A/N: Hey, everyone! Welcome to my first "Fate/stay night" fic! I've been a fan of the franchise ever since I watched Studio Deen's rendition of it a couple of years back (yes, I watched it all the way through and enjoyed it) and that fascination skyrocketed after I saw Ufotable's "Fate/Zero" adaptation all the way through (still my number-one anime after all this time!). Writing a "Fate/stay night" fic is something that's been bugging my mind for so long, and it's been one of my top goals in life pretty much, so I do hope I get this right for everyone! :D

Now, before I begin, I would like to make one thing clear to everyone: I'm an anime-only viewer.

Yes, an anime-only viewer. I've only watched all the anime "Fate" has to offer; I don't have the original visual novel or any of the light novels, manga, games, etc., etc., and I am not aware of any places near my area that sell those stuff. I know I can just buy them online, but that'll cost money, and I'm the kind of person who wants to do nothing with his money but save it up as much as humanely possible. Plus, I've never been a believer in purchasing stuff online; I prefer to buy things off the shelf in person (please don't judge).

I know that this kind of following puts me in a terrible position in terms of understanding the Nasuverse, at least without research, because I understand that the Nasuverse is probably one of the more complicated universes to fully understand. Do not worry. I have the research part down. As in, I spent a crazy amount of time researching about the inner workings of the Nasuverse, down to the last detail that I know of. I have read other fics and whatever detailed posts and comments I can find online, and I especially used the Type-Moon Wikia to my advantage. I know it's probably not enough, but I'm pretty confident that I am more well-informed right now than when I was watching Studio Deen's anime.

However, just in case, I urge you all to be on the lookout for any continuity errors on my part, errors that goes against all rules and logic of the Nasuverse, and REPORT it to me, either in your review or a PM. I will make respond if necessary and then fix the error. I really want to write a good "Fate/stay night" fic for you all, one that makes sense, and just like in any other fanfic, I can't do that without the help of yours truly, the readers. So please, if you see anything continuity-related that stands out in a bad way, according to your Nasuverse knowledge, let me know so I can fix it and make it a better chapter (and therefore, a better story) for you.

Alright, without further ado, on with the first chapter. ENJOY!

Disclaimer: "Fate/Zero", "Fate/Apocrypha", "Fate/Grand Order", "Fate/strange fake", "Fate/Prototype", and all other related properties DO NOT belong to me in any way, shape, or form! They all belong solely to Type-Moon! I only own this plot.

So, God.
Give me another chance.
Next time, I won't lose sight of the bigger picture.
I will eliminate all obstacles, enemies, and hardships in my way.
Next time, I will obtain all the good in the world.
A world where everyone is happy, everyone is good, and everyone is perfect.
I will exterminate all evil and create a new, pure world.

Torino, Italy
– Four years ago –

"Shirou."

The young, tan-skinned man raised his head at the sound of his name, and he regarded the two men standing in front of him with a kind, almost relieved smile.

"Father," he greeted. "Brother Kirei. You both made it."

Risei Kotomine nodded proudly at his seated adopted son, his grin radiating a joyful, youthful pride, one that would easily rival one from his heyday. Beside him, his biological son Kirei stood silently, the features of his face still. Considering the bittersweet nature of the occasion, one would question the calm, emotionless, even detached expression the younger man was carrying like a burden. However, neither Shirou or Risei bothered to pose it, instead accepting it as Kirei's normal nature.

"Congratulations, Shirou," Risei replied. "May God smile upon you and the miracle you have brought forth."

"Thank you, Father." Then, Shirou looked at Kirei. "Well, Brother, it looks like I shall join you in the luminosity of fatherhood."

"Yes, indeed," replied Kirei, his expression still stoic. "Although...it is a pity to know what shall accompany this miracle..." A brief flash that seemed to resemble a grimace passed through the priest's face, but it went unnoticed. "Truly a pity..."

Shirou's smile faltered for a moment as he looked down at the floor. "I know. But Mirai has accepted that fate...and so have I. It cannot be prevented."

"It is truly a tragedy," Risei said, "but it seems as if God has judged her to be too good for this world. We can only wish her the best in the afterlife."

Shirou pursed his lips, but nodded subtly in agreement. Seconds later, the three men heard the frantic clattering of footsteps, followed by the sound of the nearby door being swung open abruptly. They looked at the doorway to see the head midwife, panting and looking worried.

"Brother Shirou..." she breathed.

"There is no need," replied Shirou. "I...I know what's happening."

"Brother Shirou, the delivery was a success-"

"The baby is alright-"

"But we couldn't stop the bleeding-"

"There's not a lot of time left!"

"It's a miracle she continues to breathe-"

Shirou raised his hand, silencing the midwives and the priest in their concerned clamor. He gazed upon the bedridden woman, feeling his heart break at the sight of her. Her pink hair was plastered to her face, and her skin, once a perfect fair shade, was even paler than usual, devoid of brightness and life. Her torso was heaving laboriously, and she was struggling to keep her eyes from completely closing. The portion of the bed below her waist was spattered in heavy amounts of crimson blood, as if something had been forcibly torn from the woman instead of carefully removed.

At the corner of his eye, he could see one of the midwives holding something wrapped in a warm purple blanket.

"Brother Shirou-" began the priest.

"Leave us," interrupted Shirou sternly. "All of you." He took a brief gaze at the midwife holding the bundle. "Except for you."

Knowing they couldn't argue with him, the priest and the other midwives took their leave, stepping out of the bedroom, some taking pitiful glances at the soon-to-be-widower and new father. However, Shirou ignored those glances and instead approached the woman's bedside.

"Mirai..." he said softly.

The woman's eyelids fluttered open, and she looked at Shirou with the same purple eyes that enchanted him years ago.

"Shirou..." she breathed, her lips curving into a soft smile. "Shirou... You're here..."

"Of course, Mirai, of course..." Shirou quickly took his wife's hand and held it tightly. "Not even God's wrath could stop me from coming here." Reluctantly, he looked up at the remaining midwife, who was approaching with the bundle in her hands. "So...is...is it..."

"It's a girl, Brother Shirou..." the midwife replied, looking slightly relieved. "It's a girl..."

"A girl..." repeated Mirai, struggling to widen her smile. "Let me... Let me see her..."

The midwife approached even closer, and now, Shirou was able to see into the bundle. His eyes softened as he watched the midwife pass her burden onto Mirai.

"Ahhhhh... Look at her, Shirou..."

Shirou sat on the bed, beside Mirai's resting head, and looked down at the baby that slept soundly in her mother's arms.

"She's... She's beautiful..." he said.

"She looks just like me..." Mirai replied. "She's perfect..." She let out a relieved sigh. "I'm so...happy that I could...give birth...to her... I just wish...I could watch her...grow up..." She closed her eyes for a moment. "But this...couldn't be...a more fitting...end..."

Shirou looked at the woman, holding back his grief. "Mirai..."

"Shirou..." Mirai opened her eyes and looked up at her husband with them. "Promise me... Promise me that you will...give our...beloved daughter a...happy life...just as you did...for me..." She grasped Shirou's hand. "Promise me that..."

"I promise..." replied Shirou.

"Good... Then..." She held out the baby. "Then take her, Shirou... Take her...and live on..."

Shirou took one last glance at Mirai, who stared back at her in want. Then, he gave an affirmative nod and took the infant girl from his wife's hands. Cradling her, he looked down at his daughter, who cooed and snuggled up against his chest, relishing in his warmth. He smiled a tiny smile at the sight and gently ran his index finger against the baby's cheek, feeling her soft, fair skin, also relishing in the warmth that she radiated.

He thought he heard Mirai give a soft rattle before silence fell upon the bedroom.

"Shirou."

Shirou turned around at the sound of his name and regarded Risei and Kirei with a smile only meant to mask his rising grief.

"It is done," he said softly.

"Nevertheless," replied Risei, "it is a tragedy." He gazed towards the bed. "May she look down upon us at the side of God."

Kirei only narrowed his eyes slightly at the bed.

As for Shirou, his eyes were shimmering with bright tears, which threatened to fall on the baby who he was still looking at. Risei looked back and noticed the look on his adopted son. Sympathetically, he placed a hand of comfort on the young man's shoulder.

"What have you decided to name this miracle?" he asked, gesturing to the baby.

Shirou blinked back his tears and replied, "Mashu. Mirai always liked that name. So..." He looked up at Risei. "Her name is Mashu."

Outside, the Sun shone ever so brightly, illuminating the scenery in its brilliant, golden light.

FATE/RULE ZERO

– The present day –

"I could not love you."

"No. You do love me."

Kirei thrust his eyes open and was greeted by the familiar sight of the simple wooden ceiling of his home. He soundlessly sat up on his bed and stared vacantly ahead at the simple table situated at the opposite side of the bedroom. This table held nothing more than an old-fashioned lamp and the photo of a pale, sickly woman with light-gray hair and an eyepatch over her right eye, leaving only her golden left eye to stare back at Kirei, almost tauntingly. Despite her best attempt to smile, this woman's suffering could be evident to even the village idiot archetype. She was idly lying on a bed, looking as if it was her very deathbed.

The Executor-in-training narrowed his soulless brown eyes at the photo. It had only been a few days since it happened, and while the sadness had quickly faded away like it was nothing more than yesterday's trash, the other emotion remained... One of disgust and self-loathing... He fleetingly thought about why he wasn't dead yet.

He stared at the photo, and the photo stared back, with that golden left eye depicted. The woman, on her deathbed, she was almost mocking Kirei, telling him what could have been. Oh, the things he could've done to her, what unspeakable sins he hoped to inflict upon her form...

The look that would've been on her face as she looked up at him while he was-

Kirei quickly suppressed the thought, forcing it back to the deepest, darkest corner of his mind.

He pursed his lips as he stood up from his bed and left the room. Changing clothes wasn't a necessity for him, for he was still wearing the simple vestments and the golden cross that were at this point his trademark clothing. Admittedly, he hadn't changed his clothes ever since her death. The fabric of his vestments was somewhat unkempt from the hours spent on his bed, but otherwise, he essentially remained unchanged.

Entering the kitchen, Kirei prepared to make some breakfast when he heard the sound of knuckles rapping on the front door. He blinked once, then left the kitchen and approached the door. He could almost sense exactly who was visiting him, and he didn't want to welcome this presence...

But it wasn't in his faç...nature to turn him away just like that. So, he unlocked the door and opened it.

His suspicions were confirmed.

"Brother Shirou," he greeted.

"Brother Kirei," replied Shirou, bowing his head slightly.

"It really isn't necessary of you to visit. ...I thought you had a mission in France to attend to."

Shirou shrugged nonchalantly. "I just got back." He then crossed his arms. "And I don't get the right to visit my brother afterwards."

"You know it's a...difficult time for me right now."

"I understand that well, Kirei. Which is why I brought her."

Before he could question his brother's choice of words, Kirei watched as a small girl, no older than five, stepped out from behind Shirou's protection, wearing a simple dark-blue dress and a white shawl. The priest's eyes widened at the light-gray hair and the pair of golden eyes that sought to taunt him about a missed opportunity...

"What is she doing here, Shirou?" he asked, his voice struggling to remain calm.

"Now really, Kirei," replied Shirou, sounding almost as if he were telling off a child, "is that any way to greet your daughter?"

"But I sent her off-"

"And I got her back, Kirei." Shirou cast a fleeting glance at Caren, who was quietly looking down at the cobblestone pathway. Turning back to Kirei, he continued in a soft whisper, "She is your daughter, Kirei. Your only child. She doesn't need extended relatives, she needs you, more than ever. And deep down, you know you need her too. You don't just push her away like this."

Kirei's eyes narrowed. "You mustn't do this, Brother..."

"Oh, but I must. We're family, you and I. Caren and Mashu are family. Father is family. And family helps each other out. Ah, don't give me that frown, Kirei. You know as well as I do that you seek solace and comfort within your heart. ...Hey." He placed a hand on Kirei's shoulder. "You were there for me when Mirai died. I think I deserve the right to return the favor, now do I?"

Kirei's eyes narrowed slightly, and he looked away, struggling to suppress the dark thoughts that were already forming and infecting the corners of his mind. Shirou sighed in concern for his adopted brother, then looked over his shoulder.

"Let's, uh...let's continue this discussion inside, shall we?" The young man then looked behind him, apparently looking at something. "Oh Mashu, you've met your Uncle Kirei before. For the last time, he's not that scary. Come on out."

Reluctantly, the pink-haired girl, looking very much like her deceased mother, ventured away from Shirou's protection. She gazed up at Kirei, and the priest stared back without saying a word. His eyes then flitted over to Caren, who was still solemnly looking down at the ground. Then, he wordlessly turned his back on the three and walked back into the house without closing the door.

"You've certainly kept this place well."

Shirou looked around, examining the kitchen thoroughly as Kirei prepared breakfast for himself and his guests. Caren and Mashu were already seated at either side of the circular wooden table. Caren was staring at one end of the table longingly, as if expecting someone lost to suddenly materialize on the vacant chair. Meanwhile, Mashu was hugging a simple doll tightly to her chest, as if it was her shield from the dangers of the world.

Eventually, Kirei was finished and set down plates of toast, scrambled eggs, and pancakes for Mashu, Shirou, Caren, and then himself. He sat down at the head of the table, while Shirou sat down at the opposite end, which Caren was still staring at. The young girl looked as if she was going to protest Shirou's position, but she knew better and remained silent.

"I shall do the honors," Shirou said, to which Kirei nodded in affirmation.

All four closed their eyes, clasped their hands together, and bowed their heads in prayer, seeking God's blessing. Shirou immediately began reciting.

"Bless us Oh Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen."

"Amen," the others added at once, including Kirei, who could only view those words as empty and meaningless to him. Afterwards, the four began eating their meals.

"So, Kirei," piped Shirou, "what are you planning to do now?"

"What do you mean?" Kirei asked, looking up at his brother.

"Well, it's been a few days since..." He stopped and gave a furtive glance at Caren. "I mean, do you have any plans?"

"If you are talking about any activities outside of the Church, then I am afraid I do not have anything to offer you as a response." He took a bite of his toast and chewed slowly.

"Well, if you, uh, if you want to take some time off, then I'll be more than happy to file a report to the Eighth Sacrament Assembly. I can tell them you intend to take a temporary leave of absence. You're one of their best Executors; I'm sure they'll understand-"

At that point, Kirei had finished his bite. "That won't be necessary," he replied before taking a bite of his egg.

Realizing Kirei wouldn't add anything further, Shirou pressed on, "Kirei, I really do think you should take some time off. Spend it with Caren. Travel abroad. It won't heal your wounds overnight, obviously, but it'll be an important first step towards emotional recovery."

"I do appreciate the sympathy, Brother." He closed his eyes. "But I shall repeat myself, that won't be necessary."

"Don't you want to spend time with your daughter? If it were me, I know I'd spend a whole lot of time with mine, while it still lasts." Shirou promptly ruffled Mashu's hair, drawing a soft, relieved coo from her as she relished in the attention she was receiving. "'Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.'"

"James 1:17."

"Words I live by. Words you should live by even now."

At the corner of his eye, Kirei saw Caren look at him with some sort of expectation. He never knew whether or not the expectation was supposed to be good, nor did he desire the wish to know. Instead, by a few centimeters, he moved his gaze away from her, along with Shirou and Mashu as the former continued to happily ruffle the latter's hair, to her great pleasure. All of this happiness around him...it was so...sickening... He couldn't even begin to understand such emotions...

How he'd like to-

He quickly suppressed the thought again.

"Kirei?" Shirou piped, trying to catch his brother's attention. However, he didn't draw a response from the Executor-in-training. "Brother? Hello, Brother?"

Kirei looked back at Shirou. There was a strange glint in his eye, but it vanished as quickly as it came, and Shirou didn't give it a second thought.

"You've always tried to help everyone in need, haven't you?" replied Kirei. "It's your...characteristic."

"Well, it really doesn't seem right to leave someone in the quicksand when they need help the most. And believe me, Kirei, you're chest-deep."

"I greatly appreciate your efforts, Brother, but not everyone desires help from someone else. Sometimes, the most efficient method to overcome an obstacle is to prevail by yourself." He took a quick bite from his pancake and gulped it down. "Now, if you please do not mind, let us resume our morning meal."

Kirei continued eating out of his plate, and as he did so, he could hear Shirou sighing heavily.

"Sometimes, Kirei..." the young man said before his voice suddenly trailed off. Kirei looked up.

"What were you saying, Brother?"

Shirou shrugged, seemingly in defeat. "Nothing, Brother." He shook his head softly. "It's nothing."

And with that, the fellow Executor took a bite out of his toast.

The remainder of the breakfast was spent in silence.

"Are you sure you do not wish for me to remain any longer?"

"This would be enough. Thank you again, Brother, for the visit."

"...God bless you, Kirei..."

At the doorway of the Kotomine home, Shirou promptly drew Kirei into a tight hug. He broke it a couple of seconds later, to which Mashu hugged her uncle's leg for another couple of seconds. Kirei wanted nothing more than to shake off the little girl like an annoying insect, but he held it in.

Kirei then watched as Shirou and Mashu began walking away, heading to the main pathway of the neighborhood. The former took one last look over his shoulder to check on him. Kirei pursed his lips at that movement, wishing that his adopted brother wouldn't be this selfless and optimistic. It was those kinds of people that drew his ire, needlessly throwing away their own lives for the sake of others without a second thought, not even bothering to consider who exactly they were saving...

"Father," a voice spoke.

The priest exhaled heavily as he looked down at his side. Caren stood close by him, having been told to remain home by Shirou. It look a lot of convincing on Shirou's part for him to allow Caren to stay, but Kirei was already regretting making that decision. He just wanted to-

"Let's go inside, Caren," he replied indifferently as he ushered the little girl back inside. "Let's go..."

He watched Caren walk back to the kitchen without saying another word. Then, he turned his gaze back toward Shirou and Mashu. The both of them looked so happy as they walked down the pathway, with Mashu energetically skipping a couple of steps ahead of Shirou, who was smiling happily after her, as if there was nothing else in the world that could make him even happier. It disgusted Kirei to no end...

And maybe...something else...

Kirei gritted his teeth as he went back inside the house and closed the door behind him.

"Do you think Uncle Kirei is going to be alright, Papa?"

Shirou's smile turned into a confused frown as he stared after his daughter, who by that point had stopped skipping and was now letting him catch up to her.

"What do you mean, Mashu?" he asked.

"He keeps saying he's okay, but he looks so sad. I mean, more than he always is."

Shirou smiled again. "Uncle Kirei is never always sad. What makes you think that?"

"It's the look on his face, Papa. It always looks so sad. He never smiles or anything like that. He never even smiles with Caren or Aunt Claudia." Mashu looked down at the ground somberly. "I don't like it whenever people are always sad like that. It makes me sad, and then everyone is sad."

"You and me both, Mashu. But in this world, there are some people who have yet to find what makes them happy."

Mashu looked up at her father. "Do you think Uncle Kirei will find what makes him happy?"

"I hope so."

"Good." The purple-haired girl looked back at the pathway ahead. "He needs it." Then, she looked back up at Shirou. "Papa?"

"Yes, dear?"

"What makes you happy?"

Shirou blinked. "You make me happy, Mashu. You and Mama, God rest her soul. What kind of question is that supposed to be?"

"I don't know. I know I should've known that too!" Mashu smiled and blew a raspberry. "Silly me!"

Shirou laughed and took a hold of his daughter's hand. The father and his daughter continued walking down the long pathway, passing the occasional pedestrian who would always stop for a moment to formally greet Shirou and dote over Mashu while she hid behind her father's leg for safety. About fifteen minutes had passed when Mashu became exhausted from walking and Shirou had to cradle her in his arms as he continued walking.

"Papa?" Mashu asked softly after several more minutes of walking.

"Yes, Mashu?" replied Shirou, still staring ahead of the walkway. "What is it?"

"If you somehow got one wish, any wish, what would it be?"

The white-haired man immediately stopped walking. He looked down at Mashu, who was looking up at him with eyes that shone of expectation. He pursed his lips as he looked up, contemplating his final answer for a moment. His father was one thing, but his own daughter?...

Finally, he replied, "I'm not really sure, Mashu dear. There are a lot of things I wish for in the world, all too big for me to ignore in favor of just one."

"Oh." Mashu was silent for a couple of minutes, then she continued, "Well, if I had one wish, it would be to see Mama in person, with my own eyes."

Shirou stopped walking abruptly. "You wish to see Mama, you say?"

"Mm-hm."

"But...Mashu, she's-"

"I know she's resting in Heaven, Papa," interrupted Mashu determinedly. "But...if she could come down here from Heaven for just one minute, then it would be all right for me. I would give anything in the world to make that happen."

Shirou pursed his lips and resumed walking, all the while feeling the pricking sensation of the bruise forming on the back of his left hand.

"Anything, huh?" he whispered to himself.

Pale moonlight crept into the bedroom as Kirei silently tucked Caren into her bed, his face still expressing indifference to the entire matter. Caren could only stare back with just as much lack of emotion as her father, to the point where they almost looked similar.

"Are you comfortable?" Kirei asked once he was done.

"Yes, Father," replied Caren simply.

Kirei wanted to respond with "Good", but in spite of his best efforts, he just couldn't compel himself to do so. Instead, he patted his daughter on the head twice, though he didn't put any real effort into what was supposed to be a loving gesture. Then, he stood up and began to leave the bedroom when...

"Father?"

The priest stopped and looked back. "Yes, Caren?"

"Do you miss Mother?"

Kirei didn't respond for a single prolonged moment. Instead, he gazed into Caren's eyes, which were shining with some sort of expectancy. It was the same sort of expectancy the priest always saw in his late wife's eyes whenever they gazed upon his image.

He could still remember the moment when Claudia killed herself to prove to him that he was capable of loving another and that he deserved to live. He could clearly recall her words, her smile, the look in her eyes as she watched him cry in her final moments, all as if the incident occurred yesterday.

He looked away and finally replied, "I am happy for her, for she is in the loving grace of God now."

"But do you miss her?"

Kirei looked away. "I...I only wish I...could've done more...during her final moments..."

He didn't hear Caren respond, and he promptly left the room, shutting the door behind him.

As he ventured towards his bedroom, Kirei heard the telephone ringing and, while choosing to not answer it, stopped walking. It didn't take long until the telephone switched to the answering machine. Kirei's eyes narrowed slightly as he overheard the caller's voice message.

"Good evening, Kirei Kotomine, this is Hansa Cervantes. The Eighth Sacrament Assembly has just received and approved your brother Shirou's report calling for your leave of absence in the wake of your wife's death. You are hereby granted a two-week leave as you sort through this tragic loss and wish you the best. Again, good evening, and may God be with you."

Kirei gritted his teeth angrily the moment the message ended. Without a second thought, he stormed into his room and closed the door behind him with a surprising, almost disturbing calmness before facing the photo of Claudia sitting on the table. As soon as he met the still, golden eyes that taunted him, the Executor-in-training looked away.

"I thought I told you it wasn't necessary, Brother Shirou," he snarled. "Always trying to help everyone in need, huh?"

He felt something prickling at the back of his right hand, but the sensation of it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Ignoring it, Kirei walked towards his bed and sat down on it, burying his face in his palms and letting out a heavy sigh. He just couldn't believe Shirou went out and helped him like that again, even after he explicitly told him that such help wasn't necessary. If there was one thing he hated, more than anything else in this world, it was being selflessly serviced by his adopted brother like that. He just wished Shirou would see the darkness that was brought by his ideals, and how hopeless they truly were. Only then would he realize how pointless his life was and suffer greatly from it.

Oh, how he would give anything in the world for that to happen, even...

He lowered his hands and let out another heavy sigh, trying to calm himself down. Only then did he notice it.

A strange symbol was etched at the back of his right hand, at the same place where he felt the prickling sensation. It resembled a butterfly, with wings that closely resemble those of an angel. The left side of it was colored in a heavenly white, all the way down to the middle, while its right side was colored in the most sinful of black. It was...unlike anything that he had seen before in his life...

Kirei immediately stood up and calmly walked out of the bedroom, heading towards the telephone...

The ringing of the telephone pulled Shirou out of his peaceful slumber, and for a moment, he swore he felt Mirai's presence beside him, for a few precious seconds. However, reality set back in, and he sat up on his bed, a guttural exhale emanating from his throat as the ringing continued to fill his eardrums. He quickly rubbed his forehead before grabbing the telephone to respond to the incoming call.

Bringing the old-fashioned device to his ear, he responded, "Hello?..."

"Shirou!"

The familiarity and urgency of the voice caused what remained of Shirou's drowsiness to disappear.

"Father?" he asked. "What is it?"

"I just received a most interesting call from Kirei," Risei replied, and Shirou could tell from his tone that it was news that could help their cause. "He...He has them."

Shirou's eyes widened in shock after realizing the emphasis of the last word. "No, that's impossible! Grail War rules dictate that Ruler-class Command Seals are to appear on the hand of the Overseer! How could those Command Seals have appeared on Kirei's hand and not yours?"

"You know why."

Those three simple words put to rest any other arguments Shirou had in store. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, a brief image of Mashu flashing across his mind for a split-second. After taking some time to compose himself, he opened his eyes again, and they now seemed to lack the inner light that was usually present, giving Shirou a stoic, almost robotic expression.

"What should we do now, Father?" he asked. "We never really counted on Kirei being involved in the Holy Grail War."

There was silence on the other end. Finally...

"I will contact Tokiomi. We shall see what we can work out from this interesting development. But one thing is for sure, Shirou: the Holy Grail has spoken, and the Master of Ruler has finally been chosen."

Shirou's eyes narrowed slightly. "Father, are you sure it is wise to have Kirei involved in this? I mean, from his perspective, he's being drawn into a senseless war that has absolutely nothing to do with him."

"There is no way out of this, Shirou. I know you are concerned for your brother, but this is as it should be. Besides, this ordeal could do him some good."

"Really? In what way?"

"I believe that a complete change of scenery and a difficult new mission to focus on will be exactly what he needs to nurse his wounds."

Upon hearing this reasoning from his father, Shirou sighed softly and closed his eyes, mentally debating whether or not a battle royale between magi, with a history stained with the blood of its victims, was the therapy tool Kirei sorely needed.

– A week later –

"A Command Seal?"

Kirei stood in the center of the villa, feeling the imposing presence of Risei and Shirou at his sides. The Executor-in-training stared blankly at his host, a man with wavy black hair and cool azure eyes, who was wearing a deep-crimson suit with a white undershirt and loosely-tied violet bow-tie. His elegant posture and composed temperament gave him the aura of a proper gentleman, a person of showmanship. He felt that any other person in his place would feel honored to be in the presence of someone with such a degree of magnificence.

Tokiomi Tohsaka. The man who was said to have the answers behind the strange mark on his right hand.

"Yes," Tokiomi replied; even his voice was cool and smooth, as if nothing in this world could ever daunt him. "The mark identifies you as a participant in the Holy Grail War. Specifically, it is a stigmata that bestows upon you the power to command a familiar known as a Servant."

"The Holy Grail War," thought Kirei, processing the information that was being given to him. "A series of secret bloody battles in Fuyuki, a city located in the Far East. Waged between godless magicians, these wars revolve around an ancient relic said to perform miracles..."

"I believe you are puzzled about your selection to participate in the Holy Grail War," continued Tokiomi. "Am I correct?"

"Indeed," Kirei replied stoically. "In fact, I believe it was to my knowledge that the participants of these mindless slaughters are all supposed to be magicians."

Tokiomi's mouth twitched at the implication of the last word used, but he calmly explained, "You are correct. Under normal circumstances, it would be highly unusual for someone with no connection to magic whatsoever, someone like you, to be chosen by the Holy Grail as a Master. However, we are not talking about the standard operation of the Holy Grail War."

There was a brief spark of confusion and intrigue in Kirei's eyes. "Pardon me?"

"The standard system of the Holy Grail is not in effect for this War. Instead, it is the auxiliary reserve system."

"I do not understand..."

"In a normal Holy Grail War, seven Masters are chosen to summon a Heroic Spirit and join them in fights to the death between each other. The last remaining Master-Servant duo is unanimously declared as the victor and receives the Grail, and therefore, the ability to have their one true desire granted. However, under the scenario in which the reserve system is in effect, fifteen Masters are chosen to participate, and two teams, or Factions, of seven Masters and Servants each are assembled. These two Factions wage war against each other, no different than two kingdoms fighting to claim a coveted territory. When seven Masters are eliminated, those who remain will henceforth cut their alliances and operate independently."

Tokiomi promptly raised his hand, allowing Kirei to view the back of it. To the priest's surprise, there were a set of Command Seals engraved on it. They were colored completely white, and resembled three incomplete circles encircling each other, with a small straight line penetrating the second near-circle through and through.

"I am a Master of the Fourth Holy Grail War, just as you are," Tokiomi continued to explain. "More specifically, I am the leader of the White Faction of Masters. The opposing Faction is the Black Faction, and it is led by the Einzbern family. Masters in the White and Black Factions can be easily distinguished by the colors of their Command Seals. As you can see, the Command Seals on White Masters are colored white, whereas they are black for the Black Masters."

"Opposing Factions..." Kirei blinked. "That is certainly odd. Why would such a system be conceived for a bloody war such as this?"

"It was designed for the scenario of all seven Servants cooperating with each other," Shirou explained in Tokiomi's place. "However, such a scenario was far-fetched to the Three Founding Families. In fact, it was considered so improbable, that its chances of ever happening were dangerously close to zero. To think of the act, the very act of the reserve system being put into effect for the Fourth Holy Grail War, as a fluke is a bit of an understatement."

"So I take it that the first seven Masters chosen to participate entered into an alliance?"

"Not necessarily," replied Tokiomi as he approached a small table where a cup and a bottle of wine sat. "Putting the reserve system into effect would have exhausted the leylines of Fuyuki, which were designed to handle the standard system of the Grail War." He picked up the wine bottle, opened it, and poured its contents into the cup until it was almost full. "Therefore, this kind of war would not have been achieved to its full potential."

"However, in more recent times," Shirou continued, "the leylines have, for unknown reasons, stockpiled a higher amount of magical energy than what would be considered usual. What were once considered to be weak and inefficient compared to other works can now be ranked beside the leylines of European lands such as Trifas."

"Because of this," Risei said, "there is an excessive backlog of mana stored up. It is a dangerous amount that needed to be expended as quickly as possible, lest the leylines overload and implode on themselves, thus depriving the Holy Grail of its sustenance."

"However," Tokiomi continued, "enacting the standard system of the Holy Grail War would not be enough to get rid of this mana excess. As a result, the Holy Grail put the reserve system into effect, so it could expend the accumulated mana more evenly through the higher number of Servants."

"I see," said Kirei. "So, to put it in simpler terms, this is a war that statistically should never have happened."

"If you would put it that way, then yes. Indeed, this is the impossible Holy Grail War. And we have all been caught up in the throes of it." The Tohsaka head then grinned. "However, in spite of its abnormality, this War will prove to be useful for all the Masters involved. In the first stage, they can easily vanquish half of their priorities with the help of their comrades. In turn, they will be able to learn of all the techniques employed by said comrades, which they can take advantage of in the second stage of the War. And if not for the tactical advantages, I would say this War will be the most elegant of all the Holy Grail Wars. Teams of Servants will bring out the full potential of all Servant classes, even those who normally wouldn't survive on their own in single combat such as Caster, Berserker, and Assassin."

Pursing his lips, Kirei raised his hand to his chest level to inspect his Command Seal. Though he was quick to process everything he had learned, the emotional impact of it was more difficult to absorb. He couldn't believe he, of all people, had been chosen as a participant, not only because of the sheer improbability of the reserve system being activated and used to its full potential, but also because of his apparent lack of an ability to use magic. And yet, despite those odds, he had been chosen by the Holy Grail to fight for its acquisition, in a war that many would easily deem impossible, implausible even. He could tell that he would not have been selected as a Master under normal circumstances. The improbabilities at hand greatly disturbed Kirei.

It was as if...God was trying to show him some sort of path, one that only he, Kirei Kotomine, could walk...

And the first step involved him being selected as one of the fifteen participants destined to fight to the death-

"Wait," Kirei said, his voice slightly more powerful. He looked at Tokiomi with intense eyes. "You said fifteen Masters are selected under this reserve system, yet you then said two Factions of seven Masters each are assembled to fight against each other. By my count, there is a fifteenth Master you have not taken into account."

A grin graced Tokiomi's features. "And this is where you come in, Kirei," he replied.

Kirei blinked in surprise, but remained silent so the explanations could continue. He watched as Tokiomi began walking, while Risei did the same.

"Kirei," said Risei, "there is an unspoken agreement binding all participants as dictated by both the normal and reserve systems of the Holy Grail: to keep this all secret. To ensure this rule is kept, someone of the Holy Church is always sent as an observer. We call this position the Overseer."

"Do you mean to tell me one of us is the judge of a battle between godless magicians?" Kirei asked. "Is that even necessary?"

Again, Tokiomi's lip twitched at the word, but he calmly replied, "A representative hailing from the Mage's Association would be too partial to one participant to assure a fair observance of all that is happening. Now, I will reveal this to you, Kirei: the Holy Grail in question is not the same ancient relic that belonged to the son of God."

"I am quite aware of that. If it were, then the Eighth Sacrament Assembly would have already retrieved it by this point."

"However," continued Risei, his voice grave, "the Holy Grail in Fuyuki has powers that surpass everything we have ever known. As an omnipotent wish-granting device, this leaves open the possibility of a terrible disaster occurring should the Grail ever fall into the wrong hands. The Holy Church has known of this fact since the conception of these Wars, which is why they dispatch one of our own as the Overseer, despite its complete lack of connection to the true Holy Grail."

At this point, it was clear that Tokiomi and Risei were circling around Kirei and Shirou, but none of them bothered to address the fact.

"I still don't see what any of this has to do with the fifteenth Master."

"Kirei," Shirou said, "there were still worries about the Overseer being ineffective in his or her handling of the Grail Wars. So, in addition to the Overseer position, the Holy Grail's system was modified to include an eighth Servant, one different from the others."

"The Ruler-class Servant," continued Tokiomi.

"Ruler?..." Kirei asked, puzzled.

"Once someone from the Holy Church is appointed as Overseer," explained Risei, "the Holy Grail grants him or her a special set of Command Seals and a small supply of mana and magical capabilities, regardless of his or her lack of connection to magic. They barely have any purpose beyond anchoring Ruler to this world."

"But I thought the leylines of Fuyuki normally couldn't support more than seven Servants?"

"Ruler Servants are not designed primarily for combat," Tokiomi said. "Instead, they serve as partners and equals to the Overseers. When a battle becomes too violent or a participant steps out of his or her boundaries and the Overseer cannot do anything to remedy the problem, they send Ruler as a last resort. Even then, they do not fight; they either try to negotiate, or they kill straight away without giving the offender any time to react. Because of this, they do not require as much mana consumption as the other Servants, and as a result, their maintained presence is enough for the leylines to support."

"However," continued Shirou, "just because the Overseer can dispatch Ruler at his whim, it does not mean Ruler is subservient to him or her. The class exists solely to protect the very concept of the Holy Grail Wars. If Ruler deems intervention as necessary when the Overseer does not, then Ruler will rush to action, and any attempt to stop this will do no good. As Father said, the Overseer's function in this Master-Servant pact is, for the most part, to keep Ruler anchored to the world with mana."

"The Ruler-class Servant..." Kirei examined his Command Seals again. "So...I assume that I have been selected by the Holy Grail as the Master of Ruler."

"That is correct," Risei said.

"But...I do not recall ever volunteering, nor was I made aware of the Holy Church's selection of me as Overseer."

"You are not the Overseer of this Holy Grail War, Kirei. I am."

Kirei's eyes widened slightly. "You are the Overseer?"

"Yes. I was given the position three weeks ago."

"But wait, how is this even possible? The Command Seals should have appeared on your hand instead of mine if what I learned is true!"

"Again, another matter of confusion stemming from this Holy Grail War," Tokiomi said as he examined his cup of wine and rolled it softly to stir the liquid. "But it is a minor thing, and I doubt it would truly affect potential outcomes. Besides, it appears the Holy Grail has spoken on the matter."

"So...what is my purpose in this Grail War, then, if I am an anomaly?" Kirei asked.

"You will act as the Master of Ruler in your father's place, but your father will continue to execute his assigned duties. Essentially, you will act as a second Overseer and regulate the happenings in Fuyuki, covering up anything that manages to make its way to the eyes and ears of the rabble. Considering the number of Masters and Servants involved, both the Mage's Association and the Holy Church have deemed it best to utilize two Overseers instead of one in this Grail War.

"You are to summon Ruler as soon as possible, for the Ruler-class Servant must always be summoned first for the purposes of establishing a record of all future participants in the War. I will spend the next couple of months teaching you the summoning incantation as well as the basics of your duties, so you will become sufficiently versed in the Holy Grail War rules by three years' time when the battles begin."

At that point, Tokiomi and Risei had stopped circling the two Kotomine brothers, and the former took a sip out of his cup of wine.

"Now that the explanation's out of the way," Risei said, "do you have anymore questions for us, Kirei?"

"Only one," replied Kirei. He hesitated for a moment, pondering his question. "The Holy Grail is an omnipotent wish-granting device that can only appear before the last remaining Master-Servant pair, isn't that correct?"

"Yes, indeed it is," Tokiomi said, his voice radiating a heightened sense of pride.

"Then...what happens if all fourteen other Masters and Servants are eliminated before the Grail appears?"

Tokiomi blinked as he began rolling his cup of wine again. "Well...it is a highly unusual scenario. It has never happened before in any of the previous Wars, I will say. But...under normal circumstances, I will have to assume that the Grail does not appear at all, for it obviously needs one last Master and one last Servant standing if it should ever make its presence known."

"And...what about the unusual circumstances?"

"I take it that you are you referring to the reserve system, Kirei?"

"Yes. What happens if, say, Ruler and the Overseer remain while all of the other participants have been slain?"

"You can forget about making a wish to it, Brother," Shirou replied, shaking his head in disapproval. "Overseers are impartial authorities that supervise the Wars. They cannot seek the Grail out for themselves. And as for the Ruler Servants, well..." His eyes narrowed slightly and darkly. "They are impartial as well. Unlike any of the other Servant classes, they do not have any wishes that went unfulfilled in their lifetimes, no desires of any kind. There's nothing they would want from the Grail, despite their standings as Servants just like the rest of them..."

"I see..."

Kirei looked down at the floor, his lips pursed, his expression almost forlorn. Even after all of these odds, he was still being denied a chance...

"Now that the questions have been answered," said Tokiomi, attracting Kirei's attention again, "I would like to introduce you to someone. Shirou?"

Shirou nodded and walked away from Kirei's side. The three other men watched as the young priest approached a door, opened it, and stuck his head into the neighboring room, saying something incomprehensible. Then, he stepped aside, and Kirei's eyes widened in slight surprise as a newcomer entered the room.

To say she was a beauty was quite a bit of an understatement. To even Kirei, who normally had no true interest in such things, her beauty and pureness was so wondrous that she didn't even look real, though she was by no means a homunculus. She had long, flowing hair as golden as the sun, and her amethyst eyes rivaled no other object in conveying her purity at its finest. Kirei immediately deduced that this teenage girl before him was no doubt the object of lust for more than just a few men, all of whom would likely sacrifice everything they had to be in his place.

"I don't understand," the priest said, composing himself.

"Kirei, this is Laeticia Delacroix," replied Risei, just as the girl nodded softly and shyly at Kirei in greeting. "She is the daughter of an esteemed member of the Holy Church's French division. We brought her here all the way from her home country just a week ago in preparation for this War."

Kirei blinked, then glanced at Shirou. "So this must be the object of that mission you attended to a while ago..."

"That is true," the young white-haired man replied. "Believe me, it was rather difficult bringing her here." He placed a hand on Laeticia's shoulder, causing her to blush intensely and fidget around. "See, Laeticia doesn't have a fear of men, per se, but she has difficulties in interacting with them. As far as we can tell, the Fourth War has only males involved, so she understandably had some objections to her role in the events. I have been able to gain her trust, so helping her warm up to you shouldn't be much of a task, as you are my brother."

"My sincerest apologies, but I fail to understand the degree of her involvement in the War." He instinctively glanced at Laeticia's hands. "I do not see any Command Seals engraved on her hands."

"She is not a Master, Kirei," Risei said. "She is your Ruler Servant."

Kirei shot a glance at his father. "What? This young girl?"

"Well," replied Tokiomi, "she is one half of your Ruler Servant, to be more precise. Ruler Servants are still bound to the basic rules that all other Servant classes fall under. You will need a catalyst to summon a specific Heroic Spirit as your Servant, and the Holy Church has settled on the perfect Heroic Spirit for your Ruler Servant, Kirei."

The Executor-in-training examined the girl from head to toe curiously, then asked, "Then...who is it?"

"The legendary Roman Catholic saint of the Hundred Years' War. The Maid of Orléans."

"Jeanne d'Arc," clarified Shirou.

"I'm surprised. Kirei took all of this information mostly well. I honestly didn't expect him to consent to all this so quickly."

"My son would jump into fire if the Holy Church ordered him to do so."

Risei and Tokiomi stood on the upper-floor balcony of the Tohsaka villa, observing intently as Kirei, Shirou, and Laeticia walked away from the building using one of the trails. Both were wearing proud expressions on their faces, and Tokiomi was still holding his cup of wine.

"You know," Tokiomi said, his gaze now focusing on Shirou, "I was wondering about something... Do you suppose we should have told Kirei the truth? About Shirou?"

"No," replied Risei in a grave voice. "I think that such a revelation wouldn't be all that beneficial for our plans. Kirei has become so close with Shirou. He's known him for all his life." He turned around and began to walk away. "If he learns of Shirou's true standing in the world, he may become partial towards him, in spite of the plan we set up for him. Yes, I believe it is best if we stayed quiet about the matter."

"And if Kirei were to find out anyway? It will be especially risky during the second stage of the War, when the Holy Grail is nearing completion."

Risei stopped for a moment.

"Then God makes it clear that this is the way it should be. I only pray to Him that this does not damage the loving relationship between both of my sons."

The priest then continued walking away.

Kirei silently observed as Shirou as he tried to strike up a friendly conversation with Laeticia. Unfortunately, his attempts at socializing with her were met with a lot of difficulty, as she usually kept blushing and looking away while letting out squeaks as responses. He couldn't help but frown in disgust at his brother's attitude around Laeticia. Well, he knew that Shirou didn't hold any sort of amorous feeling towards the teenage girl, and it certainly wasn't jealousy on Kirei's part that provoked such a reaction. No, in spite of Laeticia's beauty, Kirei knew he could never be truly attracted to a girl like her, and not just because she was still underage.

He frowned because, well...Shirou was being Shirou...

While Shirou and Laeticia were preoccupied, Kirei instinctively looked down at his hand, where the Command Seals remained. The contrasting colors of black and white sparkled at him, the angel-like shape mocking him...

"The Holy Grail," he thought with narrowed eyes. "Why would it choose me...for something like this?..."

He wishes to understand himself

Chapter 0:
Prologue, Part I:
The Foundation of Heaven's Blessing

Risei: It appears we've found the first Black Master at the Clock Tower.

Waver: So it looks like the rumors were all true...

Tokiomi: He's known by a number of names, but only one stands out.

Kiritsugu: The Grail couldn't have picked a better Master for the Ruler class.

Shirou: This man... He is absolutely terrifying in every way...

Kirei: So...what exactly did he find?...

Next Time:
Assembling the Factions

A/N: Yes, I believe it's obvious what's happening in this story.

That's right, this is going to be an AU fic set in a universe where details from "Fate/Zero" and "Fate/Apocrypha" are merged into one. I got the concept after I learned and researched about "Fate/Apocrypha". I've always been so intrigued by the storyline and its Great Holy Grail War concept, so I thought I'd implement it somehow in my first "Fate/stay night" fic. I was originally planning on mixing "Fate/Apocrypha" with "Fate/stay night", but someone else beat me to the punch: Teerexil with his fic "Golden Prayers" (check it out if you haven't already, because it's a good read!). So, I decided to settle for the better option of "Fate/Zero". Since then, I've had all kinds of fun setting up the story.

In regards to the Masters and Servants featured in the story, I have already made my picks. They'll essentially be all of the Masters and Servants from "Fate/Zero" (though I made some interesting liberties with some of them), along with mostly Masters and Servants from "Fate/Apocrypha" (all selected according to my personal preference). I also filled up any remaining vacant spots with characters from "Fate/Grand Order", "Fate/strange fake", and "Fate/Prototype". Each and every character has a personality and a storyline that I hope will each keep everyone's attention.

Well, hope you enjoyed this first chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!