Disclaimer: I do NOT own Fate/Stay Night or any other elements of the Nasuverse. If I did, then instead of reading this fanfic you would be watching a spinoff.

A/N: This was one of the many ideas that resulted from the thought of Shirou being a competent and trained mage when entering the Holy Grail War. Hope you like it!

The world was on fire. Ash clinged to the charred ground like gently fallen snow. All around him, buildings creaked and cracked as they were licked at by the never relenting flames. Scorching, stifling heat filled the air as much as the smoke filled his lungs. He lay there among the wreckage, staring blankly skyward, already knowing that he had no chance of surviving this catastrophe. This wasn't a fire. It wasn't a conflagration. It was something more, something which would burn everyone and everything to ash, something indescribable in the words of man. He could feel the flames closing in on him, hunting him as if they had a mind of their own. The others had already been consumed, their dying screams teetering off long ago. But all he could think about was the hole in the sky.

It was the blackest thing he'd ever seen, like no light could possibly penetrate its murky depths. Its very presence distorted the air around it, turning it into a sort of ring, centered around that black sun. But unlike a black hole, it didn't swallow anything. Instead, destruction fell from it, molten flames spilling down to the Earth, the heavens raining down fire on the city he used to call home.

And then the hole was concealed by smog, and when it faded, it was as if it was never there to begin with, the only sign of its existence being the destruction surrounding him, pervading him. He could feel the heat, the terror, the death, but it meant nothing. It held no meaning anymore, not when he was dying too. But still, he felt indignant that the source of this destruction, this chaos, was no longer here. The result was horrible. But the source itself had been beautiful.

A figure came into his vision. It was a man dressed in black clothes, tears of joy in his eyes as the man gripped the boy's hand, cradling it to his cheek, all the while repeatedly muttering gratitude. And the boy found himself jealous of this stranger, who was able to smile so widely from the very depths of his soul. He didn't understand it. Why was this man so happy? How could he be so happy? Why couldn't he feel the same?

Golden light spilled from the man, filling the boy with a warm feeling as the light invaded his body, chasing away the darkness and pain. He could breathe easier, he didn't feel so light-headed, and the burns covering his body felt less scorching.

And then the man fell, smile still upon his face, a dagger erupting from his chest. The man landed beside him, and as the light left his eyes, he once again muttered his thanks.

A new man filled his vision, a smile upon his face as well. It was wrong. This wasn't the same smile he'd seen on the other man, of joy and overwhelming belief. It was wrong, plain and simple, a twisting depraved grin, his eyes reflecting the surrounding fire and destruction. The man laughed a low deep laugh, and still chuckling, kissed the cross hanging from his neck.

A/N: And the prologue is complete. Rest assured, the actual chapters will be much longer. I plan on continuing this for at least a few chapters but ultimately it will depend on reactions from readers. Reviews help and I will get more of the story out the more praise I get.

Read, review, and trace on.