Walking alone down a narrow corridor, a man stood tall despite the harrowing nature of what awaited him ahead. The trial had already ended, the verdict reached long before a formal hearing. What he was walking towards was nothing more than a formality held within the Clock Tower for a Magus that had supposedly reached a position of the highest prestige. It was an honour and an accomplishment written down within the Clock Tower's very history, and yet, what did all that matter?

The man grumbled under his breath, a hand reaching up to scratch the back of his head in a manner he had not done in years. It would have broken a particular person's hearts to see him deferring to old habits now in his time of greatest peril, but fortunately, no one else was around.

This was his fault. The very result of his own actions.

He wore a plain white t-shirt beneath a green sweater he kept open down the center. On his legs were a pair of ordinary blue jeans contrasting with a pair of brown shoes. He looked perfectly ordinary, his red hair kept short and clean to give a modern appearance. Out on the streets of the twenty-first century, he would not have looked out of place aside from perhaps his bronze-coloured eyes.

From his demeaner, to his humble personality, one would never have suspected him to be a Magus, a user of magecraft, a lower branch of magic. For someone who'd often relegated himself to be a third-rate, it was ironic that he was now being held in high regard by the magi of the Mages Association for his particular brand of thaumaturgy.

His name was Shirou Emiya, and today marked the end of his three-year career working as a field agent, mercenary, and enforcer ever since he'd left Fuyuki after graduation. He was twenty-one, and he was both at the beginning and the end of the prime of his life.

On the back of his left hand, a branded magic seal shone with a dull blue light, a symbol of his incarceration. It was called a Sealing Designation, and it was the direct cause of his unfortunate situation.

For most magi, a Sealing Designation was to be abhorred above all else, for it spoke of the forced end of their individual research, but in Shirou's case, he'd never been much of a magus. Research was never the focus of his craft. He'd only ever had one goal, and that goal itself was what had landed him in this particular situation.

He wished to be a Hero, an Ally of Justice. To save the life of another, he'd never hesitated to throw himself at danger nor dwell over the consequences of his actions unless it affected the well being of another.

A Sealing Designation was not a light matter. Those of the Carillon Observatory, or the Secret Judgment Division of the oldest room in the Clock Tower were the ones to decide on who got designated, and in this case, Shirou was the intended recipient.

He was stupid, but he didn't regret his actions.

Those branded with a Sealing Designation were generally divided into two paths, Hermits and Philosophers. Hermits got the better end of the deal and were often left alone due to not being an immediate threat. Philosophers on the other hand, were the priority due to their abandonment of conduct to further their own craft, thereby threatening the secrecy of magic should they be too careless.

In Shirou's case, it wasn't the abandoning of conduct that landed him a Sealing Designation, it was the opposite. He'd tried to hard to save others to the point where he risked revealing magecraft to the world. His latest stint was his worst, since not only did he almost endanger the secrecy of magic, he revealed something Rin had warned him to keep under wraps to other magi at all costs: His Reality Marble.

Reality Marble's were borderline True Magics that were primarily said only to be possessed by Undead Apostles.

Shirou's Reality Marble centered around the concept of swords and weapons. Given enough magical reserves, he could manifest said weapons from his inner reality at will. He'd been forced to utilize this power to prevent a war between two civil groups.

His disregard for secrecy by using his magecraft out in the open was only mitigated by the fact that both sides confused him as the reincarnation of a deity. Of course, this was only after he'd deployed his Reality Marble out in the open to swallow the explosion of an explosive warhead launched from both sides.

The Mages Association had eyes everywhere regarding supernatural occurrences. They primarily did so through the use of long-distance scrying spells that funneled to a central hub at the Atlas Institute of Aggregation and Analysis. Shirou's deployment of his Reality Marble was observed through one such spell, and now here he was.

Shirou winced as he continued on the path ahead. He felt an odd burning sensation emanating from deep within him that momentarily destabilizing the balance of the magical energy in his body. It was like something foreign had drilled a hole into his mind, and he couldn't make sense of it.

Grunting, he rubbed at his temples in hopes that the dull ache could go away. It didn't, making it even more difficult to plan a way out of his predicament.

He'd already been caught and branded by a Sealing Designation, so his primary concern now was for his own safety. He was considered a precious research material by the magi of the Clock Tower, and as such must be protected and studied at all costs. The problem was, it was easier to research something dead than alive.

The one factor that he planned to use as leverage to keep him safe from demise was ironically his Reality Marble. It was the only matter of interest other first-rate magi had in him, and he couldn't exactly deploy it for observation if killed. Of course, this meant detailing what exactly his Reality Marble was capable of, but he'd been promised an ultimatum if it proved beneficial to the Clock Tower, ergo, the current hearing.

If it meant that he could continue to save others, then so be it.

Shirou did not possess much in the way of self-preservation. His goals and ideals were the pillars that defined his very life.

Looking down the hall, there were only a couple of steps left until he'd enter a wide plaza-like room with stands placed adjacent to a central stage where other magi could spectate from.

Sealing Designations were rare, and his was the latest. All manner of magi from varying departments in the Clock Tower would be spectating the proceedings held by the Lords of the association.

In Shirou's case, he'd been assigned under the watch of Lord Elmelloi II during his branding as a Sealing Designate. It was Lord Elmelloi who he now reported to as a superior, and it was also Lord Elmelloi who'd given him the opportunity to show his worth and not end up a dead test subject.

Shirou grinned wryly at the morbidity of his predicament. Of course, he could very well escape the confining nature of his magical constraints, but the prospect of forever being on the run as the primary target of Enforcers was not appealing.

Resolving himself, Shirou directly took the last few steps and entered his 'trial room.' It was supposed to be a plaza, but it now looked more like an arena with the sheer number of magi packed into the surrounding seats, one of which he quickly turned his gaze away from.

Guilt? Doubt? Regret?

There were many ways to subjectify the emotions he felt in this single instant; however, in the end it was all meaningless. He'd troubled her enough, and he might really jeopardize her life in the Clock Tower if he continued involving himself with her.

'Sorry,' he mouthed.

It was the only word he could say in response to the sharp inhalation of breath from the woman with tightly clenched fists no longer looking as haughty as he remembered her in their academy days.

Rin Tohsaka, perhaps the only person he could ever depend on in the Clock Tower without any attached strings. She was borderline short in stature, but her pride and self dignity made sure that she always stood out in whatever field she chose to pursue. Once upon a time, that involved a death match with him regarding a mythic magical object of wish granting power, the Holy Grail.

Shirou's past and experienced in the Clock Tower were intricately intwined with Rin's own. It was because of her that he'd been able to attend classes in the association to begin with.

Presently, she looked both despondent and helpless. As a show of how serious she was taking the occurring event, she'd opted to tie up her hair back into pigtails, and wore her iconic red blazer overtop her uniform and skirt. That was her battle dress, and the attire she'd spent the most time grafting runes and magical enhancements on. If she was wearing it now, Shirou actually worried that she'd try to do something as stupid as the feats of idiocy he was known for. She'd warned him time and time again to be more careful, and yet here he was now in a situation where she was unable to justifiably help him from his own tomfoolery.

"You are an idiot, Emiya. A Goddamned fool…"

Shirou could almost picture what Rin must have been thinking and inwardly winced when he realized he'd yet to thank her for everything she'd done on his behalf. Yet, she had enough pride not to bring up his past debts. She was always indecisive when it came to expressing herself.

Rash as he acted, what did that say of Rin when she'd once willingly followed along with a plan to take on a Servant by themselves? It was crazy, suicidal, but it had worked.

Shirou may have been mistaken, but in that one look he'd shared with Rin, he'd noticed her trying to signal to him. About what? He didn't know, but if it was going to put Rin in danger, then he was better off with the current proceedings. It wasn't guaranteed that he would be ruled out to be killed and used as research material, but that was probably was planning for. Should the situation turn towards his death, she'd probably act which was he had to not give her the chance and act to prove his worth.

With steadfast strides, Shirou briefly nodded in Rin's direction and moved towards the center stage where Lord Elmelloi was standing with the other Lords of the Clock Tower.

Waver Velvet, or Lord Elmelloi II was a tall man in a black business suit, leather shoes, and a red scarf around his neck wrapped beneath his long black hair. He seemed critical and grouchy on the outside, but it was Waver that helped appeal Shirou's case insisting that he was better off alive than dead.

"Emiya," Waver said cordially.

"Lord Elmelloi," Shirou nodded his head, and stared back at Waver with resoluteness. His red hair, tall stature, and determination were more than enough to draw out certain sentimentalities that Waver would never willingly disclose.

Waver's frown lines creased minutely before he turned away and stared back at the other gathered Lords. "Let's hurry and get this over with," he said, getting straight to the point.

Most magi were not patient on matters that did not concern their research. The Lords were no different, and Waver was a busy man.

"If you will, Emiya," Waver beckoned for Shirou to act by gesturing him to move towards a magic circle engraved on the ground.

Shirou's low magical energy due to his mistaken practices in his youth were taken into account before the day's hearing. Reality Marbles required an extensive amount of energy to maintain.

Shirou's was no exception. Therefore, the necessary magical power would be granted to him by the very Lords who'd participated in the branding of his Sealing Designation. Admittedly, they too had their personal interests regarding the nature of Shirou's Reality Marble.

Reacting to Waver's prompting, Shirou stepped up to the magic circle on the ground, and instantly felt his body swell with power. The cabal-like system Shirou stepped into operated on the basis of a greater and lesser vessel. The seal marked on Shirou's hand which connected to his magic circuits acted as a conduit for the magical energy gathered by the larger circle on the ground, thereby acting as a proxy reserve.

The only real benefit Shirou had by obtaining a Sealing Designation was that he wouldn't have to concern himself with running out of magical power while he was in the Clock Tower. This was to ensure that his magecraft and abilities could be studied at any time. Each Lord had the jurisdiction to cut off the power supply at a whim so it was something like a double-edged sword that both ensured he remained within the Clock Tower, and that he wouldn't cause any trouble.

If anything, Lorelei Barthomeloi who was overseeing the entire proceeding would be the first to act if Shirou ever moved out of hand, and that was a death sentence. Lorelei was the Queen of the Clock Tower by virtue of her own strength and the power of her Blue-Blood heritage.

No one dared draw her ire, not even the Lords.

Standing in place, and at the center of attention of hundreds of magi, Shirou emptied his mind of thoughts. If he lived, he may be confined to the Clock Tower, but Waver had appealed to him that should he prove himself capable enough, Lorelei may grant him the honour of probation. He said 'probation,' but it was on the basis that he's strong enough to join Lorelei on Dead Apostle Ancestor hunts where he could put his combat orientated Reality Marble to use.

In a sense, Waver's appeal wasn't exactly a probation for Shirou since Lorelei would have eyes on him like a hawk, but it was more than enough for Shirou. So long as he could still save others, then it didn't matter to him if he ended up in the service of Lorelei.

Mind clear, and goal laid out before him, there was no longer any point to wasting time.

Let it begin.

Veins popped over his skin, left arm placing itself over his chest.

A buzzing noise resounded, shimmers forming in the air that expanded outwards with an unseen force rewriting the fabrics of space and time itself. Laws existed within the world known as the natural order. They maintained balance by setting limits imposed by all that live within a certain reality. A Realty Marble was the subjugation of said laws that overrode the written constraints of the world to impose and invoke a new set boundary.

Shirou's mouth opened.

Let the words act as the cornerstone, the magnum opus of a beginning.

"I am the bone of my sword."

Each line, each word, solidified the foundation of a dimension that existed within the soul of one's being. Fire and ash. Wrought-Iron and embers freely drifting amidst a barren landscape littered with the scars of battle and hardship.

"Steel is my body and fire is my blood."

Wind buffeted the area, the sheer congregation of magical energy funneling up into a spire that quickly expanded outwards. Murmurs formed in the spectating crowd, and Waver could not help but recall the very first Reality Marble he'd ever seen. Further up on the spectating stands, Lorelei tapped a finger in the air and formed a shield that prevented the turbulent wind from affecting her. She raised a brow.

Heat began to diffuse outwards, the humidity in the air dropping as tendrils of magical energy erupted from the magic circle at Shirou's feet. They singed the ground in long writhing arcs that gave way to shadows in the air, obscure, yet gaining clarity.

"I have created over a thousand blades."

The words continued unhindered, forceful and uncompromising. Their sway over reality grew second by second. They denied the natural order of the world, and focused only on the manifestation of an ideal found within a transient hill of swords.

Fleeting shadows became unmistakable weapons of legend and power that could not be ignored.

Lorelei was suddenly up on her feet, a speculative gleam in her eyes while an uproar occurred in the crowds. The specification about Shirou's abilities and Reality Marble were never truly disclosed, and it was only now that the significance of Shirou's statement about 'a world of swords' was truly understood.

Noble Phantasms hung in the air, deadly and radiating potent energy.

Waver fumbled, his composure momentarily slipping as he felt a distinct wave of dejavu at the sight of a literal firing range.

All eyes turned to stare at one person, and yet said person no longer seemed to register any attention on his being.

Focus was key, the more Shirou visualized the concept of the world within him, the more he could impose against realities constraints.

"Unaware of loss, Nor aware of gain."

Shirou's teeth gritted from the exertion. A large supply of magical energy was one thing, but his durability to endure said energy was what mattered. Power was overflowing from him. Admittedly, this was the first time he'd ever channeled so much raw magical energy. Goosebumps travelled down his body, the hairs on the back of his neck raising as his eyes grew bloodshot.

"Withstood pain to create weapons, waiting for one's arrival."

His arms extended outwards, grabbing out at whatever resistance the world's natural laws had and seemingly tearing them apart. A ring of fire emerged from the tear, circling around him with violently flickering tongues that scorched the moisture in the air dry.

"I have no regrets. This is the only path."

The ring of fire began revolving, spinning faster and faster until rapidly expanding and engulfing all in the vicinity.

"My whole life was Unlimited Blade Works."

The world order altered, and all that was left was the sight of Shirou's inner reality made real. An endless number of swords littered the ground over a vast expanse illuminated by a bronze coloured sky. There was no life, no greenery to be seen. Only dirt, grime, and a stale breeze billowed over the landscape. It was surreal, almost unimaginable then that such a barren world was filled with such potent weapons of myth and legend that all magi now present within it stood rooted in place.

Noble Phantasms were rare, and the research that could be done by analysing them was immeasurable. There was also the factor of status. The Fraga for example were a recluse branch of magi that didn't normally meddle in the world's affairs, but no magi dared provoke them lightly.

Fragrach, the Noble Phantasm of the Fraga family's namesake was the Fraga family's greatest deterrence.

Now suddenly within the world of a Reality Marble, Noble Phantasms became as common as cabbages on a field? Many magi became agitated and were already inspecting the weapons erected all around. It was in Shirou's best interest not to inform them that they wouldn't be able to sneak those weapons out no matter how hard they tried without his consent. When the Reality Marble was closed, those weapons would vanish too unless Shirou Traced them using his magecraft.

Sucking in a breath, Shirou stabilized his body's condition before taking a look at the world around him. Everything was how he'd known it to be, but that observation quickly changed in the face of the anomaly staring right in the face.

Shirou was stunned.

An archaic stone gate lay before him, seemingly carved in the structure of the late medieval era with flying-buttress-like supports on either side of the gate. It was the only glaring difference to be seen in his world of unlimited blades, and as such, quickly garnered attention.

To Shirou, it felt different. Foreign. And in the end, that was exactly what it was: Foreign.

Shirou's lip twitched, a hand rubbing the bridge of his nose as he winced from a sudden bout of dizziness. If he was uncertain of what was causing him discomfort earlier, now he was sure that it had something to do with this gate. What sort of gate just appears within the inner world of someone's soul? Of course, its emergence affected him, but to what regard, he did not know.

"What's through that gate?" Waver voiced the question in Shirou's mind after the man had composed himself with the sight before him. However, there was a tremble in Waver's tone that denoted that the man had not yet fully recovered from the shock UBW gave him.

Shirou frowned, moving to walk towards the gate whose entrance seemed to lead through a dark tunnel. "I don't know," he answered honestly.

It was a mystery, and one that he definitely wished to find out. With UBW's capabilities still under review, Waver made the choice that Shirou found himself quickly agreeing with.

"Shall we?" Waver gestured ahead towards the tunnel.

To solve a mystery, there was nothing left to do, but go forward.

Shirou began walking as Waver followed accompanied only by a scant few magi that were more interested in the gate than the numerous Noble Phantasms lying around. Rin tried to follow after Shirou, but she was stopped by the very teacher she found herself mentored under.

Zelretch hummed while keeping a firm grip on Rin's shoulder. From the gate before him, he sensed a power quite similar to his own regarding parallel worlds known as the kaleidoscope.

Interesting indeed.

It was another world. There was no other observation to be made.

Shirou, Waver, and the small handful of magi that accompanied them through the Gate in Shirou's Reality marble were astounded when they reached the other side. It was a world within a world, but that wasn't enough to describe it. Different from UBW, life existed in various forms. Plants, trees, the air, the stars, they all held presence. If UBW was the manifestation of an inner world, then the place beyond the gate was a parallel dimension. It was surreal.

The topography ranged from rolling hills filled with lush grass, to thick forest canopies in the far horizon illuminated by the glow of the moon above. It was all so real that it could not have been produced through the work of magecraft. Instead, Waver and the other magi could not sense any form of magical control inherently found within a field imposing on reality such as UBW.

The feel of mana in the atmosphere, the sheer quantity of it largely untapped, left Waver and the other magi breathless.

"Gaia's influence, it's non-existent," a scholarly magus voiced the observation Waver had long since made. Moreover, there was higher overarching detail that everyone understood after a moment of contemplation.

"The Age of the Gods?" It was uttered in a whisper, but as magi who lived in a world where the rule of the Gods hand ended and the age of Man began, they were quickly able to deduce the differences.

The boundaries that separated myth from reality were stretched thin in the current plain. The Underworld may very well be the world beneath the ground, and the Heavens, temples and palaces hidden amidst the clouds.

"If the outcome of the trial wasn't already apparent from your ability to replicate Noble Phantasms, it is now." Waver said, directly addressing Shirou who still could not understand what was happening. "Looks like you're keeping your life, Emiya."

Shirou nodded mutely. He didn't know whether to be happy or not at his success, but his primary concern was still the fact that a random gate connecting to a parallel universe existed in UBW.

For Waver and the other Magi, a path to a genuine new world was filled with unexplored possibilities in research advancement. No doubt, the Clock Tower would place heavy interest in the exploration of said universe with the added benefit that the secrecy of magecraft may not necessarily need to be kept.

Secrecy mattered largely in the home world, and both Shirou and Waver could already picture what opportunities less humane magi would have should they gain access to this new world.

Shirou would not allow them entry should they jeopardize the safety of whatever inhabitants may live in the parallel world. He'd rather allow himself to die.

Contemplating to himself, Shirou remained silent as a few magi casted illumination spells in the area. It was night on the other side of the gate, and unlike in modern society filled with light pollution, the new world did not have that sort of problem. This meant it was pitch black in the middle of the night unless out in an open field within the glow of the moon. Even still, the area was dim.

One by one, the magi that followed along created spheres of light that hovered above their palms.

The gate's exit was situated at the top of a plateau adjacent to a hill. The reason the magi had casted light spells was to observe what was below the plateau. It had been several minutes already, but they'd been feeling an odd trembling on the ground. There was also a strong undercurrent that constantly blew warm air up and created a draft.

The anomalies occurring weren't natural. This much was clear. At the same time however, the other magi could feel strong currents of mana congregating down the plateau in a manner that was similar to magic gem stones siphoning energy.

Could they have found a precious resource? The temptation was too difficult to pass up, and if Rin were around, she too would be jumping at the chance since she specialized in gemcraft.

Without fully notifying Waver of their intentions, many magi shone their light spells down the side of the plateau and balked when the blinking eye of a large red-scaled reptile appeared in view.

It was humungous, its head the size of two men, and the magical power surrounding it causing many magi to balk.

"D-Dragon!"

In terms of Phantasmal Species, it was the epitome of power. The Clock Tower itself was said to have been built on the remains of a Dragon whose magical energy was said to have spawned a dungeon ground.

The magi paled at the sight of a real-life Dragon, and understanding the absurdity of trying to face one, quickly backed up as it released a roar.

Waver covered his face with an arm from the sheer pressure that the Dragon gave off with a single roar. However, it wasn't the same as the Dragons he was aware of. It was weaker, and didn't possess the overwhelming magical energy Dragons were said to flaunt. It seemed more like an overpowered wyvern than a Dragon, but its lethality couldn't be underestimated.

At first, it appeared as if it intended to attack them, but it faltered as its eyes landed on the gate Shirou and the others had emerged from. Growling, it expanded its wings and took to the skies much to the relief of the other magi.

Be that as it may Shirou could not keep still. Whatever reason the Red Dragon had for not attacking them, it didn't mean that it had lost its ire at being disturbed.

As a force of habit in unfamiliar situations he had a tendency to use automatic Reinforcement magecraft. It was a simple spell by a magi's standard that did as it was intended. Objects as flimsy as paper could be strengthened and fortified to the point where it could be as strong as a sword. The only down side was that if a magus wasn't careful about the structure of the material they were reinforcing, they posed the risk of shattering said item.

In this case, Shirou Reinforced his body, a fact that would have given most magi an aneurism for how stupid the idea was. A single mistake meant death, and in his persistence, Shirou had pulled it off.

Shirou's senses were enhanced to superhuman levels to the point where he could square off against even Servants for a limited amount of time.

In Shirou's eyes, he could see the Dragon soar towards what looked like nothing more than a mass of tightly grown trees, but Shirou saw them differently. The trees were large and hollowed, figures racing madly within them after spotting the Dragon's approach.

What Shirou was seeing wasn't just a patch of forest, it was something known as an Elven village, not that Shirou would care if he was saving elves or not. He'd never once differentiated between lives worth saving.

Shirou's hands balled into fists. Waver and the others couldn't quite react to it yet, but already, he could hear the screams, feel the terror and despair the Dragon was causing.

When the flames spewed from the Dragon's mouth set the village on fire, it was then that Waver took note of the situation and thinned his lips.

The lecturer in Waver had him considering all viable options, and he knew that there was no shortage of magi that would kill to get the opportunity to hunt and study a Dragon. The materials were of the highest quality, but the problem was time. Going back through the gate, explaining the situation, and then hurrying over would take too long.

It was a pity. Waver concluded. The figures living in the trees could have been a valuable source of information.

A Dragon wasn't something that they could deal with easily even if it was a parallel world. They had to act rationally, and not do anything stupid

To that regard, Waver was already getting a headache. "Emiya don't you dare!" he called out.

Already, Shirou had his legs bent at the knees, and a sharp look in his gaze.

Shirou shook his head at Waver, and then he was gone.

Waver pinched the bridge of his nose and grimaced. He wouldn't admit that he was impressed at Shirou's speed, or that the determined look on his face reminded him far too much of a certain red-head's final charge.

Was he doomed to be forever dragged around by the whims of individuals with no consideration to his own workload and safety?

A memory flashed in Waver's mind, and suddenly he threw aside his rationality.

Then again, it wasn't exactly a bad thing.

'Glory lies beyond the horizon.'

"Follow the fool," Waver grumbled while sprinting forward.

Hunting a Dragon.

A Grand Conquest it shall be.

To live with nature, was to truly live with the world. The earth gives and provides. There were animals to hunt, food and wild berries to forage, and bountiful water to drink from clear river springs.

This was the way of life of the elves, and now it was no more.

No. No. This couldn't be happening.

A lone elf with flowing blond hair and pointed ears ran hurriedly over the wooden bridges that connected the elder trees together with sturdy vines. She was barefoot and hopping from plank to plank that made up each rope bridge. In her haste, she'd not even put on her sandals and was only wearing her green sleeping gown.

It was the dead of the night, the stars overhead shining brightly, and no one could have predicted the looming disaster on the village. The elf pursed her lips and hurried onward.

Her name was Tuka Luna Marceau. She was an elf no older than a young woman in elf years that still heavily relied on the guidance of her father whom she assumed was safeguarding her younger sister.

Quickly.

Despite the burning sensation in her legs, she forced herself to keep moving.

Tuka had not once questioned her way of life. She had absorbed everything she knew from her father, and understood that she had to keep calm, but the situation was just too much.

Why was a dragon attacking?

Her brows furrowed, her anxiety eating away at her.

The village was in flames, and Tuka did not know how many elves had already perished in the growing blaze. Leaves from the great trees fluttered down in copious burnt flakes like snow. Her eyes stung while navigating through the smoke, ashes and soot clinging to her body.

Help. Please.

She didn't know how long she could survive this, and already she could feel herself weakening. Painful blisters had formed over her feet, and each step agonized her as she was forced to traverse through burning wood. At the point where she felt that she couldn't persevere any longer, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her.

Blearily, she looked up into the concerned gaze of her father. He was strapped and equipped with the elven village's greatest hunting armour. Slung over his shoulder was an elven longbow that she'd seen skewer through even the toughest of forest predators.

A sight that would ordinarily fill Tuka with confidence failed to do so at the prospect of fighting against a Dragon.

"Tuka," her father called out her name, but Tuka felt too exhausted to respond.

Sighing, Tuka felt her father carry her in his arms through the flames in the trees and down towards the ground. It didn't take Tuka long to register where her father was taking her, and it was at the moment when her father placed her in the village water well and tried to leave that Tuka spoke out.

"Papa, don't leave!" She called desperately. Fear and terror had caused her eyes to water and she was desperately clinging onto her father as her one source of comfort. However, her father remained adamant.

What could he do against a dragon on his own?

If anything, what Tuka failed to realize was that her father was gladly willing to lay down his life to draw the Dragon away after securing the safety of both of his daughters.

"Stay here, and don't come out!" Tuka's father warned her severely.

No. NO! I don't want to be alone.

"I understand, papa," Tuka could not voice her true thoughts aloud in the face of her father's determination, but her expression said it all.

Tuka's father faltered at Tuka's despondence, but in this moment, the unbelievable occurred.

Tuka and her father looked up to the sky where the Red Dragon was breathing fire down from the heavens. It was nothing more than an ant compared to the dragon's size, but a figure was streaking through the air with unimaginable speed.

A human?

It was difficult to make out through the smoky haze, but the absence of pointy ears was enough for Tuka and her father to draw conclusions from.

What was it? What was he intending on doing?

The answer was difficult to accept even as the scene occurred right in front of Tuka's eyes.

"-Steel is my body."

A voice carried in the wind.

"-Fire is my blood."

Uncaring of the wall of flames the dragon spewed out, the figure continued forward unhindered even as the Dragon seemed to sense something and desperately shifted out of the way.

Spinning, shifting, gathering momentum, it all reached a single conclusion.

"The Evil Dragon falls at the beginning of the twilight."

A burst of blue light illuminated the sky, forcing Tuka and her father to shield their eyes, and when next they looked up, the Red Dragon had crashed into the earth, large tears on the surface of its leathery wings.

It roared, flight crippled.

A Hero had come.

Thanks for reading!

P a treon. com (slash) Parcasious

Next update: Fate-In Time

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Links to the book can be found here: Fatedlegacydark. ca

Summary of book:

Death. Grief. Ruin. Nothing was left unchanged after an unexplained tragedy led to the loss of millions across the world in key locations. Cities were reduced to wastelands of steel and concrete, and many were forced into migration. When events leading to the prior tragedy occur once more, Kevin Black was going to have to learn that sometimes mysteries were better left unsolved. Trapped with his friends in the world of a ruined city filled with monsters, the journey out would be far more perilous than the journey in.