FOREWORD

If I had to choose the one character I liked the most in Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star, it wouldn't be Nero or Tamamo, surprisingly, though they come close. In fact, of the three main Servants, it'd have to be Altera. This is due in no small part to her characterisation in her particular story arc, where she shows herself to be considerably more than the ruthless killing machine with glimmers of humanity that she was in the first two story arcs.

Doing a story with her was a no-brainer. Getting a story together was another matter entirely. People who've read my various compilations will know this.

After a few iterations, I decided on an interesting tack. I'd contacted sakurademonalchemist for permission to use one of her abortive story concepts, Shatterglass, as a starting point. This story had Harry captured and experimented upon by Yggdmillennia in the Fate/Apocrypha timeline, only to somehow end up trapped inside the body of a female Homunculus, and inadvertently summoning EMIYA. I'd always decided to change the concept to where Harry ended up in Sieg's body (Sieg is admittedly one of the more cardboard protagonists of the Fate series), and had wanted to team him up with Jalter, aka Jeanne d'Arc's Avenger form. However, sakurademonalchemist didn't respond, and I eventually used Jalter for a Fate/Zero crossover, Ephemeral Flames of Vengeance and Desire.

Eventually, after some prodding, sakurademonalchemist did give me permission. But by then, it was too late to do a Jalter fic, as fun as it would have been to play Jalter against her purer counterpart. I decided on Altera, and this was something I really wanted to do, as there is something to Altera that will make a rather shocking swerve to the story, insomuch as it will change the fate of one of the key characters of Fate/Apocrypha profoundly.

Anyway, time for the usual disclaimers. Firstly, there will be spoilers for both Harry Potter and Fate/Apocrypha.

Secondly, there will be heavy annotations, as is usual for my works. You have been warned.

Thirdly, this is an M-Rated work. There will be coarse language, violence, and sexual references. Again, you have been warned.

Finally, the following is a fan-written work. Harry Potter and Fate/Apocrypha are the properties of their respective owners. Please support the official release. Otherwise, Altera will declare you Bad Civilisation, and deal with you accordingly…