"Those who aim further for other's sake. Those who think of others before themselves. ...And those who hate themselves more than anyone. These are the qualities of a Magus. This is a contradiction you can only have if you are born broken."

Fate/Brave Shine

Chapter 13: Incandescence

There was no way he was suited for this fight. What was he, a third-rate fledgling Magus, doing fighting a former Executor of the Church? Why was this happening?

Because the other opponent was an even worse match for him in his current state. The previous battles had taken their toll. He couldn't use his Unlimited Blade Works. Trying to do so nearly killed him the last time. He could still trace, project, and reinforce, but each time he did, he could feel the strain on his body deepen just a tiny bit more. Still, he had chosen this fight.

Kirei and Gilgamesh had tried to take everything from him. Rin was in worse shape than him. Sakura had been kidnapped. Taiga was comatose in the hospital. Ilya.. Now, it was up to him and Arturia to stop this. It was a fight they had poor odds of winning, but they weren't just going to let Kirei and Gilgamesh destroy everything with the Grail.

Yet, he couldn't envision a way of winning against Kirei. There was no weapon he knew of that he could call upon that would bring an end to this fight. The fake priest was toying with him, taking his time and ensuring that the maximum amount of suffering could be extracted from him. Each time he tried to close the gap, each time he'd come within an inch of getting a definitive blow in, the opportunity was seized from him before he could capitalize on it.

Arturia's words of warning about not getting into a fight that he couldn't win echoed in his mind. But it was hard to imagine a way to beat Kirei with his own magecraft. Every time he projected a new weapon, it felt like a part of his mind fractured just a bit more. Eventually, there would be a point where he would try to project a weapon and would end up killing himself from the inside out.

Kirei could see this. The pain on his face was as plain as day each time a new weapon began to appear in his hands. He loved that look. The fact that he was the adopted child of that man only made it sweeter. He'd push and push at the Shirō until he saw the moment where his mind fell apart trying to create a weapon he had no business being near in the first place.

He wanted to be closer. He wanted to take in every single detail when it happened. The distance between them became less and less after each exchange. Kirei was completely in control and was confident that his prey couldn't move so quickly he couldn't react. So long as he could see whatever sword Shirō held, he could avoid any fatal blow.

Then, after projecting another pair of the married blades he had grown so used to using, Shirō felt it. He was at his limit. Any more and he would die. This was his last chance. He had to make it count. He had to end this. Not just for himself. For everyone.

So, he ignored the instinct that the blades he held instilled in him. He couldn't win that way. He clenched his muscles and prepared for one last attack. Moving as quickly as possible, he threw the white blade at Kirei with all the force he could muster. The blade ripped through the windless night, heading straight for Kirei's torso. A fatal blow. Or, it would have been, if it was faster. However, to Kirei, it was moving at the pace of a brisk jog. Nothing more. His eyes followed the blade, watching it pass by as he twisted his body to avoid the strike, burying into the dirt uselessly some ways behind him.

He laughed. "An interesting tactic. But just like your father, you're too slow."

Kirei turned his head and the smile dropped from his face.

There, in Shirō's outstretched hand, was an oh so familiar looking weapon. A Thompson Contender. It was, in fact, the very same one that he had faced previously when it had been in the hands of Shirō's adoptive father, Kiritsugu.

He had closed too much distance between them. Before he could finish realizing what Shirō was holding, the trigger had already been pulled.

Had it been loaded with one of the remaining Origin Bullets that Kiristugu had left behind, Kirei would have been fine. But Shirō didn't know the difference between the bullets that had been in the case along with the gun. He had simply picked the first one on the right, which had been a completely normal .30-06.

So, when the bullet ripped through Kirei's skull at what was nearly point-blank range, the only result was the fake priest's body falling to the ground.

The gun fell from Shirō's grasp, no longer having the strength to hold it. Yet, he remained standing, and the black sword remained tightly gripped in his other hand. It wasn't over yet. Just over the hill, another battle was taking place. That's where he had to go. To Arturia.

An endless landscape of blades, draped in an eternally setting sun surrounded Rin. In every direction she looked, there was nothing but swords. The very ground she stood upon, that they all stood upon, were other, lesser blades that the superiors were embedded into. The orange sky above them draped over the reality marble like a painting. Other than the marginally strong wind that seemed to come from nowhere, it was a deathly quiet and still place. Yet, Rin's eyes were not observing her new surroundings. Instead, they were locked on the very person who created this landscape. He was standing still, looking down at his own hand in contemplation.

Yet, that hand was larger than it was before they were drawn into the reality marble. So was the rest of him. He was taller now, easily standing above the rest of them by a good margin. His shoulders were broader, and his muscles were more defined. His jawline was set in stone and his eyes were hardened and had a faint glow to them. The clothes he wore before seemed to change to match his new appearance inside the reality marble, but they looked strange on him. His circuits that peeked out from underneath his collar and ran down one side of his face were on full display, practically humming with energy.

There were similarities between his and Archer's appearances, but not as many as Rin would have expected. Archer was a Servant and Counter Guardian. His hair was a different style and color, and his body was a bit more tall and lithe in comparison. Shirō's own body was human, but there, within his Unlimited Blade Works, he looked a good ten years older. Shirō clenched his hand and opened it again several times, as if he were testing something.

The three there with him could only stare. Ilya's stare was partially one of amazement, but mostly calculative. Rin's was one of disbelief and confusion. Arturia's was indiscernible to the others. But they all looked at him differently than they had before.

"I guess my Unlimited Blade Works are mostly unchanged." Shirō finally said, looking up at them. He then looked around, trying to figure out the differences. "Everything seems to be here. Even ones I didn't have in one life but did in another. But there aren't any duplicates, so I guess that answers the question of whether or not two of the same iteration can exist."

Shirō paused, staring off into the distance. He could feel something strange. Something was different. He knew every single weapon in any direction he looked. Yet, there was something in the particular direction he looked that he was unable to discern. However, he was unsure if now was the best time to investigate. He was supposed to be running tests to see what he was capable of, after all.

He opened his hand and a sword appeared instantly in it. He grasp the hilt tightly and gave it a few trial swings and then smiled. He dropped the sword, letting it dissipate before touching the ground. Outstretching his hand in a direction away from the others, he focused inward and moments later dozens of blades that quickly became hundreds of blades manifested behind him. Hundreds quickly became thousands and the amount of weapons behind him created a massive shadow that loomed over the terrain. He smiled, and the blades disappeared as quickly as they came.

"It looks like I can fight at full capacity." He said, turning to his observers. He blinked when he realized that they weren't observing him. They were staring at him. Finally, Ilya spoke.

"A Reality Marble.. Even most Servants would be unable to utilize such a thing. But you're keeping this one stabilized so easily..." She said, her amazement showing in her voice.

Shirō shrugged. "I remember Rin telling me that a third-rate Magus like me had no business being able to use a Reality Marble. But it's pretty much the only thing I can do like a proper Magus. Tracing, Projection, Reinforcement, and my Unlimited Blade Works. I can't do anything else but fight." He replied, looking down at his own two calloused hands sadly. The lines, creases, and callouses were evidence of someone who lived by the sword. Fighting was all he really knew how to do. The Moonlit world had little use for someone like him, and he had seen exactly what kinds of uses he was selected for.

"It's not just fighting. Onii-chan, your existence could change things. It could upend the balances of power that the Moonlit world currently knows."

He nodded. "I know. I've seen where that road leads. It's.. Not pretty."

Arturia knew what he was talking about. The dreams they had been sharing had shown her exactly what could happen if Shirō were to get involved in the Moonlit world. Weaker families and clans would try to use him to gain power, and the stronger would try to erase his existence to avoid losing their power and prestige.

Yet, without him, many atrocities would take place. Experiments on children. War. Genocide. She knew that, in his heart, he couldn't let such things go unanswered. His desire to help people, to save people, still existed. He had a clearer picture of what that meant, but even as a Counter Guardian, he never truly stopped wanting to be someone's hero. But that was a conversation for another time.

Then, Rin finally asked the question that had been on everyone's mind.

"Why do you look.. like that?"

The way she phrased it sounded a bit insulting, but the pink hue on her cheeks would suggest a different motivation. But Shirō didn't notice that. He busy pondering the question. After a few moments, he answered.

"I don't know. I was various ages when I was.. pulled back, and my body outside of this place is the proper age it should be at this time. Maybe it has something to do with the oldest point at which Merlin pulled me back?"

"So.. you're saying that's what you'll look like when you're older?" Rin asked in confirmation. Shirō nodded.

It seemed like Shirō was the only one who wasn't picking up on Rin's mannerisms.

After another restless night of tossing and turning, Kuzuki Sōichirō watched his Servant, his wife rise from the bed and once more descend into the depths of the mountain. She was under a lot of stress, but recently she'd been unable to sleep, and he could feel that she was constantly on edge, as if awaiting the moment something terrible would happen.

Sōichirō didn't have much knowledge of what the Holy Grail War was about. He simply knew that he was involved on some level, though Medea was reluctant to elaborate much on it. She told him that she'd keep him safe, and that all he had to do was help her replenish her Mana.

But that wasn't enough for him. Ever since he met her, he could feel again. Not much, but he felt something. He wouldn't so simply let it go. Before, he was more than content standing by while things happened around him. Life was more simple that way. However, he had been realizing that was no longer an option if he wanted to keep what he had gained. If he could help, he would. Yet, he didn't know how to reach out to someone. That wasn't in his training or nature. He could only move independently to correct an unfavorable situation.

The woman that Medea was working with was dangerous. She'd made that much clear to him. Interrogating her would likely end poorly, and he didn't want to antagonize Medea's only other ally, if she could be called that at all. Yet, there was another source of information he could probe. Assassin, as Medea had called him. Another Servant that he had personally watched Medea summon. According to what little Medea did share with him, Assassin and Morgan had a history. Moreover, he was a Servant that would have knowledge of what he could do to help Medea. Even if he had to find a Master by himself and dispose of them, he would. But he had to know first if that was something he could do as he was. He didn't have any idea on what level Servants or other Masters could fight, other than what he had heard about Emiya Shirō.

So, he quietly descended into the mountain after he knew Medea and Morgan would be busy at work with whatever they were doing. He'd been there before and knew where Assassin was being kept. Rounding a corner, he saw him. Chained to the stone wall in a cell, large iron bars separating them. Assassin, having heard the footsteps that only a Servant of the Assassin class could, he lazily raised his head to see his visitor. If he was surprised, he did not show it. They both remained silent, staring at each other. Then, after nearly a minute of silence, Sōichirō spoke.

"Assassin. I have questions for you."

Assassin tilted his head ever so slightly. "Any information you could get from me, you could easily obtain from Caster."

Sōichirō fell silent. Assassin took this silence to think out loud about why Caster's Master was there.

"Caster knows you're not a proper Master. You can defend yourself, but you've never experienced Magecraft before. If someone like you is being protected, they're going to have a hard time sitting by. Especially if you've grown an attachment to Caster." Assassin mused, looking up at Sōichirō, whose eyes widened ever so slightly. His true intentions to the world outside had never been so easy to decipher.

Assassin reached up and tapped his nose. "You smell like her. Your heart beats faster when I mention her. I'm an Assassin. Reading people is part of the job. But you already know that, don't you?"

Sōichirō ignored Assassin's rhetorical question. One Assassin could always spot another. "I need information, Assassin. I have questions about the War. I need to know the difference between the abilities of myself and a Servant."

A small smile appeared on Assassin's face. "Even if I could test you, your abilities would still fall short of any Servant. I can see it on you. The way you hold yourself. You could easily trounce almost any other Master, but Servants are out of your reach."

Sōichirō frowned. "Almost? You speak of Emiya Shirō?"

"So you know of him? Yes. He's quite something else. Realistically, you might be able to beat her, but.." Assassin stopped himself, falling silent before he could muse too much. It had been too long since he had been able to have a decent conversation and he was permitting himself to say too much. Sōichirō picked up on this, but said nothing.

But it was he who brought up the subject, much to Assassin's surprise. "Caster says her ally, the woman, is dangerous. How dangerous?"

Assassin frowned. "Very. She has no place being here in this time. She isn't a Servant. Yet, her being here is an example of how dangerous she is. Those things Caster and her are summoning are making the entire situation exponentially more dangerous. Caster doesn't even know the truth of who she is working with."

A cold chill crept up Sōichirō's spine. The next question had been on his mind for quite some time, but he hadn't been able to ask it until now. "Can she be trusted?"

Assassin shook his head, a hard look in his eyes. "She's a witch. If she gets what she wants, she might leave you and Caster in peace, but she has a history of betrayal when people have outlived their usefulness."

"Can she be beaten?"

Assassin considered the question for a moment before answering. "Yes. Whether by her enemies or by her own hands, she will be undone sooner or later."

"You said she isn't a Servant. Can I beat her?"

He smiled at the question. "Even though she's not a Servant, she's extremely powerful. Her Magecraft is capable of many things. The only chance you would have is by surprise with an overwhelming amount of force. Even then, that's only a chance. If she's on alert even in the slightest, or if she's prepared measures for surprise attacks, you'll be dead before you can reach her."

The chamber fell silent once more. He was strong. Powerful, even. But overwhelming force wasn't something he was capable of bringing to bare. His strikes were measured and calculated, as any Assassin. His targets had all been human. Incapable of Magecraft. If it came to it, alone, he wouldn't like his chances against her.

"... Can you beat her?"

"What responsibility, Vivian?"

There was no answer, but the connection remained. His Galator remained warm in his tightly clenched hand.

"She doesn't know the extent of his responsibility." Came a voice from behind. Merlin dropped his Galator and spun around to see that he was once again joined by his 'guest'. "All she knows is that every soul tied to the Grail is upon Shirō's shoulders."

Merlin blinked. "Every soul? How is that possible? He's just-"

"Just a human. Just a child. But he is so much more than that. You've seen bits of it for yourself. This is more than coincidence, Merlin. I told you before that he has a choice to make." She said, her red eyes never leaving his.

Merlin grit his teeth. Being in the dark about situations he was directly involved in was not something he found amusing. Yet, if the smile on his guest's face was anything to go by, there was something to be amused about.

"Patience, Merlin. The threads are all still being connected. When the time comes, I will return and explain everything to you. Until then, I suggest avoiding burning off any more of your soul. Depending on the outcome of all this, you may need it." She said, speaking in a motherly fashion to Merlin as if he were a small child throwing a tantrum. Then, in a blinding flash of light, she was gone once again before he could get a real answer to any of his questions.

After the group had agreed upon the plan for their next assault on the temple, Shirō asked the question that had been at the back of his mind for quite some time.

"Ilya, what happened to all the other maids?"

Ilya turned to her adoptive brother with a sweet smile on her face. "Berserker and I killed them all. Sella and Leysritt helped."

The room fell deathly silent. Rin nearly choked on her tea that, much to her chagrin, was admittedly quite good. "You what?"

Shirō hadn't been expecting that. They were pawns of her Grandfather, but to kill them all for that was.. a bit much, in his opinion.

"I killed them. They were nothing more than tools that Grandfather would've used to 'keep me in check'. Corrupted or not, he still wants the Grail." Ilya explained as if she were stating an obvious fact.

"Will there not be any attempt at retribution?" Arturia asked.

Ilya shook her head. "Not right now. Without me and Berserker, he doesn't have any cards to play until after the war is over and Berserker is gone." She stated, a somewhat bittersweet smile on her face at the thought of having to say goodbye to Berserker.

"Was killing them necessary?" Shirō asked. Surprisingly, he wasn't all that surprised, nor did it bother him as much as he thought it should. Yet, he was still against meaningless death. Especially if they weren't doing anything heinous.

Even more surprisingly, it was one of the maids who spoke up, who had come by to refill everyone's cups. Shirō recognized her as Sella. "The others were not like Ilya, or Leysritt or I. 'Tool' is an adequate description of their nature." Though she had a cold look on her face, Shirō could tell that what she said was genuine.

"Knowing Grandfather, they would've likely tried to attack the second you crossed the Bounded Field a second time. He always tries to seize the advantage when he has the opportunity. Being rid of them means he can't use them as spies."

It was a fair point. Along with Zouken, Jubstacheit was a troublesome third party to have around in this war. Getting rid of any of the influence he might have meant they had one less enemy to worry about. His knowledge of the Einzbern head was, admittedly, fairly sparse and he didn't like fighting battles where his enemy had more information on him than he did on them.

Ilya's words reminded him that, though they weren't Servants, both Sella and Leysritt were capable in their own right. Originally, he was a bit perturbed by the maids that always seemed to be near Ilya, but after lifetimes upon lifetimes of experience, he realized that they were simply protective of her. If a normal Magus were to face them, they'd be hard-pressed to come out on top.

Shirō, after some time was spent thinking, shrugged. "One less thing to worry about, I suppose. We can deal with Jubstacheit after the war."

Rin stared at Shirō. That was not something she expected to hear him say. She didn't disagree with him in the least, but to hear him say it when just a few weeks prior he had been a 'turn the other cheek' kind of person was a little jarring. She had to remind herself that he was quite a bit different now that Merlin had done.. whatever he did. Though, she couldn't say she disliked Shirō as he was now, or even how he was before.

Still, to go against the Einzberns was a dangerous task. They were reclusive and antisocial, which meant information on them was unreliable at best, but it was generally assumed that though they couldn't manage to acquire the Grail in previous wars, they held as much power as any of the greater families and clans of Magi. Nobody really knew for sure simply because nobody who tried to infiltrate their territory ever came back.

It was time. Rider had finally chosen to tell Sakura the truth. Lying to her was difficult for multiple reasons, and it was only a matter of time until she uncovered the truth on her own, even if she seemed to be ignoring the obvious at this point. They sat in her room with an uneasy stillness after she had confessed that there was something she was hiding from her that she wanted to reveal. Yet, finding the right words to explain just what it was she was hiding was more difficult than simply lying about it.

How could she explain what she had seen? Magus or not, competent or not, that boy Sakura seemed to be infatuated with was an anomaly of alarming proportions, and the trouble he seemed to keep finding himself in seemed to be never ending. The most recent example was her witnessing his death. Rather, what should have been his death. Yet, he had risen from the ground where he had been bleeding out and completely annihilated his opponents in a brilliant flash of golden light.

Initially, Rider had entertained the idea of using him as an unwitting source of Mana. It wouldn't be harming him any and would have provided her with insight into his character, if only when involved in certain situations. Yet, she quickly wrote that idea off after seeing what he had been capable of. There was no telling how deeply she'd be able to pull him into the illusion. Plus, using him in such a way behind Sakura's back would be a betrayal of the highest order.

Rider's attempt at finding the right words to explain what she had been keeping from Sakura came at a cost. She had been lost in thought, and because of that, she hadn't sensed the two people outside Sakura's bedroom until a knock on the door echoed in the silent room.

"Sakura? Can we talk?" Came a muffled voice from the other side of the door. Shinji's. Yet, something about it was different. There was no superiority. No envy or anger in his voice. Then, there was a second, equally muffled voice.

"Kid, this plan of yours is stupid. The last time I saw them, I was under orders-"

Sakura opened the door, and two sets of people stared at each other. Sakura and Shinji. Rider and Lancer.

Yet, neither Servant made a move. Lancer because he was under orders, and Rider because she had put together that, at the very least, Sakura's bedroom wouldn't become a battleground that night.

Shinji tried to smile, but the effort wouldn't reach his lips. What he had on his mind was too heavy, too important, to allow him to do so. "Sakura, you need to know something. Something about Shirō."

"I can't say I like any of this. Time-related Magecraft is extremely dangerous. Any Magus worth their salt knows Merlin was exceptional at the very least, but something on this level is just.." Rin said, trailing off on her comment. It was scary to think about. Was this an alternate timeline? Were the others erased? Or was this one created and they're all just copies? It all depended on how it was done, and any reliable information on Merlin didn't give any insight on to him being capable of pulling off such a feat.

Arturia, who stood beside Rin as they walked the long road back to Fuyuki proper, nodded in agreement. "Merlin has always been troublesome. He frequently limited his own actions and ability to see what others might do when problems in the Kingdom arose."

Though he was often aloof at the best of times, she knew him well enough to know to expect the unexpected from him. Reckless, nosy, and troublesome. Yet, he held within him a certain compassion for those around him. He was by no means a steadfast ally of Humanity, but neither was he an enemy. He was infatuated with Humanity and the roles they took upon themselves. He wanted to see a grand story unfold. Yet, that was precisely why he was so troublesome. If there were no interesting events taking place, Merlin would go out of his way to make something happen.

"You talk about him like he's an annoying uncle." Rin observed. Arturia tilted her head, thinking about it, but it was Shirō, who walked on the opposite side of Rin, that answered.

"From Arturia's memories, I'd say that's basically how she treats him. She's.. different around him. Maybe he's more like a troublesome father, given the circumstances." Shirō said, smiling.

Rin's eyes widened at how different Shirō and Saber – Arturia, were behaving. She watched Arturia's brow furrow in a pensive but cute manner as she obviously thought about the implications of Shirō's own observations. Neither of them were the slightest bit worried about what was to come, choosing to live in the moment instead. It made her realize that they were treating her like they would the previous Rin they knew now that they weren't trying to hide anything from her.

At the trio crested a hill that overlooked Fuyuki, they came to a stop. At first, it was to take in the sight of the small city underneath the late afternoon sun, but then their eyes settled on a plume of rising black smoke from a less-dense area of the city.

"Guess there was a fire. But.. that's pretty close to.." Shirō said, trailing off as a heavy feeling started sinking in his stomach.

"The Church." Arturia finished. Before anything else could be said, Rin took off running. She knew now about Kirei and his plans. What he could do. What he would do, if given the chance, and especially what he has done. She wasn't going there to save him. If he was involved in the fire, and if he was weak, she was going there to kill him. She pumper her legs for all they were worth. This was a golden opportunity. She had agreed to let Shirō and Arturia take care of him in any fight that came, but this was different. He killed her father, and subsequently her mother. Without him, she would still have a family. They might have been able to take back Sakura. Without him-

Suddenly, Rin's riptide of emotions and thoughts were brought to a stall as Shirō suddenly ran up next to her, easily keeping pace. Saber – Arturia, was on the other side.

"Whatever happened, we'll deal with it together. Archer isn't here to back you up."

You're weak. We'll protect you.

Part of her mind heard that as the intention behind Shirō's words, but at this point she knew they were just being cautious. After all, they had seen first hand what Kirei was capable of. If he could fight at the level they said, even weakened he would be a tough opponent. But she wouldn't let that be the reason she didn't act if she had the opportunity.

"If Kirei is there, he's mine." Rin said.

Shirō shook his head. "By now the Fire Department is already there. We can't bring them into this. But.. If he survived whatever happened, we might be able to track him down." Shirō said, his voice different from earlier. It was harder. Sharper. "It would be best to take care of him sooner rather than later."

Arturia looked at Shirō. She knew he didn't like fighting without purpose, and he especially didn't like killing. But he now had countless lifetimes of experience to guide his actions. If he could, he'd live a peaceful life. Yet she knew that he had already steeled his mind. He had decided that Kirei was going to die. Perhaps it was shortly after being sent back. Perhaps it was just now after seeing Rin jump at the opportunity, just so she could live without that blood on her hands, however deserved his death might be. Either way, she knew that the decision had been made, and she didn't disagree with him.

After arriving at the scene, it was clear that something major had happened. It wasn't just a fire, it looked like a bomb had gone off inside the church. The area was taped off, but security was surprisingly absent, most of the officials in a circle obviously going over what they had found. Rin quickly ducked underneath the tape, walking into the burnt and broken church. Shirō and Arturia quickly followed. Kirei, nor anyone else, was found, not even in the undercroft of the church. But there was plenty of blood. Someone was hurt, and if they were capable of doing this to the church, it was probably Kirei whose blood was spilled. He didn't have any destructive abilities on that level.

But, there wasn't any evidence as to who caused this mess. Ilya and Berserker were busy making preparations. Lancer should be under the control of Kirei. Gilgamesh shouldn't be in the country yet. Rider was protecting Sakura. Assassin was under the control of Caster, who they knew wouldn't be interested in Kirei. Then.. Archer? But why? Did he remember something about Kirei and feel motivated to act?

"This damage.." Shirō muttered, touching the scorched wood near the entrance. Upon the remains were geometrical burn patterns that truly indicated only one source for such a thing.

"Shirō?"

"The damage isn't consistent with anyone but Archer. He probably used Lævateinn. It's not easy to use, but this kind of damage is consistent with it. But.. It's not something he would use mindlessly. It's a good defensive weapon in some circumstances, since it's not really suited for any real swordplay. Using it to escape is how I'd do it." Shirō said.

Rin's eyes widened. "Archer was trying to escape? But, since you're.."

Shirō nodded. "He was up against something he was unprepared for, and since he's not getting Mana from you, he couldn't have a prolonged fight. Using the blast to escape would be a good strategy. Especially if whatever he was fighting wasn't interested in giving chase." He stopped, giving the place a good look around before noticing that the officials were finishing up their meeting.

"We should go."

It had been agreed upon that Rin would stay in the Emiya compound until the war reached an end. Rin was less resistant to the idea than Shirō thought she'd be, but Arturia didn't seem surprised in the least. In fact, it was Arturia who had brought up the topic, as Shirō was busy thinking on what might cause Archer to retreat. Her argument was that, without a Servant, any number of people involved might try to use her against them since they've been seen cooperating. That, and Arturia convinced Rin that she was important to their new plans to assault the Temple, which wasn't entirely inaccurate. Against Caster, she'd be a worthy opponent to at the very least stall for time, as they knew Caster's defense lied at range, while Rin was a capable fighter up-close.

So, after gathering a few important items from the Tohsaka household, the three made their way back to Shirō's home. Rin was the first inside, who had been told where her room would be.

Arturia and Shirō set down the two boxes of various things Rin had them carry on the front deck. They shared a look, knowing that Rin was an interesting roommate to have at the very least in many circumstances and that, with their memories of how thin the walls inside really were, they'd need to either contain themselves or learn to be quiet during certain.. activities.

Stepping through the entryway, Shirō and Arturia came to an abrupt halt. There, in the living room, was a stranger. Though she was dressed in plain clothes with no weapon in sight, from the feeling they got, she was a very dangerous stranger. She looked at them both with curiosity, but also with a clear objective in mind.

"Hello, Emiya Shirō. Master of Saber. I have come a long way to talk to you."

A/N: So, we all know who just showed up in Shirō's home. That will be quite a conversation. Plus, both Kirei and Archer are MIA, Kuzuki has started getting involved, Rin is a few steps away from information overload, Merlin's visitor returns, and Shinji is trying to do.. something. No servants have died despite being so far into the war. Not even Lancer! But something tells me that it won't be long before someone dies. Maybe it'll be Lancer. Maybe it'll be Shinji. Maybe it'll be Berserker. Maybe Gilgamesh gets hit by Truck-kun before he can make an appearance. Who knows? Not me. At this point I'm just a pair of hands that this story uses to write itself. We'll find out together. I'll just find out like.. a few weeks sooner. Probably.

As always, thank you for reading & reviewing.