[Fuyuki City, Einzbern House]
When the Einzbern family first took root in Fuyuki, the head of that generation constructed a vast magical barrier. The enormous surge of mana tore open the land, twisting the local environment and blasting a massive crater across most of the city's area.
The official explanation for this was "a gas explosion". A rather convenient term modern society often used to cover up magical disasters.
After this so-called "accident," the once mild-climate city of Fuyuki was transformed into a place where "all seasons are winter."
Even at the height of summer, frost and snow blanketed the streets. The sky was perpetually gray, and the temperature so low it was hard to believe this was a city in central Japan.
Most residents had been forced to leave, leaving behind only a few who still struggled to make a living in this city frozen in time.
Yet within the Einzbern barrier, the scenery was completely different.
Flowers bloomed everywhere. It was warm, like springtime.
In contrast to the icy, deathly silence outside, a vast garden of blossoms spread quietly within, like a world from a fairy tale.
A towering castle stood in the center of the garden, its spires engraved with intricate magical runes that shimmered faintly.
This was the heart of the Einzbern family, a city of magic protected by countless layers of enchantments.
Inside one of the castle's high towers, in a room filled with magical instruments and books, a young man stood before a tall window, his gaze fixed intently on the pendulum clock at the center of the room.
The finely crafted mystical clock was swinging with an intensity unlike anything seen before.
"Something's wrong," The young man narrowed his eyes at the pendulum, frowning slightly.
His dark blue-black hair was a little messy, the fringe falling casually over his brow, making his expression look even deeper and more thoughtful.
He was about the same age as Emiya Shirou, slightly shorter, with thin-framed glasses resting on the bridge of his nose, giving him a refined and studious air. To anyone who didn't know him, he'd look like a normal college student, an intelligent but not athletic type.
Julian Ainsworth, the current head of the Einzbern family.
He was the executor of the plan to "capture Emiya Miyu and use the power of the Divine Child to open the Holy Grail War," and the man who had, in truth, killed Emiya Shirou.
Julian leaned back into his chair, his body sinking deep into the soft cushion.
The tower was dark, no lamps were lit. Moonlight filtered through the narrow windows, casting tangled shadows on the floor, while his cold blue eyes glimmered faintly from within the darkness.
Even now, Julian could not forget that pair of pale golden eyes.
Fierce, steadfast, and gentle... Julian had thought he would forget them quickly. Yet the more time passed, the clearer they became in his memory.
Emiya Shirou had once been his friend, his only friend.
Julian's hands rested on the armrests. His fingertips pressed lightly against his brow, head bowed in shadow, silent enough to suffocate.
"You made a choice between the world and your sister," he murmured quietly, "But I… never had the right to choose."
In the darkness, Julian sat still. Speaking as if to the air.
Then suddenly, an indescribable sense of unease crept up his spine, like invisible ice, making him unconsciously hold his breath.
For some reason, he recalled the last time he saw Emiya Shirou.
It was right after the Holy Grail War ended. Shirou had stood on the desolate wasteland, making his wish to the Grail, to send Miyu away.
Julian, on the other hand, had chosen to hand Shirou over to Angelica Ainsworth, who wielded the Archer-class card of Gilgamesh.
That was the last time their eyes met.
But now, in Julian's memory, that moment seemed... different.
The warmth and brilliance that had once belonged to Emiya Shirou were gone. His eyes had become utterly calm.
No warmth, yet not cold.
No kindness, yet no hatred.
Like the heavens themselves, distant, overlooking all beings.
Those eyes, it was as if they weren't even looking at "him," but rather at something inside him.
Julian jolted, shuddering violently, nearly falling from his chair.
Before he could make sense of his thoughts—
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion split the night. The entire Einzbern castle shook violently, as waves of mana rippled through the air, suffocatingly dense.
Julian's pupils contracted sharply, "Someone's attacking Einzbern?"
The castle was surrounded by layer upon layer of magical defenses. Refined and strengthened through generations of Ainsworth magi.
There were "cognitive obstruction" barriers that made ordinary people unable to perceive the castle's existence; even if someone stumbled upon it, they'd only see barren wasteland.
There were also protective wards against magi. So that even those who could sense the castle's presence could never break through its fortress-like walls.
In this dying age of magic, with the world's mana dwindling, few organizations could still maintain a fully functional magical system. Einzbern was one of those few.
Theoretically, nothing in this world should be able to shake it. At least, nothing of this world.
Julian's mind froze for only a split second before he reacted instantly.
"Displacement."
Without hesitation, he invoked his teleportation magic. Passing through the layers of barriers in an instant, reappearing at the point of impact.
And then, he saw it.
That colossal form.
"Impossible..."
The being before him possessed a body so vast it defied human comprehension. A divine aura radiated from her, suppressing all life around her; merely standing there, she made the surrounding mana tremble.
Her skin was pale as snow, adorned with delicate but fractured golden ornaments. Like the remnants of an ancient god lingering in the mortal world, radiating divine majesty from a bygone age.
Her eyes were serpentine, glowing with an eerie red-violet light in the darkness. The wings behind her were not avian, but a fusion of golden feathers and scales. Her arms were covered in obsidian-like scales, her nails sharp as dragon claws.
Berserker, Gorgon.
As a beast-goddess, her foundation, though not technically Grand-class, was powerful enough to rival one.
BOOM!
Another blast followed, even stronger than before. The entire castle quaked as if the world itself were tearing apart.
Gorgon's method of attack was brutally simple, physical destruction.
No complex magic, no searching for weak points, just raw force. Each swing of her claw shredded the barriers as if they were paper.
Her strength was at A++, among the few Servants who could dominate the battlefield with sheer power alone. Combined with her innate skill Monstrous Strength (A+), even a single blow could shatter the Ainsworth defenses.
Julian's instincts screamed, danger.
Gorgon's Mystic Eyes had turned toward him.
Rank: A++. The highest class of Mystic Eyes, Cybele. Even sealed, the lingering pressure alone was enough to petrify ordinary humans instantly.
Julian dodged to the side on reflex, barely escaping her gaze.
"AAAAAAHHHH!!!"
A furious roar ripped through the night.
Two dark figures plummeted from the sky like black meteors, striking straight toward Gorgon.
Einzbern's Doll Troops, activated.
These were the Ainsworth family's ultimate combat units, battle dolls infused with Servant power via Class Cards.
Two female dolls, empowered by Berserker Thor and Berserker Lancelot, charged at Gorgon.
But the instant Gorgon laid eyes on one of them, her aura spiked wildly, her rage exploded.
Her violet snake-eyes contracted, her breath turned mad.
"SSSSAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!"
The serpent roared, the earth trembled, and her black claws tore the sky apart.
———
The Einzbern barriers still quaked. Distant explosions rolled like thunder, waves of mana shaking the air with every pulse.
Yet, down a long corridor of the castle, two golden-red figures strolled side by side, unhurried.
"Never thought we'd see the day we fought alongside Gorgon," said the older one calmly.
"Life's unpredictable. Or maybe... it's just destiny," The younger one chuckled softly, teasingly.
One was old, one was young.
The elder was Gilgamesh, who had transformed his class from Archer to Caster by drinking a potion, raising his Clairvoyance to the EX rank. His personality had grown calmer and more measured.
The younger, was child Gilgamesh.
When the Ainsworths created the Archer-class Gilgamesh card, his ego as the oldest King was too powerful to control. In the end, the card split in two.
Half of the heroic spirit's power remained in the card; the other half materialized in flesh. A young Gilgamesh, no older than ten.
Shorter than most kids his age, dressed in casual modern clothes, white jacket, T-shirt, shorts, sneakers, he looked more like a spoiled rich kid than a demigod.
The two Gilgameshes easily passed through the barriers and arrived here.
Their goal: to retrieve the other half of the Archer Gilgamesh Class Card.
"Ah, there's our target," The young Gilgamesh's crimson eyes narrowed, a faint smirk curling on his lips. Careless, but laced with danger.
Before them stood a beautiful woman, golden hair, blue eyes, holding a gleaming golden weapon.
Her figure was tall and elegant, skin pale as ivory, almost sculpted like art. Her lower body was armored in gold, while her upper body wore only a simple inner garment, leaving her white skin stark against the metallic glow.
Her expression was cold, exactly like Julian's.
📍 Angelica Ainsworth.
In truth, she was Julian's sister, who had died five years ago during Fuyuki's darkness. The current Angelica was a doll carrying her will, a sacrifice of over 90% of her emotions.
"Heh!", The young Gilgamesh tilted his head slightly, smiling coldly. "I hate things like you, things that look human, but aren't."
To him, such imitations of life were blasphemies. Fakers, insulting to real existence.
Caster Gilgamesh, however, was expressionless, too indifferent even to sneer.
Angelica didn't react emotionally. She simply moved, instinctively activating her Noble Phantasm, Gate of Babylon.
Dozens of golden portals flared open behind her, each brimming with divine weapons ready to strike.
It was the same power she always used through the Archer-class card.
Golden swords, spears, and bows glimmered in the air, all aimed at the two Gilgameshes.
But—
The boy only sneered, and the Caster merely watched.
Angelica's eyes flickered. She had lost control.
From deep within the golden gates came the sound of heavy chains rattling.
Then, silver-white chains shot out from the portals she herself had opened, glowing faintly with divine light.
Enkidu, the Chains of Heaven.
The very chains that had once bound the Bull of Heaven, trusted by Gilgamesh above all else, even above Ea.
She tried to dodge, but they were too fast. The chains coiled around her instantly, pinning her in place.
Now there were three Gilgameshes present, including this imitation.
The young Gilgamesh was merely half a Class Card, yet even so, his authority over the Gate surpassed hers. Let alone the true Caster Gilgamesh beside him.
Before the two real Kings, how could a fake ever hope to seize the treasury?
The boy walked up calmly, extracting the Class Card from Angelica's chest.
The golden card spun once in his fingers, humming faintly with mana.
"With this," he mused, "theoretically, I could summon my Archer self again."
Caster Gilgamesh gave him a side glance, "You plan to?"
"No. Forget it."
Though both were Gilgamesh, neither of them held fond feelings toward their adult Archer incarnation.
"Ugh! Just imagining listening to that guy's arrogant speeches gives me a headache."
"Indeed. He's intolerably loud."
Meanwhile, the distant rumbling quieted. Gorgon's rampage subsided.
Caster Gilgamesh looked toward the horizon, then spoke coolly:
"It's over. Time to withdraw. The true Darius Ainsworth will be left for the Princess."
The young Gilgamesh nodded, "She's already landed on Honshu. Won't be long before she's here."
He paused, thinking, "Should we have Darius open the 'box' first?"
"That's already been decided," Caster replied smoothly.
He raised his hand lazily, summoning a Holy Grail from his Gate of Babylon, and tossed it to the floor.
It rolled a few times, then came to rest in silence.
———
After school that day, Emiya unusually took a leave from archery club.
"Sorry, Sakura. I've got something to take care of today."
After saying goodbye to his junior, Shirou returned home.
———
[The Imaginary Sea · Emiya Residence]
On the guest bed lay a girl, Emiya's junior from another world, Matou Sakura.
Her skin was pale, her body devoid of warmth. Her once gentle face was now utterly still.
Berserker Gorgon had retrieved her from the Ainsworths' grasp.
Sakura had died during the Holy Grail War, Matou Shinji had ripped her heart out. Her body had been recovered by the Ainsworths and turned into a replacement doll.
They'd made her a magical weapon, assigning her the Berserker Lancelot Class Card, keeping her in "phantasmic summoning" for over two months.
The kind Sakura was long gone, what remained was a maddened wraith.
But—
Shirou extended his hand, removing the Berserker Lancelot card from her chest, and began the replacement sequence.
Berserker Lancelot → Saber Lancelot → Saber Galahad → Ruler Galahad.
Following the chain of correlation, the card transformed. Finally stabilizing as Ruler-class Galahad.
Shirou placed it back into Sakura's chest.
Her mana stabilized. The violent aura dissipated, replaced by calm, pure radiance.
Galahad, the perfect knight without desire. His nature and Ruler-class traits were enough to restore Sakura's sanity.
Of course, there were other ways to dispel madness, but since he had Lancelot's card on hand, Shirou did it this way.
"Shirou, here~", A soft, childlike voice called out.
The young form of Tiamat approached, holding something carefully in her hands, a heart.
It was Sakura's heart, still whole. During the war, it hadn't been completely destroyed; at the last moment, it had shifted into the Imaginary Space.
"Even if it had been destroyed, it's fine~", Tiamat chirped cheerfully, swaying her hand, "Mama can always 'make' a new one~"
Shirou: "..."
He knew what that meant. This Tiamat's craftsmanship wasn't quite divine; instead of a real heart, she'd probably make a high-grade magic stone.
In her eyes, there wasn't much difference. A magic stone even had more power.
If he replaced it, Sakura's potential could reach at least Lv.9, rivaling even Friana.
But Shirou preferred her to have her original heart.
He took Sakura's heart and gently returned it to her chest.
Her eyelashes trembled; her slender fingers twitched faintly.
"Senpai?"
Her voice was hoarse, dazed, like someone just waking from a long sleep. She slowly opened her eyes.
"Sakura," Shirou reached out, gently stroking her cheek.
"From now on, I won't let you get hurt again."
She stared at his familiar golden-red eyes, her heartbeat stuttering. Her lips quivered as if she wanted to speak, but no words came.
Then, realizing he was truly there, she smiled faintly.
Her breathing steadied. The tension and distortion of madness faded away, replaced by peace.
Wrapped in that warmth, she quietly closed her eyes again. Falling into deep sleep.
Shirou reached out to tuck the blanket around her.
But a small blue figure suddenly leapt onto the bed, "Leave the caretaking to Mama!"
Tiamat puffed up proudly, her little chest sticking out, her golden eyes shining with "maternal" devotion.
She neatly adjusted the blanket, patting it down like a doting mother, then turned to Shirou expectantly, as if waiting for praise.
Seeing this, Shirou smiled softly, "I'll leave her to you, then."
With Tiamat there, he had no worries.
Shirou left the room quietly, walking down the hall to another chamber.
He reached into his coat and pulled out a Saber Class Card.
The one that had once held Artoria's essence, now empty.
Illyasviel had actually been born before Shirou. Yet as the vessel of the Grail, her fate had been destruction.
Her mother, Irisviel, couldn't bear it. So she sealed away parts of Illya's mana, memories, and knowledge, letting her live as a normal girl.
In another world, that sealed fragment eventually gained form, growing into an independent self.
When Illya crossed the Celestial Archive and reached the Age of Gods, that self vanished. But its record remained.
Shirou infused divine power into the empty Class Card, linking it to that lingering record.
According to the gods, he would create a spirit of the sword.
The Sword Spirit, Chloe von Einzbern.