Prologue I : Reunion
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"—Kyrie Elyson…"
The light faded, the blue haired girl holding the black book with the image of the cross in front of her opened her eyes, the body that was underneath her no longer in this world. She looked up, feeling a great relief, a cold breeze entering from the broken windows and playing with her hair.
A black haired teenager with deep blue eyes fell to his knees behind her.
"What... What did I do..." He thought, staring blankly at his hands. Lines and points were everywhere, the ground, the ceiling, even the girl in front of him was riddled with those accursed fractures in reality.
Ciel heard the thump of his knees impacting the ground. She turned around, quickly dropping the Holy Bible and disregarding the scattered Black Keys to run to his aid.
The young man's mind started racing, remembering everything that happened and led to this point. The golden haired, fair skinned True Ancestor whom he loved dearly... She was gone.
"—Arc..ueid..." The knife dropped from his hand, causing a clanging sound to echo across the hallway. His hands rose to his face while shaking violently.
"ARCUEID!" he screamed out, defeated. Giving in to the sorrow that formed in his heart like a thorn, he cried out in pain. Not physical pain, no. Something much worse.
The blue haired girl approached him, calling out his name. "Tohno-kun..." But there was no response other than the tears which fell down his cheeks and dropped to the floor as he continued crying.
She called out to him again, this time placing a hand on his shoulder. "Tohno-kun!"
Nothing. It's like he just broke. The only thing he did was cry out that name even louder. Except that Ciel wouldn't give up, would she. Grabbing him by the shoulders, she started shaking him violently. "TOHNO-KUN!"
That triggered something deep within his mind. Somewhere within all those complicated emotions, HE woke up.
Ciel noticed the sudden switch in demeanor. Confused, she tried to help him back to his feet. However, the moment she touched his hand, she knew something wasn't right at all. Turns out her intuition was correct, as mere seconds later, he jumped back to his feet, holding his knife. She assumed a stance, thinking he may attack her. The Burial agency member looked at HIM with a concerned expression before calling out to him, "Tohno-kun! Get it together! There's no need to fight anymore!"
It really didn't change anything. Because in the end, and with a smile, Shiki held up his knife pointing the sharp end towards his own chest.
"NO—KUN!"
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Cold... So cold that he could see his own breath as he panted while sprinting through this oddly familiar forest. Above, he could see the crimson moon watching over him without a care in the world. But it was stupid to expect a floating piece of rock to have mercy on his poor soul wasn't it?
He felt his feet moving, as if running away from something. Continuously placing one foot in front of the other, without really knowing why. He clasped a small wooden box in his hand, holding into it for dear life. He couldn't tell what was inside. Nor did he want to find out at the moment, he had to keep his focus on running away from the sense of danger behind him.
A clearing was ahead. He would finally make it out of this nightmare. His footsteps began to drop the rhythm as he got even closer to his destination. His eyes widening with horror as he finally stepped into the safe haven which was the clearing.
The little boy's hands and shoulders slumped down as his mouth stayed agape, his breath coming out frozen due to the sheer cold. One more step, and he heard a splash. Down he looked at the crimson pool of blood he stepped in, then at the sole tree which stood in front of him. Was it even a tree anymore? Its branches were defiled with corpses. So many corpses impaled and hung on the tree, under which he used to sit down with his parents and practice with his cousins.
Ah... But they were there too, on the tree. A sick feeling of nausea bubbled up in his mind as he tightened his grip on the box he was holding. He slowly felt his knees give up on him. Then he dropped on his back, directly splashing into the pool of his family's blood.
Time passed and he just laid there unmoving, despite every part of him telling him to run, lest he'd die if he stayed for another split second, lest he'd become part of this sick tree of humans, lest he'd join his family on the branches. Yet in the middle of all of that, he stared at the sky in disbelief. Not even sure whether this was some sort of twisted nightmare, or hazy midsummer dream.
The boy unlocked the box and raised the item he was carrying all along to the sky. A fine switchblade with a leather handle, decorated with Japanese letters which spelled out [七夜]. He had seen these letters so many times before, but this time... this time it was different. He knew what that word truly meant.
"Nanaya... Of course... How could I have been so dense..." He commented with a tone of broken humor, feeling his soul leaving his body, yet smiling. Because he finally realized everything. He remembered it all.
"Ha...Haha" He laughed weakly. His expression unreadable as he looked at the big floating piece of lunar rock.
Even though everything was so incomprehensible, he couldn't help but think...
"The moon looks beautiful tonight."
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Two soft knocks echoed inside the room. The door slowly swung open, a pink haired girl with diamond blue eyes and a maid outfit walked in gracefully, her footsteps not even making sound.
She placed the tray that was in her hands on the cupboard next to the bed, then looked at the person sleeping, a saddened expression drawing across her face. Shiki Tohno was there, and has been completely unconscious for the past two weeks. They took him to every doctor they could afford, used some family connections to try less traditional methods, and even attempted Synchronization. But nothing would wake him up from his slumber. It was as if his soul was no longer in his body, even though he was clearly alive.
"How is he?" A voice came from behind Hisu. Had she not heard the same sentence every single morning for the past two weeks, she would've been flustered. That wasn't the case however, which allowed her to keep her formality.
She stood up, turned around and bowed mechanically. "Good morning, Akiha-sama. Forgive me, I did not notice you were in the room..." She paused, her eyes examining the girl who sat on a wooden chair in the corner.
The girl sat there, not taking her eyes off her brother for the whole night. Waiting for him to wake up sleeplessly. She did this so many times by now, that it caused dark circles around her eyes.
"His condition is stable." The pink haired maid said quietly, "You should rest now, Akiha-sama, I'll take care of him from here."
Akiha stared at her with a bitter smile, "Thank you... Hisui..." she whispered with a drained tone before standing up with visible difficulty. Her hair flashed between red and black as she stumbled across the room towards the door. She seemed like she would collapse at any second. A few unorganized footsteps then the door slid open and closed again. Akiha left the maid alone in the room with the unconscious teenager.
Hisui proceeded to bring a chair closer to the bed, sitting down, she started watching over him with her diamond eyes. Almost tearing up on the inside, but keeping her stone cold expression. If only barely.
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Three weeks have passed since Shiki was brought back home. At this point, Akiha and the two maids have already started to lose hope. They were at the dining room where Akiha had her breakfast. The only audible sound in the room besides the air entering from the windows were the clanging sounds of Akiha's fork and knife touching the plate.
"... I do not know what to do anymore, I did everything I could, I even went through some of Makihisa-sama's stuff to see if there was any way to wake him, but I found nothing. I feel sorry for Lady Akiha... She is no longer herself..." Thought Kohaku as she stared blankly at the broken young girl.
The doorbell rang, interrupting the loud silence, which was unusual at the time, or at any time to be precise.
Everyone seemed to be alerted at how unusual this was, then they turned to Kohaku. "Eh? I did not order anything!" She said, startled by the scene. "I will go and see who it is."
Kohaku hurried out of the room, followed by their gazes. She soon came back sprinting: "Akiha-sama!" She called out, making Akiha stand up quickly and rush over to her. "What's wrong? Who is it?" She asked.
Kohaku breathed in and out quickly, she calmed herself as fast as she could and began explaining: "A tall red haired woman with a white shirt and blue jeans arrived, she claims she can make Shiki-san awaken!"
Akiha's pupils widened in shock and in happiness at the same time, she did not know who this woman was, but who cared? "Let her in quickly, I'll meet her in the guests' room." She commanded, feeling a new hope within herself. She walked away to get a change of clothes, gesturing at Hisui to follow.
The twin maids looked at each other then nodded, feeling that their Master was reinvigorated. "Understood!" They said in unison.
Kohaku then went back to the gate. "Please, come on in. Akiha-sama will meet you shortly." She welcomed the red haired women inside.
"Okay, lead the way!" The woman said with a voice full of energy. She seemed as if she was excited to meet them.
The woman followed after the maid, who at first was weary of her, but then grew to like her attitude the more they talked, she seemed exceptionally powerful! As if she was some sort of magician or something... But her reactions were easy-going like those of a child.
"Ehhh! HUGE! LUXURIOUS! AND... BEAUTIFUL! Is this really where Shiki lived this whole time?!" The woman commented with a loud voice full of surprise as they reached the lobby of the mansion. Kohaku had a lot of questions, but she couldn't help but giggle a bit at the way the woman reacted.
"Shiki-san lived here as a child, but was sent away to live with some relatives after he got ill." Kohaku addressed the woman, "You seem to know Shiki-san from somewhere, Miss..."
The woman first froze in place, then she placed a finger under her mouth as if pondering something. "Hmm... I guess there is no harm in telling you guys my name... I am Aoko! Aozaki Aoko."
"Pleased to meet you Aozaki-sama..." Kohaku quietly giggled at the weird introduction, maybe she was an important figure somewhere? "But would it trouble you to tell me how you met Shiki-san?"
"I almost stepped on him." The woman said joyfully. "That's how I met him! But he was like... Six by then. He must be all grown up by now! I can't wait to see him!"
Kohaku could not help herself. She started giggling loudly, causing Aoko to join her. "You.. You almost stepped on him... That's so funny and at the same time sounds just like something Shiki-san would experience..." Kohaku spoke between the waves of laughter, attempting to regain her composure. "My, look at me being so unprofessional, forgive me Aozaki-sama. Follow me, please."
Aoko shook her head and smiled, "It's okay! Lead on!"
"What a cheerful girl! I already like it here." Aozaki thought to herself, "It's a shame I can't linger much longer."
They continued walking, Aoko seemed to realize that this family had no ties to the Moonlit world. She did her research beforehand but this confirmed it.
A few minutes later, they reached the guests' room. Aoko was prompted to sit on a couch. Then, shortly after, a black haired girl wearing a purple formal top and red skirt joined her, followed by another pink haired maid.
Akiha and Hisui greeted the woman formally. Aoko picked up on the change of air and returned their greeting in the same method. Kohaku stood behind her, while Hisui stood behind Akiha, who sat opposite of the visitor. The two then started conversing.
"First, let me introduce myself. My name is Aozaki Aoko and I'm a researcher from the association of the clocktower in London, however, I'm not here to represent anyone, I am here to help my student by my own free will." The red haired woman introduced herself, raising a hand while talking and gesturing towards herself.
Akiha listened carefully. She took a moment to think and process the information relayed to her before talking.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm the head of the Tohno family, Akiha Tohno. Shiki Tohno is my older brother." She paused, looking at her with a suspicious expression, "According to what you said, he would be your student. However, to my knowledge, Shiki was never assigned a private teacher, especially one that comes all the way from London." Akiha questioned, trying to learn more about this weird person who was in front of her.
"Hm... While it is true that we never had any official contracts, I did teach him during a certain period of time. That makes him my student." The redhead spoke with confidence and a straightforward expression, "Back then, he told me he was in the hospital because he suffered some sort of accident. But somehow, he was able to escape. He was very young, and it was dangerous to let him wander around unsupervised. How he actually escaped is beyond me, but I couldn't just leave him be. So, instead, we sat down every now and then and had a few chats, during which our sessions were held." Aoko explained, pausing every now and then to check Akiha's reactions.
Akiha visibly staggered when she heard of Shiki's 'accident' from Aoko. If she knew that much, then surely there was some degree of truth to her words. She also saw some letters in her father's desk about Shiki's repeated escapades from the hospital. Akiha regained her composure fairly quickly when Aoko finished her explanation, she crossed her hands over her mouth as if pondering something.
"I can understand where you come from. Miss Aozaki. I have a few questions before we proceed any further..." Akiha said after a moment of silence. "Firstly, what were you doing in Misaki seven years ago? What did you teach my bother? And finally, how do you know of my brother's current situation?"
Aoko was expecting to hear these questions, she leaned back on the couch and lifted an arm up as if explaining, "I am Japanese, Akiha-sama, my organization's headquarters are in London. I was on my way to visit a relative of mine when I stumbled upon the young Shiki. That same relative resides nearby. And she was the one who informed me that you were reaching out for medical and spiritual aid without much success, so I figured something might've happened to him. As for what I taught him..." Aoko was explaining this in such a laid back attitude, that it felt like she was just describing what just happened a day ago. Once she was about to speak about the subject which she taught him, she simply brought a finger to her nose as if hushing someone, then winked at Akiha, "That would be our little secret! A good teacher keeps her student's privacy~!"
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There was a good moment of silence before a giggle was heard from Kohaku behind Aoko. Everyone was caught off-guard by Aoko's last words, but Akiha was able to resume the serious air after clearing her throat and crossing her arms.
"Fair enough..." She closed her eyes then pointed at her, "What do you propose we should do then? I don't take it you'll heal him for free..."
"Healing him may not be the right word here, he just needs a good whack on the head and he'll wake up." Aoko explained, hearing a giggle come from behind her. "But yes, I do ask for one thing in return. Shiki has to come with me afterwards."
Silence took over the room once those words were heard, before Akiha inevitably inquired, "What do you mean? Where will you take him?"
Aoko shook her head negatively before speaking in a serious tone, "I'm afraid I can't disclose this information nor can I promise his safe return. But it's for a cause greater than all of us."
Akiha slammed her fist against the table angrily as she suddenly spiked up from her seat, "I DON'T CARE ABOUT A STUPID CAUSE! ALL I WANT IS MY BROTHER BACK! AND I THOUGHT YOU'D HELP US. BUT NO! YOU ONLY WANT TO TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME!" She roared out furiously, her hair taking on a shade of vermillion as she did.
"Calm yourself, Akiha-sama." Hisui calmly warned from behind her.
"Hisui-chan is right, Akiha-sama, please hear her out first." Joined in Kohaku.
Aozaki whistled at the sight of the girl losing it in front of her. "The caging hair of Origami... That's unexpected..." She thought before clearing her throat.
"I wouldn't call it a stupid cause, Akiha-sama" She said, emphasizing the 'sama' part. "Because if Shiki doesn't come with me after this, the world, as you know it, will end."
Akiha and the two maids gasped due to the absurdity of this claim. "You're insane." Akiha muttered in disbelief.
"Try me." Aoko replied without hesitation.
A choice had to be made. The tension in the air reached its peak, both the maids started sweating profusely, knowing that this option may very much be their last chance at saving Shiki.
"This got to be a joke. There's no way the world is in danger or whatever and this woman has to be lying. But... Why do I feel like she's telling the truth? Why do I feel like I'm vastly surpassed here? This is my household yet... Her presence makes me feel like I'm the guest..." Akiha thought, staring at the woman's determined gaze.
"So? What's it gonna be? I don't have all day, the world's in danger after all." Aoko said, her eyes fixated on Akiha.
"How long would he be gone for...?" Akiha answered hesitantly. "Can I at least know that?"
She somehow knew this woman far outclassed her in terms of everything, she had no choice here and she realized it.
"Around a month at minimum, two months maximum, but in the worst case scenario he'll never return." Aoko explained, unfazed by the pressure in the room. "But it's entirely up to him and the choices he'll make."
Akiha bit her lip, she'd never normally agree. But this was an exception among exceptions, "Wake him up, then he can decide whether he wants to go with you or if you have to drag him. I won't interfere."
The maids let out a worn out sigh, the tension in the room suddenly disappeared and Aoko smiled as she stood up, "Don't be like that! It's not like I'm going to feed him to some sharks or something, I'll also be monitoring him the whole time, and who knows? Maybe someone else will move in to help him too."
Akiha let out a deep sigh, calming herself. "I have your word for that. Now, let's wake him up first, shall we?" She said, clearly still worried but attempting to hide it.
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The four girls stood by Shiki's bed. Akiha, Kohaku and Hisui stood back and watched as Aoko suddenly pulled out a bag from thin air. "Shhh... It's a secret trick that not many people know of." She said in her defense before anyone could speak a word.
She turned back towards the bed, scrambled through the bag until she found a stone with a runic symbol on it.
"Eh, I'm sure she had no use for it anyways." The red haired woman thought as she placed it on top of the cupboard. She turned around again towards the three, gesturing at them to step back for a bit.
"What I'm about to do is very dangerous. Do not, under any circumstance, come any closer than where you are now. If you do, I can't guarantee anyone's safety in this room." She warned in a serious manner.
The three girls nodded, Akiha felt as if she was swallowing a brick when Aoko turned away again.
"Alright you big idiot. Let's see where you ended up." Aoko addressed the unconscious boy, placing a hand over his head.
She closed her eyes and began chanting:
"Hear me, Lord of All Creation."
Blue light erupted from her shoulder. A magical circle was drawn around her arm, her Magic crest entering a state of overdrive, as mana coursed through it for the first time in years.
"I announce."
Her already red hair glowed bright crimson, the runic stone on the cupboard shaking and rustling as if preparing to explode.
"In my name representing order, blue, I announce."
The bed was surrounded with a blue glow, shining bright from a magical circle that appeared from seemingly nowhere. The maids covered their eyes from the intense light, while Akiha watched on, stunned but hopeful.
"Everything will be corrected."
She opened her eyes, pupils blue as the ocean, irises black as the night. The magnificence of the scene was indescribable, after all, this was True Magic, conducted by a True Magician.
"Order has now fallen."
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Deep in the everlasting darkness, Shiki felt his body floating infinitely. He remembered that he killed himself, which meant that he must be dead now... He could not move or talk, but he felt as if he was guided somewhere, his body was not floating haphazardly.
"Oh? Is it time already?" The voice of a woman reached his ears, he did not recognize it.
"No. It is not time yet. Why are you here young man?" The voice asked Shiki, it sounded much more like an angel's voice rather than a human.
"Why am I here? I dunno. I was a bit crushed and I guess my other self found it to be the perfect occasion to introduce himself." Shiki thought to himself, but was surprised to hear the voice laugh softly in response. "Woah, you can read my mind? That's a bit intrusive."
"I guess it can be seen that away from your perspective, from mine it's simply another bit of knowledge that I have." Replied the voice addressing Shiki.
"That's kinda creepy... Who are you anyways?" He asked.
"Me? I am someone who crossed the boundary. But if you must, you can call me Shiki." The voice answered his question.
"Well that's awkward, my name is Shiki too... But I guess you already know that?" The male Shiki stated.
"Indeed. It is a strange coincidence that the two of us had to meet under these circumstances, don't you think?"
Shiki and Shiki conversed for a long time, or at least it seemed to be so to Shiki Tohno. Although he doubted that this place had any semblance of time or space.
Suddenly, a fierce blue glow interrupted their conversation, the male Shiki felt something drag him away.
"Ah. It seems your time here is up, for now." 'Shiki' said, a hint of pity in her voice.
"Wait what? What do you mean? Where am I going?" Shiki asked, starting to feel sleepy.
"To where you belong for now, young man. I'm sure we'll meet again." The voice paused. "Goodbye, Shiki."
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The bright light dissipated, the runic stone on the shelf turned to dust, Aoko's hair and eyes gradually stopped glowing. She pulled her hand away from over Shiki's head, letting out a sigh of relief.
"I guess this doesn't really count as resurrection since he was not actually dead, but he was not alive when he reached the root either... It's a miracle that I did not need to adjust time at all... I wonder what kind of effect it will have on him..." She thought to herself.
Akiha raised a hand to her chest in worry. "Is it over? Did it work?" She asked, a million questions rumbling in her head, but she dismissed all as unnecessary except that one.
Aoko did not give a response, instead she curled her hand into a fist, then used it to bonk Shiki on the head.
The maids and Akiha were speechless as he suddenly spiked up in pain. "OWOWOWOW!"
He scanned his surroundings, immediately feeling his glasses being placed on his face by a familiar figure. He saw something weird.
"Sensei? What are you doing here?" Shiki asked with a puzzled expression, but before he could get an answer, the three other girls that were standing behind Aoko rushed towards him, Akiha threw her arms around him, pulling him into an embrace, while the other two stood next to her barely holding their tears.
Akiha hugged Shiki tightly, unlike the maids, she could not hold her tears. At first, he was overwhelmed by the scene, then he just gave up and Fhugged her back to the best of his ability as someone who was in bed for three weeks.
They stayed like that for a while. Akiha was handed a handkerchief by Kohaku before she stood up, fixed her clothes, wiped her tears and pointed a finger at Shiki:
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING YOU IDIOT! HOW MANY TIMES DID I TELL YOU NOT TO LEAVE THE MANSION AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE SICK!" Both happy and mad, Akiha barraged him relentlessly, with him simply smiling and apologizing. He decided not to let her know anything, not about what he did at night, nor that he discovered his past.
"But seriously, what is Sensei doing here?" He said, genuinely confused.
Akiha crossed her arms. Kohaku took the initiative, starting to explain: "After a nun found you unconscious, she brought you back home. We waited for you to wake up but you simply wouldn't. We took you to every Doctor we could afford and tried everything but nothing worked. We thought we may never see you awake again, Shiki-san."
"Ciel..." Shiki thought to himself.
Akiha continued the explanation: "Three weeks." She said, making a gesture with her hand which indicated the number three. "You've been unconscious for three weeks. We lost all hope, until your 'Sensei' showed up by our doorstep this morning and simply poofed you back to life." Akiha said, paused, then continued. "It was a spectacular lightshow. You know some weird people, Nii-san."
Aoko puffed out her chest proudly. "I take pride in my work Akiha-chan. I try to make it as beautiful as I can!" She said joyfully.
Kohaku and Shiki couldn't help but giggle at the way she addressed Akiha. The latter being flustered and turning red: "W-Wait! That's not a very respectable way to address the head of the household!" Akiha said, clearly not meaning a single word.
"It's okay! It's okay! After all, I also consider Shiki as a little brother of sorts, I don't mind having a little sister too!" Aoko said jokingly, making Akiha even more embarrassed.
"Oh, shut up! I'll go continue my duties. Kohaku! Make sure they don't run away before tomorrow!" Akiha said, as she hurriedly ran out of the room, before she left however, she stopped and took another glance at Shiki. "Oh... And... Welcome back, Nii-san." The little sister quickly disappeared into the hallway afterwards, with Hisui in tow.
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"Alright." Aoko whispered to herself, her face suddenly taking on a serious expression. Shiki noticed that and immediately looked away in shame.
Kohaku felt she was out of place, so she excused herself and chose to stand outside to give them their moment.
"I failed you didn't I... I remember you told me to value all life, you told me to protect all living things, no matter what. Yet, I did exactly the opposite of that." Shiki expressed with a tone of regret.
"Yes you did. Shiki, do you have any idea what would happen to this world if you were not alive right now?" Aoko confronted him. "Everything in this world would be doomed."
Shiki's pupils widened in shock. "What do you mean by that?" He asked.
Aoko sighed. "Remember back then when I told you you were special? I meant it. You play a very important role in this universe, Shiki." She said while pointing a finger at him. "But you cheeky child had to try and end your own life, without even considering the possibility of her still being alive!"
"!" The world froze from his perspective. "What...?" He muttered in disbelief.
"Yeah you big idiot! When you killed that vampire, all the lifeforce that he stole returned to its original owners. Your 'anemia' is not even a thing anymore." She explained calmly but made sure that each word had its weight. "Besides, did you really think the Princess of all True Ancestors would simply die that easily? You're the last person who should think of something like that, she literally recovered from being killed by you of all people, after all."
Shiki was both extremely happy but also felt unmeasurable amounts of embarrassment. "Then... You're saying she's still alive?" He asked hesitantly.
"Yep. Though I wouldn't describe what she's currently doing as living." Aoko said, raising a finger towards her chin. "She sealed herself away in the Millennium Castle Brunestud."
"Sealed herself? Why would she do that?!" Shiki asked, triggered by the info relayed to him.
"Relax, we can easily free her. But it's impractical to do so at the moment." Aoko replied with a hint of imperativeness in her voice. "Remember the bloodlust. Even if she regained the power she lost from that other vampire, she still has difficulty controlling her bloodlust. It is your handiwork, Shiki."
Shiki remained silent, clenching his fist as hard as he could. "It is because I killed her. She has to suffer now because of me" he thought.
"Luckily, there is still hope for her. You can still redeem yourself." Aoko spoke, leaning back on the chair she sat on. "That is why I'm here after all."
Shiki's attention immediately came back. "What should I do? I'll try my hardest! I'll do all I can to help her!"
His reaction seemed to stun Aoko. "Wow, he really loves her huh..." She thought to herself before speaking. "Well. We have a few things to discuss before that. Tomorrow, we will leave Misaki."
Aoko then stood up and circled around the bed, opening the sealed window. Her red hair ruffled from the wind which entered.
Shiki who was processing everything that just happened simply looked at his hand, before forming a fist in resolve. "Let's go tonight, there's no need to wait until tomorrow." He said, addressing Aoko.
She turned towards him and smiled: "That's what I'd like to hear... This is the enthusiasm you need, but it's a little too early." She patted his head once, "Tomorrow..." She announced with a smile, "Tomorrow we depart.
Author's Note:
Hello everyone! This here is the first Prologue in this story. It was reworked twice for anyone wondering, and I'll continue reworking the chapters in chronological order. Thank you for reading and I'll see you around.
Q/A:
Q: Who was the other 'Shiki'?
A: Void Shiki. Why? Well... To Kill something with MEODP is sending it back to the root, so when Shiki killed himself, he basically sent himself directly to the root, except that the Nanaya personality that was within him was the one who died, simply put, its the same with Shiki Ryougi when she was stuck in the root while recovering from her accident. He would've died if it wasn't for Void Shiki being interested in holding him for a sec to have a nice chat.
Q: Did Aoko use her magic to reverse time?
A: No. Aoko simply used her magic to form another connection with the root, using the runic stone as an anchor to reality in order to bring Shiki's personality, or technically 'Soul' back to the body. Some may say that it's beyond her but I say she can pick up a few things from Touko. If Touko can put Souls into dolls, then Aoko can bring back a soul into a body.
Q: Is Shiki now some sort of new Magician?
A: Nope. He's still the good ol' Shiki Tohno, just fully aware of his past as a Nanaya. Though he does have great potential as a mage due to his lineage's utilization of... selective breeding I guess you can call it. So he can learn Magecraft with some help from his reliable older sister Aozaki Aoko.
Prologue: The Time for Rebirth Hath Come
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What is the Holy Grail war?
The mages described it as a ritual of slaughter, where seven mages summoned Heroic Spirits of the past into seven separate classes to fight among themselves. Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Caster, Assassin and finally, Berserker. The last standing pair of Master and Servant would get their wish granted by the Grail.
It sounded like a bargain to anyone who was in desperate need of something; be it fame, power, wealth, self-worth, or even world peace or domination. Yet no one exactly questioned how the Grail worked. How did it grant the wishes? Was it like the genie from the story of Aladdin? Could one wish for more wishes? Was it truly omnipotent like everyone made it sound?
Kiritsugu had to admit that everything about the Grail sounded suspicious, but this was a different thing. He felt it, deep in his bones. Something was amiss with this war.
Saber's Master felt his stomach sink as a punch struck his abdomen with the force of a speeding truck. He felt his feet hover above ground, with the rest of his body following. Before it slammed into the wall with great velocity. The air within his lungs rushed out of his mouth. Then he dropped to his knees, gasping for air. Sensing his enemy's approach, he dodged to his left at the last moment, successfully evading the foot which came crashing down where his head had been just moments ago. Kiritsugu wasted no time; placing his hand in one of his coat's many pockets, he armed himself with a switchblade after he holstered his Thompson Contender momentarily. A flick and a slash were heard, coming from Kiritsugu's attempt at ending his opponent's life with a cut throat. But to no avail as he found his attack deflected as easily as shooing a fly.
Another try, another failure. Kiritsugu's relentless assault was met with unending defense. If he was to be compared to a chainsaw, his opponent was as hard to cut as a stone wall.
Just as the priest attempted a counter attack, Kiritsugu activated his circuits. "Time Alter: Triple Accel!" he whispered. His body's movement sped up drastically, allowing him a chance to dodge away, putting some space between himself and his opponent.
Kiritsugu took the chance, discarding the switchblade as fast as he could, then re-arming himself with his machine gun and pistol. He took aim, unloading his Calico M950's magazine, then lining up a shot with his Thompson Contender, which disguised itself among the other bullets.
Kotomine Kirei rushed forward towards his target, swiftly dodging and deflecting his way through the valley of speeding bullets using his incredible speed and powerful Black Keys. His heart skipped a beat, as from the corner of his eye he spotted a different threat; a bullet unique among the others was aimed directly at his chest. It also moved faster than he could dodge.
With great struggle, Kirei was able to move his hand into the trajectory of that bullet, successfully blocking it. He staggered in pain as he felt his arm flailing backwards, before it hung down uselessly.
Seizing the opportunity while the priest processed his pain; Kiritsugu lifted his arm forward, revealing the red symbols on the back of his hand. "With my command Spell I order you! Saber! Come to me!" he commanded. One of the two red symbols on his hand disappeared, then a blond, green eyed knight appeared from thin air, accompanied with a flash of light.
At first, she seemed bewildered at what suddenly happened. After all, she was on her way to combat Archer, but all of a sudden she found herself by her Master's side. She thought about the possibilities and gritted her teeth, gripping her invisible blade next to her face in a battle position, then lunged forwards towards the priest.
Her blow never connected; the roof suddenly exploded. Sparks of electricity and debris fell down, stunning them, then a black muddy matter flowed down, seemingly engulfing them both. Kiritsugu, who was the furthest away from the core of the explosion, immediately made a mad dash towards the exit upon noticing the suspicious matter flowing from the ceiling. He had a hard time escaping, as the exit was a bit far from his location and his wounds were still being healed. But with some perseverance, he made his way into safety.
.
.
Saber opened her eyes once again, then immediately stood from sheer surprise. Looking around, she saw a long red carpet and white pillars. The walls were made out of solid stone and the windows were colorful and engraved with pictures of knights, dragons and crosses. Behind her was a golden throne, with crimson red cushions and jewels as decorations. "This is the throne room of my castle in Camelot." she realized, "Am I dreaming? Or is this some sort of mental attack?"
"The King of Knights in all his fame and glory... A sad tale of the King who just wanted to make his people happy..." a voice spoke mockingly inside her head.
"Who goes there? Show yourself, you coward!" she demanded, trying to lift her sword and take a stance. Only then did she notice the blade's absence.
"Oh I would love to do that. But I really can't at the moment... Instead, let me grant your wish as recompense." the voice echoed within the castle walls. Suddenly, the gate which was locked before unlocked then slowly opened. A shadow of a person appearing in the light which came in through it.
Saber's eyes widened in horror and in surprise at the same time, as the figure drew closer to the light. The horned helmet, the silver armor decorated with red strips and black lines.
There was no doubt.
This was her knight.
The knight of betrayal, Mordred.
Wordlessly, Mordred walked across the throne room. The only sound fracturing the heavy silence was the Knight's plated boots colliding with the carpeted floor. And much to Artoria's surprise, she bowed down in front of her.
"King Arthur, a discussion if you do not mind. It is important," Mordred said as her helmet unlocked itself, revealing her face.
Artoria recalled that exact line from her lifetime as King. It was the day when Mordred revealed herself to her as her son—
"That's right. Your wish to change the past, I can make it reality. All you have to do… is acknowledge your son, free him from the witch, and properly teach him to become king. That way, Camelot will not fall." the voice made itself known again within Artoria's head.
"Your highness... Are you feeling alright?" Mordred asked, lifting her head up to look at Artoria's very complicated expression.
"What is going on... What's the meaning of this? Who are you? And why look into my memories without permission!" Artoria thought to herself, knowing the voice communicated telepathically.
"Like I said. This is no memory, this is reality. I took you back to this moment in your life, make a different decision and you can change the past. Isn't that what you wished for?" the voice spoke again.
"Stand." Artoria said, addressing her knight.
The latter complied.
"Come closer." She commanded.
Mordred did not approach before she uttered a confused "Uhh... My King? Are you—"
"Come closer, I said!" Artoria interrupted her, not allowing her a chance to continue her words.
"That's right... Give her what she deserved and did not get." the voice said again with its alluring tone.
Mordred stood eye to eye with Artoria, unable to look her King in the eyes.
"Raise your head." Artoria told Mordred. The knightess raised her eyes gradually until their gazes met, and before she could speak again, Artoria pulled her into an embrace, wrapping her arms around her.
Mordred was shocked, her mind suddenly turned off. "Fa... ther..." she muttered, her voice fading away. Overwhelmed by the sound of a droplet impacting the floor.
"No, no, NO! What are you doing! What did you do?!" the voice screamed inside Artoria's mind. The throne room and its surroundings faded to black.
The droplet became a shower, a crimson pool of blood formed on the ground, painting Artoria's face and armor red. Mordred's body dropped to the ground, with Carnwennan, King Arthur's dagger sticking out of her throat.
"If you think that a weak reiteration of an event that occurred within my lifetime would be enough to break me, then you're in for a lot of disappointment. Camelot was bound to fall." Artoria proclaimed, feeling her surroundings shift. "My wish upon the Grail is simple. I want someone else to pull the Holy Sword of Selection. Someone more capable to be King."
"Curse your idiotic behavior! Did you not think of the possibilities?! Without the rebellion taking place, you could've saved your Round Table! Their blood is on your hands!" the voice went on, shedding its alluring facade.
"Perhaps. That may be so, but then their sacrifice would be in vain. Even if Camelot fell, Britain still went on!" Artoria spoke with confidence. "Now, if you're done hiding, show yourself vile creature. It's time to end this!"
The scenery switched; Saber's eyes widened in clear horror.
"Watch. This is no illusion this time. This is what would happen should anyone lay hands upon the Holy Grail." the voice commented with a more... Demonic tone this time.
Saber looked at a destroyed Fuyuki, blood and black mud covered everything, the sky, once black as the night, now as red as blood, with a massive halo in the horizon pouring that black, muddy matter into the city.
Saber dropped to her knees, barely able to stop herself from throwing up. The haunting screams and crackling of fire echoed in the background. Then, as suddenly as they came, they stopped.
She found herself within a church, with rows of stools and a shiny golden cup sitting on top of an altar.
"Take the grail."
"TAKE THE GRAIL! ̶͍̇̕͝ψ̶̛̦̲̉͂͗̌̄͆̚ ̴̞͚̙͖͈̼̎͑̈̐́͠͠T̶̤̱͔̟͗͛͗̂͝Ȁ̵̩̖̦̠͜͝ͅK̷͇͎̝̃́́E̶̛͙̱̓̊͒͆̊̚͠ ̷͇̊̊͂͋̋T̴̪̠̪̟͇̊͑͝H̵̨̧̲͕͇̯̺̘͊̓͑͗̉͗È̶̻͓̯̫̌̀͒̃͘ͅ ̸͖̹̟̦̤͆̉͜Ĝ̵͙R̷̞̙̱̤͉̈́̐̍͘Ă̴̩̍I̸̝̅͒͜Ļ̴̫̩̘̆́̀̅͛͆͠ ̴̧̨̹̬͕͈̣͔̓̈͊͆̈̓͐͝T̴͉͐Ȃ̵̢̮͈̰̳͔̱̋̈́̆̀͝ͅĶ̵̛̦̱͕̓̿̃͗͋E̴̻̽͛̌ ̷͓̞̺͔̭̋̑̏̒͝T̴̢̼̭̘͙͇̂̑̆̆͛͐͐̕H̸̰͎͖͎̙̯͐E̵̪͎͎̗̼̤̽̈́̓͗ ̸͈̌̂̋̀̓͝G̶̬̏̓̆̽͌̎̕R̴̝̞͊̀̿̓̕A̶͈̮̣̱͌̇͌Ì̵͇͍̯͐̊̓̃̊L̴̨͉͍̝̙͛͂̄̀̐̚ ̵͖̳̪͙͚͌̈͑͜͠Ṯ̷͔̳͆̃̎̚A̴͖͙̣̼̜͆̌̍̏̑Ḳ̵͖̹̔É̶̘̩̪͒̈́̋ͅ ̴̣̗̬̓̆͋T̷̨̻̀̄͗͛̐̀̾Ḩ̵̛͖̫͕̙͖͐̐̐̾̌͌E̷̱̦̠͂̉̈́̃͆́ ̷̨͔͇̺̞̯̬̌̾̐̓̽́̃͜Ĝ̶̙̜͖̯̙̟̱̀̈́͜͝͝R̸̡̙̳͛̀̈́̃̌Á̴̛̪̪̭̄Ḯ̴̧̛͚͕̪̯̼̱̆̕ͅL̷̨̤̰̹̓̔̂͊ ̴̧̯̲͚͓̗̀͗͋̓̕͠ͅͅψ̶̲̤͖͔̥͑̈́̇̋ ̶̛̼̱̺͔͇͊͗͠ψ̴̝̤͓͖́̔̀ ̶̛̞̺̽̆͛͐̆̀"the voice continuously repeated inside Saber's mind. She clutched her head with one
hand, trying her hardest not to pass out from the pressure.
She felt like every part of her was screaming, as if a million curses were being engraved onto her body.
Her sword's invisibility undid itself. With all her willpower, she gripped the weapon in both her hands and raised it above her head. Particles of magical energy floated around her and gathered at the sword's blade, which shone with a bright golden light.
" ̶͍̇̕͝ψ̶̨̛̦̲̮̠̥̉͂͗̌̄͆̚ ̴̞͚̙͖͈̼̎͑̈̐́͠͠T̶̤̱͔̟͗͛͗̂͝Ȁ̵̩̖̦̠͜͝ͅK̷͇͎̝̃́́E̶̛͙̱̓̊͒͆̊̚͠ ̷͇̊̊͂͋̋T̴̪̠̪̟͇̊͑͝H̵̨̧̲͕͇̯̺̘͊̓͑͗̉͗È̶̻͓̯̫̌̀͒̃͘ͅ ̸͖̹̟̦̤͆̉͜Ĝ̵͙R̷̞̙̱̤͉̈́̐̍͘Ă̴̩̍I̸̝̅͒͜Ļ̴̫̩̘̆́̀̅͛͆͠ ̴̧̨̹̬͕͈̣͔̓̈͊͆̈̓͐͝T̴͉͐Ȃ̵̢̮͈̰̳͔̱̋̈́̆̀͝ͅĶ̵̛̦̱͕̓̿̃͗͋E̴̻̽͛̌ ̷͓̞̺͔̭̋̑̏̒͝T̴̢̼̭̘͙͇̂̑̆̆͛͐͐̕H̸̰͎͖͎̙̯͐E̵̪͎͎̗̼̤̽̈́̓͗ ̸͈̌̂̋̀̓͝G̶̬̏̓̆̽͌̎̕R̴̝̞͊̀̿̓̕A̶͈̮̣̱͌̇͌Ì̵͇͍̯͐̊̓̃̊L̴̨͉͍̝̙͛͂̄̀̐̚ ̵͖̳̪͙͚͌̈͑͜͠Ṯ̷͔̳͆̃̎̚A̴͖͙̣̼̜͆̌̍̏̑Ḳ̵͖̹̔É̶̘̩̪͒̈́̋ͅ ̴̣̗̬̓̆͋T̷̨̻̀̄͗͛̐̀̾Ḩ̵̛͖̫͕̙͖͐̐̐̾̌͌E̷̱̦̠͂̉̈́̃͆́ ̷̨͔͇̺̞̯̬̌̾̐̓̽́̃͜Ĝ̶̙̜͖̯̙̟̱̀̈́͜͝͝R̸̡̙̳͛̀̈́̃̌Á̴̛̪̪̭̄Ḯ̴̧̛͚͕̪̯̼̱̆̕ͅL̷̨̤̰̹̓̔̂͊ ̴̧̯̲͚͓̗̀͗͋̓̕͠ͅͅψ̶̲̤͖͔̥͑̈́̇̋ ̶̛̼̱̺͔͇͊͗͠ψ̴̝̤͓͖́̔̀ ̶̛̞̺̽̆͛͐̆̀ " The voice continued screaming maniacally.
"Bathed... In the breath of the planet..." Saber chanted, closing her eyes with visible difficulty.
Suddenly the voice stopped screaming as if realizing something. "WhAT aRE yOu DoING?!" It asked.
"A convergence of humanity's will and hopes..." she continued, feeling her body give up on her slowly. "Witness its brilliance..."
"NO! STOP!" The voice screamed in one last desperate effort.
"EX...CALIBUR!"
And with that, the Sword of Promised Victory dropped forward, a torrent of energy blasting the lesser grail with a force capable of removing mountains, completely pulverizing it.
Saber's body finally gave in, within the infinite abyss which engulfed her upon the dissipation of the blast. She dropped face-down into the ground, breathing heavily.
"Congratulations... Vile creature... You win... But... I am taking you with me... Without the Grail... All Servants will disappear... Including you... Haha..." Saber said as she drew her final breaths. "It... Was a stupid wish... Was it not? Bedivere..."
.
.
When Saber opened her eyes again, she found herself in a pitch-black abyss. There was no more pain plaguing her body, and she had no sword. She stood there silently, contemplating her decision. Was it worth it? Soon she would wake up under the tree again, with her loyal knight lying to her about the sword, she had her chance and she wasted it. But it was for the best, was it not?
"No. It was not worth it." a voice said from behind her, one that sounded identical to hers.
"Who's there?!" she shouted as she turned around, staggering upon setting her eyes on the source.
"Oh? But you're the last person not to recognize me. For I am you." The new arrival spoke, her pale hair dancing in the void and her golden eyes gleaming.
Saber was too shocked to talk, so the other Saber continued: "I'll be taking over from now on, you tried. Now it's my turn."
"What does this mean?! What will you do?! The Grail is destroyed! What will you take over?!" Saber lashed out at her other self, her Alternative Personality.
"Such naivety, you did not think that a simple blast destroying the physical manifestation of the lesser grail was enough to completely stop the Grail Wars from occurring... Did you?" The darker variant of Saber addressed the knightess, a villainous smirk drawing across her face as the other Saber began dematerializing. "It does not concern you anymore. Rest in peace, Holy King of Knights."
"Damn it... DAMN IT!" Artoria Pendragon screamed out. Her body dematerialized before her very eyes as her consciousness faded all of a sudden.
The black Saber's eyes widened soon after, her counterpart's memories flowing into her brain.
"What in Vortigern's flames do you mean 'The King does not understand human emotion?!' Don't joke with me!" She screamed out, black lightning dancing across her body. Her hands shook violently as she curled them into fists, her breathing became less organized. "No! I won't take this for an answer! Even if her methods did not work either, mine definitely will!"
.
.
Kiritsugu stood on top of a Skyscraper attempting everything at his disposal to get in contact with Saber, but nothing worked. Eventually, his worries came true, as a pillar of rupturing light erupted from the ruins of the center hall, shortly followed by his command spells fading from existence.
He dropped to his knees, but before he could lament losing his wish, something even worse happened; just as the pillar of light dissipated, a massive halo formed in the sky, pouring down that muddy substance from before at alarming rates.
"What the hell did you do... SABER!" he screamed out, as he stood up and started running as fast as he could down the stairs, still injured from his previous battle but a bit better. The sheath of the holy sword, Avalon working its magic to fix the damage done to his body.
The muddy substance spread, covering a large area and eventually, as Kiritsugu was still struggling down the stairs with his mind racing at the number of lives lost and the amount of destruction caused, the entire skyscraper quacked and shook.
Saber's former Master almost failed at keeping his balance, but managed to climb out of a window, tossing himself out of the collapsing building.
"TIME ALTER: SQUARE ACCEL!" he screamed as he felt impossible amounts of pain coursing through his body. Yet, he persisted. Accelerating the speed at which his body operated, he was able to adjust the angle of his fall to slide on the collapsed building's side. Though it was not enough to fully circumvent the fall from hurting him, he did survive.
His body rolled on the ground a few times, then stopped on top of a floating bit of cement which split off from a building. Kiritsugu opened his eyes a few moments later, coughing up some blood. Then, he gaped at his surroundings in disbelief.
The halo hung above, as if it was a sign of the end of the world. Though it stopped generating the black substance. The rivers of black mud started declining, leaving behind a barren wasteland of death and destruction.
Kiritsugu mustered the rest of his remaining strength, standing up weakly, then started walking towards the rubble and destroyed houses.
.
.
Amidst the roaring flames, between the rubble and the ash, was a boy with red hair. A child, completely surrounded by red burning blazes, yet remained completely untouched.
He did not care about the others who caught on fire nearby, nor did he pay any heed to the screams. His mind was completely blank. His body reverted to instinct in order to survive.
Barefooted, he walked on the debris. His feet did not get charred even though the ground was extremely hot, but even that did not shake him out of his dazed state as he continued walking mindlessly towards the highest place he could see.
A collapsed part of a building with some semblance of it still being solid seemed to fit that criteria in the young boy's mind. He reached his destination, then climbed the rubble to reach the roof. He rolled on his back as soon as he made it up there, his eyes widening in shock at what he saw.
The sky was blood red. The massive halo visible in the distance.
"O lost child, to the flames thou've been cast... Thy issue hast met their demise... Yet thou are destined to survive..." a corrupt, slow-toned voice rang within the child's mind. "Heed me and obey... As when the ashes are two... A flame alighteth..."
The child's consciousness faded, a new one created within him. He had no way of fighting back, feeling as if his soul was leaving his body
"Thou shall be baptized 'i the flames, reborn of the flames, as a phoenix which returneth from the great beyond... As thou art ash, and fire befits thee, of course." the voice chanted, delight clear in its tone.
The boy was gone. He was no longer the same person. Simply, reborn in the flames of what would later be known to the moonlit world as the Fourth Holy Grail War catastrophe.
"I shall be reborn countless times and then some more, and thou shalt be mine vessel, for my name is Phenex... And the Time for Rebirth Hath Come!"
.
.
Kiritsugu walked and walked, feeling everything he ever worked for was meaningless. All that he ever placed hopes on disappearing in front of his very eyes. He heard countless screams and dying voices, unable to save any of them. This was his own fault. He shouldn't have summoned Saber... HE caused this... HIM. HIM!
His wounds were fully healed when he reached the final destination, atop a slightly elevated ground, he found him.
A red haired child was laying there, miraculously unharmed but completely unconscious. Kiritsugu wasted no time, even if his body seemed completely fine, he must have inhaled a large portion of smoke and gasses.
Kiritsugu extracted Avalon from within him, placing it on top of the child's chest. Then, with a soft push, it sunk inside of him.
A sigh of relief, it wasn't all a lie. He was able to save someone.
All those lives did not go to waste.
.
.
His eyes opened and started examining his surroundings. He bolted up as a sharp feeling of nausea engulfed him for a good minute before it dissipated. It seemed like he was in a hospital or a similar location, the beds with sleeping children lined up alongside some medical components were a dead giveaway.
He looked at his hands in terrible confusion. "Why me?" the child whispered to himself, but to his surprise, he heard a voice within his head. "It could not be anyone other than thee." the voice whispered back with its slow, distorted tone.
The child did not know what to think of this. "What does that mean?" he asked.
The reply came shortly after: "Patience, child. Thou shalt know of all in due time... For now, I shall be thy instructor, and thou shalt follow mine orders, if thou seeketh strength, knowledge, or even pitiful fame, obey me and thou will find."
The child went quiet after that, thinking about what he had just heard.
"Hmm... But thou... Surely... Thou art not after such disdainful objectives... Thou seeketh something else... Something greater..." the voice continued, as if examining the child's thought process.
"Yes. I want to know. To realize. What does Death really means? I saw it, you know I did, you were there, those flames, those screams. There was no way for me to survive if it was not for you and that man." he declared, clenching his right hand into a fist. "Was such a thing truly necessary? Can it be avoided?"
The voice went silent for a moment, then it burst out into a sickly laughter. "To think that a mere human child wouldst think of such an idea... Even with a modified personality... Thou art truly a unique case... Very well! Thy wish will be granted! Thou only needst follow my instructing and thou shalt find thy answer."
The boy smiled in determination, but before he could reply to the voice again, a door in the corner of the room suddenly unlocked, then it slid open, revealing the figure of a man which resembled the one he was barely able to see before he passed out. He approached the child, placing a bag next to the bed then crouching down next to him.
"How are you feeling?" the man asked with a cold tone. "Does it hurt anywhere?"
The boy stared at the man without speaking. "He is a fine person to talk to. Do answer his questions, but do not mention mine presence." the voice spoke within the child's head again, the latter shaking his head negatively after hearing his orders.
"Good." the man affirmed, looking relieved. "Let's see... What is your name? Do you remember your own name?"
"Shirou." the kid said after a moment of silence. "Just... Shirou."
Kiritsugu felt worried at first, but dismissed it immediately after. "Listen to me Shirou. Tell me, would you like to go to the orphanage with the rest of the children here, or be adopted by a man you just met? You have to know that I am a very dangerous person. All kinds of bad people are after me and you may get in danger if you are with me."
"Do accept." The voice ordered within his head the moment he felt confusion.
Shirou kept silent for a good moment, then simply nodded positively and smiled at the man. "What's your name mister?"
Kiritsugu smiled back, he was happy at the boy's decision. "My name is Emiya Kiritsugu. I am a mage, Shirou."
"A mage? What does that mean?" Shirou asked out of curiosity. "Like a magician?"
Kiritsugu shook his head. "No, Magicians are a different thing. A mage is a human who can practice magecraft, which is like science. Magicians are people who are not limited by the rules. They create true Miracles. Unlike mages who can only replicate."
Shirou raised a hand to his chin as if pondering something, then simply shrugged. "I don't think I really understand right now, but that's okay. You can explain more to me later, right Mister Emiya?"
Kiritsugu was amazed at how he reacted, he expected a more... Childish reaction. But he smiled and stood up. "You're right, Shirou. Now get up, we have to go, there's a change of clothes inside the bag, change up and we'll go to our new home." he then paused, "And just call me Kiritsugu, you're an Emiya now too, remember?"
The red haired child smiled then obeyed. He stood up and changed his clothes just as requested by Kiritsugu.
Moments later, Shirou was holding his adoptive father's hand as they walked out of the building's door. It was then when he noticed someone staring down at them from the top of the building.
The voice within his head announced itself present again after a good while of silence. "Mhmm... The king of Heroes... Is a problematic foe... Unpredictable... Can be an invaluable asset... or our biggest obstacle... 'Tis a miracle he did not notice mine presence within thee just yet..."
Shirou did not know what the voice mumbled about. His eyes dropped down, meeting a different gaze this time.
Kiritsugu froze in place, as the figure of the priest Kotomine Kirei entered his sight. "You... How are you still... No... Don't answer that... I don't want anything to do with you anymore. Leave us." he said. Shirou noticed his grip tightening around his hand as he spoke. But did not think as much of it as the disturbing feeling that rummaged his insides as soon as he locked eyes with this supposed 'man of God'.
"Relax vessel... Do not let his sins obstruct thine vision... It is true, what thow senseth... He is dead... Yet still lives..." the voice came through again within the child's mind. Making him snap out of his state. He then proceeded to stare the priest dead in the eyes for a good moment, refusing to move when Kiritsugu attempted to drag him by the hand.
"Oi— Shirou!" Kiritsugu called out to the child. Who only moved after saying a word his adoptive father knew nothing of.
"Ananias." Shirou said. The priest's twisted smile immediately distorted into a scowl of pure hatred. But he allowed the two to go. The child suddenly acted normally again.
"What was that all about?" Kiritsugu asked, a tone of genuine concern taking over his voice.
Shirou simply shook his head, it simply happened naturally. He did not question it, especially with the relief, almost happiness he felt when he saw the expression change on the fake priest's face.
"Nothing. Just a word I remembered when I saw him." he replied with a smile.
Kiritsugu kept quiet for a while, then decided to shake it off with one of his usual "I see."s
.