature with sabertooth fangs, taking a bite out of him, literally, trying to pierce through his shoulder armor. Why? It's not like she was supposed to care about this bastard. It's actually a good thing that he's getting hurt. But...
"Geeh! GEH Get! Off! Me!" Blade spoke as he continued to punch through the monster with everything he's got. Green blood would came out from those hits, which splatter into the floor. The green oozing blood... was oozing like acid. One drop, and it seems like it would burn you slowly if you are not careful.
The scars where the blood came from would instantly heal, as the creature would use its jaw to send Blade flying again, landing towards another tree, and dropping to the ground, with his teeth gritting underneath his helmet.
...But.
...But.
...But.
Illyasviel gritted her teeth. Her crimson eyes glared with malevolence. Her knuckles tightened with cold grips. Her current face did not fit that of a child. She was not that.
She was Illyasviel von Einzbern.
She was the daughter of Kiritsugu Emiya and Irisviel von Einzbern.
No one hurts her brother... but her.
He's mine!
"Berserker," She muttered softly, with a colder tone than normal. She could feel the Servant respond to her based on their connection. "...Let's join in, but let's wait for an opportunity first, and try not to draw too much unwanted attention."
After all, the Holy Grail War hasn't started yet. Her drawing too much attention could defeat the entire point. Yes, she only cared about the bastard in the sense, that she wanted to be the one to completely end him.
"GRK!" The Undead would begin to feel multiple shots fired on his chest, causing sparks to form and sprinkle. Non-stop, as Garren drew forward, whose feet were as fast as a deer, or maybe more.
DROP!
FIRE!
GEMINI!
SABER!
Garren would draw forward, and jump straight ahead, as multiple variants of him suddenly appeared and performed an upside down kick, coupled with an energy blade, of diamond shaped, found at the front edge of their boots, that would hit through multiple angles of the Undead, causing it to crash towards the trees, some of which broke apart and fell down. The variants of Garren disappeared, leaving the real Garren alone as his feet landed on the ground before automatically standing tall.
Blade was not too far behind as he would urge his partner. "Come on, we better get to him before he hurts someone." He would say as he would run faster, before drawing a ard out and placing it on his Rouze Absorber located on his other arm.
ABSORB QUEEN! FUSION JACK!
Shiki was following close behind, and use the same card. Their armor would change, as golden highlights and wings attached to their back. They flew to the skies and tried to catch up with the retreating Smilodon Undead.
What was going on here?!
Akiha Tohno couldn't help but exclaim from her very own thoughts.
Thoughts of anxiety and dread plagued her. The very thing that caused her dread? Her brother? ...Wait, no. Rather, the power that he's currently using. There's something quite unearthly about it. She could not tell what exactly.
Dread... and yet.
She can't help but run. Dash even. Worries for her brother trumped even that. She jumped higher, as the winds blew through her hair and clothes. She tries to catch up to them. Screw her secret! Her brother's in danger.
The thought of him being a Kamen Rider made her worry all the more. You're telling her that all this time, he was risking his life for some stupid noble crusade while she and their maids, and everyone else, remained ignorant of it entirely. Why? What for?
She knew exactly what the Kamen Riders are. Who could forget their appearances? Since 2000, with the appearance of Kamen Rider Ichigo, who the world thought was a fictional hero from a television show, that had now come to life. Of 2001 with the appearance of Kamen Rider Kuuga and the other Kamen Riders after.
Illyasviel von Einzbern raised an eyebrow as she sees something peculiar as she took flight, while riding on Berserker's shoulder. "Oh? What do we have here?"
She did not expect other company. A flying crimson haired woman that was trying to catch up with her brother and his companion. Is she an acquaintance of her brother's? She does not know. Though, one thing she did noticed was the residue of mana that was in her. That kind of thing could only be found in something... unhuman.
"A vampire, of a sort?" She muttered. "That's quite unprecedented. Should I worry about the Church (*2) sending their executioner agents here too?"
Tonight was having one surprise over another. Her worries became more apparent. Her brain wracked for more answers. Something larger than what she anticipated was what she bumped into, and her brother was somehow involved in it. Much to her distaste, she needed to think this logically.
Her brother was a Kamen Rider.
Of course, the Kamen Riders have become somewhat recognized within the international community - and that included back then, in secret. There was an old protocol for that one.
"If ever encountered, one must never antagonize a Kamen Rider, and if encounter is inevitable, one must assist them in any way possible, especially in light of potential threats to world safety and security."
The Holy Church follows it. The Mage's Association (*3) follows it. Necessarius (*4) follows it. Many others follow that old protocol. Not to say everyone was on-board with it, but it is an acknowledged secret nonetheless that the Kamen Riders were quite good in maintaining the current status quo, where humanity hasn't been run over by infernal monsters from the darkest pits and other monstrosities that lay in wake upon this cruel, unrelenting world.
...There was someone watching the entire battle.
"Don't, you, move," The man known as Kiritsugu Emiya threatened in a slow, muttering voice. Solemn and cautious. He aimed a gun towards him, but even he knew that this weapon, holy as it was, had no effect on this... monster. That's the only thing that can be described when dealing with the likes of him.
He aimed this gun at the man who was quietly watching - for Shirou and Shiki; for Illyasviel and Akiha. The man had an interest so to speak in all of them, and other peoples in the lives of Shirou and Shiki, as per his diabolical mind.
"...Hmmm," The man softly laughed in a kind of rumbling hum. "Oh, Emiya Kiritsugu," The man looked at him with such maddeningly malevolent yet glowing pale yellow-golden eyes that spoke of primal and predatorial intent and ones that glowed behind the darkness of the night, with his hands behind his back. Simple yet Primordial. Unrelenting yet Calm. "...Surely, you must realize, that the gun you're holding will not be able to kill me. Why bother with such bravado, unless... the instinct of a parent compels you to do such? If so, I can relate to that, being a Father of My Own Children."
The man had a dark fedora hat, with a Caucasian pale face, with grey hair and eyebrows. He had a dark trenchcoat, with a white collar shirt, black blazer jacket and pants, with a black tie.
He casually raised his right hand, which forces Kiritsugu's hand to let go of his gun, as a strange force would send it towards the man's right hand.
"Or... I suppose, you'd have some other means at your disposal, as you surely are not stupid enough with the Devil himself," The man stated, with a tone of colder demeanor, before inspecting the gun with interest. "Ah, this gun. This once belonged to your adoptive mother, yes? The woman who taught you everything you know about hunting the supernatural," He eyed at Kiritsugu, whose face was grim, but whose subtle eyes spoke of anger.
"...And you can come out of your hiding place, dear child, I was hoping to see you with my own eyes again," The man would say with a softer smile, though one should not mistake such a smile for kindness.
The child, in fact, was an adult woman, who looked like she was in her thirties, dropping down from a large tree branch. The reason he said "child" was because he was quite familiar with his former capture - one of many captures. He has a hobby of capturing dangerous monsters, as one of perse for His Plans.
"...Can't really say I'm happy to hear being called that again from you, Yellow Eyes," The woman said as she walks forward with a grim face, letting her appearance show itself in the dim moonlight. Her eyes were crimson red. Her dress was white as snow. Her skin was dark brown. Her black hair had the fit of a ponytail style. She had a silver crucifix necklace wrapped around her neck.
Her name was Shirley Emiya, the current wife of Kiritsugu Emiya and the adoptive mother of Shirou Emiya.
The Yellow-Eyed Man smirked, before using his power to telekinetically draw the gun from his hand back towards Kiritsugu, who grabs it with his left.
"I would advice both of you to relax," The man said. "I'm not truthfully here to fight, I just came here to observe, that's all."
He started walking a bit, before stopping. Kiritsugu would feel anger, but also dread. The being standing right in front of him was something worse than an Undead. He was much, much older than them. Why was he here? He could think of a few reasons.
...The Yellow-Eyed Man in fact was the main reason why Kiritsugu couldn't obtain his daughter, Illya. For even if he does succeed in getting her out from the clutches of the Old Einzbern Patriarch - and trust his word, he did try to do such - this monster would grab her from his protection. Illya was far more safer there with the old man, as unfortunate and revolting as that sounded.
Illyasviel von Einzbern was the monster's target. But Kiritsugu felt like this monster had other plans in store.
"Why exactly are you here?" Kiritsugu muttered, glaring at the Yellow-Eyed Man.
"...Hmm, now isn't that the question of the year," The Man spoke with a smirk. As he walks forward, he noticed a blur, someone now blocks Kiritsugu from his point of view. It was Shirley. Her right arm was protective, and her crimson eyes spoke of bloodlust and battle.
"Am I not allowed at least to observe the competition?" The Man asked.
"You know the rules, Yellow Eyes," Kiritsugu spoke grimly. "Hell Lords aren't allowed to participate in the Grail Wars, so I'm not sure why you'd bother." He said that, but he was actually trying to prod for more information from this monster. Perhaps a little slip, as it were, to gauge the intentions of this being.
"Yes, that is true," The Man affirmed, as his smile never wavered. "Though, the rules did relaxed just a bit... if you were to recall the incident that happened in the Fuyuki Fire of 94."
"...!" Kiritsugu and Shirley widened their eyes. They'd remember alright. Kiritsugu most especially, because he was there. When the fire came down, it had triggered something else, causing a large, wide-open crack that led to ancient prisons of despair. A Devil's Gate. It opened a doorway, and two Infernal Dimensions were linked to that gate, resulting in various pitch-ash black smoke and humanoid beings that had the capacity for flight, all waging a infernal cosmic battle against each other.
It would have been worst if other forces did not intervened and sent them to retreat. Though, most of those black visage ash-smokes retreated to parts unknown - possessing individuals that took the form of common folk. No one could tell their own unique difference, as they quietly walk side by side with humanity.
"...Yes," The Man nodded, with a pleased smile, which accompanied the brightness of his malevolent yellow eyes. "I would definitely have to thank you, Emiya Kiritsugu. An inkling in the back of my mind at least could guess the potential reason of why I decided to keep you alive all of those years ago. I knew, that you would be the perfect man, to stop the Grail's corruption from consuming the Earth at its finale. You broke your promise - your ideal, of a perfect world, where all can be saved. And the result, you not only lost your family, but you have given Hell the keys to partially invade this world. Revelation at it's finest. Though, not that it's unique to you, there were other generations, other times, but I suppose it's not a comfort to you, is it, to be under my thorn, unwillingly?"
Kiritsugu was silent. He hated to admit it, but The Man was right, even if it was not his intention to do such. He didn't know that there was a Devil's Gate within Fuyuki. In fact, nobody knew. Nobody really knew that something malevolent was already underneath them.
"...However, I am feeling very generous at the moment, as I have now remain content to gaze upon my dear daughter, all grown up," He looks at Shirley, who only narrowed her eyes at him. "I have a little hint that I can give to the both of you, that can relate with this conflict."
"How convenient," Kiritsugu would say, not buying the generosity.
"First: I'm not the only one staking the grounds. There's two others, The Seventh Morningstar and The Man's Best Friend. You know of whom I speak," The Man spoke with glee. "That is all I can say on the matter."
The Man would begin to walk away, but Kiritsugu would call out to the former. "Just like that!" The Man stopped, as he glanced, his left yellow eye, visible. He said. "Just like that. After all, the competition hasn't started yet, and I'm so looking forward as well to how it would synchronize with the Battle Fight. It's that time of the ten thousand years, isn't it?"
The Man would look away and walk towards the dark forests, as he would suddenly... vanish without a trace.
Kiritsugu worries. One things for sure... is that things won't be simple this time when it comes to the Grail War. He looked back at Shirley, who also shared similar concerns.
Trivia Section:
(*1) - From TYPE-MOON Wiki: Aoko Aozaki (蒼崎青子, Aozaki Aoko?) is the first protagonist of Mahou Tsukai no Yoru and a supporting character in the Tsukihime series and Tsukihime Remake series. She is the Magician of the Fifth Magic (第五魔法の魔法使い, Dai Go Mahō no Mahōtsukai?).
(*2) - From TYPE-MOON Wiki: The Holy Church (聖堂教会, Seidō Kyōkai?), also referred simply as the Church (教会, Kyōkai?), is the hidden side of the Roman Catholic ChurchWP that specializes in the hunting of heresy.[1] Compared to the public side of the Holy Church that treats heresies as if they do not exist because those who teach the word of God must not acknowledge that which runs counter to their doctrines, the Holy Church contains the zealots who feel the heresies should be more proactively destroyed. They are a major force that has a tenuous relationship with the Mage's Association.[2]
(*3) - From TYPE-MOON Wiki: The Mage's Association (魔術協会, Majutsu Kyōkai?) is an international, self-preservative and self-defense organization formed by magi for the purpose of controlling, concealing, and developing magecraft. It is said to transcend nationality and genre of magecraft, but that is in name only.[1] After having existed for many years, it was decided around the Middle AgesWP by those who foresaw the decline of magecraft that in order to preserve their power, magecraft should drift apart from society and become a secret known only by a necessary minimum number of people. The Mage's Association has many laboratories and research bodies that seek to advance the progress of magecraft, as well as institutions that transmit their secrets to the next generation.[2] Although the emphasis lies on the pursuit of knowledge, the Mage's Association also seeks to increase its own military strength and reserves the use of force to protect itself from entities that threaten its existence, such as the Holy Church, other magi organizations, supernatural forces seeking to punish mankind for meddling with areas that should not be touched, and individuals who hunt that which they consider taboo.[1] The Mage's Association has set up research institutions and established and enforces laws that forbid the criminal use of magecraft in order to promote the development, or perhaps regression, of magecraft. The Association is mainly concerned with the preservation and concealment of magecraft in criminal aspects.[1] They do not care about hideous crimes committed by magi so long as they are not a threat that might reveal the existence of magecraft to the common public, though it generally does not allow research that would harm society[3] or involve innocents.[4] If a magus pulls a civilian into a magical phenomenon, the Association dispatch assassins to kill that magus.[5]
(*4) - From Toaru Majutsu no Index Wiki: The Church of Necessary Evil or Necessarius (必要悪の教会ネセサリウス Hitsuyōaku no Kyōkai (Nesesariusu)?, lit. "Church of Necessary Evil") is an international security maintenance organization created to counter magicians.[1] It is the 0th Parish of the Church of England, a secret branch of the church whose main purpose is to neutralize and destroy magic in England, and to investigate, arrest, and punish magicians. It is headed by the Archbishop of the Church of England herself, Dion Fortune, and is based in St. George's Cathedral. As they need to use magic in order to subdue magic, all members of Necessarius are either outright magicians, or like Index, very knowledgeable with it. Most of Kamijou Touma's allies from the magic side come from the Church.