Prologue

Fate.

A thing defined by so many as a predestined path we all must follow.

An idea, that many others seized with all their might and ensured their wishes came to pass.

Fate.

A power that would ensure the fourth Holy Grail war would end in chaos, and that Shirou Emiya would be raised as a hero of justice and defeat the King of Heroes to save the world. Only for him then to fall into a darker path of naught but torment and failure.

Fate.

The entity that spanned all time and would one day ensure they Ruby Rose stood before a giant sea faring beast and defeated it with naught but silver eyes. But only after the betrayal of her greatest teacher and the lies he spread.

And yet, despite all things that allowed Fate to do so, there was still one thing even Fate itself could not control.

Choice. The choice of a broken man to save a small boy in a fire, and to betray the King of Knights.

The choice of a young girl dashing across her ruined school to save a friend atop a ruined tower.

But what Fate… and all those who believed in it did not account for… was that everything had a choice.

And as Kiritsugu Emiya stared at the Holy Grail realizing that the once pure creation was corrupted with all the world's evils, he chose to reject it.

Without a moment's hesitation, he interrupted the legendary battle between the King of Knights and the King of Heroes.

He ordered the King of Knights to do the unthinkable and destroy the Grail. She didn't want to, she resisted.

And as the Grail poured out it's curses, she was forced to obey her master.

She screamed with anger, but her body didn't respond and her sword glowed with holy light.

It's power was nearly unmatched and the curses of All the World's Evils would be almost completely cleansed by it.

Destroyed and weakened, but it live on to wreak havoc ten years later.

Yet, Kiritsugu Emiya rejected the Grail and made his choice.

The Knight of Knights resisted him and made her choice.

The King of Heroes cursed his fellows Servants master. And swore to collect his treasure. His choice was made.

The master of the Golden hero, a fake priest cursed with horrible desires, wished for a chance for the world to burn, yet accepted his death.

But the Grail…

All the World's Evils, wasn't given a choice. It would be forced to give it's wish to a man that would ultimately bring it's destruction.

Yet…

As the world slowed around it, and Angra Mainyu cursed humanity once more, it realized something.

A flaw it hadn't thought of before.

It's wish would be given to Kiritsugu yet the man rejected it. It's wish given to Kirie, though it couldn't have known the future, would end in it's demise at the hands of both an Emiya and the King of Knights.

But it realized something.

The wish, belonged to the winning master… and Servant.

And thought it lacked eyes, it looked towards the King of Knights.

It saw her being. Her soul. Her dream…

A hill soaked in blood and tears with none but her standing atop it alive.

Her regret.

And her wish.

Her wish to save a kingdom.

Saving a kingdom…

Yes that would do.

And as the power of Excalibur realized it's potential, as it's light seared the curses and evil, Angra Mainyu found itself prepared to fulfill the wish of Arturia Pendragon.

But not here… no, this world had caused problems, and Gaia would surely intervene with one of her Guardians to defend herself.

This world would see it's demise, this it could feel. This it knew.

But this world would ensure it's own death, and the rules of the Grail, of the true magic, did not confine it to this world alone.

What of other world's?

And as the light of Excalibur raced towards it, the King of Knights as frustrated as pained by the loss of her wish, All the World's Evils decided on a world.

Not the world of Heroes in suits of metal and green raged monsters leaping through the air to valiantly protect humanity.

Or the one of a young boy wielding the elements with blazing fury to defend the world from a tyrant.

None of those, nor the dozens of others it saw would do.

Then there was the world with a shattered moon, but more importantly, a world with a kingdom… no… kingdoms, in need of saving. A world that was naught but a remnant of its former glory.

The perfect place for the servants wish. For a chance to save.

And for a chance for it to escape Gaia and finally fulfill its purpose.

A chance was all the King needed… was all it needed. Not results, just a chance.

And so the Grail reached into the true magic of it's world, to the Root itself, and pulled.

It's power swirled around itself and those present.

But it realized that Kiritsugu could not be allowed to come. That man's dream and rejection of it would only infect the King of Knights.

So it released it's hold on him.

Then… a presence pressed on it. A light so to speak.

Fear raced through the corruption.

Gaia. She noticed.

Power spread throughout the city of Fuyuki. Angra Mainyu could feel the Counter Guardians being summoned for it. It could feel the pure anger rolling off of Gaia.

It was trying to change Fate and Gaia would not allow such a thing.

It had to act!

It couldn't wait! It couldn't plan! Just action!

So with all the power it could steal from the Root, Angra Mainyu forced itself and all those touched by its corruption into and through the Root, and into the world with a shattered moon.

And with a final flash, All the World's Evils changed the Fate of everything.

But it failed to notice the single speck of light, a single being of the Counter Force, that hitched along for the ride.

Ruby Rose stared at the darkness before her, at the Apathy; the Grim that sucked the very will to live from any in its path.

They moved closer, long limbs swaying at their sides and demonic groans filling the air as she failed to stand.

This couldn't be it.

This couldn't be how they died, how they failed.

But… she was so tired… maybe rest would be nice.

Just a chance to close her eyes.

And as the world faded in Ruby's eyes, as the darkness began to swallow her whole, Fate changed.

Though she knew not; a power not of her world entered the very realm she lived in, and sped across the universe to Remnant.

A wish was complete.

And as the wish was completed, three red marks appeared on her right hand, the pain not even registering as the Apathy drained her.

Then a flash of light.

So you are my master. A girl not even capable of standing. Pity.

Clarity slammed into her like a freight train at full speed, her eyes widening as particles of light formed into a man right before her.

He was tan, snow white hair crowning his head, a dark red jacket and black body armor adorning a body fit for battle and war.

Grey eyes stared down at her, disapproval radiating from the mind inside them, yet a strange compassion flaming from the heart behind them.

She shook, her body struggling to breath, "who…"

The man opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the soul wrenching shriek of the dozens of Apathy behind him.

With an amount of disinterest that rivaled the arrogance of Jacques Schnee, she watched as the man looked behind him and to the Grim.

"Now what are you?" He asked with a smirk, but only as four blades suddenly appeared above him, light literally forming their bodies from nothing.

Then the blades moved, as fast- no, faster, than Ruby could move even at the peak of her speed.

The Grim didn't stand a chance.

Each blade impacted with enough force to equal four of Nora's grenades, but without the shrapnel. They simply hit, ripped apart their first target then continued on and tore through at least four or five more before disappearing.

And with each that fell, Ruby felt her very life return, air filling her lungs with life and in turn her body with strength.

Heart racing as it understood her exact predicament.

Adrenaline pumping throughout as she pushed herself up and unfurled Crescent Rose.

Five apathy stood in the hole leading to the cellar. They twisted and shrieked, their heads twitching plenty as they reached towards her and the man.

Yet by the time she stood one more sword had appeared and with a sonic boom, cones of air blasting out from the sword, the sword flew forward into the ground and detonated.

The ground erupted into rock and flame, the roof caving in on the Grim, not only crushing them into paste but sealing the cellar from the sewers beneath the town.

The dust settled and Ruby couldn't help but stare wide eyed at the man before her.

She wasn't one normally to curse but…

"What the hell…"

She blinked and looked around, seeing Yang leaning against a wall, eyes red yet laced with fear as she too stared at the red clad man.

Weiss was also standing, though she had her rapier out and pointed at the man's throat, eyes cold and angry as the life had returned to her.

She noticed Blake on the other hand was standing further away, her face in a snarl and her weapons drawn while Maria, the old woman with robot eyes, simply looked up at the man with a curious smile.

It was… an odd situation at the least.

She wondered if-

"Master, I have to ask if these people are your allies. If not I can simply cut them down where they stand."

His smirk never left and his voice was full of amusement as he looked around before his eyes settled on Ruby.

She blinked.

Wait…

"Wait me?!" She shrieks, taking a step back with a shake of her head, "I'm not anyone's master!"

The man chuckled, "I'm not referring to any secret desires of yours-" a blush instantly bloomed on the girls face as Maria snorted in amusement, "-but rather the three commands seals on your hand."

He nodded looking downwards, and she followed his eyes towards-

"What the heck?!" She jumped, shaking her hand as three dark red tattoos stared her in the face.

"Ruby, when did that happen?" Weiss asked, shock clearly written on her face.

"I don't know!"

Once more the man chuckled earning the ire of all four teenagers in his immediate vicinity.

It was then Yang stepped forward, her arms reared back and her eyes full red as she readied her weapons.

"All right pal, you better start talking."

The man looked at her with a raised eyebrow and smirked.

Four swords appeared above him, all aimed at Yang.

"Stop!" She yelled and instantly one of the marks on her hand vanished in a flash of light.

The man twitched and spun to face her, his face in a scowl and all amusement wiped from it, "did you waste a command seal just to keep me from intimidating her!"

Ruby blinked.

"What?"

The man blinked back, then sighed.

"Command seals?" he asked, his voice lowered and tempered with curiosity.

Ruby shrugged.

"The war?"

"Uhhhh… the war against the Grim?"

There was silence as the man stared at her with wide eyes.

"We're doomed."

Jon Arc stared at the sky, his mind racing as the sun hung high and bore down it's heat on all of Argus.

His fingers tensed, and his foot tapped impatiently against the cold stone sidewalk beneath him.

It'd been days since he'd beard from Ruby. After the train crash he had been sure they would have taken a day or so more to find their way to Argus but he was nervous.

She hadn't called yet.

Nora and Ren had told him not to worry, and headed off to the store for groceries for dinner, but how could he not!

Last time he had left a friend behind…

He closed his eyes and slowed his breath as the adrenaline started to rush and his heart sped up.

If Ruby fell like Pyrrha… Remnant only knows what he would do.

But Cinder was dead, so he didn't have to worry about her. Plus, her team AND Ozpin were there with her.

Nothing short of Salem herself could stop them and he was confident that demon was nowhere on the continent.

His heart slowed.

With a sigh he opened his eyes and ran a hand through his hair.

She would be fine.

She was Ruby and she people all around her.

"Man I gotta calm down…" he chuckled out loud, slowly sighing once more before turning back towards his sister's house.

He wondered about the house for a moment and if he'd one day be able to find a family of his own. Granted he didn't want one right now, way to young for that still, but it was a nice thought.

Granted only after he avenged Pyrrha and helped Ruby and Ozpin take down Salem. It's not like she was invincible or anything!

She could fall too.

And he'd be sure to avenge Pyrrha.

He had to.

If he didn't-

Pain.

"Ow!" He braked wiggling his hand as pain shot up his arm. He looked down, wondering if a bee or something had- "whoa."

Three red marks- no tattoos- stared back at him from his hand.

What the heck!

He'd never had any tattoos! What was this-

A flash of light behind him had him spinning on the spot, the few passerbys in the street freezing and looking to what stood before him.

Not what.

Who.

A short woman. Blonde with a flowing blue dress adorned with silver armor. He could've confused her for a long lost sister if he had seen her just walking down the street- but she had literally appeared after a flash of light.

He wasn't dense enough to realize-

"I ask you."

The voice.

It was kind, and even beautiful in a sense… but it carried a weight behind it, a weight of power and command.

Like… like the voice of a.. king.

"Are you worthy to be my master?"

A/N this is a pure passion project of mine. I've been wanting to write this longer than I've had the Darkest Knight published and just never had the guts to write it.

But I wrote it so here's the first chapter. Two servant and masters.

We'll see how it goes but I plan to finish this just cause I want to, and I hope someone will find enjoyment out of it.

Any take care and God bless.

-Metal4k