Disclaimer: I don't own Fate Stay Night or Dragon age.

Chapter One: The Shards of Darkness

The night over Fuyuki city was dark, the light pollution that normally lit up the sky and blinded the moon was being smothered. Miasmic clouds conjured by foul magics slithered across the sky ensnaring the stars above. Civilians below looked up, some in fascination, others in horror. Those old enough to remember had seen something similar ten years ago before the great fire had stricken the city.

Within the blackness of that storm a single lance of light pierced the maelstrom.

"Avalon!"

The shouted cry of two souls in need split the darkness that the corrupted grail of Fuyuki had cast over the city. Golden light rained down over the city bringing hope to all who saw it, whether they saw it as fireworks or some other less mundane miracle, all those that saw it were filled with the exalted feeling of hope.

The sheath of the holy sword Excalibur showered down on the dual users of Saber and Shirou granting them the concept of "The Ever Distant Utopia".

"Enuma Elish!"

Words declared from the golden king Gilgamesh of Uruk, and now King of Heroes unleashed the alien power that was Ea. The legendary weapon that was said to have separated the sky from the earth. A beam of rose tinted power surged towards Saber signalling her impending defeat.

Green eyes opened with formidable purpose and relief, the light of her sheath and greatest ideal showered down upon her granting the invulnerability that came with being ever distant to her enemies. Sweat prickled her brow as she readied herself against the incoming attack. This would be her last chance, she would have to devote everything to this and hold nothing back. Gilgamesh had to be defeated, for herself, the world and Shirou.

Placing her holy sword in a guard position across her body she met the attack head on. With an earth shattering crack Excalibur met the energy blast. Stepping into the attack, Saber cast it aside with a single powerful sweep of her blade. The rebounded energy reflected back in the direction of its original caster, surrounding Gilgamesh on all sides with three columns of energy.

Clutching Excalibur tightly in both hands she locked eyes on the monster of a man before her, a servant corrupted by the polluted grail of the fourth Holy Grail war. Finally their battle that started during the previous war would be ended. His silted red eyes narrowed on her, surprised at the light display moments ago and the seemingly contemptuous ease with which she dealt with his attack.

With not a moment to loose Saber bolted forward with a cry on her lips, this one blow would end it, he couldn't escape on either side or above. Everything would gamble on this single move. Discarding all defence and relying on Avalon entirely she dispelled her armour and focused all of her power into a prana burst. Launching herself across the distance between them with all the speed she could muster.

"EX—"

"Enuma Eli-!"

"-CALIBUR!"

The speed with which she struck the golden king was immense, shearing through his armour and chest in one fatal blow. Her blade Excalibur unleashing a small version of her main attack at close range to ensure Gilgamesh's defeat.

Gilgamesh gurgled in pain having felt the holy blade pass through his chest with incredible speed, far greater than he had expected from the weakened heroin. His eyes widened and then closed, his lips falling into a smirk as he realised the full depths of his Saber's power. Truly the one true untouchable unattainable treasure was Saber's real power.

"The utopia that kings are said to reach after their deaths." Saber's eyes widened under the shadow of her fringe, "The ultimate defense that repels even the Five Magics and allows no interference from others…"

"Is that your noble phantasm, the real power of your legendary holy sword?" blood poured from the sundered armour and his mouth. His hand reached forward and gently caressed Saber's cheek, too stunned to pull back Saber looked up into his scarlet silted eyes.

"You resist me to the very end." He smirked, "But I shall allow it! Some things are beautiful for the very reason that they are unattainable…"

Saber listened and watched as his form faded away, his words resounding within her. With no more time to think she sprinted off towards where she felt the Holy Grail was and Shirou.

Shirou Emiya gasped in relief, free from the bewitching corrupted mud produced by the festering grail all directed by his enemy. His circuits burned as he regained focus and glared across at his opponent Kirei Kotomine. The exalted feeling of Avalon faded leaving him bereft of the reminder of the woman he loved.

"P-Projection magic?" Kotomine questioned, stunned that such an inferior magus could free himself from the clutches of the polluted grail's curses.

With no time to loose Shirou performed what physical enhancement he could and charged across the distance between them.

Kotomine by no means made it easy for him to close the distance, slinging corrupted mud like demented fire balls, filling the air between them. Shirou pushed his reinforcement even further he nimbly dodged around the disgusting attacks.

"KOTOMINE! DIE!" screamed Shirou, his eyes locked on the man as he dodged the last cursed fireball.

Clutching Tohsaka's dagger in his right hand he deftly darted forward thrusting the dagger directly into Kotomine's black heart. The blade squelched as it pierced the soft tissues between the rotten man's ribs.

"Uraggh!" Kotomine eyes widened in horror, he had never imagined the Emiya boy could be so fast.

Shirou clenched his left hand filling it with prana as he swung for the dagger hilt. Shirou shouted the activation incantation of the Azoth dagger.

"läßt"

The explosion of Tohsaka's magical energy built up within the dagger tore apart the man's body turning it into naught but shreds. His startled pained eyes fading from Shirou's sight in a blast of white purifying light.

He grasped Illyasviel's small form from the polluted grail's stinking energy, her nude form rested peacefully into his waiting arms.

Shirou had no time to celebrate as Saber resplendent only in her dress arrived striding towards the writhing rift of polluted energy that was the greater grail.

"I will destroy the Holy Grail."

The declaration came easily from her mouth and told nothing of her internal conflict. Doing this would separate her from Shirou. For the first time in her long life she had met someone that she could relate to….someone that she could love. The thought of leaving him was tearing her up, she didn't know if she could do as she had so confidently declared.

Her face remained stoic as she strode forward placing herself between the grail and Shirou, with her back to him he could not see her shining eyes.

"Master, your order." She asked tonelessly, "I cannot destroy it unless you order me to."

It was a cruel fate to be placed in this position twice with an Emiya, the first time unwilling, the second also unwilling but for reasons that could not be more in opposition.

She silently pleaded with Shirou to bolster her resolve with the command seal, she wasn't sure she could do it otherwise.

"Please use your last command seal" she intoned softly, revealing a hint of her internal strife.

She could feel the hesitance from him almost like a physical feeling, he was equally reluctant she knew but she needed his strength now more than ever.

"Shirou. Please let me hear you say it" she turned to look him in the eye, her face once again composed into a stoic mask.

Shirou's eyes closed to her and he seemed to focus inward; she turned back towards the grail content that he would understand her and her need.

"Saber, please fulfill your duty." The intoned formal statement came from the person she loved most, it cost him as dearly as it did her. He truly did understand.

The compulsion of the command seal activated strengthening her resolve and power. She clasped Excalibur before her and charged her power within it. The blade lit up like the sun a true purifying holy light, focusing inward she raised the blade above her and gathered more energy, small lights began to flood the area as she charged her attack.

With a single utterance of exertion she struck down with her blade pouring the attack like a surging lance directly into the grail. Her thoughts at that moment were of relief but also of great sadness, she accepted their parting and that she could do nothing more for her people, not anymore.

The grail exploded into a blast of light far greater than the last time she had performed the same act. It expanded rapidly, surging towards herself and Shirou seeking to envelop them. Shirou…! She turned trying to reach Shirou before the blast. Their hands brushed her eyes desperate to reach him.

Saber! He struggled for Saber's hand as he clutched Illyasviel closer to himself, trying to shield her small body from the blast.

Their hands met, and the last thing they saw were the shards of darkness scattering through the light as all went black.

Authors note:

First time I've written fanfiction I've written some before but never uploaded for public view, it was mostly for my own interest. But this plot bunny just wouldn't leave me alone and I wanted to know what people thought of it. It's a short snippet but I wanted to know what people would think of the style.

Yes I choose Fate true ending for Shirou as UBWs is just so over used that it's not even funny. Fate Shirou is very powerful in his own way he can project a perfect copy of Avalon arguable the most OP item in the entire Nasu verse. His connection to Saber is also unique allowing Avalon to be used by both of them in unison. Both of them are also caught up in doing the right thing and their duty that I can't help but feel for them.

I wanted to do this intro chapter in depth and not just brush off the last few moments of Fate as they are very important to the shaping of their respective characters.

Saber always seemed so strong and business like in the anime I wanted to portray that her outwards resolve was but a mask especially in that last scene.

I wrote this scene from Saber's perspective because we all know what Shirou is thinking during this scene and his resolve to do right by Saber no matter the personal cost to himself.

Illyasviel may well survive if they get her to a healer, but she will never be the same not after her experience with the grail her body will be weakened even if she survives and will need a healer "nurse" aid her ailing body. As to how long she might live that's up for debate. I want some opinions on this honestly.

This is just a pilot chapter I haven't thought about where they will end up in Thedas or when. Perhaps some suggestions. I want to thrash out a proper plot before I continue. Lothering long a couple of years before the blight? Kirkwall? Hell even Orlais, this will not follow canon to any realistic degree it's not about the Hero of Fereldan or the Inquisitor or Hawke. I'll be using my own personal versions of the heroes in this fic. They are important but they are not the main focus.

Also I have plans for Shirou and his language barrier, Thedas will speak English or "the common tongue" Saber will have to centre stage in interaction with people and in teaching Shirou her language. No Spontaneous "Oh I can talk to these people randomly" in this fic. POV will switch back and forth between Shirou and Saber granting us separate points of view on issues.

I'm considering how Excalibur would match up against an Archdemon and wondering if it might be effective. It can destroy corrupted grails filled with all of humanities evil….doesn't that sound like the blight? The physical representation of humanities hubris? Somehow I would believe that it would make sense for the crystallised hope of victory and glory of humanity to be able to destroy the corrupt dragon or at the very least wound it in some permanent fashion. Again I would like some opinions in reviews :p

Anyway chiao for now!