Author's Note: This is something I've had planned for quite some time.

Reviews and comments are welcomed.

Of Relics and Men-Chapter One

A girl stood before the window in the Tohsaka house, peering out into the fading light in the distance. An orange glow was setting on the horizon, signaling the advent of dusk over the city of Fuyuki.

''Hey! Who're you?'' a young voice filled the air, addressing the beautiful girl in a white dress.

Of course, this girl wasn't human. She was the Heroic Spirit of Assassination, Hassan-i-Sabbah.

Assassin turned around, using her Shapeshifting skill to remold her features into something more normal. She didn't have a regular face like other humans did. It had been scraped away as part of the rite of passage to become the ''Old Man of the Mountain''. But thanks to her personal abilities she could take the face of a young maiden.

Assassin looked down to see the form of a young twin-tailed girl struggling to lift a pair of briefcases that undoubtedly contained her personal belongings. This girl was the daughter of Tokiomi, Rin Tohsaka, the heiress of the prestigious family.

Of course, she had seen Rin before when she had guarded the Tohsaka mansion as part of Kirei's commands to her. However, she had been mostly hidden then and had not yet revealed herself until now.

''I'm an associate of Kirei Kotomine.'' Assassin replied smoothly. It wasn't a lie. She was invited here by Kirei Kotomine.

''Huh? A friend of that creepy guy?'' Rin made a face at that thought, dropping one of her briefcases.

''A person like you looks lonely. Why don't I show you around?'' she addressed Assassin, holding out a single hand. It was the innocence and nature of a child that caused her to do that, something that hadn't yet been eliminated by the training of a magus.

Assassin turned away, refusing the hand in a cold gesture. It was a rude and unfriendly thing to do, but…

…Rin Tohsaka would die if she touched her.

That was her Noble Phantasm, Zabaniya: Delusional Poison Body. Her entire body had been transformed into highly lethal toxins. Her very touch was death. For an average human, even a single moment of contact would have spelled her instant death.

That could not be allowed to happen to the daughter of Tokiomi. Servant Assassin understood that Tokiomi was the real master of her own Master, Kirei Kotomine. She was truly the ''Servant of a servant'' in that regard. Thus accidentally killing Tokiomi's only daughter would end badly for her.

''I'm sorry, but I have no interest in that, Assassin said stiffly, moving away from Rin. The meaning was clear in that.

''Sheesh, be a meanie then.'' Rin gave a childish pout and picked up her briefcase again, before moving away.

It wasn't like Assassin didn't like children. On the contrary, she appreciated them for having an innocent and pure nature. It wasn't like Assassin didn't want to have friends either. No, all of that was inevitably decided by the nature of her body.

The thing that marked her out as a ''miracle'' required to become the leader of the Hashashin order had also meant she would be isolated from her fellow humans. With her touch bringing swift death, she could only endure loneliness and solitude.

Turning her thoughts to the Holy Grail War, she began to think of her Master.

She didn't understand Kirei Kotomine at all. Whereas men were typically drawn to her body and thus killed themselves out of lust, Kirei barely even glanced in her direction. There was an acute lack of interest there. It wasn't the chastity of a Catholic priest or anything concerning preference in women, but rather a lack of engagement in anything.

It was the same as the following week. Kirei Kotomine approached life with the same stoic commitment that only a joyless machine could possess. From what little she had learned in that week, Kirei himself had no wish for the Holy Grail at all. He only desired to serve Tokiomi Tohsaka because he was ordered so.

Therein lay the crux of her other problem. As her Master served another Master, which would mean that Kirei's Servant would, in turn, be subservient to Tokiomi Tohsaka. She was on the lowest rung of the Tohsaka camp, which meant her chances of gaining the Grail were slim with a Master that had no interest in actually winning the Grail.

With that in mind, perhaps she would have attempted to kill Kirei or Tokiomi. Then she would slip away with her Independent Action skill to find another Master. However one of the first things that Kirei Kotomine had done when looking over her skills and abilities had been to use a Command Spell to prevent her from touching him or Tokiomi. He had recognized the potential danger of an Assassin with her skills and that Noble Phantasm. Thus it was that she was resigned to her current fate.

For the last week under Kirei's orders, she had patrolled the Tohsaka mansion and guarded it against any potential intruders or spies. Tokiomi was waiting for his holy relic to arrive to summon his Servant. She did not know the Heroic Spirit in question.

With that, the single poison flower could only look out the window as the sun set.

Tokiomi Tohsaka was an anachronism, Kirei Kotomine mused.

The family mansion of the Tohsaka clan was a stately Western style dwelling, constructed sometime after the Meiji Revolution. It was the sort of thing that might have been built to appeal to foreign architectural sensibilities. Tokiomi Tohsaka's workshop also was the very picture of a traditional magus's study, with none of the trappings of modern civilization. It was if one took a breath and stepped back almost a century ago.

Right now his father Risei was quietly speaking to his mentor, who sat comfortably in a carved oak chair, a glass of red wine in his hand. Handsome, wealthy and powerful, Tokiomi was the sort of ideal magus one might imagine. A man utterly dedicated to his pursuit of magecraft and the elegance of his station as the Second Owner of the lands. Neither Tokiomi nor Risei looked up when he entered. Kirei had become almost a ''background event'' in the past three years.

''It's a pity we could not find Gilgamesh's relic.'' Tokiomi sighed, swirling the red wine in his glass.

This comment caught Kirei's attention, though he did not show it on his face. The Tohsaka faction's plan for victory was simple enough. Kirei himself had summoned Assassin almost a week ago to utilize as a scout. The Hassan of Serenity was not particularly powerful, but she would suffice for their purposes. To offset Kirei summoning such a weak Servant, Tokiomi aimed to summon a powerful Servant with immense abilities. Previously Tokiomi had not mentioned which hero he had planned to summon, but if what Tokiomi had said was true…

No wonder Tokiomi had approached his plans with confidence. The King of Heroes would have guaranteed victory due to being one of the oldest and strongest of the Heroic Spirits. Such a force would have swept aside all the other Servants like a tsunami smashing buildings. However judging from Tokiomi's expression, his search for the appropriate catalyst to summon Gilgamesh had not been very successful.

''Yes. Our efforts in Iraq had proved fruitless. None of the archeological teams had found anything.'' Risei signed.

Tokiomi had spent much money and time to locate something suitable to summon Gilgamesh as his Servant, but that had proven to be a waste of time. Father Risei studied the perturbed look on his ally's face. Their contacts had come up with empty hands. All that remained was to try and enact their backup plan to recoup their losses. Gilgamesh would not be summoned, but the Tohsaka representative had to have a Servant.

Tokiomi could try to summon a Servant without a catalyst, trusting in his personality for something suitable, but he might get some minor hero who matched his personality. Then victory would be unlikely. Thus his only recourse was to find another hero, something he had commenced as he started to get doubts about the search in the Middle East. He had spent a large sum on trying to find Gilgamesh's relic, but fortunately, Father Risei was willing to use the Church's resources and connections to secure another Servant. It was against the rules, but the Church has a vested interest in delivering the Grail to the hands of the Tohsaka.

''You should be pleased to know that our excavations in Haryana have borne fruit. Your suspicions on that relic have proven to be correct.'' Risei informed Tokiomi.

''Have you verified its authenticity?''

''Indeed. It's a piece of that great hero's weapon.'' the priest confirmed.

''Excellent. Not all is lost then.'' Tokiomi sighed, sipping his glass.

Haryana? That was a place in India. Did Tokiomi want to summon a Heroic Spirt from the Hindu mythological cycles?Kirei wondered. Many great and powerful heroes could be summoned from that place.

"Are you summoning an Archer?'' the master of Assassin interjected, his tone flat. It was one of the three Knight classes true, but they could prove troublesome with their Independent Action skill that allowed them to exist without a Master.

''Ideally, that would be the most suitable class for most of the heroes from that region.'' the red-clad magus acknowledged. It was part of the training for the Holy Grail War that potential Masters conducted a thorough reading of mythology and history to try to discern the identity of enemy Servants. The land of India boasted many legendary bowmen; it was a logical assumption for Tokiomi's Servant.

''This Servant will guarantee victory then?'' Kirei inquired, a tiny flicker of interest flaring in the bottom of his soul.

''Yes, most certainly. The Heroic Spirit that I will summon will prove to be an acceptable replacement for the King of Heroes.'' Tokiomi smirked.

''Dammit,'' Kayneth swore before he took another sip of brandy, relishing the sharp taste.

''That's just bad luck to have that happen.'' Bram Nuada-Ri Sophia-Ri remarked, sitting in a chair in Kayneth's personal office. Located in the Department of Euryphis, Kayneth possessed comfortable and elegant quarters the envy of any noble magus in London. Only the very finest for the head of the Archibald family.

Currently, all this finery did nothing to improve Kayneth's foul mood. He had recently spent a good deal of financial capital to secure the relic of Alexander the Great, a piece of his cloak found in an excavation in Greece. He had thought he had taken steps to neutralize any potential rivals from seizing the relic first, but it had disappeared when he had arrived at the Clock Tower. The delivery company claimed they had delivered it to one of his employees, but nobody in his family's employ knew anything about that.

It was a disaster, the loss of a priceless relic would put a significant setback for his plans in the Holy Grail War. He was forced to try and secure another Servant in a very short amount of time. Given the short amount of time before the Holy Grail War began, he was uncertain about getting the relic for another strong hero.

Who stole it? Kayneth wondered, his mind flickering to various noble families and political opponents that he knew in the Clock Tower. Someone of his station had no shortage of jealous rivals and opponents who would have loved to see the Lord El-Melloi embarrassed. After all, hadn't he proclaimed his willingness to enter the Holy Grail War? That he would prove his valor and brilliance against the best that the Three Great Families had to offer? Being forced to back out after making such a proclamation would tarnish his standing in the eyes of the Clock Tower's nobility.

''Could it be the Yggdmillenia perhaps? I heard that their founder had an interest in the Holy Grail.'' Bram suggested.

''Possibly. The Eight-Forked Serpent would have the guile, but I've heard he's embroiled in some internal family dispute.'' Kayneth pondered. He walked over from the window where he was brooding and sat down in a high-backed chair, staring into the brandy.

Doubtlessly some rival noble was hiding the relic from him, wanting to watch his social humiliation. Kayneth didn't think any of the other three families had necessarily interfered. He had gone to lengths to be on the watch for any attempts by the Einzberns or Tohsaka to counter him before the war began. The Matou were out of the question, being a pale shadow of their former self.

''What will you do now?'' Bram asked, studying his future brother in law curiously. Like all mages in the Clock Tower, he was studying Kayneth with the patience and interest of a snake. If Kayneth backed out of the war, then his alliance with the head of the Euryphis Department might be in question. By extension, his marriage with Sola-Ui might be called off as well.

''I will enter with what I can get. I already have agents looking for a suitable relic.'' the prospective Master slipped into a mask of composure and confidence, not wanting to appear weak in front of his future brother-in-law.

''I have no doubt you have good men working for you, but I have a proposition of my own.'' Bram smoothly put forward.

''Hmm? What are you proposing?'' Kayneth tried not to let his desperation show in his face.

''I have connections that would be able to secure something suitable for you.'' the red-haired man noted. It wasn't an unreasonable proposition. The Clock Tower had the greatest wealth of knowledge and relics in the world, along with abundant resources. He could indeed secure something suitable for Kayneth.

''I see. What would be the price for that?'' Kayneth questioned, suspicious of the red-haired man's intentions.

''It would cost you some political capital in the end, but it would be quicker and easier than your other ideas.'' Bram put forth.

The blonde-haired professor was silent, sipping his brandy again and stirring in his thoughts. It wasn't like he was unwilling to accept the offer, but he had thought himself the superior in the arrangement he had with the Sophia-Ri clan. After all, it was their daughter who was marrying into his family to save themselves from political and social difficulties. To be in the debt of Bram might change the nature of his relationship.

''If you are having trouble then think of it as a wedding gift to my future brother,'' Bram suggested, his lips curving into a charming smile.

Kayneth stared for a moment before making up his mind.

The agony was indescribable. A lesser man would have died months ago, but Kariya pushed on with steely determination. He had to endure for Sakura's sake, to free her from this pit, to correct the mistake had had unintentionally made. The devil's bargain he had made with Zouken would cost him his life, but he would make the most of what he had left.

Worms burrowed through his flesh, sending thunderbolts of agony through his body with every step. It was bad now, but it would get worse when he summoned a Servant, and the worms would go into overdrive. They would consume flesh to provide magical energy to his Servant. His Servant would be a death sentence, but the only question would be how long he would last to win the Grail for the Matou.

He didn't even know what hero he would summon. He had questioned Zouken once, but the old monster had laughed him off, not treating him seriously. He could already guess his so-called ''father'' had no expectations for Kariya's success and probably didn't expect much out of his Servant either. It was a bad joke to think of Zouken as his alleged ''father'' or even ''grandfather'' as he had rewritten the family registry on several occasions to cover up his unnatural lifespan. Kariya had understood the poor fiction of his family lineage at a young age, it being one of the factors that caused him to abandon the wretched and rotting Matou family.

He limped into the worm pits for another day of training. The Holy Grail War was approaching soon, in only a handful of days, and he was practically ready. The three Command Spells had appeared on his hand, reflecting his resolve to fight. Soon he would be able to free Sakura. He would make Rin, Aoi, and Sakura into a family again.

-And inflict his vengeance on a certain red-clad magus. The image of Tokiomi flashed through his mind. His hatred simmered in his heart for that man, the man who had gleefully embraced the life of a magus. He was the man who had sent Sakura to this place, the man who had forced Aoi to give up her child. Zouken was a monster, but Tokiomi was an example of how horrible the world of magic was.

I will wipe that smug look off your face. Kariya thought. I will kill you. He promised.

The worm pits cast dark shadows over the slimy, ancient walls. Below in the darkness was a sea of Crest Worms, filthy disgusting creatures. Below there were multiple pits and breeding farms, containing what Zouken had considered the Matou magecraft. Here Kariya had spent the last year, suffering under what Zouken had cruelly called ''training''.

Then, as if the devil himself heard his thoughts, Zouken Matou emerged from the shadows.

'' I've finally found you, Kariya. I see you haven't run away right before the war might start.'' Zouken gave a dry, sadistic cackle at his insinuation of cowardice.

Kariya ignored him and stepped forward to face the withered monster of a magus.

''I'm almost ready. I'll win the Grail for you.'' the white-haired man promised.

''Oh yes, you will indeed fight as hard as you can.'' Zouken nodded, an odd smile on his face. The younger Matou frowned at that. It was not a friendly look.

''Hey, what about my Servant then?'' Kariya inquired then.

''What about it?'' Zouken wondered in a wistful tone. He was deliberately playing obtuse with Kariya. He knew what the younger Matou meant.

''My relic.'' Kariya gritted his teeth in frustration, watching as the old worm enjoyed his consternation.

''Oh yes. There was something like that. I secured a relic for you.'' the old worm turned around and strolled away, tapping his walking cane thoughtfully.

''What is it?'' the younger man asked in curiosity, despite already have a feeling he would dread the answer.

''Oh, something cheap I bought off a bargain on the black market. It's not something to get worked up about.'' The Matou patriarch cackled again.

Kariya's face turned disappointed. He knew enough about his twisted ancestor to know that Zouken would not go to any great expense to secure a great and famous hero to act as his Servant. He also knew that the more recent a hero was, the lesser known and weaker they would be when compared to heroes from the Age of the Gods.

In other words, Zouken had probably found the catalyst for some minor weak hero to saddle Kariya with, not putting any serious effort into winning the war. If this hero were some lesser spirit, than it was doubtful he would have high parameters or special abilities when compared to someone Tokiomi might summon.

With a sigh of despair, Kariya mustered up his determination and walked into the worm pit.

A hundred words of sincere praise could not do Tokiomi's Servant justice.

Barely an hour ago had they received the catalyst through the mail, Kirei's Assassin was on guard the entire time to make sure that the package would arrive without any complications. Then both Kirei and Risei had followed Tokiomi into his workshop to witness the miracle of a Servant summoning, the appearance of a Heroic Spirit from the distant past.

The catalyst was placed in the center of a circle of Tokiomi's finest gems. It was a small piece of ancient metal and wood that had been part of a bow in the ages past. Despite existing as a fragment, it still radiated a sense of power that could only come from the weapons of the gods. According to the information that Tokiomi had, this was the genuine artifact.

''We've won Kirei,'' Tokiomi whispered in a mixture of awe and happiness.

A majestic figure clad in radiant golden armor stood before the assembled men. He was a regal young man with a slender and thin body, but exhibiting all the power and grace of the sun with his posture and glare. He wore a black bodysuit under a set of divine golden armor that shone with the power of the sun. A cape of crimson flames unfurled from his back and shrouded him with blazing fire. Piercing blue eyes looked out of a handsome face with paper-white skin.

Tokiomi's Servant had come in a burst of fire and light, announcing his class as he did so.

''…How reckless to assume victory before the battle has even begun.'' The golden armored hero commented in a cold, apathetic voice.

''True, but you are Karna are you not?'' Tokiomi frowned at those words.

''That is correct. I am Karna, the son of Surya.'' Lancer nodded.

Honestly, Tokiomi felt confident of his victory. He summoned Heroic Spirit Karna, the great warrior of the Mahabharata and the legendary rival of Arjuna. He was a peerless warrior who possessed an invincible armor granted to him by his father and many divine weapons that he had gained under the sage Parashurama. He was only ever defeated by various curses and divine intervention. Truly he was a Heroic Spirit of the highest caliber.

But-

''I would have preferred to summon you as an Archer, not as a Lancer.'' Tokiomi sighed in disappointment. The legendary hero Karna was most famous as a legendary bowman with his weapon Vijaya. Karna not being summoned in what was probably his most optimal class was a setback in Tokiomi's plans.

At least he had summoned Karna into one of the three Knight Classes. That was what Tokiomi was aiming for, the three classes that generally would have the best parameters and abilities of the Servants. He was determined that the Tohsaka clan would have the privilege of hosting one of the three Knight classes.

''Hmph. Such a thing is true magus. You are correct in that it is my most optimal class. However, I am perfectly able to carry out this class's role.'' Lancer closed his eyes and replied.

That wasn't surprising either, Tokiomi reflected. Karna was noted in his legend to have mastered all weapons to perfection in his training under Parashurama. The sword, lance, bow and chariot had all been learned by this peerless warrior, so it wasn't surprising that Karna had the aptitude for multiple classes. More to the point, if he had been summoned as a Lancer, then a certain Noble Phantasm might still be used…

Indeed, he had it. Looking over his Servant's parameters and Noble Phantasms with his ''master's vision'' that had been granted to him by the Grail, Tokiomi was pleased. Lancer's abilities all being very powerful and of the highest ranks. However, despite his high strength, there was a certain problem with Lancer's Noble Phantasms that Tokiomi promptly took note of as the Second Owner of Fuyuki.

Stepping forward, he put forth his hand, showing off his Command Spells.

''I am Tokiomi Tohsaka, fifth-generation head of the Tohsaka Family. Do you accept me as your Master?'' he asked.

''O magus, you are indeed my Master,'' the golden spearman said in an aloof, almost bored tone. He meant it. Once Heroic Spirit Karna gave his word, it was unbreakable. Despite that, though, Tokiomi found his tone throughout the exchange to be rather irritating. It was like Lancer didn't care about anything at all.

''Then I order you not to use your offensive Noble Phantasms of widespread destruction without my permission. The former would cause catastrophic damage if used inside within the city limits and the latter is not something to be used lightly. I will enforce this order with a Command Spell if I have to.'' Tokiomi stated in a calm, commanding tone.

''That will not be necessary my lord. You are a man who takes his duties seriously. I will follow your orders.'' the golden spearman gave a nod of approval.

Tokiomi smiled, relieved that Lancer's destructive Noble Phantasms would not be employed without his express permission. As Second Owner, preserving the secret of magecraft was one of his principal duties. Such Noble Phantasms could only be deployed a safe distance from the city limits.

''Who is this? I believe him to be an enemy Master.'' Lancer's icy gaze shifted to Kirei, and the atmosphere in the room turned violent.

''Ah, yes. Kirei-kun is my ally. He is the Master of the Assassin. You need not be concerned about him. I trust him entirely.'' Tokiomi dismissed Lancer's concern with a wave of his hand. Kirei Kotomine is his valued pupil. He can't even begin to contemplate the idea of betrayal.

''I see.'' the Servant quietly said, his calm gaze remaining firmly on Kirei.

At least for Kirei Kotomine, seeing Lancer sparked something within him. The Servant spoke with a bored, apathetic tone, something not too dissimilar to himself. Could it be that Lancer had some emptiness within him like Kirei himself? It seemed like a ridiculous notion, seeing as Servants answered the Grail because they had a wish for their own. et Kirei himself was desperate enough to inquire to as what drove Lancer to defeat the emptiness in his own heart. He had been hoping that Kiritsugu Emiya might give him the answer that he required, but if it was possible that Lancer might be able to as well…

''Now, come with me Lancer, the Holy Grail War is about to begin, and I must give you your orders for the opening act.'' Tokiomi smiled as plans formed in his head.

''I am Servant Berserker. I ask of you good sir, are you my Master?'' the young man in front of Kariya politely inquired.

''Y-yes. I am your Master, Berserker.'' Kariya said in surprise at the figure before him. He had been expecting a screaming madman as his Servant, which was what the Berserker-class usually was due to the Mad Enhancement skill.

This figure before him was a blonde-haired youth, dressed in elegant Victorian clothes, a white dress shirt with an olive vest and black jacket with a red jewel in the front. He had a kind and gentle look on his face. He spoke politely and softly to Kariya. He didn't even give off the presence of the Servant at all! Kariya only even knew that he was a Servant due to the link they had established.

In short, he didn't seem like a Servant of any kind, much less a mad warrior like Berserker.

Before Berserker was the catalyst that Zouken had secured, a set of old faded notes and dirty beakers that might have been used in some chemical lab. Kariya had wondered what such strange looking objects might bring forth, but he had not expected this young man.

''Heh, how unimpressive a figure this boy is. Still, I shouldn't be surprised, considering his incapable Master. A weak Master for a poor Servant.'' Zouken gave a chuckle as Berserker frowned at the Matou patriarch's words. As he ignored the Servant, the old worm turned to Kariya.

''Well Kariya, go and fight with all you have as Berserker's Master! Remember that Sakura is counting on you!'' Zouken smirked and walked up the stairs into the darkness of the Matou household, leaving Master and Servant alone.

A moment of awkward silence had passed between the two before Berserker spoke.

''Master, do you have plans for the Holy Grail War? I am awaiting orders,'' he said, his green eyes looking over his Master's kneeling form on the ground.

''Who-what are you?'' Kariya asked.

''I beg your pardon?'' the blonde youth asked.

''You don't seem like a Servant, much less an insane Berserker. Zouken had me summon you as the mad Servant.'' Kariya questioned in a puzzled tone.

''Do you not know by identity? Did you not use my old notes to summon me?'' Berserker questioned him, glancing at his catalyst.

''No, Zouken picked it all out. He got something cheap and easy to get.'' Kariya informed him, curious as to who Berserker was.

''Oh, I see, so that's how I was summoned over other heroes…''Berserker trailed off for a moment before shaking his head and looking at Kariya.

''You would recognize me as Doctor Henry Jekyll.'' he introduced himself with the flourish of a gentleman.

''Jekyll? As in Jekyll and Hyde? I've heard about that story. I thought it was a novel.'' his Master questioned. Indeed he understood the basics behind the western novella published in the 19th century. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde, the story of a kind, benevolent doctor and the split personality that was evil and destructive. That anguished character met only self-destruction after his attempts to control Hyde went out of hand. Given that legend, it wasn't too surprising that he had been summoned into the Berserker-class.

''There was a book written about my life, but fictionalized in many fundamental aspects by Stevenson. Rather I am the person that served as the model for that story.'' the blonde youth confirmed.

''Then what about your current condition?'' Kariya absorbed in the information for a bit. He thought it strange, but he didn't think too hard about it. At least he had a Servant after all.

''Only my other personality, Hyde is currently affected by Mad Enhancement, so that's why you see me as sane and composed.'' the youth went on to explain.

Kariya nodded, observing his Servant's parameters and skills with his own 'master's vision''. Apparently, Jekyll only achieved any strength with Hyde, but as a Servant, he was decidedly second-rate when compared to legends like King Arthur or Achilles. Kariya signed with disappointment, understanding what Zouken's cruel joke was, to saddle him with a minor hero from the last century. How was he supposed to have any chance of rescuing Sakura with this level of Servant?

Still, this Servant did have some positive aspects. Even when manifested like this, Berserker barely took any prana from Kariya, which was much better than Kariya had expected of a Berserker-class Servant. Indeed it was probably because Jekyll was almost powerless in exchange for being unable to be perceived as a Servant.

That and at least it seemed like Jekyll could hold a conversation. Kariya sighed and got up, limping his way up the stars.

''Let's go, Berserker, we've got a war to fight.'' He sighed.

Saber walked through the halls of the Einzbern castle, noting the elaborate decorations and the old-fashioned style. It was an elegant and beautiful home fit for royalty, but to Saber, it seemed empty and lifeless for some reasons. It seemed to him that this place had no heart.

Certainly, it wasn't like his castle at Camelot, the majestic and splendid fortress where the Knights of the Round gathered. People could say the King put aside his emotions to rule as a ''perfect machine'' yet even then there was the radiant aura of chivalry in his home.

With that thought in mind, he thought back to his Master, the dull-eyed man in the black coat. He recognized that look in his eyes, of tossing away his humanity to become that perfect machine. Though in this case, Kiritsugu Emiya had become a hired killer rather than a knight.

Saber almost wanted to laugh at being summoned by such a man. They were so similar and yet so utterly different. To be honest, Saber could understand why Kiritsugu Emiya had purposely avoided him so far. It was only natural for him to do so in that position.

He wandered into another section of the castle. This castle was the place he had been summoned in, the Einzbern chapel. It was another fanciful construction intended to embody the Einzbern's collective pride over the centuries. Standing underneath a stained glass window was a beautiful and radiant figure clad in a white winter coat.

His Master's wife had evidently been taking one last look around her home before she left.

An armored gauntlet touched her shoulder. She yelped in surprise at the sudden feeling.

''Ah, my apologies Lady Irisviel.'' Saber apologized with a slight smile.

''I thought Kiritsugu wanted you to remain in astral form.'' the homunculus questioned.

''I thought it no harm to greet you.'' Saber smiled at her.

''You shouldn't sneak up on people like that.'' Irisviel admonished him.

''Yes I shouldn't, but I couldn't help myself in this case.'' the blonde knight laughed.

Irisviel's face was flushed with embarrassment at Saber's teasing words.

''That's pretty childish of you.'' she fell back into a more serious tone of voice.

''Perhaps so, but could milady allow a knight a moment of indulgence?'' Saber replied good-naturedly.

Standing a head taller than Irisviel, Saber was a lean, robust young man with handsome features and the majestic aura of royalty. He was clad in silver armor woven from prana that was worn over dark blue robes that billowed behind him as he walked. With one armored hand, he pulled back the white hood that he had been wearing. One could only look at him and think of the archetypical ''prince charming'' as told in the stories.

They had summoned Arthur Pendragon, the legendary British King into the Saber-class, armed with the most powerful holy sword, Excalibur. From the very start, it was a logical decision on the part of the Einzberns. Regarding both fame and strength, King Arthur numbered among the very greatest of heroes. He would be the most excellent Saber-class Servant they could summon. So in their minds, the strongest Servant and the most powerful Master should win this war without trouble. But there were certain issues with that pairing, aside from Kiritsugu's misgivings.

There was certainly nothing that the Einzberns could complain about regarding raw strength, with Saber boasting excellent parameters and abilities typical of his class. However, Kiritsugu was perturbed to realize that Saber's Noble Phantasm, Excalibur: Sword of Promised Victory, had some seals and restrictions on it. The EX-Rank Noble Phantasm had thirteen seals on it to restrict its power and prevent its misuse. Doubtlessly that sort of thing must have been immensely frustrating for the ever-pragmatic Kiritsugu.

After all, Kiritsugu has already been prepared to compromise and utilize Irisviel as a proxy Master between Saber and himself, due to the knight's sense of honor. The revelations about his Servant's Noble Phantasm had caused him to rework many of his plans that he had tried to set up. The feeling had seemingly been mutual on Saber's end.

Their only interaction after the summoning had been cold and clinical. Without showing any emotion or awe, Kiritsugu had bluntly and coldly told Saber of the role that was expected of him after introducing himself and Irisviel. After observing Saber's parameters and abilities, he had put forth that question to understand the full limits of Excalibur.

It was probably praiseworthy in itself that Kiritsugu bothered to speak directly to Saber and converse with him, even though there had been no affection or trust conveyed between the two parties.

''I suppose also I should get to know you as well, as my de facto Master.'' the blonde knight noted.

''Yes, I think that would be prudent. After all, you wouldn't be working with Kiritsugu.'' Irisviel thought it over.

''Yes, that man…'' Saber trailed off.

''He's pure-hearted at his core. You just don't see him at his best.'' Irisviel replied hurriedly, rushing to the defense of her husband.

''I suppose I can't hold grudges for no reason. As long as it won't impede my wish for the Grail, then I won't complain too much.'' Saber noted, walking back Irisviel with his hands folded behind his back and staring out at the windows.

''The Grail…'' Irisviel blinked, catching on to Saber's words.

Of course, Saber had a wish. That was the reason why the Heroic Spirits answered the call of the Holy Grail in the first place. Surely Saber was no exception to this. Of course Kiritsugu might not care about his tool's wish, but in this case, Irisviel thought it prudent to ask.

''Saber, if I might ask, what is your wish then?'' Irisviel put forth. It was a bit too forward of her, but at the same time needed to know Saber's motivations. After all, if his wish conflicted with Kiritsugu's, it might cause more conflict in the Einzbern faction.

''Huh? Oh, my wish…'' the blonde knight glanced at her before looking up at the ornate windows.

''I want to save Britain. To bring salvation to the kingdom that I failed.'' Saber told her.

Irisviel blinked at those words. It was certainly true that King Arthur's kingdom had fallen in the past due to treachery and civil strife, so it was only natural that he would wish to save it. However, she didn't understand exactly how he wanted it.

''Are you saying you'll use the Grail to redo your reign?'' Irisviel guessed.

At that Saber shook his head.

''No. I don't think that would solve anything. More to the point, I can't erase all those sacrifices that had been made. Rather I have another intention.'' the blonde knight paused and looked at Irisviel.

''I wish to use the Holy Grail to create an eternal paradise without suffering or evil. A place where the nation of Britain can be protected and maintained for all eternity.'' Saber stated.

Irisviel was speechless at that. That wish sounded so similar to Kiritsugu's wish of bringing peace to the word and eliminating all conflict. In this matter, Saber's wish wasn't too different from her husband's own. Such a wish would be only possible with the power of the Holy Grail.

The fundamental difference between Saber and her husband was that Kiritsugu had hope for the future in his eyes.

Saber only looked towards the past.

Author's Notes: Well there is it.

Initially, the concept for this grew out of ''What if Karna replaced Gilgamesh?'' as Tokiomi's Servant. I found the idea interesting. Both are very powerful golden-armored heroes, and yet both are quite the opposite regarding their personalities and legends. Gilgamesh is the man who has everything, and Karna is the man who gives things away.

From then on, I decided to replace some of the other Servants as well.

Lancer should be recognizable as the Lancer of Red from Fate Apocrypha.

Berserker is from Fate/Prototype Fragments. He also appears in Fate/ Grand Order as an Assassin-class Servant.

Assassin is from the same series as well.

Saber should be recognizable as Fate/Prototype's King Arthur.

The other Servants will be revealed in the following chapters.