A/N: A rewrite of the original, I've deleted the previous one and I'm writing it again from scratch, the original one was also under the same title. (A title I thought was cool back then, and I'm keeping it again for nostalgia's sake)

Chapter 1: Hope rekindled

She watched as the humans, her children, burned in the flames created due to their own folly.

They were the ones who created this...so-called All the Worlds' Evil.

She wouldn't take action though. Her love for her children was there, but so was her hate. After giving them all her boundless love, all she received in return was pain and anguish, It was too much for her to bear.

She watched quietly, as she had always done from her plane. Her prison.

Trapped in this hollow world, all she could do to keep herself idle was to watch the true world.

This world that only allowed her to 'see' had 'touched' upon this scene. Thus out of everything, this place in the far east of the world had stolen her focus.

Normally, she wouldn't care for an event such as this, but something kept her attention on it.

She had an inkling as to who it was; it was a simple nudge from one like her, a being that represented a 'concept'.

As if telling her it was worth it. And she accepted the request, as it was from someone who had never betrayed her and had consoled her when it all happened.

But she truly wondered what she would gain from watching something so insignificant.

In the beginning, he felt pain.

A pain so great he thought he would be better off dead. A morbid thought for a 10-year-old, but one that was shared amongst everyone here.

The flames did not only burn one physically, but it also induced pain on a psychological level as well.

These feelings were not his own; the hate, the anger, the apathy and those he could not understand.

For him specifically, it did more than just burn him and induce pain. It slowly burned away all that made him human, until all that was left was the final thing the flame parted to him.

He did not know why it was so, nor could he bring himself to care.

His entire being was slowly overwritten with curses. Ones that were so vile that it made the worst of poisons seem plain in comparison. But as soon as the cures were beginning to set in place, everything was burned away. Every time he'd feel something, they would be burned away and imparted with excruciating pain.

He had blankly realised the flames themselves were comprised of curses, but why would they imprint the curses onto him only to burn it away soon after?

The answer came to him when another wave of pain wracked him.

'Ah, So that's why?' he thought to himself as the apathy returned. Because no matter how minuscule, the curses would make him feel something no matter how evil. And this would ignite the will to live, only to be snuffed out soon after.

This form of torture was truly something only Hell offered.

Dying really would be the better alternative, but something forced him to continue walking. So he walked onwards, without really knowing why. Only being guided by his instincts, "What for?" He asked himself. Then he heard a voice, one so fragile and soft, he wouldn't have heard it normally.

"Aaaaaahhhh~"

A melodic voice played by his ears, and although he knew not of any language that sounded like that. For some reason, he was able to understand.

"I...I want it...I want to...live"

His voice was weak and broken due to all the smoke he had inhaled, but this voice was as clear as day.

And so, a deal was made, a pact forged and a bond rekindled.

He wondered, where did it all go wrong?

He had done all he could. He had fought hard for his one chance at accomplishing his dream.

But what had he gotten in return?

Nothing, instead; he'd lost it all. He really shouldn't have expected anything from the start. His wife had died for nothing, and chances are he wouldn't be able to see his daughter anymore.

Even still, he staggered through the flaming landscape, intent on saving at least one person. Maybe, he would be able to save himself as a result…

His expression turned frantic as his search so far hadn't borne fruit, but he wouldn't give up. No, he couldn't give up.

'One..at least one' His plea, which he was sure went unheard by whatever existence watched over them, had turned into an obsession.

And that's when he saw him.

One boy, who staggered towards him, as the accursed flames marred his clothes. Yet, uncaring of them, he kept on stumbling forward. One unsteady step at a time.

Kiritsugu remained rooted where he was, tears started flowing unabashed. It wasn't long before the boy stumbled and fell down.

Having finally regained his senses Kintsugu rushed towards him as fast as he could, he kneeled down in front of him and took note of his injuries. He grimaced a bit before he promptly brought out the treasure he had with him. The one said to grant immortality to its wielders.

Avalon.

It was the sheath of Excalibur and a noble phantasm of the highest rank.

Without even blinking, he held it out in front of the boy as it turned golden motes of light before entering the injured boy's body. Slowly but surely, the boy's wounds began to close... Having finally managed to save him, he allowed the tears to fall even more and hugged the boy close to his chest.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

He didn't really know who he was showing his gratitude towards, nor did he care after all his pain and sacrifices. He had managed to do it. He had been able to become a hero of justice to at least one person.

Unbeknownst to him, all these events played out exactly as she had wanted. She wasn't familiar with how much energy a human being could hold. So instead of endangering him by mana overdose, she controlled the boy's already unconscious body. Doing so seamlessly, she led it towards the one person in the vicinity, who had the power to heal him of his injuries. No matter how much she hated it, she had given a chance—a chance for one of her children to love her, so that she may love in return.

That's when a voice echoed in her mind.

"Vessel...grant power.
Change fate. Avoid extinction.
Restrictions removed.
Proceeding with the creation of Type. confirm cooperation?"

"Ahh~"

"Affirming response, imparting world egg.
Accessing Akasha for reference... match found.
Confirming data, adding parameters.

Initiating project; 'The Game'"

Emiya Kiritsugu watched with rapt attention as the boy's body started healing at a visible rate, although he was slightly confused as to why the wounds were healing so fast. He wouldn't question it.

Because even now, the happiness he felt, by rescuing the boy failed to recede.

"Hoh? So you were here, master of Saber" a haughty voice resounded from behind him, and Kiritsugu's mind stopped momentarily.

'It shouldn't be possible! Why is Archer still here!?' he thought to himself as he slowly turned around.

And although he had prepared himself to face the Queen of heroes; what he saw left him dumbfounded.

A small girl who looked around 10, her golden hair cascading down her head to her lower back. Her crimson irises gazing back at him with contempt, She was dressed in her golden armour which seemed to have shrunk alongside her.

Last he had checked, Gilgamesh was without a doubt an adult.

"I am not here for you Master of Saber. I am here for the boy, I would recommend for you not to get in my way" She crossed her arms against her chest as she looked down on the Magus killer.

Kiritsugu quickly got over his surprise and was about to pull out his gun before a pain erupted from his chest. Looking down he saw black sludge forming on his clothes as it quickly caught fire. He gripped his chest but still stood protectively over the unconscious boy.

Gilgamesh for her part simply snorted at the scene.

"I wish you neither you nor the boy any harm, for the boy is now my Master" Gilgamesh waved her arms as a golden portal opened behind her and a sword shot out towards the Magus killers chest.

The sword pierced through his chest but it did not injure him, instead, it had weakened the curse on his body. Quickly processing the scene for what it was he came to the conclusion.

"...I'm coming for you Illya" He whispered to himself with renewed hope. Saving the boy had allowed himself to be saved as well.

I honestly wanted to make this chapter bigger, but I felt like it would take longer than it already did.

I'm lazy like that.

I'm not gonna say stuff like "I'm back" or "I'm sorry I've been gone for so long"

Life's a bitch, what can I say.

Anyways, I've joined this fanfic server filled with degenerates and weebs; just like me.

In fact, you would probably know some of the guys on the server maybe. Anyways I'm not forcing you but please do join so I can rub it in the face of the other

Discord. gg/ V54pcwA

With that, Adieu