Fate/Zero - The Grand Caster And The Forgotten King

Prologue 2

Tosaka residence

"That device always strikes me as being indecent." Kirei said as he entered the Tosaka's basement.

"Hm. There's a report from the clock tower. It looks like Lord Ell Malloi has been unable to acquire another relic. His participation in the war is impossible now." Tokiomi informed as he read of off the parchment in his hand.

"It troubles me that 3 of the slots are still unaccounted for." Kirei said.

"Don't worry. When the time comes the Grail will select seven regardless of skill. The ones that it selects to round out the group are, well, often weak and inexperienced. Don't concern yourself. Speaking of matters of real concern Kirei, I trust that no one followed you or saw you enter the mansion." Tokiomi said whilst walking beside the table and stopping opposite the priest.

"No, don't worry. No familiars or devices, visible or invisible are watching me or this mansion right now. On that..." Kirei informed.

"You have my guarantee." A voice said as black smoke appeared and took the form of assassin. "No matter what tricks or deception they use, no one can deceive the eyes of the Hassan. The spy heroic spirit. There is no trace of anyone following my master, or watching this house. Please, you can put your mind at ease." Assassin confirmed.

"If a servant has been manifested by another master, my father is certain to be aware of it. The other mages will not take action, at least for a little while longer. Assassin you may go. Continue guarding the surrounding area." Kirei ordered his servant, who did as commanded and disappeared into smoke.

"It's only a matter of time before that changes." Tokiomi said as his writing/fax machine started writing again. "Very soon now, this place will be swarmed off familiars and magical devices sent by other masters to spy on me."

"What is that." Kirei asked looking at the new parchment in curiosity.

"Another investigation. I've been gathering what information I can on the Einzbern master. Nine years ago the Einzburn's, a family notoriously proud of their pure blood suddenly allowed an outsider mage to marry into the family. The Einzburn mages have devoted themselves solely to Alchemy rendering them unfit for combat. Their losses in previous Grail wars can all be traced to that fact. They must have finally run out of patience. The man they chose was perfect for their needs. Kiritsugu Emiya, the man known as the mage killer." Tokiomi explained.

"Kiritsugu Emiya. Yes, I know that name." Kirei said as he walked over to Tokiomi.

"So, even the holy church has heard of this man." Tokiomi said as he handed the parchment to Kirei. "Kiritsugu Emiya the mage killer, was quite infamous in his time. Officially he was a rouge mage who didn't belong to the association, but the higher ups found him, shall we say convenient for their own purposes." Tokiomi informed his student.

"It sounds to me like he was quite similar to us, executioners for the holy church." Kirei said.

"Far worse I assure you. He spent his life as a freelance master assassin who specializes in exterminating mages. He knows what mages are capable of so he deals with them in a way that is most unlike a mage as possible. Read that." Tokiomi explained.

"Sniping. Poisoning. Bombs in public places. He once brought down an entire jetliner just because his target was on it. A man who will do anything without a second thought." Kirei read out.

"It's because mages function outside the laws of the regular world that we must diligently obay the strict laws that we have set for ourselves. But this man lacks even a single trace of a mages pride or honor. The methods he applies are unforgivable." Tokiomi seeths.

"Then tell me, what does this Kiritsugu Emiya gain? By hiring himself out as a killer?" Kirei asked.

"Money I'd imagine. As you can read in that report, he's been involved in more than mage assassinations. He's appeared in warzone's all over the planet, offering his services as a mercenary." Tokiomi answered.

"I see, may I burrow this, for a while?" Kirei asked.

Tokiomi agreed before leaving Kirei alone in the basement.

Kirei thoroughly read through the parchment. 'Kiritsugu Emiya, his assassinations were always carried out in clusters over a relatively short period of time, during the same general time periods he appeared in a number of warzone's but only when the combat was at it's fiercest. He was almost as if he had some obsession with chasing his own death. These were clearly the actions of a man bent on suicide. So then why is he doing this? He has no concept of self interest, his actions are completely disconnected from any thought of risk vs reward. No way, there's no way he's just a freelancer in it for the money. Then what is he after? Kiritsugu Emiya, his endless string of battles came to a sudden halt nine years ago. He virtually vanished from sight. It appears that his final encounter with the mages of the north, the Einzburn's is where he at last found his answer. So, I must ask the question. What did he seek in those battles? What was he looking for? And what exactly did he find?' Kirei thought to himself before leaving the basement and returned to the church to his father and son.

🗡

Kirei knocks on the door then enters Tokiomi's office to see his teacher looking down at a box. "Excuse me."

"You've arrived at a very opportune time, the relic I made arrangements for finally arrived this morning. Have a look." Tokiomi said as Kirei joined him.

"What is it?" Kirei asked whilst looking down at the contents of the box in slight confusion.

Tokiomi chuckled. "A fossil. Of the very first skin shed by a snake on this world. If we use it as a catalyst and are lucky enough to summon the heroic spirit that we're after. Total victory is as good as ours."

🌌

"Pfft, that's what you think. But this war isn't going to happen the way you plan for it to." A man said chuckling.

🌌

Let silver and steel be the essence.
Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation
Let Gold the colour I pay tribute to / Let my great Master be the ancestor*
Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall
Let the four cardinal gates close.
Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate.

I hereby declare.
Your body shall serve under me.
My fate shall be your sword.
Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail
If you will submit to this will and this reason...Then answer!

An oath shall be sworn here!
I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven.
I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell!

From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power,
Come forth from the ring of restraints,
Protector of the Holy Balance!