Reports of my death have been heavily exaggerated. Though the outbreak might not make them so untrue anymore.

I have Parcasious' blessing to use his characters.

This is a 'what-if' scenario.

And I had to wait till the lad completed more before I even thought about planning the rest of the story.

Avalon…

The Everdistant Utopia, a realm manufactured by the fae to be beyond the reach of the mere mortals its sole resident had once ruled over.

Well until a little sword came along that is.

To think a humble blade such as he would be the blade that cut down the enemies of his beloved.

Arturia Pendragon, the former Queen of England…

The story behind that you may ask?

A tale of burning love and freezing hatred, painful partings and joyful reunions..

But alas...

That one is a tale for another time, one told by a worldcrafter far more skilled than I.

This is the tale of the summoning of a single servant.

A single servant would change everything.

And that servant had only a single question to ask.

"Do you have enough weapons in stock?"

Heaven knows he does.

A small child wiggled and struggled against the rope that bound her, the coarse fibers digging into the skin of her wrist, leaving harsh red abrasions from the friction. She grunted softly as she attempted to escape her captor but to no avail, her tearstained visage was a testament to the anxiety and fear that she felt.

"Shut up!" An orange haired man kicked her head, causing her to release a pitiful whimper. "Now where were we?"

Said man was her captor.

The renowned child serial killer Ryuunosuke Uryuu.

The man leisurely paced across the room, taking his time to enjoy the moment while inspecting the pentagram he sloppily drew with the blood of the girl's mother, who was slowly dying of blood loss besides her.

It was boring to simply decapitate someone, one had to spice up their methods every once in a while, no?

Having multiple sacrifices would greatly increase his chances to appease that demon, even though he wouldn't mind dying in such a cool way, it's better safe than sorry.

It would suck if he missed so many awesome deaths.

He opened the leatherbound book to a page with a far more intricate design than the one placed drawn by his hand, his eyes scanning the pages contents.

"What the hell is a catalyst anyway? Do I need to steal something from a museum or some voodoo place?"

He contemplated in thought, a hand moving to rest beneath his chin as he frowned. The answer hit him figuratively moments later.

"Wait, voodoo? That works! Might as well go shopping then!" He searched the bloodied form of his latest victim for a wallet. "This is gonna be so cool!"

After all, money doesn't grow on trees. Y'know?'

-Wizard of Swords-

It had been roughly an hour since the Serial Killer had left the dank basement that held the "demonic summoning ritual" to find a catalyst for the summoning, he scoured the city of Fuyuki for a suitable catalyst, anything that felt "funky" as he put it.

Unfortunately for Ryuunosuke, it seemed that all the usual shops in the city were now closed due to some rumors of "suspicious" disappearances going around.

"Tch… I never expected for those mooks to catch on. Those guys must be well connected." The orange haired man thought as he scoured the streets for anything resembling a merchant of curious oddities. "Now that I think about it, they were mentioned in the book as well… the Fujimura's I think?" He cleared his thoughts, no need for distractions, not when so many interesting ways to kill were just around the corner.

A malicious smirk graced his face for a moment, before disappearing as quickly as it came.

"Oh… what's this?" The orange haired man stopped and observed the shop in front of him with a bright neon sign that read, "Gifts from the Kaleidoscope."
He didn't ever remember seeing a shop like this on any of his daily commutes to work at various warehouses, something was off about the shop, but that was exactly what he needed.

He entered, a curious look on his features as he browsed the various items on display. They varied from purple dust and distilled jars to pots of an ominously bubbling tar-like substance. Everything seemed to fit the description that he was looking for. Now all that was left was to choose. Ryuunosuke grinned as he strolled through the aisles looking for anything that could catch his eye.

"May I help you?"

"Gah!" Ryuunosuke spun around to come face to face with a red eyed elderly man, who's smirk seemed wholly playful, if just a little too intense..
After regaining his composure, he nodded excitedly.

"Hmm… considering what day it is. Perhaps you are looking for a summoning Catalyst?" The elderly man's grin widened when he saw the confused nod of confirmation.
"Well then! I've got just the one for you!" The man sped off to get something, leaving Ryuunosuke to stew in his thoughts.

After several minutes of waiting, Ryu was just about to go and find the old man, but paused as the Old man came back into view holding a giant glowing feather.
Something about that feather was dangerous, it made the hair's on his neck rise as his instincts screamed for him to get the fuck away from that feather.
He grinned, it was perfect!

"I'll take it!"

The old man smiled back, showing far too many teeth.

"I knew you would love it! There's no need to pay… your sc- smile is all I need!"

As the orange haired man left, the old man shook his head in exasperation.

'To think that such an unusual version of that boy exists in this universe... I hope my other will have as much entertainment as I did.'

-Wizard of Swords-

Ryuunosuke came back into that basement in a good mood, holding the ominously glowing feather with such an expression of glee one might think he found the path to the Akashic records, not that he knew what those were of course.

His mood was only slightly dampened by the currently sleeping form of the little girl he captured earlier, how was she going to experience the euphoria of death if she wasn't going to be awake when it happens?

No matter, maybe the demon would enlighten her of that fact.

He checked the summoning circle once more, his eyes switching between the book and the circle before flipping the pages of the book to find the incantation.

"Found it!" He placed the feather in the center of the circle, not really knowing where else to put it and began the incantation.

"Let silver and steel be the essence."

The Circle flashed blue, making his eyes widen.

"Its fucking working!"

"Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation."

The circle began to glow, Ryuunosuke's expression was positively euphoric.

"Let blood be the color I tribute my soul to."

The circle dimmed slightly, making him panic.

"Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall. Let the four cardinal gates close. Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate. I hereby declare. Your body shall serve under me. My fate shall be your sword! From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three greet words of power, Come forth from the ring of restraints, Protector of Hell!"

The circle stopped glowing.

"Shit! I shouldn't have rushed it!"

Before a flash of blinding light erupted from the circle, making Ryuunosuke cover his eyes with his hands and rousing the girl from her slumber.

"Fuck yeah! I did it!"

A shadowed figure stood in the center of the circle, wielding a twisted metal staff in one hand with a bird perched on the other, it wore black leather with a curious emblem shining on its upper back.

"Servant Caster at your service. I ask of you are you my mas-"

The figure paused upon looking at the bound form of the little girl. Ryuunosuke did not notice this in his excitement. It was a mistake he would soon be reminded of.

A pulse of red flashed from under the girl's bindings, specifically to where her hands were bound. The markings of a crimson seal.

'At least something went right, right Efret?'

The bird nodded slightly before turning its sights on the command sealless serial killer, who was suddenly eyeing it nervously.

'Master kill vermin?'

A small chuckle came from the hooded figure, a warm baritone that had a pleasant rumble accompanying it.

'You haven't changed a bit, Efret...'

"Is the sacrifice not to your liking?" A bead of sweat trickled down Ryuunosuke's forehead, his gut sinking as he realized he summoned the opposite of an Agent of Chaos.
A Hero of Justice.

"Sacrifice hm? You must be mistaken, I don't take sacrifices."

A sword materialized above Ryuunosuke, while several daggers were discreetly launched into his shadow.

'Why can't I move! He's just staring at me!'

The young girl stared at her mysterious savior with awe, her eyes filled with the hope that was so cruelly squashed mere hours before.

The figure removed the hood, revealing the young face of a man in his early twenties. His amber eyes shined with resolve while his shaggy red hair went down to his neck.

He untied the girl, tears streaking down as he comforted the small girl who had just seen her mother butchered before her very eyes.

"What's your name little one?"

"R-Ritsuka Fujimura." His brow raised at her surname, was she related to Taiga?

"Hey, do you happen to know a young woman by the name of Taiga?"

Her eyes lit up at the familiar name, confirming his suspicions. She remembered Taiga talking about this particular family, one of the many casualties of the Fourth Grail War.

Seeing the recognition in his eyes, the little girl relaxed slightly after seeing that someone her family knew was here.

'How many lives does this damned war take?' The figure's eyes hardened, molten amber morphed into a cold steel for just a moment.

After all, the being known as Shirou Emiya wouldn't have suffered such a terrible fate if the Grail hadn't existed.

And yet, it was because of the war that he had met her. In that regard, he could at least be thankful. He did not know what would have happened to him if she wasn't in his life. Perhaps in another time, and in another time line he'd simply be another Dog of Alaya, an Alter Aspect of himself. He shook his head. This wasn't the time to reminisce about things that had already happened. He was about to bring the small girl upstairs so he could discreetly deal with Ryuunosuke but she stopped him by asking a simple question.

"W-who are you?"

He stopped, before seeming to come to an answer.

"A Wizard."

"L-like Merlin?"

A small grimace came upon his features, as if remembering a terrible memory.

In the age of Camelot:

"Merlin! What did you do!" Shirou screamed as she now looked at her body, where two ample mounds rested instead of his broad chest.

The magus of flowers snickered as he struggled to contain his laughter.

"Take that you terrible student! Your womanizing skills are useless if you are a woman as well! Serves you right for seducing women better than a half-incubus!"

"Lord Ashton. King Arthur has summ...oned… you." Sir Bedivere said as he entered the room, his eyes glued to the two new 'additions' on Lady Ashton.

The princely knight collapsed in a heap.

"Sir Bedivere! Why have you collapsed you lousy knight!" The concerned voice of Tristan came from behind the seemingly comatose knight.

A despairing cry of "Teach me your secrets! What unnatural skill is this madness!" filled Castle Mordred with stories for years to come.

In present time.

Shirou shook his head, clearing his thoughts on the matter; he had gotten revenge for that particular stunt many times over, albeit through Arturia. She was far from pleased with the development, and Mordred was even more petty towards Merlin. To this day, Shirou still never understood the Wizard's inherent jealousy of his "prowess" in dealing with hot-tempered Pendragon women, believing it to be some sort of divine ability bestowed to him by the gods of love.

But now wasn't the time to dwell on the past, the little girl in front of him was indeed his master judging by the three command seals on her right hand.
He looked at her shaking form gently.

"I need you to go upstairs ok? I'm going to take the bad guy away."

His young master nodded her head, her orange locks swaying as she did so.

Shirou smiled softly as he ushered the little girl upstairs, but before she closed the door she turned around and extended her hand out.

"Pinky swear that you're going to come back?"

"I pinky swear Master." A warm smile appeared as he wrapped his pinky around her comparatively tiny one.

With that reassurance, she closed the door and Shirou went back down to the shivering serial killer.

"Now what do I do with you?"

A pondering look came upon his face, a myriad of emotions flickering across his face as he contemplated a suitable way to dispose of the orange haired murderer.

'Young Lord… Me… Hungry.'

'That could work.'

Shirou clapped his hands together.

"Let's begin shall we?"

The bird on his shoulder glowed menacingly.

For the first time in his life, Ryuunosuke did not want to see the innumerable facets of death.

A fitting way to go out… by the very "demon" he summoned.

-Wizard of Swords-

Ritsuka Fujimura lived a rather normal life, one free of the troubles that came from those less fortunate than her, it was something her parents took great pride in.

Yet one night was all it took to change everything, one crazed man shouting "COOL" as he brutalized her mother right in front of her eyes, shattering her image of a normal life.

Bile rose up her throat the events of the previous hours came to her mind..

She rushed to the bathroom, her eyes stinging as tears dripped down her cheeks.

"Why?"

-A Wizard of Swords-

Shirou Ashton was suitably disgusted, even with the tragedies of his previous life numbing his feelings towards death.

But to separate a child from her mother? In such a brutal fashion no less?

It infuriated him beyond belief.

He was grateful that the ritual insisted on picking little Ritsuka as his master, he hoped he'd never meet whoever was compatible with that bastard.

Even if he shifted his ideals to live a life with his beloved, it was things like these that made him scream at the futility of it all.

He knew he couldn't always save the day, nothing could.

His archer self knew that fact intimately.

A sword within his inner world had stirred, it's second beloved wielder had been summoned.

"My lord, I sense the young Mistress."

He smiled, but only slightly.

It was more than likely that she might be an enemy this time around, his father was still a ruthless man.

The Fourth Holy Grail War.

It seemed that this war was going to be fairly interesting.

But first?

Shirou grimaced as the sounds of retching entered his ears.

He had some comforting to do.

Here's the completed first chapter. More will come during the course of this outbreak.

To think it took a world wide epidemic to get me back on this thing lmao.