The Third Faction of Apocrypha

The Out of Control Killer

The sun rising from beyond the horizon, is something that happens every day, without fail. Yet, it's a beautiful view that is alway taken for granted, the warmth that bestows life upon the plant never appreciated for the miracle that it truly is.

However for a Vlad the Impaler, watching the sunlight creeping over the field of trees and granting a luscious green to his forests, it was a sight truly blissful for the former king, knowing that his rule and hardship wasn't for not.

The Lancer of Black sat on a luxurious red couch facing the window that faced the forest, steadily swirling a pristine wineglass as he smiled confidently at the new day. His Master, Darnic stood next to him, watching the same scenery with a lot less enthusiasm as his Servant.

"It's a shame, to think we lost that homunculus to Ruler." Finally spoke Darnic, unable to stand the silence between them any longer. "We're fortunate that we didn't lose Siegfried last night, yet I'm still perplexed by the Archer of Blue's actions."

Hearing the enemy bowman brought into the statement, the Lancer of Black quickly detached his eyes from the distant star and glanced at his Master with mild curiosity. "Oh, and what part confuses you, Darnic? I believed his actions of saving Siegfried made perfect sense."

"Excuse me?" Said the Master of Lancer, startled at the response, but composes himself to answer the question placed upon him. "Well, it just doesn't make any logical sense for him to save our Saber when he would become an obstacle for the Archer later in the war."

"While you do speak the truth, Darnic. You also don't see the whole picture of the matter." Responded Vlad, taking a slip of his wine and the placing it down to address his Master. "You fail to realise it's because his actions had no logic, that they have value and sense."

"What?" Asked Darnic, becoming frustrated at his Servant for being cryptic, but exercised patience and held his tongue back.

"For a man to give away his afterlife in the pursuit of power isn't uncommon, no matter the era." Said Vlad, getting a worried nod of agreement from his Master. "But that man, the Archer of Blue, would never think of the power he'd obtained, but instead how many lives he could save with it. Because despite that villainous front he displayed before us, he is a hero, it's just that you have to focus more on his actions and rather than his indifferent words."

"But still!...for a man claiming to be an Emiya, to save someone for the sake of selflessness, that just doesn't seem right to me." Argued Darnic, slightly raising his voice and failing to hide his worry behind the name he mentioned.

"Ah yes, I was meaning to ask you Darnic, why did you react so negatively to the Archer's name when he told he was Emiya." Asked Vlad, slightly curious at his Master's blunder. "I was under the impression that Counter Guardians didn't have any sort of legend, yet this one's name is still known to you, I wonder how that is?"

"While I have personally never met or heard of this Emiya SHIROU, I have certainly heard a rather infamous Emiya." Started Darnic, looking into the rising sun, in order to distract himself from his own thoughts. "He was a magus, more specifically a Spell Caster. A magus that didn't care for the miracle known as the root, and instead used magecraft as a means to an end, for the practicality, and for his case, for killing."

With this small introduction of this 'Emiya', Vlad become very intrigued at the description of this man. The Lancer was so interested, that he unknowingly finished his wine and placed the wineglass on the table.

"This Emiya was so effective at killing other mages, that he would eventually earn the name, 'The Magus Killer'. He was so good at his job, that the Mages Association, while they chastised him for being a Spell Caster, secretly hired him for his expertise when they needed them." Informed Darnic, Vlad having his eyes closed as he carefully listened. "If he was still alive, then I have no doubt that the Association would have made him a Master of Red, and if he truly was our opponent then I doubt any of the Masters of Black would be able to sleep soundly at night. That's just much fear Emiya Kiritsugu's reputation could place upon his targets."