The morning sun was shining accompanied by light snowfall. Daylight invaded the emiya residence through the window disturbing the slumber of the family.
Waking up 1st kiritsugu went to awaken his son. Now awake Shirou looked at Kiritsugu`s face and compared it to the one he saw in his dreams, hence reaffirming the man he saw last night to be his father.
Noticing the hesitating expression on his son's face kiritsugu told him they would talk about this during breakfast.
Sitting on the breakfast table he watched Shirou serve the dishes he prepared. After finishing setting up plates Shirou too sat down on the opposite side.
"So what did you dream about last night." asked kiritsugu
Shirou then explained the process of summoning he witnessed. Listening to this the magus killer's face got progressively worse.
Kiritsugu estimated that Shirou`s dream would have ended after hearing about a black space but was startled when he continued talking.
The more he listened the more controted his expression became. He halted Shirou`s narration various times and asked for some inconspicuous detail and his expression began tensing more.
Looking at the expression on the man`s face Shirou purposed to progress this talk later but under the precaution and determination of kiritsugu, he continued.
When the description reached the temple kiritsugu`s expression became calm. and he asked
"Describe the boxes I was carrying and the glow on my body you talked about"
Shirou described them to the best of his ability till kiritsugu left after instructing him to wait.
Returning from the shed kiritsugu bought a notebook along with him. Opening the notebook he showed a page titled "leyline detonators", which was filled with sketches of boxes similar to the ones in his dream and other incomprehensible diagrams.
After the confirmation from Shirou, he activated his circuits and asked an amazed Shirou to compare the location of the "glow".
After the expected affirmative he looked seriously at Shirou and said as if affirming to himself instead of the boy in front of him.
"Shirou you most likely can't learn magecraft so be prepared for failure but I will provide you with knowledge about it. Don't divulge about the dreams to anyone and when you talk about them to me, we should talk in this room`s bounded field only."
On asking when he would be taught mage craft, kiritsugu answered that they would start this weekend. So he sullenly went to school with his father.
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School went by without anything noteworthy. Shirou became a little closer to the boy named Shinji.
After school and reaching home Shirou prepared dinner and finished his academic tasks. And quickly went to sleep under the ever-watchful eyes of kiritsugu.
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Like always Shirou was in the black space as his eyes opened. Patiently waiting for the dream to begin he waited.
Suddenly the world distorted and his vision went blank.
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He was above the city again, enjoying the view he waited for his descent and it did come as abruptly as last time.
His point of view shifted towards the church and was, again pulled into the basement. looking around the church`s basement he found 3 men standing near a red magic circle, slightly different from the previous ones.
standing closest to the circle was a black-haired man dressed in an elegant red suit. He had medium-length hair parted in the middle and sported a small classy noble beard.
The other 2 men were one young and one old priest. They were standing side by side. The old priest with a shroud and a silver cross at his neck had his eyes closed, while the young one with the full black simple clothes and a similar silver cross was watching the circle attentively.
The elegant man started chanting in a solemn voice
"Let silver and steel be the essence."
"Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation"
"And my ancestor, my great master Schweinorg "
"Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall"
"Let the four cardinal gates close."
"From the crown, come forth and follow the forked road to the kingdom"
"I hereby declare. "
"Your body shall serve under me. My fate shall be your sword."
"Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail, If you will submit to this will and this reason…Then answer!" the circle started shining brightly and the man`s expression collapsed.
"Thou clad in the great trinity, come forth from the circle of constrain" said the man straining himself and supporting his outstretched arm with the other.
"Guardian of heavenly scales!" shouted the man and the area was filled with white smoke and blinding light.
"We have won this battle kirei." said the man looking at the younger priest.
Meanwhile, the smoke decapitated and revealed a blond young man clad in heavy armour. The summoned man had his armour and garment the same colour as his hair, all sparkling gold and his red eyes had a conceding look as if he owned the world.
Shirous`s vision blurred amidst the shout of
"Victory is ours!" by the red-suited man.
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Looking at Shirou`s sleeping face kiritsugu repeated the steps of the previous night. The results were the same as last time, meaning he detected nothing wrong with his son.
< I have sent my contacts to meet up with the outcast of the astronomy department, the last survivor of an Animusphere branch family member I and Natalia saved.>
< I hope that this magus can provide me with possible reasons for Shirou having these dreams, no it's more accurate to call it a vision.>
Thinking of these kiritsugu fell asleep.
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Waking up in the morning Shirou stretched and massaged his head. He was having a headache and went around doing his routine and cooking breakfast while rubbing his head.
Time quickly went by and he was in the school sitting behind Shinji. Shinji looked extra grumpy today and was constantly grumbling things like
"I am the heir so how can they do that to me."
"They are choosing her over me the blood of the family."
Hearing these Shirou decided to give him space, he felt he shouldn't comment on his new friends' family matters.
The school ended at nearly evening and Shirou had to deal with an extra snobby shinji brooding the whole day. Quickly leaving school he went home to take a bath.
Taking care of his academia and the cooking he called his father for dinner. They dinned in a pleasant silence. Shirou was helped by kiritsugu in doing chores and hence he went to bed early.
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Shirou was back in the familiar space and this time he observed the space around him. it was blank as far as the eyes could see. Not finding anything interesting he continued waiting till the world started swirling.
Sirou being unable to look just below him missed a worn wooden handle wrapped in a white cloth floating just below him in space.
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Regaining his vision Shirou found himself inside a white cathedral. The inner area of the empty cathedral was illuminated by the light from stained glass panels.
The altar was illuminated with candel stands and in the middle of the red carpet leading to the podium a magic sickle was drawn in silver.
A white-haired woman dressed in a white dress stood alongside a kneeling man in a black suit.
The black suit being extremely similar to the style of kiritsugu had Shirou intrigued as his vision zoomed in. The woman had red eyes and extremely pale skin, she gave a feeling of being artificial as if she was designed to be perfect.
She hugged a golden and blue seat and talked to the man fiddling with the magic circle.
Looking at the seeth Shirou's heart palpated making him confused till the man moved his face up, leaving Shirou dumbfounded.
The man who felt familiar was his father Kiritsugu Emiya. Knowing that he was looking at his father, Shirou paid rapt attention to the conversation between the woman and his father.
The woman asked with her voice tinged with innocence
"Is a simple ritual like this enough to summon a heroic spirit?"
"Surprisingly, yes," replied Kirtsugu in a relaxed voice.
Tracing his finger across the circle he continued
"The summoning ceremony doesn't require elaborate evocation.>
Looking at his hand, Shirou notices a cross-shaped red tattoo. This tattoo was absent on the hands of kiritsugu at home. Despite him being perplexed the dream kept moving forward so he focused back on it.