As Shirou lay in the flames of the Fuyuki city fire, a certain Young Wolf changes things by giving the young boy their Light as a parting gift to the world. As for what fate had in store for Shirou in the future? Well, Guardians make their own fate.
A Blade Recast in Light
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Prologue: Forged in Flames
- Location
- Colorado Springs, Colorado USA; also is a coconut
- Pronouns
- He
Flames. Cursed flames were everywhere. The smoke blotted out the night sky, and the ash fell like rain. It was a scene straight out of the apocalypse, as if the very mouth of hell had opened and unleashed its misery upon the Earth.
Through it all stumbled a young red-haired boy, his golden eyes held a haunted expression. If anyone had witnessed the sight of the youth struggling, they would have been horrified. Barely eight years old by most people's reckoning, he struggled to stay alive in this accursed hellscape and only did so through a warped survivor's instinct taken to the extreme. The cursed flames subtly influenced him, robbing him of his emotions, and taking all his memories since birth.
His hatred held him back from going forward? He cast it into the hungry maw of the flames.
His sadness, which made him want to turn back? The flames were given that emotion next too.
His despair, which made him want to fall to his knees? It was its turn for the flames.
Happiness, fear, anger, all of it was torn away, leaving a hollowed existence in its place.
As the flames demanded more from the boy, whispering insidious thoughts and clawing at his sanity, he started to slow down. Time slowed to a crawl for the young boy, as if the very laws of reality were being warped and twisted by the malevolent fire.
As the flames danced and roared with a twisted delight, the young boy still marched onwards, desperately trying to evade death. But, alas, his legs could not bear to walk an inch further and he collapsed backward, staring face up at the sky.
The accursed flames howled their joy to the blackened heavens, and suddenly raced towards the downed boy, intending to consume him as it had done to many other countless poor souls.
However…
"That boy is not yours to do with as you please, little god."
The flames surrounding the boy slowed to a crawl and then stopped, as ice began to glacially consume the cursed fire. Then with a sudden snap of fingers, the ice shattered into tiny specks of ice that quickly melted away, leaving behind only wet ash and debris.
The sound of boots crunching on loose gravel and debris echoed outwards, as a lone male figure marched out of the gloom, clad in futuristic armor. The unknown male slowly lowered his hand, turning his head this way and that, scouring the area for more threats to the young boy's safety.
Finding none, the male quietly kneeled down beside the red-head, gently grabbing one of the boy's hands while taking a deep breath. When the armored male exhaled, he started to slowly fade away as Light surged from the man to the boy in a whirl of prismatic color. Soon enough, the man was gone leaving behind a small necklace of a tree flanked by two wolf heads. Then it too, faded away, but in a small rush of flame that consumed the boy.
When the flames had faded, they revealed the boy was unscathed. But spiritually… only time would tell.
A few minutes later, the sound of more boots echoed in the silence as two more armored figures appeared from the darkness. By the design of their armor, one was male, and the other was female.
Both soldiers, for what else could they be, rushed forward in a desperate effort to save at least one life from this hell.
"EDI, vital signs please." came the female figure's voice, sharp with worry. With a small flash of light, a small drone-like construct the size of her hand appeared on her open palm.
"Right away, Ayra." EDI said in an equally feminine voice, but in a calmer tone, as she glided away and directed a small beam of light at the young boy. Her shell, which was a Last City shell, was colored a midnight black with gold trimming on its edges.
"Is he the one we're looking for, Joker?" the male figure said in a deep voice, to seemingly no one, until another Ghost appeared next to him. This Ghost had a matching shell to the other one, but with the coloring reversed.
"Yes I believe he is, Beregon." came the reply, in a chirpy male voice, which made the armored figure feel old. "I'm just glad we made it in time."
"We weren't the first ones to make it here," EDI interjected with worried shock. "Seems like someone else beat us to the punch. Whatever they did to the boy is fighting against what was in those cursed flames; it's keeping him stable for now. And by the way have you three noticed? The ground in this area is wet around here."
"You don't mean someone used…?!" began Ayra.
"That someone used Stasis on the Cursed Flames in the area?" finished EDI. "Yes they did, and it was someone powerful, too."
Just at that moment, the four of them heard someone shouting out into the night. Both Ghosts quickly hid themselves, fading away into motes of light. They didn't want to be a target to someone unknown and possibly hostile. The remaining two listened carefully to the cries.
"Hello?! Is anyone still alive out there?!" came the desperate cries of a broken man. "Please! Give me a sign!"
"How are we going to explain ourselves?" Ayra hissed over her helmet's comm relay to Beregon. "If it's the first responders, we're going to have a lot of problems!"
"No, I don't think it's them," Beregon replied calmly over the channel. "I think I know who it is as well."
"Oi!!!! Over here!!!! We've got a live one, but we need some help to stabilize him!!!" Beregon suddenly shouted out over his helmet's speakers, the tone so loud he startled Ayra into jumping a foot in the air.
"What are you doing?!" Ayra yelled in panic over the channel. "Are you insane?!"
"It'll be fine, trust me," was Beregon's short but calm reply.
A few seconds later, a man in a black coat flecked with ash came running into view. He skidded to a stop a few feet in front of the others, and his haunted obsidian colored eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the two armored soldiers.
"Beregon?!" The shock in the man's voice was clear as a bright summer's day.
"It's been a long time hasn't it, Kiritsugu?" Beregon casualty said to the worn out man.
"Yes, it has.How are you even here?"
"You both can catch up later! The boy needs medical attention!" EDI said in a panic, coming out of hiding. "His vitals are starting to flatline!"
"WHAT?!" Ayra, Beregon, and Kiritsugu shouted in near unison.
Moving so quickly he appeared as a blurry shape, Kiritsugu soon stood next to the young red-headed boy, whose eyes were slowly starting to close.
"No, hold on!" the black haired man said in a panic.
There was a sudden brilliantly golden light, as Kiritsugu held his arms in front of his chest, and a sheath of the finest quality, colored gold and royal blue came forth. Then carefully the man gently placed it over the young red haired boy's chest and the sheath slowly faded into golden particles that sank into the youth's slowly dying body.
"Whatever you did is working!" EDI said happily. "He should make a full recovery, along with some medical attention from the professionals."
"I don't know about you guys, but I need a nap." Ayra said, yawning widely inside her helmet.
"Aye I could do the same," Beregon said in reply, nodding in agreement. He turned to Kiritsugu and said, "We'll talk later, ok? Just focus on getting the kid to the hospital."
Kiritsugu nodded and raced off towards where the noise of sirens could be heard. Beregon and Ayra, meanwhile, disappeared in a flash of pure white light, leaving no evidence of anything behind, save for the wet ash, and debris as the fire slowly faded away as dawn approached.
Took me a while to properly get this chapter up to snuff, and not to post it immediately. As for my other story, The Sword of the Wyrm Gods, I will be doing a rewrite of it sometime in the future.
As always please like/subscribe if you loved it and also please leave a review!
I'll see you all Starside.
Through it all stumbled a young red-haired boy, his golden eyes held a haunted expression. If anyone had witnessed the sight of the youth struggling, they would have been horrified. Barely eight years old by most people's reckoning, he struggled to stay alive in this accursed hellscape and only did so through a warped survivor's instinct taken to the extreme. The cursed flames subtly influenced him, robbing him of his emotions, and taking all his memories since birth.
His hatred held him back from going forward? He cast it into the hungry maw of the flames.
His sadness, which made him want to turn back? The flames were given that emotion next too.
His despair, which made him want to fall to his knees? It was its turn for the flames.
Happiness, fear, anger, all of it was torn away, leaving a hollowed existence in its place.
As the flames demanded more from the boy, whispering insidious thoughts and clawing at his sanity, he started to slow down. Time slowed to a crawl for the young boy, as if the very laws of reality were being warped and twisted by the malevolent fire.
As the flames danced and roared with a twisted delight, the young boy still marched onwards, desperately trying to evade death. But, alas, his legs could not bear to walk an inch further and he collapsed backward, staring face up at the sky.
The accursed flames howled their joy to the blackened heavens, and suddenly raced towards the downed boy, intending to consume him as it had done to many other countless poor souls.
However…
"That boy is not yours to do with as you please, little god."
The flames surrounding the boy slowed to a crawl and then stopped, as ice began to glacially consume the cursed fire. Then with a sudden snap of fingers, the ice shattered into tiny specks of ice that quickly melted away, leaving behind only wet ash and debris.
The sound of boots crunching on loose gravel and debris echoed outwards, as a lone male figure marched out of the gloom, clad in futuristic armor. The unknown male slowly lowered his hand, turning his head this way and that, scouring the area for more threats to the young boy's safety.
Finding none, the male quietly kneeled down beside the red-head, gently grabbing one of the boy's hands while taking a deep breath. When the armored male exhaled, he started to slowly fade away as Light surged from the man to the boy in a whirl of prismatic color. Soon enough, the man was gone leaving behind a small necklace of a tree flanked by two wolf heads. Then it too, faded away, but in a small rush of flame that consumed the boy.
When the flames had faded, they revealed the boy was unscathed. But spiritually… only time would tell.
A few minutes later, the sound of more boots echoed in the silence as two more armored figures appeared from the darkness. By the design of their armor, one was male, and the other was female.
Both soldiers, for what else could they be, rushed forward in a desperate effort to save at least one life from this hell.
"EDI, vital signs please." came the female figure's voice, sharp with worry. With a small flash of light, a small drone-like construct the size of her hand appeared on her open palm.
"Right away, Ayra." EDI said in an equally feminine voice, but in a calmer tone, as she glided away and directed a small beam of light at the young boy. Her shell, which was a Last City shell, was colored a midnight black with gold trimming on its edges.
"Is he the one we're looking for, Joker?" the male figure said in a deep voice, to seemingly no one, until another Ghost appeared next to him. This Ghost had a matching shell to the other one, but with the coloring reversed.
"Yes I believe he is, Beregon." came the reply, in a chirpy male voice, which made the armored figure feel old. "I'm just glad we made it in time."
"We weren't the first ones to make it here," EDI interjected with worried shock. "Seems like someone else beat us to the punch. Whatever they did to the boy is fighting against what was in those cursed flames; it's keeping him stable for now. And by the way have you three noticed? The ground in this area is wet around here."
"You don't mean someone used…?!" began Ayra.
"That someone used Stasis on the Cursed Flames in the area?" finished EDI. "Yes they did, and it was someone powerful, too."
Just at that moment, the four of them heard someone shouting out into the night. Both Ghosts quickly hid themselves, fading away into motes of light. They didn't want to be a target to someone unknown and possibly hostile. The remaining two listened carefully to the cries.
"Hello?! Is anyone still alive out there?!" came the desperate cries of a broken man. "Please! Give me a sign!"
"How are we going to explain ourselves?" Ayra hissed over her helmet's comm relay to Beregon. "If it's the first responders, we're going to have a lot of problems!"
"No, I don't think it's them," Beregon replied calmly over the channel. "I think I know who it is as well."
"Oi!!!! Over here!!!! We've got a live one, but we need some help to stabilize him!!!" Beregon suddenly shouted out over his helmet's speakers, the tone so loud he startled Ayra into jumping a foot in the air.
"What are you doing?!" Ayra yelled in panic over the channel. "Are you insane?!"
"It'll be fine, trust me," was Beregon's short but calm reply.
A few seconds later, a man in a black coat flecked with ash came running into view. He skidded to a stop a few feet in front of the others, and his haunted obsidian colored eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the two armored soldiers.
"Beregon?!" The shock in the man's voice was clear as a bright summer's day.
"It's been a long time hasn't it, Kiritsugu?" Beregon casualty said to the worn out man.
"Yes, it has.How are you even here?"
"You both can catch up later! The boy needs medical attention!" EDI said in a panic, coming out of hiding. "His vitals are starting to flatline!"
"WHAT?!" Ayra, Beregon, and Kiritsugu shouted in near unison.
Moving so quickly he appeared as a blurry shape, Kiritsugu soon stood next to the young red-headed boy, whose eyes were slowly starting to close.
"No, hold on!" the black haired man said in a panic.
There was a sudden brilliantly golden light, as Kiritsugu held his arms in front of his chest, and a sheath of the finest quality, colored gold and royal blue came forth. Then carefully the man gently placed it over the young red haired boy's chest and the sheath slowly faded into golden particles that sank into the youth's slowly dying body.
"Whatever you did is working!" EDI said happily. "He should make a full recovery, along with some medical attention from the professionals."
"I don't know about you guys, but I need a nap." Ayra said, yawning widely inside her helmet.
"Aye I could do the same," Beregon said in reply, nodding in agreement. He turned to Kiritsugu and said, "We'll talk later, ok? Just focus on getting the kid to the hospital."
Kiritsugu nodded and raced off towards where the noise of sirens could be heard. Beregon and Ayra, meanwhile, disappeared in a flash of pure white light, leaving no evidence of anything behind, save for the wet ash, and debris as the fire slowly faded away as dawn approached.
Took me a while to properly get this chapter up to snuff, and not to post it immediately. As for my other story, The Sword of the Wyrm Gods, I will be doing a rewrite of it sometime in the future.
As always please like/subscribe if you loved it and also please leave a review!
I'll see you all Starside.
Chapter 1: Of Dreams and Adoptions
- Location
- Colorado Springs, Colorado USA; also is a coconut
- Pronouns
- He
Unknown to those who had rescued him, the young boy, Shirou, was vaguely aware of what Kiritsugu had done to save him. As the golden light faded, Shirou beheld Kiritsugu's face crying tears of joy from saving at least one person from the fire. Kiritsugu's smile was broken; fractured from the sheer horror and regret of what he had unleashed upon the city.
Despite that, Shirou couldn't help but feel the man's smile was beautiful, and so the last thing that Shirou thought before he passed out was, "Could I ever smile like that, if I saved someone? Could I ever be as happy as this man?"
When Shirou opened his eyes, he found he was standing on a clear glass platform surrounded by a pure white void. It was unnerving to his young mind, warped as it was, yet still there was a serene beauty to it. Taking a step forward, Shirou felt as if a pair of eyes were watching him.
Turning around swiftly, but finding nothing there, he called out with a small voice, "H-Hello? Is anyone out there?"
The sound of paws running towards him made Shirou spin around, and found himself face to face with a huge White Wolf. He hastily backed away, but fell on his behind, breaking nothing but his dignity. With the shrieking cry of a bird of prey, a breathtakingly beautiful silver-white hawk landed next to him on the platform, its talons not making a sound.
Both animals looked at Shirou for a few minutes, and then at each other. Though they spoke nary a word, he felt as if they were speaking with each other. Suddenly, the wolf let out a huff, and affirmatively bobbed his head as if in agreement with the falcon.
Turning towards the young red haired boy, the wolf opened its maw and suddenly Shirou heard a man's voice, "Apparently, you're not ready for this yet, pup."
Before Shirou could say anything, his exhaustion overwhelmed him again and his eyes grew heavy. The last thing he heard before they closed was a feminine voice saying, "May you ever walk in the light of the Traveler."
"So, Beregon, how exactly did you meet Kiritsugu here?" Ayra asked her fellow Guardian.
It had been a few days since Kiritsugu had delivered Shirou to the Hospital. So far, there had been no other survivors from the fire. Those that had managed to get evacuated had already died, as well as several first responders, from either lung damage due to smoke inhalation or severe burns that just wouldn't heal.
The three of them were currently in a house that Kiritsugu owned in Miyama town, having a discussion with Kiritsugu over some take-out food for dinner; Kiritsugu had somehow managed to burn the water when he had tried to do some cooking, nearly setting his house on fire.
"Well, we both met each other on a job that forced us to work together." Beregon replied. "You know the recon mission I was sent on, regarding odd signals in the Southern European Dead Zone? Turns out it was the Vex trying to form a Gate on Earth, on some long forgotten island in the Aegean sea, near Greece."
"Wait…what?!"Ayra exclaimed, her head going back and forth between the other two, her red hair going this way and that. Her emerald green eyes now full of interest and also fear and shock at the information she had just been told. "But then… How did you meet Kiritsugu?"
"I got shoved into a half formed temporal gate, by a Vex Goblin of all things," Beregon answered, his voice full of embarrassment. "It was bad luck, really. I had thrown an impact grenade earlier, and it blew one of the goblins flying right into me."
"Oh wow… That really is bad luck," Ayra said with a grimace. "But wait… How does that explain you meeting Kiritsugu?"
"It's because I was hired for a solo job; I was tasked with investigating and eliminating magi conducting illegal research on that same island," Kiritsugu calmly explained to her, "Apparently the Vex had crossed over into this dimension, hoping to find an edge over their foes in your home universe."
"Ah, I see," Ayra replied, then hesitantly asked, "Guessing how Beregon made it back to report to the Vanguard at the time, I'm guessing they failed to achieve anything?"
"Aside from doing my job for me? Yes, they failed to establish a foothold in this version of Earth."
There was a tense silence, broken finally by Beregon who had received an alert from his watch.
"As riveting as this conversation is, I do believe we should all get some rest." he said as looked at the watch on his wrist. "Hopefully the boy wakes up soon."
The others nodded agreement; Kiritsugu heading to his bedroom, the other two for their current lodgings in a nearby hotel.
When he next opened his eyes, Shirou found himself looking at the sterile ceiling of a hospital room, and feeling very uncomfortable in the bed he had been put in. Not that he could ever remember having been in a hospital or their beds for that…matter…
He couldn't remember?
As the boy struggled to recall anything about himself, anything at all, a nurse walked into the room.
"Oh! You're finally awake!" she said in a pleased tone. "You have visitors, but that will have to wait, at least until we can confirm nothing physically is wrong with you."
About an hour later, after all the physical tests had finished, Shirou's visitors were allowed into the room with him.
The young red-haired boy still could not remember anything about himself from before the fire, save for his name: Shirou.
The first of his visitors to walk into Shirou's hospital room was a tall brown haired man, whose blue eyes sparkled with warmth at the sight of the youth in front of him. He wore an outfit reminiscent of a researcher, except it was black with gold trimming and looked more like robes.
"Glad to see you're doing ok, kid," he said as he sat down in a nearby chair in the room near a window.
The next to arrive was a busty and tall but still lithe red-headed woman, whose emerald eyes shone like stars in the lighting of the room. Her outfit accented her figure well, despite it being almost a military outfit in style. When her gaze met Shirou's, her face broke into a wide grin.
"Good to see you're still alive kiddo!" she said in a chirpy voice opting not to sit in a chair, but instead chose to stand next to the brown haired male. The man just rolled his eyes at that, but said nothing.
Last to arrive was the black-haired man from the fire, who had rushed Shirou to the hospital. His eyes when they saw that the boy was awake, were one of immense relief and one could see the tension that left his frame. He was wearing either the same outfit from the fire, or it was a fresher set of clothes that were just the same. Black made him look cool, in Shirou's opinion.
"Hello, how are you feeling?" the black haired man said awkwardly. "My name is Kiritsugu Emiya. What's yours?"
It took a few minutes for the young boy to speak, and his face was twisted in confusion at the mere question.
Finally, though…
"My name is Shirou," the red haired youth replied.
"No last name?" Kiritsugu prompted.
The boy shook his head in response and said, "I can't remember anything except for that."
The other three humans in the room grimaced and shared looks with one another, and then the brown haired man said, "I'll go let a nurse or doctor know we found out his name…or part of it anyway."
"Yeah, and I'll help you with that, Beregon." the red-haired woman said in a chirpy way, putting on a brave face.
The man sighed as well as shaking his head and said dryly, "Very well, Ayra. Come on then."
As the two of them walked out of the door, Beregon paused, turned around and opened his mouth to say something to Kiritsugu; but Ayra tugged on his arm forcefully, and he acquiesced, walking out the only door to the room with a quiet click.
Shirou however was still struggling to come up with his last name, and it must have shown on his face because the man, Kiritsugu, said with a calming gesture of his hand, "Don't worry, you'll probably remember it in due course, just be thankful you survived."
Flashes of the fire and what he had seen and done suddenly flooded Shirou's mind.
"Easier said than done," the youth thought to himself.
He pushed those thoughts away for now, and feeling a hand on his head looked up. The man was gently patting Shirou's head with his rough hand. Suddenly, a large yawn escaped from Shirou's mouth, and the man chuckled softly.
"How about you get some more sleep, it sounds and looks like you're still exhausted." he told the boy. "Sleep lad, I'm not going anywhere. Nor are the other two for that matter."
Shirou felt oddly comforted by the man's words and closed his eyes; sleep washed over the young boy as soon as his golden eyes had closed.
A few hours later, Shirou awakened from his short slumber, slowly raising himself into a sitting position. Blearily looking around, he saw that only Kiritsugu was inside the room, sitting in a chair next to his bed. But as his mind started to clear up, he could hear the other two holding a conversation with some doctors and nurses coming from outside the door.
"The others thought it would be best if only I was present for this conversation," the black clad man said, after seeing the question in Shirou's eyes. "You see, I applied for guardianship for you two days ago."
Seeing a muted puzzled look on Shirou's face, the man continued, "So far, no one else has come forth to claim you, and it's looking more likely no one will."
"Oh…" the boy replied with a muted expression on his face. As he sat there in the hard hospital bed, Shirou gazed at the man who just looked right back. Then, Shirou asked him, "What if I don't go with you, what'll happen to me then?"
"I overheard some of the nurses saying that the local Church was willing to take in any orphans of the fire." Kiritsugu said, his eyes hardening to cold flints. "Personally, I wouldn't let any kid go to the local Church, if only because of the man currently in charge of it now."
As Shirou sat there processing this information, he felt a sudden pang in his head and clutched it suddenly, as an echo of someone's voice said to him, "I feel uncomfortable about the new priest. There's just something off about him."
Then he heard another voice reply, "I know what you mean, dear. His father suddenly dies, and suddenly he gets to take over? And it isn't just that, I could've sworn… him… a knife…killed…father."
The memory of the voices suddenly faded, and Shirou let go of his forehead. He looked up, lowering his hand, and saw Kiritsugu looking worriedly down at him.
"Are you ok?" he asked Shirou.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Shirou responded, blinking his eyes rapidly. Then he said, "I think I want to come with you, if that's ok."
"Then I guess, that makes us family, even if it's not official yet." Kiritsugu said, his eyes bright somewhat, though there was a tinge of sadness to them.
As he made to leave, Shirou suddenly grasped Kiritsugu's hand, and gave a somewhat muted smile. The tired man looked down in surprise, but when he saw the smile on the boy's face, he smiled back. It wasn't a true smile, but it was still close.
Man, I really struggled to write this chapter down. I guess writing truly is an artform. Anyway, I'm looking for beta readers, so if anyone wants to help with this story, please send me a private message!
As always please leave a like/subscribe and leave a review if you liked the story!
I'll see you guys Star Side!
Despite that, Shirou couldn't help but feel the man's smile was beautiful, and so the last thing that Shirou thought before he passed out was, "Could I ever smile like that, if I saved someone? Could I ever be as happy as this man?"
When Shirou opened his eyes, he found he was standing on a clear glass platform surrounded by a pure white void. It was unnerving to his young mind, warped as it was, yet still there was a serene beauty to it. Taking a step forward, Shirou felt as if a pair of eyes were watching him.
Turning around swiftly, but finding nothing there, he called out with a small voice, "H-Hello? Is anyone out there?"
The sound of paws running towards him made Shirou spin around, and found himself face to face with a huge White Wolf. He hastily backed away, but fell on his behind, breaking nothing but his dignity. With the shrieking cry of a bird of prey, a breathtakingly beautiful silver-white hawk landed next to him on the platform, its talons not making a sound.
Both animals looked at Shirou for a few minutes, and then at each other. Though they spoke nary a word, he felt as if they were speaking with each other. Suddenly, the wolf let out a huff, and affirmatively bobbed his head as if in agreement with the falcon.
Turning towards the young red haired boy, the wolf opened its maw and suddenly Shirou heard a man's voice, "Apparently, you're not ready for this yet, pup."
Before Shirou could say anything, his exhaustion overwhelmed him again and his eyes grew heavy. The last thing he heard before they closed was a feminine voice saying, "May you ever walk in the light of the Traveler."
"So, Beregon, how exactly did you meet Kiritsugu here?" Ayra asked her fellow Guardian.
It had been a few days since Kiritsugu had delivered Shirou to the Hospital. So far, there had been no other survivors from the fire. Those that had managed to get evacuated had already died, as well as several first responders, from either lung damage due to smoke inhalation or severe burns that just wouldn't heal.
The three of them were currently in a house that Kiritsugu owned in Miyama town, having a discussion with Kiritsugu over some take-out food for dinner; Kiritsugu had somehow managed to burn the water when he had tried to do some cooking, nearly setting his house on fire.
"Well, we both met each other on a job that forced us to work together." Beregon replied. "You know the recon mission I was sent on, regarding odd signals in the Southern European Dead Zone? Turns out it was the Vex trying to form a Gate on Earth, on some long forgotten island in the Aegean sea, near Greece."
"Wait…what?!"Ayra exclaimed, her head going back and forth between the other two, her red hair going this way and that. Her emerald green eyes now full of interest and also fear and shock at the information she had just been told. "But then… How did you meet Kiritsugu?"
"I got shoved into a half formed temporal gate, by a Vex Goblin of all things," Beregon answered, his voice full of embarrassment. "It was bad luck, really. I had thrown an impact grenade earlier, and it blew one of the goblins flying right into me."
"Oh wow… That really is bad luck," Ayra said with a grimace. "But wait… How does that explain you meeting Kiritsugu?"
"It's because I was hired for a solo job; I was tasked with investigating and eliminating magi conducting illegal research on that same island," Kiritsugu calmly explained to her, "Apparently the Vex had crossed over into this dimension, hoping to find an edge over their foes in your home universe."
"Ah, I see," Ayra replied, then hesitantly asked, "Guessing how Beregon made it back to report to the Vanguard at the time, I'm guessing they failed to achieve anything?"
"Aside from doing my job for me? Yes, they failed to establish a foothold in this version of Earth."
There was a tense silence, broken finally by Beregon who had received an alert from his watch.
"As riveting as this conversation is, I do believe we should all get some rest." he said as looked at the watch on his wrist. "Hopefully the boy wakes up soon."
The others nodded agreement; Kiritsugu heading to his bedroom, the other two for their current lodgings in a nearby hotel.
When he next opened his eyes, Shirou found himself looking at the sterile ceiling of a hospital room, and feeling very uncomfortable in the bed he had been put in. Not that he could ever remember having been in a hospital or their beds for that…matter…
He couldn't remember?
As the boy struggled to recall anything about himself, anything at all, a nurse walked into the room.
"Oh! You're finally awake!" she said in a pleased tone. "You have visitors, but that will have to wait, at least until we can confirm nothing physically is wrong with you."
About an hour later, after all the physical tests had finished, Shirou's visitors were allowed into the room with him.
The young red-haired boy still could not remember anything about himself from before the fire, save for his name: Shirou.
The first of his visitors to walk into Shirou's hospital room was a tall brown haired man, whose blue eyes sparkled with warmth at the sight of the youth in front of him. He wore an outfit reminiscent of a researcher, except it was black with gold trimming and looked more like robes.
"Glad to see you're doing ok, kid," he said as he sat down in a nearby chair in the room near a window.
The next to arrive was a busty and tall but still lithe red-headed woman, whose emerald eyes shone like stars in the lighting of the room. Her outfit accented her figure well, despite it being almost a military outfit in style. When her gaze met Shirou's, her face broke into a wide grin.
"Good to see you're still alive kiddo!" she said in a chirpy voice opting not to sit in a chair, but instead chose to stand next to the brown haired male. The man just rolled his eyes at that, but said nothing.
Last to arrive was the black-haired man from the fire, who had rushed Shirou to the hospital. His eyes when they saw that the boy was awake, were one of immense relief and one could see the tension that left his frame. He was wearing either the same outfit from the fire, or it was a fresher set of clothes that were just the same. Black made him look cool, in Shirou's opinion.
"Hello, how are you feeling?" the black haired man said awkwardly. "My name is Kiritsugu Emiya. What's yours?"
It took a few minutes for the young boy to speak, and his face was twisted in confusion at the mere question.
Finally, though…
"My name is Shirou," the red haired youth replied.
"No last name?" Kiritsugu prompted.
The boy shook his head in response and said, "I can't remember anything except for that."
The other three humans in the room grimaced and shared looks with one another, and then the brown haired man said, "I'll go let a nurse or doctor know we found out his name…or part of it anyway."
"Yeah, and I'll help you with that, Beregon." the red-haired woman said in a chirpy way, putting on a brave face.
The man sighed as well as shaking his head and said dryly, "Very well, Ayra. Come on then."
As the two of them walked out of the door, Beregon paused, turned around and opened his mouth to say something to Kiritsugu; but Ayra tugged on his arm forcefully, and he acquiesced, walking out the only door to the room with a quiet click.
Shirou however was still struggling to come up with his last name, and it must have shown on his face because the man, Kiritsugu, said with a calming gesture of his hand, "Don't worry, you'll probably remember it in due course, just be thankful you survived."
Flashes of the fire and what he had seen and done suddenly flooded Shirou's mind.
"Easier said than done," the youth thought to himself.
He pushed those thoughts away for now, and feeling a hand on his head looked up. The man was gently patting Shirou's head with his rough hand. Suddenly, a large yawn escaped from Shirou's mouth, and the man chuckled softly.
"How about you get some more sleep, it sounds and looks like you're still exhausted." he told the boy. "Sleep lad, I'm not going anywhere. Nor are the other two for that matter."
Shirou felt oddly comforted by the man's words and closed his eyes; sleep washed over the young boy as soon as his golden eyes had closed.
A few hours later, Shirou awakened from his short slumber, slowly raising himself into a sitting position. Blearily looking around, he saw that only Kiritsugu was inside the room, sitting in a chair next to his bed. But as his mind started to clear up, he could hear the other two holding a conversation with some doctors and nurses coming from outside the door.
"The others thought it would be best if only I was present for this conversation," the black clad man said, after seeing the question in Shirou's eyes. "You see, I applied for guardianship for you two days ago."
Seeing a muted puzzled look on Shirou's face, the man continued, "So far, no one else has come forth to claim you, and it's looking more likely no one will."
"Oh…" the boy replied with a muted expression on his face. As he sat there in the hard hospital bed, Shirou gazed at the man who just looked right back. Then, Shirou asked him, "What if I don't go with you, what'll happen to me then?"
"I overheard some of the nurses saying that the local Church was willing to take in any orphans of the fire." Kiritsugu said, his eyes hardening to cold flints. "Personally, I wouldn't let any kid go to the local Church, if only because of the man currently in charge of it now."
As Shirou sat there processing this information, he felt a sudden pang in his head and clutched it suddenly, as an echo of someone's voice said to him, "I feel uncomfortable about the new priest. There's just something off about him."
Then he heard another voice reply, "I know what you mean, dear. His father suddenly dies, and suddenly he gets to take over? And it isn't just that, I could've sworn… him… a knife…killed…father."
The memory of the voices suddenly faded, and Shirou let go of his forehead. He looked up, lowering his hand, and saw Kiritsugu looking worriedly down at him.
"Are you ok?" he asked Shirou.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Shirou responded, blinking his eyes rapidly. Then he said, "I think I want to come with you, if that's ok."
"Then I guess, that makes us family, even if it's not official yet." Kiritsugu said, his eyes bright somewhat, though there was a tinge of sadness to them.
As he made to leave, Shirou suddenly grasped Kiritsugu's hand, and gave a somewhat muted smile. The tired man looked down in surprise, but when he saw the smile on the boy's face, he smiled back. It wasn't a true smile, but it was still close.
Man, I really struggled to write this chapter down. I guess writing truly is an artform. Anyway, I'm looking for beta readers, so if anyone wants to help with this story, please send me a private message!
As always please leave a like/subscribe and leave a review if you liked the story!
I'll see you guys Star Side!
Chapter 2: Settling in and a Dream is Born
- Location
- Colorado Springs, Colorado USA; also is a coconut
- Pronouns
- He
The next day, Shirou was released from the hospital, and the uncomfortable bed. Beregon and Ayra had driven him and Kiritsugu to their new home that they would be living in together.
The new house was a nice one, yet it was obviously not meant for just two people. It was large and spacious and it came with three furnished bedrooms, and four guestrooms. The living room was pleasantly decorated and the kitchen was fully stocked and ready for cooking.
Beregon, who was usually the serious one, had told Shirou before he and Ayra had left, that Kiritsugu was not allowed into the kitchen, and that he would have to learn how to cook for them both. Ayra then supplied that Kiritsugu had managed to burn water and had nearly set the house on fire the last time he tried to cook.
Shirou had smiled slightly at that, but found it to be true when the next morning, Kiritsugu set the water on fire. Part of him felt muted amusement, and another part of him felt completely stunned… how in the name of the Traveler do you burn water?!
Shirou paused and scrunched up his face in confusion at that word. What was the Traveler? But then, as Kiritsugu flailed about, Shirou pushed it to the back of his mind, and went to help the man put out the fire.
It was less hilarious the third time he burnt the water and even less the fifth time when he somehow melted a knife using the cutting board next to a pot of water; he set the water on fire that time as well.
Kiritsugu was also a disaster at other domestic tasks, though not for a lack of trying. It seems he wasn't used to such tasks and his luck with them always turned sour. The less said about the laundry debacle, the better…
So that was why a few days after Shirou got out of the hospital, he was now in charge of the cooking, and the laundry. Shirou didn't mind, learning how to cook was actually a pleasant experience for him, and while a part of him grumbled at the laundry part, it wasn't like they had any mech frames lying around to help with it.
There was another phrase that puzzled him. Sometimes, Shirou would have flashes of insight or feel emotions that felt like they came from a different person. It was odd.
But not nearly as odd as when he had cut his hand very badly on a knife once, and had nearly passed out from the pain. A few seconds later, however, his hand was washed in a subtle white-golden glow of light, and his hand was fine.
He was still in a state of surprise when his self-appointed big sister, Taiga Fujimaru, came in and saw the blood on the knife that was now on the floor. She had panicked, so much so that Kiritsugu was forced to hypnotize her into forgetting the incident. That was when Shirou found out his new father was a wizard, or magus, as was the correct term.
Kiritsugu himself was surprised at how quickly Shirou had healed, though, and he became concerned for his new son's wellbeing. When he learned of how Shirou had been healed, he immediately contacted both Ayra and Beregon. He told Shirou that he would explain it to him tomorrow after he talked with them.
That night while Shirou was asleep, Kiritsugu had told them what he had been told, and they were both silent for a moment. Then Ayra broke the silence.
"I think you should start training him, Kiritsugu." Ayra said with a resigned voice. "EDI and I still have a copy of those scans of your son, and it appears he has magic circuits."
"Meaning he's a magus himself, Kiritsugu." Beregon supplied, "You don't have to make him into a second Magus Killer, you could just teach him how to defend himself, that's all."
Kiritsugu let out a long sigh and nodded his head in agreement, saying, "Alright, I understand. But you still haven't explained why Shirou seems to have a similar healing factor as the two of you."
Beregon and Ayra both glanced at each other, sharing a concerned look.
"Well, we don't know." Ayra said finally, "This uncharted territory for us as well. We'll have to get back to you on that."
"Very well, I'll hold you both to that." was the reply.
The next morning, just like he promised, Kiritsugu had explained that he was a Magus, but not a proper one according to Magi society. He was more akin to a spellcaster. He then further explained to Shirou that he, too, was a magus.
Originally, Kiritsugu had wanted nothing more than to keep Shirou away from the Moonlit World. But, as he told Shirou, having 27 magic circuits of high quality made him too tempting of a target to some Magi, especially some of those Magi at the Clocktower.
That was why Kiritsugu sat across from Shirou, his expression serious but not unkind. For today, they would be unlocking Shirou's circuits, and the day after tomorrow would be when he began his training.
"Alright, Shirou. This may feel a bit... intense. Your magic circuits are like invisible paths inside you. Right now, they're dormant, but we're going to wake them up."
Shirou nodded, uncertain but determined. He sat cross-legged on the floor, feeling the coolness of the wooden boards beneath him.
Kiritsugu's hand rested firmly on Shirou's shoulder, his voice calm and steady. "Focus on your breathing first. Feel the blood flowing through your veins... now, imagine there's another network, smaller and more delicate. That's where your magic circuits are."
Shirou obeyed, closing his eyes. He felt his pulse throb, steady and rhythmic, but there was something else beneath it, a strange undercurrent of energy. It wasn't strong, more like a faint hum just out of reach.
"Now," Kiritsugu continued, "flip the switch in your mind. It'll activate the circuits, and it might feel intense at first."
Shirou took a breath and mentally reached for the switch Kiritsugu described. With a force of will, he flicked it on.
Immediately, a surge of heat shot through him, powerful and raw. The sensation of his magic circuits being activated was overwhelming, like his body was being flooded with fire. But something else stirred alongside it—something cooler, deeper. It ran parallel to the heat, a current that felt both familiar and alien, as though it had always been a part of him but was only now waking up.
In mind's eye Shirou saw a figure, standing tall and proud, against impossible odds that would overwhelm most people. This figure, shined and shimmered with a Prismatic Light, that suddenly separated into five pieces. Each piece rushed towards Shirou, and then…
He gasped, the vision fading as his body trembled under the dual forces. The burning energy of his magic circuits coursed through him, but the other power—the one made of light and shadow—was steady, calm, like a river flowing next to a wildfire. He felt more than saw that it was similar to the figure's power.
Shirou struggled to keep up with both sensations, his mind spinning. "What is this?" he wondered.
His magical energy raged within him, but this new force felt... balanced, controlled. The contrast between the two was stark, but somehow they didn't clash—they coexisted.
Kiritsugu's grip tightened on his shoulder. "Stay with it, Shirou. Breathe."
Shirou took a shuddering breath, his senses overwhelmed. Slowly, the burning intensity of his magic circuits dimmed, leaving behind a residual warmth. But that other energy, the one that pulsed with both light and darkness, remained steady, quiet but undeniable.
When Shirou opened his eyes, his heart was still racing. "What... what was that?" he asked, breathless.
Kiritsugu's expression tightened, but he didn't answer immediately. "Your magic circuits are active now," he said, avoiding the question. "We'll talk more later."
But Shirou knew there was something more—something his father wasn't telling him. He could still feel that strange power beneath his skin, like a part of him had been unlocked. And for now, he had no idea what it meant.
The world around Shirou was aflame, the heat unbearable. He stumbled through the burning streets, gasping for air, choking on smoke as the sky above him swirled with ash and fire. Everywhere he looked, the flames consumed everything—buildings crumbled, and the screams of people echoed in the distance, muffled by the roar of the inferno.
He tried to move, to run toward the cries, but his legs felt heavy, weighed down by an invisible force. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't get closer. The flames seemed to grow higher, stretching toward him, threatening to swallow him whole.
"Help me!"
A voice cut through the fire, desperate, pleading. Shirou's heart clenched, but when he turned toward the source, all he saw was a figure lying on the ground, barely visible through the smoke. He reached out, his hand trembling, but just as his fingers brushed the air, the figure vanished into the fire, consumed in an instant.
"No!" Shirou screamed, but his voice was swallowed by the flames. The fire surged forward, closing in around him, its heat suffocating. He collapsed to his knees, helpless as the world burned around him.
Then, from within the fire, another figure appeared. This one was different—clad in glowing light, surrounded by a shadow that flickered and twisted. It stood tall, unmoving, watching him. Shirou stared at the figure, unsure whether it was friend or foe.
The light surrounding the figure was warm, like a distant hope, but the shadows that danced around it were cold, unnerving. It didn't move, didn't speak. It just watched him, silently judging.
Shirou's chest tightened. He could feel the weight of the fire, the screams of those he couldn't save, pressing down on him. Why couldn't he help them? Why wasn't he strong enough?
"I... I want to save them," Shirou whispered, his voice barely audible against the crackling of the flames. "I don't want anyone to die."
The figure in the fire remained still, but the light around it seemed to grow brighter for a moment, as if acknowledging his words.
"I'll save them," Shirou said again, louder this time. His eyes burned with determination, even as tears threatened to spill. "I'll protect everyone. I'll be strong enough."
The flames roared louder, surging closer, but Shirou stood, fists clenched, eyes fixed on the glowing figure. "I'll become a hero... a Hero of Justice."
The words echoed in the empty, burning landscape, and for the briefest moment, the fire seemed to recoil, as if acknowledging his resolve. The figure in the flames, still silent, turned away, its form fading into the darkness and light that surrounded it.
Then there was a flash of golden light and…
Shirou woke up, his heart pounding, and drenched in sweat. He could still feel the heat of the fire and the weight of the screams he couldn't stop. But now, mixed in with the pain, there was a flicker of hope—a spark of determination in his golden eyes.
A ray of morning sunlight peaked in through his bedroom window, illuminating his face, yet also casting a long shadow behind him, as he sat up from his bed.
"Now first breakfast, and then the training the old man is going to put me through." Shirou said, as he opened the door of his bedroom, ready to meet another day.
Well hi all! While this chapter was hard to write at first, it got easier as I wrote. Anyway, I hope you guys like the chapter!
And as always, please leave a like/favorite the story and leave a review if you liked it!
I'll see you all Star Side!
The new house was a nice one, yet it was obviously not meant for just two people. It was large and spacious and it came with three furnished bedrooms, and four guestrooms. The living room was pleasantly decorated and the kitchen was fully stocked and ready for cooking.
Beregon, who was usually the serious one, had told Shirou before he and Ayra had left, that Kiritsugu was not allowed into the kitchen, and that he would have to learn how to cook for them both. Ayra then supplied that Kiritsugu had managed to burn water and had nearly set the house on fire the last time he tried to cook.
Shirou had smiled slightly at that, but found it to be true when the next morning, Kiritsugu set the water on fire. Part of him felt muted amusement, and another part of him felt completely stunned… how in the name of the Traveler do you burn water?!
Shirou paused and scrunched up his face in confusion at that word. What was the Traveler? But then, as Kiritsugu flailed about, Shirou pushed it to the back of his mind, and went to help the man put out the fire.
It was less hilarious the third time he burnt the water and even less the fifth time when he somehow melted a knife using the cutting board next to a pot of water; he set the water on fire that time as well.
Kiritsugu was also a disaster at other domestic tasks, though not for a lack of trying. It seems he wasn't used to such tasks and his luck with them always turned sour. The less said about the laundry debacle, the better…
So that was why a few days after Shirou got out of the hospital, he was now in charge of the cooking, and the laundry. Shirou didn't mind, learning how to cook was actually a pleasant experience for him, and while a part of him grumbled at the laundry part, it wasn't like they had any mech frames lying around to help with it.
There was another phrase that puzzled him. Sometimes, Shirou would have flashes of insight or feel emotions that felt like they came from a different person. It was odd.
But not nearly as odd as when he had cut his hand very badly on a knife once, and had nearly passed out from the pain. A few seconds later, however, his hand was washed in a subtle white-golden glow of light, and his hand was fine.
He was still in a state of surprise when his self-appointed big sister, Taiga Fujimaru, came in and saw the blood on the knife that was now on the floor. She had panicked, so much so that Kiritsugu was forced to hypnotize her into forgetting the incident. That was when Shirou found out his new father was a wizard, or magus, as was the correct term.
Kiritsugu himself was surprised at how quickly Shirou had healed, though, and he became concerned for his new son's wellbeing. When he learned of how Shirou had been healed, he immediately contacted both Ayra and Beregon. He told Shirou that he would explain it to him tomorrow after he talked with them.
That night while Shirou was asleep, Kiritsugu had told them what he had been told, and they were both silent for a moment. Then Ayra broke the silence.
"I think you should start training him, Kiritsugu." Ayra said with a resigned voice. "EDI and I still have a copy of those scans of your son, and it appears he has magic circuits."
"Meaning he's a magus himself, Kiritsugu." Beregon supplied, "You don't have to make him into a second Magus Killer, you could just teach him how to defend himself, that's all."
Kiritsugu let out a long sigh and nodded his head in agreement, saying, "Alright, I understand. But you still haven't explained why Shirou seems to have a similar healing factor as the two of you."
Beregon and Ayra both glanced at each other, sharing a concerned look.
"Well, we don't know." Ayra said finally, "This uncharted territory for us as well. We'll have to get back to you on that."
"Very well, I'll hold you both to that." was the reply.
The next morning, just like he promised, Kiritsugu had explained that he was a Magus, but not a proper one according to Magi society. He was more akin to a spellcaster. He then further explained to Shirou that he, too, was a magus.
Originally, Kiritsugu had wanted nothing more than to keep Shirou away from the Moonlit World. But, as he told Shirou, having 27 magic circuits of high quality made him too tempting of a target to some Magi, especially some of those Magi at the Clocktower.
That was why Kiritsugu sat across from Shirou, his expression serious but not unkind. For today, they would be unlocking Shirou's circuits, and the day after tomorrow would be when he began his training.
"Alright, Shirou. This may feel a bit... intense. Your magic circuits are like invisible paths inside you. Right now, they're dormant, but we're going to wake them up."
Shirou nodded, uncertain but determined. He sat cross-legged on the floor, feeling the coolness of the wooden boards beneath him.
Kiritsugu's hand rested firmly on Shirou's shoulder, his voice calm and steady. "Focus on your breathing first. Feel the blood flowing through your veins... now, imagine there's another network, smaller and more delicate. That's where your magic circuits are."
Shirou obeyed, closing his eyes. He felt his pulse throb, steady and rhythmic, but there was something else beneath it, a strange undercurrent of energy. It wasn't strong, more like a faint hum just out of reach.
"Now," Kiritsugu continued, "flip the switch in your mind. It'll activate the circuits, and it might feel intense at first."
Shirou took a breath and mentally reached for the switch Kiritsugu described. With a force of will, he flicked it on.
Immediately, a surge of heat shot through him, powerful and raw. The sensation of his magic circuits being activated was overwhelming, like his body was being flooded with fire. But something else stirred alongside it—something cooler, deeper. It ran parallel to the heat, a current that felt both familiar and alien, as though it had always been a part of him but was only now waking up.
In mind's eye Shirou saw a figure, standing tall and proud, against impossible odds that would overwhelm most people. This figure, shined and shimmered with a Prismatic Light, that suddenly separated into five pieces. Each piece rushed towards Shirou, and then…
He gasped, the vision fading as his body trembled under the dual forces. The burning energy of his magic circuits coursed through him, but the other power—the one made of light and shadow—was steady, calm, like a river flowing next to a wildfire. He felt more than saw that it was similar to the figure's power.
Shirou struggled to keep up with both sensations, his mind spinning. "What is this?" he wondered.
His magical energy raged within him, but this new force felt... balanced, controlled. The contrast between the two was stark, but somehow they didn't clash—they coexisted.
Kiritsugu's grip tightened on his shoulder. "Stay with it, Shirou. Breathe."
Shirou took a shuddering breath, his senses overwhelmed. Slowly, the burning intensity of his magic circuits dimmed, leaving behind a residual warmth. But that other energy, the one that pulsed with both light and darkness, remained steady, quiet but undeniable.
When Shirou opened his eyes, his heart was still racing. "What... what was that?" he asked, breathless.
Kiritsugu's expression tightened, but he didn't answer immediately. "Your magic circuits are active now," he said, avoiding the question. "We'll talk more later."
But Shirou knew there was something more—something his father wasn't telling him. He could still feel that strange power beneath his skin, like a part of him had been unlocked. And for now, he had no idea what it meant.
The world around Shirou was aflame, the heat unbearable. He stumbled through the burning streets, gasping for air, choking on smoke as the sky above him swirled with ash and fire. Everywhere he looked, the flames consumed everything—buildings crumbled, and the screams of people echoed in the distance, muffled by the roar of the inferno.
He tried to move, to run toward the cries, but his legs felt heavy, weighed down by an invisible force. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't get closer. The flames seemed to grow higher, stretching toward him, threatening to swallow him whole.
"Help me!"
A voice cut through the fire, desperate, pleading. Shirou's heart clenched, but when he turned toward the source, all he saw was a figure lying on the ground, barely visible through the smoke. He reached out, his hand trembling, but just as his fingers brushed the air, the figure vanished into the fire, consumed in an instant.
"No!" Shirou screamed, but his voice was swallowed by the flames. The fire surged forward, closing in around him, its heat suffocating. He collapsed to his knees, helpless as the world burned around him.
Then, from within the fire, another figure appeared. This one was different—clad in glowing light, surrounded by a shadow that flickered and twisted. It stood tall, unmoving, watching him. Shirou stared at the figure, unsure whether it was friend or foe.
The light surrounding the figure was warm, like a distant hope, but the shadows that danced around it were cold, unnerving. It didn't move, didn't speak. It just watched him, silently judging.
Shirou's chest tightened. He could feel the weight of the fire, the screams of those he couldn't save, pressing down on him. Why couldn't he help them? Why wasn't he strong enough?
"I... I want to save them," Shirou whispered, his voice barely audible against the crackling of the flames. "I don't want anyone to die."
The figure in the fire remained still, but the light around it seemed to grow brighter for a moment, as if acknowledging his words.
"I'll save them," Shirou said again, louder this time. His eyes burned with determination, even as tears threatened to spill. "I'll protect everyone. I'll be strong enough."
The flames roared louder, surging closer, but Shirou stood, fists clenched, eyes fixed on the glowing figure. "I'll become a hero... a Hero of Justice."
The words echoed in the empty, burning landscape, and for the briefest moment, the fire seemed to recoil, as if acknowledging his resolve. The figure in the flames, still silent, turned away, its form fading into the darkness and light that surrounded it.
Then there was a flash of golden light and…
Shirou woke up, his heart pounding, and drenched in sweat. He could still feel the heat of the fire and the weight of the screams he couldn't stop. But now, mixed in with the pain, there was a flicker of hope—a spark of determination in his golden eyes.
A ray of morning sunlight peaked in through his bedroom window, illuminating his face, yet also casting a long shadow behind him, as he sat up from his bed.
"Now first breakfast, and then the training the old man is going to put me through." Shirou said, as he opened the door of his bedroom, ready to meet another day.
Well hi all! While this chapter was hard to write at first, it got easier as I wrote. Anyway, I hope you guys like the chapter!
And as always, please leave a like/favorite the story and leave a review if you liked it!
I'll see you all Star Side!