I put the A.N. below.

Tag: Harem, fantasy, mature, violence, adventure

Forgot to put this up... Should have done this a long time ago...Oh, and I don't advice reading this in one sitting. That's according to a review.

-o-

Disclaimer: I own nothing just the plot for this story.

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Prologue

My head was hurting again. Probably a side effect of the trials we had been doing before the official ritual.

The magical ritual to reincarnate me into another world that is.

Why you ask?

Why would I want to leave all my loved ones, my wives and my children, to go another world? The answer was simple really. To me that is.

It was to save someone.

I woke up from the futon, shaking myself to gain some semblance of control over my sleep-addled brain.

Lucky for me, my wives have been giving me space to prepare myself so I slept alone last night, or I wouldn't have been able to wake up. The digital clock on the wall indicated time at 4:34 AM.

We would be starting the ritual at exactly 6:57 AM. I don't know why the specific time but, that's what Rin told me. I trust Rin. We were married for at least 45 years now. And she's still as devious and sharp as she was or more so. But I think the ritual had to be done at that time because according to her calculations, that would be the exact time that the factors would align.

I headed straight to the bathroom to wash my face to rid myself of the remaining sleep. The sun was still not up. It was still dark outside. The cold morning air entered through the open window. Even with the advancement of technology, some places in the world have remained untouched.

The cold water took off my remaining drowsiness. The face staring at me as I stared back at the mirror was familiar. It was the same face of the man who had asked me to save him.

A white haired man with grey eyes, dark tan and a piercing gaze. Yup.

I look like Archer now.

My aging stopped when I was in my mid twenties. I was able to keep myself up to shape, combining with my job and all the minimal regimen I adhered to, my body was quite at tip top shape. Rin said my aging may have stopped because of Avalon or maybe it was another side effect of my Unlimited Bladeworks.

Rin was not so sure on Avalon though saying without Saber it should not even be able to work.

Saber. The person who I learned from, to never waver from my ideals as she had also learned from me. What would have happened had I just ask her to stay. No. I couldn't do that. That would be stepping on her pride, on her beliefs. I respect her ideals as much as she respects mine.

I almost let regret take over me.

Steel is my body

And fire is my blood

I reaffirm my resolve by chanting parts of my aria.

This is the only path.

Clothes had been prepared for me as I returned from the bathroom. Probably one of Illya's homunculi servants, maybe Sella. I wear a mystic code, the tailored and recolorred to black version of Archer's holy shroud coat over dark blue body armor. The trousers are of the same color, attached to my brown metal plated shoes.

This last week has been hard on the entire family. Goodbyes were said. Preparations were made.

The ritual has been delayed for as long as they could but they knew that they could not stop me.

Refusing to save someone was the same as me denying who I am.

A knock on my door alerted me. A soft feminine voice could be heard outside the door.

"Shirou, we're starting the preparations."

"I'm coming out in a minute Aoko."

That woman, who is also known in most magical circles as 'The Blue, is my second wife. I don't know how she fell in love with me. I don't know what she saw in me but, stuff happened.

We met when I wanted to ask her for a favor. It was for my goal, to somehow break Archer's contract with Alaya. Our first meeting might have left quite an impression on her. After that, she used the favor I owed to treat her to a date.

She wasn't quite as scary as the rumors told her to be.

"Onii-chan."

I looked ahead to see Illya waiting for me. She was wearing a light blue frilled skirt and a red shirt with the logo of her newest favorite anime on it. She bit her lip before continuing.

"Do you... do you really have to go?"

Illya looks up at me with teary eyes. By the Root, this was one reason I was delayed for so long. I sigh heavily as I kneel down and place my hand on Illya's head.

"You know now is the best time for me to go. My control can only last for so long."

I am dying or technically speaking turning into an undead. This was one of the reasons I wanted to conduct the ritual early. During one of my missions for the Clock Tower, I had encountered a rather difficult opponent. A philosopher, someone that even the Clock Tower had deemed worthy of a sealing designate.

The magus had been researching on Dead Apostles, one of the top reasons for a sealing designation.

Some... something was left inside me after our battle. After the magus was cornered, he had turned himself into a 15-feet disgustingly obscene mass of writhing decayed flesh. I got careless. He had been able to pierce me through the heart with one his multiple appendages.

I was somehow able to survive. As well as being able to incinerate the bastard by sticking a mystic code down his mouth when he tried to eat me.

It was unnoticeable at first but as the years went by, the effects were starting to show. I was slowly turning into a Dead Apostle. It was not the Clock Tower I feared, but myself. My self control was losing. It was only a matter of time before the urge to consume and spill blood could take me.

Illya looked at met once more before closing her eyes and hardening her resolve. Her mature persona took over.

"I wish you the best of luck then Shirou. Don't forget everything I've told you about last night ok? And don't you dare forget about me, or I'll just might find a way to punish you if you do."

"Yes ma'am."

I stood up straight and did a mock salute. That returned a smile to her face.

"Let's go then. Rin's waiting for you at the Shrine."

No others words needed to be said.

Aoko was at the door. Her brown hair was tied in a bun. She was wearing a black sweater that hugged her modest form as well as gray jogging pants. She had a red scarf wrapped around her neck with the end going down her back. I could see the repressed emotions in her eyes.

"The children are still asleep?"

"Yes."

I opened my mouth to apologize to her but she put a finger to my lips.

"Shhh. Haven't I told you to never say sorry to me again." She tries to act tough, I see right through her. She was the kind of person to wear her emotions on her sleeves. I hated myself, but I couldn't deny myself either. I couldn't throw away my ideals or I'll become someone like that cynical Counter Guardian I'm trying to save.

She kisses me lightly on the lips.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything. I can't thank you all enough for being here for me. I would have lost myself to my path if it weren't for all of you..."

"You're welcome Shirou. And I don't want you to feel sorry for yourself. I married you knowing what kind of idiot you were after all. Don't regret anything, cause I don't."

I could see tears forming at the edge of her eyes. Maybe it was resignation, maybe it was her magus persona but she understood me. I looked at her beautiful face once more.

"Go, before the kids wake up and see you. It wouldn't do for you to falter before your journey's even begun Shirou."

So I went. Some would consider this as being cold, but this was her way of supporting my decision. I thank whatever God is out there for giving me a loving and caring family. Even if I was not able to fully reciprocate the said family's love back. Before the door closed, I could hear my youngest daughter's voice.

"Mama, where is Papa going?"

My heart clenched. I almost stumbled. I let a single tear slip down my eyes.

I'm sorry Miyuki-chan... I hope one day you can find it in you to forgive this useless father's foolish dream. What a worthless father I've been. It really was unfair of me to be doing this.

I could hear my wife's voice silently recite a hypnotism spell.

I went out the door, repeating a part of my aria as I stepped out the gate. Illya was waiting outside, there was a faint blush on her cheeks. I don't get it, but she somehow likes Aoko the most out of my wives. They've been able to develop a friendship over the years, one I was particularly happy for.

I start walking again as I closed the gate. My older daughters would probably be able to take care of themselves. I worry for my youngest child. Miyuki was a... an accident. I didn't want to leave a clueless child who was not able to fully get the love she deserved from her father. But well, a drink and a few months of repressed sexual frustrations could do things...

My emotions were numbed as I kept repeating the same words.

There is no regret

As we walked slowly through town, I couldn't help but feel a little bit of loneliness. This might as well be the last time I see this place. With most of the neighborhood still asleep, we quietly made our way to Ryuudo Temple.

The cold air turned my breath into vapors. The sky was colored red, with thin clouds hanging in the sky. It was a beautiful sight. One I would miss dearly.

I took my jacket and draped it over Illya's shoulders. She looked up at me but said nothing. We trudged on again in silence, and it was killing me a little on the inside.

On the base of the steps of the path leading to the Shrine was Sakura. This wasn't much of a surprise to me. Even with me marrying Rin, my friendship with Sakura was still strong. She had a bit of a crush on me during our High School days which I was too thick headed for to notice back then.

She was still as beautiful if not more than before, like Rin her aging had been slowed. She looked quite the mature beauty. Perks of being a magus I guess. Even though she wasn't willing to become a magus, Sakura can be quite tenacious when she puts her mind into something. She's been acting odd lately though. I just hope she'd be alright.

She was wearing a purple sleeved pink modest kimono with flower designs, it was held in place by a matching obi of the same design.

Her eyes that should have looked more alive than I was used to seeing after the Holy Grail War, had returned to that almost blank look. This was one of the reasons I didn't want to involve her in my personal quest.

"Good morning Sakura."

"Good morning Senpai."

I give her a deadpan look. She notices it but just smiles faintly. Even after all this years she still wouldn't stop calling me that. I mentioned it to her in the past but she just said it was her own nickname for me. It would have been endearing if only Rin wouldn't stop teasing me about it.

"Rin's at the temple, she's been checking and rechecking everything. I can't tell if she's anxious or just nervous."

"Thanks again for all the help you've been giving. I know you don't want to involve yourself to anything related to magecraft but you were a great help with everything."

"It's not yet time to thank me Senpai. You might want to save your thanks when you're sure we are successful."

"Eh." I scratched the back of my head."I might not be able to thank you after the ritual you know."

Sakura just gazes back at me with a mysterious smile.

"Who knows..."

I was pretty sure I wasn't supposed to hear that.

"Anyway have you, checked up with Zelretch-sensei. He told me to ask you if you had 'gone to the church' when I'd be meeting you. I didn't get what that was supposed to mean. He just told me you'd get a present if you solved it, or if someone solved it for you."

My muscles tensed as I heard those words. They were one of the few variations for a warning from the codes used by Executors. It meant be careful. It might also mean tread carefully in the unknown territory.

'Be careful of what?'

Oh well maybe it was one that old codgers pranks again. Or maybe it was his way of saying goodbye. I don't think it's me he cares about but rather his entertainment. Damn insanely powerful immortals with too much time in their hands. It's still better to take the advice to heart. You never know.

It's better to be ready for whatever it is.

He also still owes me quite a few favors for doing some unsavory 'errands' that he was too lazy to attend to. Though I was just quite happy to help. I just find it hard to believe how many times he had somehow lost one of his 'possibly dangerous toys' leaving it in the wrong hands.

In wrong hands, those 'possibly dangerous toys' turn into powerful tools of mass destruction and mayhem.

Who knows what that old prankster's thinking.

It's probably got something to do with what he finds interesting. I just hope it's not about me.

"Well, I did. Ortensia-san had been quite happy to see me." I reply to Sakura.

"Oh." Sakura looks at me suspiciously. Damn she's sharp.

"Illya, want me to carry you?" I offer to Illya. They had all been acting strange recently. Or was it just me.

"I can walk by myself onii-chan!" Well that's new, she seemed to be a bit embarrassed by it. Has she finally grown out of her childishness? She would happily let me carry whenever she had the chance. So I don't think so. It's not that I don't expect Illya to throw away that persona. Since it might be an effect of being stuck in a child like body for waaaay too long.

She ran ahead of me to the top of the stairs leading to the temple.

As we got to the top, we were greeted by the sight of Rin kneeling on the ground looking at the inscribed runes.

There were runes imprinted on the ground forming a circle. Inside the circle was a pentagram also formed of archaic symbols. She was at the center of it.

She was wearing her trademark red sweater with a cross on the front a dark blue skirt that reached past her knee-socks covered thighs.

"What took you so long?" She seemed a bit irritated with dark circles under her eyes.

"Relax Rin." I try to placate her. "Your just putting more pressure on yourself. Everything will be fine. You'll make more mistakes panicking like that. I checked out most of the inscription yesterday. There's nothing wrong."

"We'll what do you know, since when did you more about something than me."

Rin breathed out. It's unusual for her to be panicking like this. Rin looks at me and opens her mouth.

"Ah- I'll be with Illya behind the first shrine." Sakura excuses herself. Probably reading the mood, I silently thank her. She drags a squirming Illya with her.

With her sister out of earshot, Rin's gaze softens a bit.

"So I failed huh... I wasn't able to keep you from following that stupid beautiful dream of yours."

"You don't call something both stupid and beautiful you know."

Her mouth forms a wry grin.

"Yes, you failed. But you did the next best thing though, you saved me from destroying myself. Even now you're helping me save myself."

"I promised him you know... that I'd look after you."

"Well technically you promised me to care of me. But of course you'd do that, cause you're a big softie on the inside." Rin blushes and punches my arm before looking away. "And that's one of the reasons I love with you. Thank you for everything."

Rin's blush intensifies. I lean closer to her and capture her lips in mine. Her breath smells like peppermint. I want to say she knew what I was gonna do, but better keep that to myself. Aside from breaking the moment if I said that and earning myself a Gandr in the ass, it would be stupid of me. I slip my tongue into her mouth as she gives me access.

We make out a bit before we separated with flushed breaths.

"So this is goodbye eh." I see a reflection of myself in her deep blue eyes. "So... keep yourself safe Shirou, I won't be there to take care of your sorry ass if you get into trouble. Keep yourself safe. I know it's stupid to say this but please keep your saving at a minimum. And... And I love you too."

I smile at her confession. This was one of rare moments she'd say that.

She leans into me to initiate a kiss but-

"Onii-chan!"

Illya barges into our moment. Rin seems a bit irritated.

"We'll begin in twenty minutes. If you got anything to say to him make it quick." Rin pointedly glares at Illya as she spoke.

Illya seems ignores it.

"What is it Illya?"

"I-I also love you. Lots and lots."

"You were spying on us!?" Rin twitches as her glare intensifies.

Illya replies to her without denying her accusation.

"Of course. It is the duty of the elder sister to protect his younger brother from your dirty clutches you know." Illya states in a matter of fact manner.

"Your younger brother who is also my husband is mature enough to think for himself, also what do you mean by my dirty clutches. He's already mine you know." Rin seemed to have realized her mistake as she blushes and stutters. Illya continues her onslaught gleefully.

Ah, here we go again. More than fifty years of living together and they are still able to find a way into each other's nerves without even trying.

"Aren't you going to stop them? They might hurt each other you know."

They had stopped bickering and had started throwing threats.

"And risk getting caught in the crossfire. I've learned my lessons you know."

"So it seems Senpai." Okay, something is really strange about Sakura.

She's giving me that eerie look again.

I decide to break the fight before it gets any worse and prepare for the ritual. Their bickering seemed to have lightened everyone's mood, even mine.

As the sun peeked on the horizon, Rin begins the incantation. The writing on the ground glows a hue of blue and white.

"Weg des Lichts erreichen die Elemente des Aufstiegs

(Lightway reach the elements of ascension)

Elevevate der Körper der Stars und Himmel

(Elevevate the body of the stars and heavens)

Die Kanäle an der astrale Domäne öffnen

(Open the channels to the astral domain)

Undayla miscefor"

The light intensifies as a third shape forms over the pentagram. It was a triangle that was writing itself on the floor. It was also formed by archaic symbols.

"Erreicht der Reich von Möglichkeiten

(Reaches of the Realm of Possibilities)

Durch die wilden Tiere auf Alaya bewacht

(Guarded by the Beasts of Alaya)

Die weiten Gebiete von Gaia begrenzt

(Bounded to the vast territories of Gaia)

Mir Passage in der Akasha

(Provide me passage into Akasha)"

Our aim was not to touch Akasha but to somehow use it as a power source with the help of the modified grail. A fourth shaped forms over the other symbols. Another triangle, but this time the light it was releasing was an ominous blood red.

"Hell leuchtende der astralen Nacht

(Brightly glowing the astral night)

Zeigen Sie mir das Dämmern der dimensionalen Kluft

(Show me the dawning to the dimensional gap)

Mich zu dessen Energie heben

(Lift me to its drawing energy)

Ein Weg in die Leere öffnen

(Open a path into the Void)"

With the last lines the lights turn to purple and then white as a pillar of light blinded me into seeing anything else. Then everything went black.

-0-

-0-

Ivan Slavinski knew things were about to go south. He knew the situation was worsening somehow. But he didn't expect things to go south so fast he could see the penguins no pun intended. When the nearby zoo had an animal outbreak, they were panicking.

Animals had very sharp instincts. They could sense what humans could not. This, added to the report that there was a Divine Ancestor lurking in the area made the magicians who were sent to control the situation, out of their damn wits.

Ivan was the temporarily assigned leader of the mages because of his experience, not that they would trust a stranger but he was a powerful mage with a famous name. He, as one of the more powerful mages in the world had a self imposed responsibility. It was what his adopted father would have done.

To have power was both a blessing and a burden.

His father would have helped this people even without any reason.

He had been in the area when he heard the news from a colleague.

They immediately began evacuation of the villages near the area. It was unknown but it seemed a heretic god may descend on the area soon. There were signs of course. But it was unknown if it was true. They could try to ask assistance from Marquis Voban, the Campione of the Balkans, for assistance. But that was of course only if they were sure the heretic god really was there.

Ivan, like most people who had the bare knowledge of magic, feared the Campiones. The only beings able to be a match against the gods. Campiones were humans who have slain Heretic Gods and taken their Authority for themselves. Heretic Gods are gods, heroes, and divine monsters who have stepped out of myth and legends to manifest into the world endangering people.

When a heretic god manifests, it would often affect the populace depending on what gods they are. A god related to the sun can increase the sun heat so much that people may die of the heat or a god of storms would bring heavy rains and thunder clouds flooding the area, destroying properties.

Ivan walked towards the edge of the tallest building in the area. He would have made quite an intimidating sight if he wasn't wearing a terrible(according to his companions) hawaiian polo shirt and black slacks. He had a large body and muscled build, one you would likely see on wrestles. His brown eyes scanned the area, his thick eyebrows twitching. His face was unshaven with short uneven bristles on his square jaws and just below his large nose. A scar ran down his left cheek to his neck.

"Most of the people have been evacuated, just a few villages down south have not yet been reached."One the mages informed him. With their uniformed appearance, wearing dark business suits and formal clothes, they looked like members of the mafia.

"Has the witch arrived yet?" , Ivan asked with his heavily accented Italian.

The man's radio phone started emitting static before he could reply. For Re-Edit

"Pick it up."

He waited as he listened to the call.

"The Divine Ancestor is in a village south of here, a few miles east of Mt. Vesuvius. They said she was looking for the god of steel. The witch is also their trying to talk with the Divine Ancestor."

"Go prepare a car! Were going south!"

Ivan could hear his subordinate replying.

"Team Delta, we're heading south right now. Try to hold out before we get there. Over and out."

Did he just jinx himself? Damn.

Oh yes, things were heading south. Just hope things wouldn't get so far south they'd circle back north.

Things really were heading south if the Divine Ancestor revealed herself. When was he ever getting another chance of a vacation in a beach with this kind of things happening. And gods be damned if his next designation was cold Siberia in Russia.

Could things get any worse. Could it? Oh. Oh in the name of the seven hells no. By Zeus electric balls! Was he trying to jinx himself? He wouldn't want to tempt fate. But he already damned did.

As their car screeched down the bumpy dirt road, they could hear the sounds of battle even from afar. Ivan was worried, his friend would probably be able to hold off the Divine Ancestor. But even she, the strongest witch on earth could not match a divinity. Damn it!

That witch better not die on him, she still hadn't paid what she owed him. Plus the interest. And a bottle of Iordanov Vodka, that was one damn expensive brand. She even forgot to return the book he loaned to her. As Ivan continued cursing and worrying, he felt a surge of energy building up in the village. Even if he was not particularly talented in spell casting relying more on his swordsmanship, experience, instincts and guts, he was sensitive to magic. It manifested to some like a building pressure on his skin or on his mind. And right now he was feeling a mountain weighing down on his senses.

"Get do-"

It all happened too fast. The car was pushed sideways from the force of an explosion overturning it towards a tree. Ivan could feel his body getting thrown around the car. The car stopped turning. He was dizzy. It took him a few more moments to regain his composure. He fell downwards as he took his seatbelts off. The car was overturned. He looked towards his companion. What was his name again? Gellato? Mullato? Potato? He knew it just ended with 'ato'. Oh well, just wake him up and ask his name later.

"Get up comrade." He crawled towards the driver and shook him. The driver didn't wake up. Ivan took a finger to the unconscious man's pulse. He's dead. Another casualty. There were better things to worry about on a battlefield than deadmen. Namely himself, the gas was leaking and he had to get out fast if didn't want to be roasted. If the car exploded. He crawled on all fours out of the car, kicking the window to break it open.

Just after getting a few meters away from the burning car, it exploded sending sharp object lodged in his back. By the gods, that hurt! He was sent flying forwards. There were pieces of glass and shrapnel stuck on his back. He'd worry about that later. He needed to get to the village.

The sight that welcomed him was hell. He struggled onwards to look for survivors. There were people sprawled everywhere. Some had burns on them, while others were unconscious. More were probably dead. As he walked towards a seemingly still breathing man-

"Ivan!" A sharp feminine voice called out to him.

It was Lucretia Zola, the Witch of Sardinia, sitting on the ground with a few bruises on her visible skin. She was a beautiful woman who looked like she was in her mid to late twenties. She was wearing a long sleeved white shirt that had a few tears but were still decent, her breast with straining against the clothes. She had blue jeans that reached past her knees.

"You all right."

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be talking to you right now. Help me get up."

"Well if you're still kicking to be yelling then I'd guess I got nothing to worry about. Let's get you out of here. We'll have to move fast, if I want to find survivors, not corpses." He beat back a grimace.

The fire was starting to consume the houses. Several screams could be heard over the crackling of burning wood.

"Let me go with you."

"Now look here woman! You need to get some rest, you are just going to be burden if-"

"I can take care of myself child. And it's not me you should be worrying but yourself. You're wounded. Yet you still insist being a hero. Talk about being a hypocrite."

Ivan deflated, he couldn't argue with her if she played that card.

"Fine, just be sure to stay close."

Lucretia walk behind his back and places a palm on his wound. She uttered a minor healing spell to at least stop the bleeding, she knew he wouldn't die of those wounds anyway. She had seen him survive worse things than this.

"Let's go."

An exhausting hour later, they moved towards the center of the fire with Ivan leading while holding a strange diamond shaped talisman. It was a magical tool that could be used to find a safe path and warded off most of the heat from the surroundings. It was his last gift from his adopted father before he died. It was quite useful.

The disgusting stench of burning flesh was wafting through the air. The heat was suffocating. Combined with the thickening smoke, it was getting harder to move forward.

He had to look out more, if there was ever one more victim trapped in the fire. His steps were firm as they weaved through the burning labyrinth of crumbling buildings and abandoned vehicles. It was his fault. If he had been here sooner... if only...

He remembered his adopted fathers face. He gritted his teeth. Anger and sorrow could be seen on his face.

There were other victims, but they were too deep into the fire. He couldn't save them, even if he tried they were already dead . They could not be saved. The fire was of magical source. Ivan was sure of it.

The people who were in the fire didn't die so fast. No. They were burning too slowly. They were dying one agonizing death. It was like the flames of purgatory. It tortured the people caught in the flames, their agony and despair fueling the fire to burn. He wanted to save them. They cried out to him. But he couldn't do anything. He had to look away from those who couldn't be saved and find those who could. Those who weren't too far into the flames or those who were somehow still alive.

The anguished pleas could be heard inside some of the buildings. There were people trapped inside the houses that were screaming. There were people praying to the gods for salvation.

It was hell on earth. If Ivan believed in a god, fortunately/unfortunately he didn't, he would have cursed that god at that moment.

The scene before him looked familiar. It was a reminder of his weakness.

He had to look...

To find someone who could be saved. As they walked towards where the explosion had originated, they were greeted by a peculiar sight. It was a child lying on the ground.

Ivan could see the child's chest slowly rise and fall.

The boy was alive. But barely. Burns and scorch marks could be seen on his face and parts of his exposed body. He approached the boy at a half jog.

If Ivan had only looked more closely, he could have noticed something was odd. But all that mattered was the child. The boy was alive. He would live. Ivan would make sure of it.

-0-

Chapter 1

The world was burning again.

Again?

The scene was reminiscent of something from a dream. The vivid memory of another place and another time was overlapping with the current scenario.

Any normal person would feel disgust, pity and horror at the sight. Buildings were burning to the ground. The occasional screams of pain and agony echoed in the area as corpses fueled the fire.

People could be seen trying to escape from the fire. But it was all in vain. The fire was unnatural. It was as hot the center of an active volcano. Vehicles exploded as the fire reached the gas tanks. Even concrete was melting from the heat of the flames. Most of the buildings had already fallen over.

The fire had a strange stench of sulfur and ash. And magical energy...

Where am I? What's happening?

A red headed child was lying on the pavement at the heart of the blaze. Strangely enough, the fire wouldn't advance within a few meters of him. Inside the encirclement, the heat could not be felt. A faint red glimmer of a circle could be seen on the ground protecting the occupant.

The child was naked as a newborn. It was a boy with oriental features, western asian. He had an empty look in his eyes that would unnerve anyone who would look directly into those golden amber orbs.

His head hurt, his magic circuits were burning.

This was even worse than one of Rin's Gandr spells.

Huh?

Who's Rin?

He knew that name somehow.

Ugh, why can't I remember anything.

He tries to sit up but his body won't move. Was it paralysis?

That was when the memories came flooding to him. It hit like a ton of bricks with the speed and power of a truck going 70 miles per hour. Then came the headache, his head felt like bursting. Memories that he was sure were not his own came to him. This was similar to the way he received Archer's memories.

The memories didn't make any sense. It was like seeing his life play out with different choices and circumstances happening. And it was giving him the mother of all headaches.

Who am I?

Every nerve in his body was burning. It would be pure bliss to just pass out, but it seemed he wouldn't have that luxury.

I...

I am...

Emiya Shirou. The Iron Wrought Hero, Ally of Justice, Master of Saber, Apprentice of Tohsaka, Archer, Grail killer, the Blade Executor, Saint, and Counter Guardian amongst other things.

No.

It would be ex-Counter Guardian, had the ritual succeeded?

Ritual?

His mind was still trying to make sense of all the memories.

He could hear the pained cries of bitterness, anger, suffering and grief distances away. Shirou could do nothing but look up at the smoke filled skies.

Forged in the flames fueled by a thousand sacrificed souls

His body couldn't move, lying down on hard ground. All that he could do was await salvation. Was this the result of some ritual he had done? Was he the reason for all this suffering?

Shirou could do nothing but look away. Even then, he could not. If this was somehow his fault then he should look at the destruction he had caused.

Atone...

The air smelled of charred flesh and burning corpses.

With his body immobile, his mind started to wander. He remembered it, the thousands of wars he had fought in and the millions of slaughters he had committed.

Tempered in countless blood-soaked battlefields

The sounds of pleas and agony were decreasing. Maybe it was his imagination but he could see the vague silhouette of a man approaching.

Shirou closed his eyes to rid it of the tears and opened them again.

Kiritsugu Emiya

No, the man was not Kiritsugu. It was a man in his late forties wearing a brown coat over one ugly shirt. He had a large build, firm jaws and an angular face. He smiled, it looked familiar. The man had a distinctive scar on his cheek.

The smile was of someone who had found hope, the smile of one whose burden was lifted somehow.

"Are you alright kid?"

The man's voice was deep and rough. He was speaking in a strange language. But he understood it all the same.

Strange.

If Shirou was not so out of it he would have snorted. Even if the man looked older than him, he had the memories of numerous parallel realities of himself and vague recollections of his time as a counter guardian and a heroic spirit.

Did he just say child?

"Lucretia, over here!"

The elder man took off his coat and wrapped it around him. He had bulging muscles combined with his impressive body. The best way the elder man could be described was a burly bear of a man.

The man turned as he heard the approach of his companion. It was a woman. From what Shirou could see with his blurred vision, she had brown hair, big breasts and a mature seductive beauty.

"By the gods-"

"We have no time. Can you heal him?"

Shirou whispered an aria to check his condition, an ingrained instinct. It was more of a mumble though.

"Structure Analysis"

Aside from multiple burns, it did seem like his age degenerated somewhere within the age of his first memories of his known life. His physical body was of about five to six years old.

"I'll try, here...

By earth and water

Air and by fire

Hear this prayer,

Sources of Light and Life

Sources of the day and of the Earth,

I invoke you here

Heal this body and mind"

The woman suddenly collapsed on her feet.

"Are you alright! You should have told me you didn't have enough energy for a healing spell. Don't push yourself."

The spellwords were spoken in archaic greek. He didn't know how he knew but Shirou somehow understood it. Maybe he had studied the language in one of his alternate realities. He heard the woman mutter the word 'hypocrite'.

"He doesn't seem to be healing." The man had a panicked look on his face.

"Let me try again."

"No. No, you'll die if you push yourself further. You're already spent as it is."

"I know what I'm doing Ivan." Ivan looked conflicted.

A few moments of silence pass between them. The man seemed to be contemplating something. "Let me handle this, I'll see if I can somehow take that thing out. The child might not even make out of here."

The woman was silent for a second or two before she exploded in anger.

"You can't be serious! Taking that out while you are exhausted and wounded will kill you, even then were not sure if it can be taken out safely!"

"It's... it's the only way. My body can't assimilate it completely anyway."

"You'll die you fool!"

"And I've already lived long enough, it's either me or this child. That thing, its not mine. It's the relic of a hero of the past. My father's..."

Lucretia was angry at her friend for trying to throw his life away, but was it really throwing it when he was using it to save a life.

"Lucretia, just this once, help me with this. I want to pay my debt to the old man by doing this. If he was here he would have done the same."

"He was a fool... And do you really thing he would be happy knowing you are trying to thow your life!"

"Then let me die a fool's death like him. He... he would've done the same if he were her right now." Ivan smiled at his longtime friend.

Lucretia could do nothing but turn away from that smile. It was one of acceptance and joy. "Very well, I'll make sure you're able to heal the child without anyone dying."

"Alright let's do this."

The urgency of the situation was getting to them. Lucretia placed her hands over his infusing it with magical energy. She needed to assist Ivan in taking that thing out.

It was excruciatingly painful. Ivan clenched his teeth to prevent him from crying out. It felt like he was ripping his heart out with his bare hands. The pain was like something was trying to carve out a piece of his chest.

"Aaaaaaghh. Gruaaaaaaaah!" Ivan was panting heavily. His mind was being blinded by the pain. But he had to do this, with intense concentration, he continued. Slowly, a small indistinct object emerged from his chest. The object was something the human mind could not comprehend. So it appeared in the way humans would find it convenient.

It looked like a rounded ball of light and fire continuously flickering. Ivan breathing became heavier and heavier. He carefully held the object over the child's chest.

A moment later, the object sank into Shirou's prone form. He could do nothing but watch the procedure.

What had the man done? He felt his body absorbing that object whatever it was. He couldn't see it properly. Shirou could feel his wounds starting to heal from whatever that object was. His mind was starting to black out from everything. It was quite a feat in itself to be able to maintain consciousness for that long with his body suffering from such pain. The object that was inserted inside him moved down. It stopped in his lower abdomen, it was a location that was know as the qi center or the dantian.

Ivan could feel the wounds in his back reopen. He knew he should have taken care of that earlier. Well nothing he could do about it.

"We need to move out of here fast. Can you detect any signs of a Heretic God or the Divine Ancestor?"

The large man scanned the surrounding area with his eyes.

The man didn't seem to hear or just ignored the woman's muttering.

"Are you alright?"

Ivan stayed silent. He didn't want to tell her he was dying. He needed to get them out of her first.

"I'm not even sure if this was caused of the descent of a heretic god but the presence left is strong. This could either be a god or a very powerful being. Both don't sound so comforting. The Divine Ancestor seemed to have fled when the fire combusted here."

Heretic gods? Divine ancestors? It was food for thought later. Shirou felt his eyes sting and his nose was runny from the thickening smoke. The man carrying him began coughing involuntarily.

"Are you alright?"The lady asked again.

"I'm fine."

The woman, Lucretia looked at his companion with concern. She herself was exhausted, the fight against the Divine Ancestor had taken more out of her than she thought. Added with the excessive use of healing, she could feel her body nearly giving up. She had not felt like this in years.

"Better get out of here first."

Even through Shirou's numbed senses he could feel something warm seep into the coat, touching his skin. The man smelt of something all too familiar. Blood. He was bleeding and his breathing was getting heavier. Shirou tried to speak but he was too tired and too weak to do anything.

"Ivan!"

The woman screamed at his companion as they started falling to the ground. The elder man had finally succumbed to his wounds. The last thing Shirou could remember was the woman's frantic cries and shout for help.

"You damn fool!"

-0-

He was free.

The magus could now confirm it.

EMIYA was finally free from the influence of Alaya.

But at what cost? A thousand lives and a whole village burnt to the ground? The price paid was heavier than what he had given to Alaya. Emiya Shirou had once upon a time made a contract with the Alaya, it was to save the lives of a hundred people.

He remembered it from Archer's memories. To save even just one more life, he made a deal with Alaya.

The very first memories that he could make sense of somehow coincided with the scene he had caused entering this world too. Was everything a coincidence, or was this fate? Everything was repeating itself all over again. Was history bound to repeat itself every time?

It seemed that the aftereffect of his reincarnation/entry into this world had released a flame similar to the activation of his reality marble as it spread out from its epicenter. But instead of converting the area into a bounded field for his reality marble, it caused a destructive explosion that consumed the village in a fire. The area conflagrated being a about a mile wide. The fire had then spread out from there.

A life cannot be saved without taking another.

Was that really the truth? He could not accept that. By trying to save himself he had caused the death and suffering of many others.

Shirou hated it.

Luckily there should've been more casualties if the mages had not evacuated the area because of a bomb was supposed to be in the area. Or that's what was in the news.

With his time spent recuperating from his wounds, the former counter guardian tried to make sense of all the memories he had taken.

Was this a side effect of the ritual? It seemed that he received accumulated memories from his alternate selves.

This smelled of one thing though, second magic. Who better to blame for the unexplainable than Zelretch?

Damn you Zelretch!

The magus was trying to make sense of who he was.

He remembered a world wherein he was in a relationship with Saber.

He remembered how Illya was killed by Gilgamesh.

He remembered when he was killed by Archer.

He remembered he had a little sister named Miyu.

Nonetheless the experimental ritual had succeeded. It was something he had done with Rin's help.

Shirou Emiya had saved himself from his past naivety and mistake. No, it wouldn't be a mistake if he didn't regret it.

After giving up in trying to kill his past self to somehow create a paradox to free himself from his self imposed damnation, Archer had done something remotely selfish for the first time in his life.

Or was it really selfishness? 'Someone who saves', that was the very core of Shirou Emiya. He was a sword forged to save, quite ironic if he said so himself. Swords are forged for battle, slaughter and combat. No, what he had done was both a bit of selfishness and idiotic selflessness.

Archer had asked his past self and Rin to find a way to free him from his contract with Alaya.

Archer didn't know why he had done that. Maybe he had loosened a little when he had seen his past self stray from his ideal, to protect the few people precious to him as opposed to choosing the many.

By choosing the few, Shirou had somehow changed himself. He accepted it, trying find a way to save himself so to speak.

To improve their chances of success, Archer gave Shirou his memories. The memories were soon assimilated with Shirou's own given time. Rin had been taken as Zelretch's student, his reason being she was an interesting student.

After fifty years of effort, with Zelretch's support, a few favors from various magi, Illya's assistance and Rin's genius, they were able to conduct the experimental ritual with Shirou risking his soul as the subject of the experiment.

Fifty years of putting up with Zelretch's pranks? The fearless third rate magus still shivered at that. Shirou had been on the receiving end of Zelretch's pranks for half a century.

Zelretch's pranks, he wouldn't wish it even on his worst enemies, maybe on Gilgamesh, or on Shinji , or on Kirie; but that was besides the point.

The Wizard Marshal had helped them because he found Rin's idea and theory interesting.

Very interesting indeed that it might have been why she was taken as a student, along with a certain drill haired blonde. Later on, Zelretch had also taken Sakura as a student. For reasons Shirou didn't know of. When Sakura had been told of what he was trying to do, she had been adamant in trying to help.

Let it be known that Kischur Zelretch Schienorg is not known for his altruism but his eccentricity.

The theory Rin had come up with was if they could somehow remove his soul from the multiple realities wherein Gaia and Alaya's influence existed and then transferring it to a world that didn't contain their influence. According to Rin, they had to somehow create a precedent of himself being born/reincarnated into such a world.

This was Rin's solution of instead of erasing Shirou from all the realities to create a paradox which in theory itself was impossible.

The experimental ritual itself was more complicated than it seemed. They needed this realities' Shirou as an anchor for the other Shirous. After finding the alternate dimension of their choosing wherein the system of Akasha did not exist, they needed to find a suitable time period wherein someone that was compatible with Shirou existed.

Alaya and Gaia cannot exist without the power from the Root. What they needed to do was go further away from the Root. Or find a world whose system didn't depend on the Root

To simplify it all or in layman's terms, it was like letting someone migrate from a country wherein it's government forces conscription into the military to a another country to escape the forced conscription. This would cause something like taking away the anchor, the main Emiya's soul from Alaya. This would somehow remove Alaya's influence on him, disabling Alaya into forcing him for conscription.

Hell, the poor third rate magus had somehow understood Rin's idea in a way. But he was a hundred percent sure that it far far more complicated than what she made it to be.

Leave it to Rin to explain everything to him.

All this somehow required the application of the True Magics, the Heaven's Feel, the Third True Magic, for enabling the soul to inhabit a body or a vessel; Second Magic's ability to search other dimensions for the location of said reality; the Fifth Magics which would also be for searching the body/vessel; and of course access to the Swirl of the Root by using the 726th Grail.

Oh he sure had a lot of debts to pay, joy.

Magus debts... debts that were inherited even by the next generation.

The farewell party before the ritual was one nasty affair. Sakura was drunk, Arcruide was missing, Rin was quiet and Illya was a mess. Good thing Taiga wasn't alive, bless her soul, or he'd never hear the end of it. Though if it was Taiga, they would tell he was going on a business trip. A long business trip.

But they would accept it, Shirou could not, for the life of him, find out why he was blessed with the love of three beautiful wives. He had children, but they were never told of the ritual. They were just told he was going on a very long journey that he would never come home from, his youngest child wasn't told though. His older children were already adults.

Shirou would still follow his path, even in this world. To become a hero.

Somehow, the path to becoming a hero resonated with all of his selves. He had been able to compartmentalize his memories by relearning Memory Partition.

In an alternate reality wherein he had been the lover of Sion Eltman Atlasia, he had learned the ability of memory partition. It was a prerequisite ability for all Atlas alchemists.

A normal person can only have a single "room" in his brain and only able to focus on one thought. Shirou had been able to master the ability to create four "rooms". It was not a conventional branch of magecraft that depended on the five elements after all.

While able to use the skill, like all things not related to his main ability, blades and combat, it had been degraded. The average alchemist is able to have 64 thought processes in a single room. Shirou was only able to achieve 56 thought processes in his created "partition rooms". It was still a commendable though, a superior alchemist is capable of 192 thought processes. Shirou was capable of 232 when he had fully mastered it. Currently, he capable of 110.

The mind was only able to work with one goal even with multiple processes though.

He had been also unable to learn the skill paired with it, Thought Acceleration. He made up for it by reinforcing his brain which did a remarkable result of being able to surpass Thought Acceleration. The downside was he unable to do it for long periods of time and it was dangerous.

Shirou was able to sort through some of the memories, the others were still a jumble. It was going to take him forever to sort through it all. Was this why Zelretch was crazy? His head was messed up accessing his memories from multiple different realities. Most probably.

One thing was clear to him though, he would not regret anything.

-0-

-0-

A.N./

I'm writing this story caused I just can't leave it be. Please bear with it if I ever made mistakes with the grammar spellings or whatnot. English is just a second language to me. I'm not a natural writer. You may find the story bland. Hell, even I believe the story is as bland as Saitama's bored face and bald head.

But still it must written. For the fun of it!

Too long have the plot bunnies been slain and put down before they could become more than that. Too long have the plot bunnies been ignored and have died without even seeing a glimpse of the world.

No more. Our graveyards are overflowing with dead plot bunnies.

No more!

Tonight we will be written or be buried ourselves! Tonight we will become Plots!

And so, I started writing it. I've read Campione LN up to Vol.13, last year. May or may not find the time to read the last three chapters and the side stories. I don't know nothing about FSN. I get my knowledge from Nasuverse wiki and other second hand sources. I'll try my best to stay faithful to Nasuverse but no promises.

Oh well, I'm writing just for the sake of writing. I don't expect anything out of this. Me got no beta~

1-Shirou married Miss Blue... This wasn't my fault! I swear. You have no evidence to condemn me!

Well, anyways, I went with the more straightforward and honest character that Aoko has.

2-Illya is alive and she is still in her homunculi body? You say she is supposed to be dead. I've got an explanation for this, but it will be down, down, down the story.

3-I've some plans for her. What do you think about a yandere Sakura? (Buhihihi... Buhihihihi! Bwehehehehe)

4-I can't remember where I've read this...

5-Was Amakusa Shirou Tokisada (Shirou Kotomine) an alternate Shirou? Nope, I don't think so. But hey, I just couldn't stop myself from doing it. I mean they're both fundamentally the same, they were saviors. It's just that their methods vary.

6-Arcruide? Why'd I add her? Eh... one of the reasons for this was because I'm too lazy trying to explain or find a way of how Shirou would percieve non-humans in general as non-threats. In short. I'm lazy.

7-I'm already building OP base stats and skills aren't I. Yes I am... But hey I've got some defense for this, I mean, Shirou's going to be weakened compared to the other characters. I've got me reasons for this!

8-The brain does have a theoretical capacity limit. But some scientist argue it doesn't. Human's have a limited lifespan so our brains are supposed to have unlimited capacity for memory. Meh~ Let's just go with anime logic and screw it all. The brain can store an infinite number of information! Let's go with that!

Anime Logic Banzai! Banzai for brains!

*By the OC's name was something random I came up with. I mean what's the first name you can think of if you say Russia? Stalin! Putin! Rasputin! Vodka! Grizzly Bears! So I don't even know if the name Slavinksi is Russian...

**I'm leaning towards mixing Cultivation in this story somehow. I blame xianxia for this. I mean, hey it's a crossover fanfic anyways, lets me have me fun!

Early Happy New-year!

Re-edit January 12, 2017

I'm rereading and re-editing somethings. I made a few mistakes. Okay, maybe a lot. I might add another re-edit note if my beta sees the need to edit somethin... Oh, and the German is from google translate... so please dont blame me...