Fate/Prince of Shadows

Chapter 9

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Shirou?" Saber as she had her arms wrapped around his left arm as they walked down Fuyuki City. "Of course." He said with a small smile. "Illya will stop once I give her the letter. That is if she accepts it." Shirou said with a small grunt. His body was still sore from almost awakening his godhood.

"Just stay in a comfortable pace, Shirou. You don't need to push yourself." Saber reminded him. "I know Saber. I know." He said as he used his free hand to check the letter. It was somewhat yellowed by age, and it is the only thing to stop Illya from going on a rampage against him…or Berserker.

They continued their walk until they reached the entrance of the Fuyuki forest. Saber stopped; a sense of dread overpowered her. She knew all too well that she can't use Excalibur in time to stop the Einzbern's monster, he could also render the sword useless against him after she uses it once on him. Saber suddenly felt a small jolt on her right side, jumping in response, only to remember that she was helping Shirou stand.

"Scared of Berserker?" Shirou asked teasingly. "I would be too, Saber." Shirou paused and gave her a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, right now we should be more worried about the land mines they have scattered around the place."

"Land Mines?" Saber said with worry.

"Yeah…my dad wasn't on the best of terms with the in-laws, and that's putting it lightly. Thankfully I've already memorized this place beforehand." Shirou continued to walk, pulling Saber with him. "Don't worry so much Saber, you know I'm literally unkillable."

"I know Shirou. its just that…it's just that I don't want you to get hurt, that's all." She said as she looked up at him. Shirou tried to look away, her eyes, her smile, her smell, everything about her just sent his senses crazy.

("Hey Shirou!") his familiar yelled. Shirou silently thanked him for stopping his thoughts from getting perverted.

"What is it Poe?" Shirou questioned.

("We've got company. That purple haired Servant is trailing you two. This time she's wearing Mystic Eye Killers too.")

Shirou's head shot up and he stood tall. "Saber be on your guard. We're being followed." They almost rushed towards the Einzbern front door. But once they saw the castle, Berserker jumped from the Castle walls and roared at the top of his lungs. Saber readied herself for combat but Shirou walked past her and held up both of his hands over his head.

"We're not here to fight, Illya! We're only here to talk!" he screamed out at the Castle, almost begging for his adoptive sister to hear him out. Berserker lifted his weapon high into the air before swinging it downwards to Shirou, but he stopped only a breath away from hitting him. The Castle doors opened with two homunculus maids armed with halberds and Illya in between them.

"Well spill it! I don't have all day Little Brother." Illya said with anger. Shirou reached into his suit's inner pocket and pulled out Kiritsugu's letter and calmly walked towards them.

"Kiritsugu wanted you to have this. It'll explain everything to you." Shirou said as he gave his sister the aged letter. She hesitated as she reached out her hand to grab the letter. She looked back towards her adoptive brother, she did not trust him, and her Maids knew it. one of them moved slightly with her weapon ready. But Shirou raised his hands once more.

"I'm not lying, I'm not here to fight."

"I find that are to believe coming from the son of Kiritsugu Emiya." The one closet to him said. Illys tore the letter open and read its contents, only to be shocked at what it said. Almost falling to her knees in tears, but Shirou caught her just in time.

"M-Mommy…Daddy…" Illya said in between her sniffles. She was expecting a letter saying that she was nothing more but a failure in her father's eyes, but this was an apology and explanation. She now knew that her grandfather was the reason why her father never came back, simply because he destroyed The Holy Grail. But she also now knows that she meant everything to her father, but he could not save her because he was dying from a curse.

"Where…Where is he resting?" she managed to ask.

"Mistress Illya, I recommend that you…" her maid was interrupted by her other one. "Let her mourn, she needs this." She whispered.

Shinji walked Sakura back home after school was done, he glanced at her from time to time to make sure that she was okay.

"Doing alright Sakura?" he asked

"Hm?" she jumped slightly.

"I asked if you were doing alright?" Shinji said gently.

"Oh, yeah. I'm alright." Sakura said with an almost soft voice, but Shinji knew her better than that. He stopped her by placing hie right hand onto her shoulder in a gentle manner to not make her freak out.

"Sakura, what's going on? It might help if you talked about it."

"…Shirou is with other girls…and I don't know what to do. And his mom might have already arranged his marriage with a foreign noble he doesn't even know." Sakura teared up as she explained what was troubling her. Shinji knew that Sakura had jealousy issues when it came to Shirou Emiya, but he did not know that it troubled her this badly.

He hugged her tightly and rub one of his hands on her back to help her calm down. "let's get you to the Tohsaka manner, I'll help carry your things." He calmly said.

Once they arrived at the Matou manner. They were greated by their 'Grandfather' Zoken Matou.

"I was wondering when you two would show up." He said with a gravelly and sour voice. he walked down the staircase with cane in hand in a slow pace. "Sakura stop ordering Rider to stalk that boy. It'll do you no good." He then looked at Shinji with a sour grin. Shinji returned it with one of his own.

"Let's get your things Sakura, you'll be safer with Tohsaka." he tried to divert his sister's attention from the monster and made her life a nightmare.

"Do you really think that will keep her safe Shinji? You're only delaying the inevitable." Zoken said with a sadistic smile on his face. The smell of a rotting corpse followed him as he got closer to his grandchildren. Shinji gently pushed Sakura out this situation and helped her grab her things.

"We're getting you out of here Sakura. You'll be safe once you're out of here."

Sakura quietly stared at Shinji while he helped the bags that were too heavy for her to carry. But once they left the house and halfway towards the Tohsaka manor, Sakura spoke out.

"Why are you going out of your way to do this Shinji?" She asked. Shinji froze. Slowly turning around so that Sakura can see his pained expression.

"I…I guess there's no use hiding it anymore." He sighed heavily had he leaned onto the wall now behind him.

"5 years ago. I accidentally saw one of your…'Training Sessions…'" Sakura's heart stopped for a brief second. Tears swelling up in her eyes.

"You…You know what I've been through...?" Sakura asked. Shinji looked back at her.

"Yeah…and I'm also trying to get Shirou to talk to you. I'm trying to do everything I possibly can to help you. I will tell you and Rin everything else once we get to her place. Hopefully, she has a microwave." He laughed a bit as he finished.

(Later That Day)

Fuyuki Graveyard.

"We're here." Shirou said with a hint of sorrow. He held Illya's hand in his before crouching down to hold one of her shoulders to comfort her. In front of them was a single grave that read "Kiritsugu Emiya, loving Father and Friend."

Illya began to tear up once more. Shirou silently comforted her through her sobbing.

"The Holy Grail…did this?" Illya said while clinching her fist with anger.

"Yes. it is cursed beyond all repair. The only thing we can do now is destroy it…" Shirou stopped. Something didn't feel right. he turned around and quickly summoned his armor, delfecting three Black Keys that were flying towards him and Illya. Saber and the two maids prepared for battle soon after that.

"Mistriss Illya! Get to safety!" one of the maids yelled. Berserker arrived soon after that. Illya wanted to stay but her maids and Shirou convinced her to leave.

"We'll deal with the threat here. The best place for you right now is Einzbern Castle." Shirou said to her with a voice reminiscent of a monarch in wartimes. Demanding respect from her.

"Fine." She pouted. Crossing her arms in a childish manner. Berserker leapt into the air with all three homunculi in his arms back to their base. Shirou etched several runes into the ground, forming a large barrier so that no one can see what is going on inside. He looked around to see that the one attacking them was none other than Kirei Kotomine. He slowly walked towards them with both of his hands behind his back and with a sinister grin.

"I'm surprised. A Dead Apostle as young as you yet you are not hiding from the sun. Is this why the Grail chose you to be a Master?" Kirei said with an unsettlingly calm voice. Shirou peeked his head up a bit. Confused as to why he called him a Dead Apostle.

"Dead Apostle? You've got the wrong guy Kirei Kotomine! Back away from this fight while you still have a chance." Shirou said in a threatening tone as to warn Kirei that he is way in over his head fighting him. A human, no matter how strong or skilled they are, can only hope to match the likes of a fully trained Far-Side God.

"Oh? It's good to see that my old enemy bothered to tell his son about me. seeing that there is no need for pleasantries." He said as he brought out 8 black keys. Shirou reached out his arm and started etching several runes into the ground, speaking in ancient Norse as he did it.

"ISA!" a gust of cold air traveled towards Kirei, almost freezing him instantly but he dodged it and charged towards Shirou with his black keys being changed into shields with red mana glowing right into them, he was using command seals to do it.

*CLANG*

Saber blocked him with her invisible sword. To their surprise, Kirei was actually holding her to a sword lock.

"Shirou…a little help would be nice…" Saber said with a bit of a struggle.

"Very well." He replied with a smile under his helmet. He rushed to Kirei's side in the blink of an eye and sent him flying sideways with a single kick.

"There's a lot more where that came from." Shirou said as he readied himself into the hand to hand fighting style his mother taught him, but he also reinforced his ears to hear a heartbeat as Kirei stood up, but he didn't hear one. 'What?' he said inside his head.

Shirou had a sudden vision of the future and turned around, only to be stabbed through the chest with a sickle like polearm. Pain erupted throughout his body.

"SHIROU!" Saber cried out. She rushed to his side, only to be stopped by golden chains coming out of portals. Behind her was a golden-haired man with a biker outfit and crimson cat like eyes. Shirou knew that he was a demi-god, and a powerful one too.

"Don't even bother wasting yourself to that mongrel Saber." He calmly said with a voice. "You need only concern yourself with me."

"Archer…" Saber said with seething venom and disbelief. "How are you here? You should have disappeared once the grail was destroyed!"

"I won that war. Remember." He said he held her chin up. "No, I will make you my wife, Saber. And I will make sure you enjoy it." Shirou's anger rose, by he could not move, he collapsed onto his knees, but was caught by his mother.

"Oh…hi mom…" Shirou said weekly. Scathach pulled the polearm out of him and laid him down gently before finding out that his wound was already healing thanks to his connection to Saber and her sheath.

"You'll pay for that, Gilgamesh…" Scathach said with venom in her voice. She turned around to face him, calling forth her ten spears and her armor. Saber was shocked with disbelief once more, the man in front of her was indeed The King of Heroes from Mesopotamian mythology.

"Oh, at lease someone here recognizes me. shame it had to be from an old hag like yourself." Gilgamesh said with a cocky smile. Portals opened behind him with anti-immortal noble phantasms. Scathach stopped, her body stated to shake with unbridled rage towards the man that harmed her son.

"…What did you call me…?" she said with an almost whispering voice.

"Did I hurt your feelings? Don't worry, you won't have to concern yourself about being called for what you really are for much longer." Gilgamesh continued to give her that cocky and egotistical look towards her as he held Saber's face.

The area around them started to get colder and colder as Scathach's eyes began to glow bright red. Murderous intent was everywhere around Gilgamesh.

"I am going to kill you slowly. And I'm going to enjoy every second of it." She said with a venomous tone. Her sadistic smile hidden away by her facemask. In an instant, Scathach was already right in infront of the incarnated heroic spirit. Creating a small sonic boom as she did it. He retaliated but he was too slow, Scathach managed to scratch his chest open with one of her spears. Gilgamesh summoned more and more weapons towards her. She blocked them with her other spears or just dodged them with ease.

Saber managed to escape in the chaos and rushed towards Shirou's side and was revealed that he was still breathing, and his injury was already gone. She looked around her to see that Kirei was already gone. Using the confusing chaos to his advantage.

"I must say, I was not expecting that." Gilgamesh said between breaths. Scathach continued to smile underneath her mask, counting how long it took until Gae Bolg's other curse took effect. Gilgamesh summoned more portals behind him. but pain suddenly erupted throughout his entire body. Pain so great that he fell onto the ground and bleeding from his nose. the portals were closed behind him and his weapons were banished along with them.

"That is the second cursed of my spears. The curse of mortal pain. Enjoy your last moments Gilgamesh." Scathach said as she slowly walked towards him until she kneeled in front of him. "When I made these spears, I made sure that it would always kill it's target, one way or another."

Gilgamesh slowly died as the pain overcame his senses. Scathach etched an Ansuz rune over his body, burning his body into nothing but ash. She turned around and saw that Saber was holding Shirou over shoulders but struggling seeing that he was 182 cm tall.

"Let me help." She calmly said as she banished her armor and now wore a outfit meant for office work. carrying Shirou back towards the Emiya residence so that he can recover.

Kirei coughed up blood as he sat down inside his church. Wondering how Gilgamesh, of all heroic spirits, could be killed so easily by a mere curse. But also revealed that the adopted son of his greatest foe was not a Dead Apostle.

"To think someone like that woman could kill the King of Heroes so easily." He said as he checked his wounds. A few broken rips and a broken shoulder. Just from a simple kick.

"If he is not a Dead Apostle…then what is he?" He asked himself. somethings just didn't add up to the theory that they were Dead Apostles. For one, no one should have survived a direct strike from Harpe, the weapon of Perseus, the very blade that stuck down Medusa. Not only that, the Celtic and Norse runes he used were powerful, extremely powerful. That meant that they were using Primordial Runes. And those spears could only be variants of Lancer's weapon, Gae Bolg.

"So that's it. He's the son of Scathach, Shirou Emiya is a Demi-God." Kirei chucked to himself as he figured out who, or rather what, Shirou Emiya was.

"To think that the Gods still lived in the 21st Century. This Grail war just got more interesting." He continued to laugh as his wounds began to heal unnaturally.

"I should inform Rin and her little group about this so that they can at least survive a little longer than Archer did." He said to himself as he called forth Lancer one more time.

(Ryuudou Temple. Nighttime)

Medea made her way back inside the temple but couldn't sake the feeling that something was…off. She looked up the staircase to see that Assassin was missing from his post, and he wasn't in spirit form either.

"My love!" she realized that her master was in danger since Assassin was missing, she flew up the stares only to see that there was blood everywhere on the wall and there Assassin was supposed to be was just another puddle of blood with modern military boot prints.

She rushed through the temple to find bodies littered the hallways. Including the temples head monk. She continued to Kuzuki slept, only to see witness his neck being snapped by a man with black body armor and red robes around his body, his face obscured by bandages and a red hood. He held M9 bayonets in holsters on his hips.

Medea attempted to control of this Assassin but was suddenly stopped when he pulled out a Calico M950, firing over 50 rounds into her.

"Target: Clear. Awaiting new orders." He said in deep, monotone voice. Caster looked up as he left. A dark, strange mud flooded over to her and carried Medea towards the temple's lake.

"Don't worry, it'll be over soon…" a strange feminine voice said to her as her inner darkness began to take over.

AN: Hello everyone. You're probably wondering why I killed off Gilgamesh so early in the war? It's because I wanted to show just how powerful Far-Side Gods really are, they are gods designed to kill other gods with ease. So Gilgamesh, even without using Ea, would die easily if confronting one.

Sorry it took so long to write this. But I've been going through some stuff lately.

Please leave a review if you've enjoyed what I've written so far.