Throne of Heroes. A mysterious place that holds within itself the souls of legends of the human race. Be it a brave warrior who saved hundreds of lives. Or a tyrant who ruined thousands. Their deeds remain in people's memory, and that forces the echo of glory to resound through the ages. Time holds no sway over this realm, and thus, personalities who left a mark in history could live in any era. The birth of human civilization. Times of flourishing science and art. The bloody era of feudalism. The age of wars that spanned the entire planet. No matter the time, heroes will arise, for that is the essence of humans. To admire those who can perform miracles inaccessible to an ordinary person.
In the endless kaleidoscope of worlds, the race known as humans may never arise at all, or may rise above the entire galaxy. The span of time during which civilizations exist varies, so the cradle of legends holds both those who lived before the birth of Christ... and those born thousands of years after the son of God.
A voice calling to battle echoed through the realm of legends. All the inhabitants of the Throne felt it and gave their answer. The Guardian, who had concluded a contract with the spirit of humanity born in one of the realities. The butcher, doomed to shed the blood of all whom his cruel mistress points to, embodying humanity's strongest desire. It can grant unprecedented power or turn one into a monster who will stop at nothing. The desire to survive. And thus, in her blind fear of death, Alaya will seek the most effective means, and nothing can be more effective than eliminating the threat.
The incorporeal spirit, driven by the terms of the contract, set off for the place where the end of humanity might begin, but it was not fated to reach its destination. A wave of scorching fire hurled the Balance Guardian backward, and had he been capable of thought in that moment, he would have seen the heat-emitting figure. Enveloped in flames, it rapidly approached the passage created by the mighty artifact. That artifact promised to fulfill a wish, grant a miracle, and rid one of regrets. Though the spirit slumbered, bitterness tormented him. From the deeds committed in life, from the carelessness that led to the fall, and all those fates plunged into darkness because of his mistakes. Seeing a chance for redemption, the soul rushed toward the shining maw.
Had it been conscious, it likely would not have agreed to such a thing, but circumstances turned out differently. A vortex of lights engulfed everything the moment it left the space of the Throne of Heroes. Reason began to gradually gain the upper hand over sleep, though it could not yet fully ignite. Even now, however, a strong mind caught the sensation of an entire ocean of energy. Part of it flowed to the spirit and began to envelop his figure, creating a vessel that would serve as his body after summoning. Then, images began to arise in his memory. Knowledge of the time where the soul would be summoned and of the purpose of the summoning itself. But as soon as the images began to take shape, everything cut off. And the next thing the summoned one saw was a room resembling a living room. Filled with broken furniture, which had become so due to the intruder.
"Alright, everything's ready." The young girl said after finishing drawing the complex pattern on the stone surface. The basement of her family estate had become the site of the ritual—the summoning of a hero from legends. An entity immortalized in human memory, having performed great deeds. Whoever appeared now before the young witch would become her companion in the upcoming war. Seven masters and seven servants waging a deadly battle in hopes of obtaining what they desire. The Holy Grail, fulfiller of wishes.
The girl named Rin once again surveyed the result of her painstaking labors. Lines cast from molten precious stone gleamed in the light of candles placed around the hall. The slight tremor that had only been gaining momentum with the completion of preparations was brushed aside by an effort of will. She was the heiress of an ancient line of magi and could not feel fear before the unknown. Such is the essence of any user of Magic. Endless striving for the pinnacle, the apex of their research—Akasha's Attainment. The Holy Grail War is one of the few ways to reach it. In her thoughts, Rin allowed not even a shadow of doubt about victory. She was obliged to win; only victory was an acceptable outcome, all others did not even appear among her considerations.
"It's time." As soon as the clock showed two in the morning, the girl began chanting the aria.
"Silver and iron as the foundation,
Their brilliance symbolizes the purity of the soul.
They are the essence of the contract, which I now make
With the one whom God has appointed as my Servant."
As soon as the words of the incantation rang out, radiance flooded the summoner's eyes; the crimson lines began emitting light that blinded, and magical energy formed a vortex in the center of the circle. Streams of particles poured from nowhere, enveloping an invisible figure. They grew denser, and human features could already be seen in the silhouette. It seemed to be a tall man. Rin held her breath; though she knew much from her father's records, witnessing the manifestation of an ancient hero, the girl could not remain impassive. She was mesmerized by the display of incomprehensible power contained in the chalice of Christ. And then, unexpectedly for the witch, the magic vortex expanded and produced an explosion, filling the entire room with smoke.
"*Cough*... *cough*. What the hell?!" Rin, having just grasped what happened, boiled with indignation. "It was supposed to be perfect! I couldn't have made a mistake!" Frantic thoughts filled her head. The circle had no flaws; the calculations had been checked and rechecked many times. "The time was also... perfect." And she understood. The time. The ritual needed to be performed at two in the morning, when the girl's magical energy was at its peak, but... "Damn winter time!"
Rin had completely forgotten to set the clocks forward an hour, which was why she had even come to school earlier than usual today. From the morning, it had seemed strange to her that all the chronometers in the house showed the same thing. And a certain carelessness inherent to the girl had not allowed her to pay attention to it.
"Why does this always happen to me...?" Rin dejectedly lowered her head. How tired she was of her peculiarity that made her commit minor errors and overlook trifles. Because of this, precious gems had been lost many times, the work with which the magus specialized in. And they cost money! "Hm?" Lamenting the twists of fate was interrupted by a barely audible noise from above.
The district where Rin lived was very quiet, so no street sounds reached that could interfere with distinguishing the faint creak and crackle. And her hearing, enhanced by Magic, only added confidence that this was not imagination. The girl rushed upstairs at full speed. Swiftly climbing the stairs, she heard the noises again. "Living room," she thought. Her legs, flashing at barely perceptible speed, stopped right in front of the door to the desired room. However, the zeal with which Rin had rushed toward her goal sharply diminished. Only one barrier separated her from the source of the noise, and it seemed insurmountable in that moment. All her senses blared that something lurked behind it. The unknown, proclaimed by intuition, for the first time in her life... caused apprehension. Slightly greater apprehension than usual, but by no means fear. Such a feeling was unworthy of the Tohsaka heiress.
However, as soon as she realized how absurd the feeling that had gripped the girl was, she yanked the door open. Otherwise, she might never have dared. In the revealed semidarkness, dispelled only by the dim moonlight, stood a man. At first glance, it was impossible to say he did not belong to this era. His attire was something like a ceremonial military uniform in purple and gold tones. An obvious indicator of high status. His posture and bearing created the image of a nobleman, possessor of excellent upbringing and education, but at the same time betrayed a veteran of battles, for he was already ready to counter an attack from any direction. And such a state seemed natural.
"Who are you?" The man's voice carried apprehension and cold. Eyes the color of noble purple pierced Rin's body with frosty blades. She understood he would get answers regardless of her actions.
"I-I'm the one who summoned you. Your master." She failed to control the tremor in her voice at first, leading to shameful stuttering, but it seemed her interlocutor did not care.
"...Master?" The gaze that had already caused chills became outright murderous. "You dare claim I serve you?" The summoned one slightly narrowed his eyes to suppress his anger. Only one person was worthy of making such a claim, and this inexperienced girl was definitely not he. "I'll give you one chance to explain what's happening. I advise you to use it wisely."
"A-as I said, you were summoned by me to participate in the Holy Grail War. And yes, you are obliged to serve me; proof of that is here." The Tohsaka heiress mobilized all her inner reserves to overcome fear. The servant standing before her was evidently prideful and would not acknowledge her just like that. She could not show weakness. With such thoughts, Rin demonstrated the Command Seals. An elegant pattern on the back of her hand, vivid burgundy lines forming circles. "These are Command Seals, three absolute orders which you cannot fail to obey. They show that the contract between us is sealed."
The man did not change expression after what was said, merely continuing to watch the young witch intently. Seconds dragged on for her like hours. It was very uncomfortable in the presence of one who could not yet be considered an ally. But suddenly, though his body remained motionless, his eyes made a sharp dart in different directions. In one instant, the summoned one reassessed the surroundings and realized anew that he had too little information for a full analysis of the situation.
"What is this place, and what year is it now?"
"This is my family's estate in Fuyuki. Japan. The year is two thousand four." After she spoke, the servant's eyes widened slightly. Rin guessed the ritual had gone poorly and knowledge had not been transmitted during the summoning, hence the current year surprised him. In response, the girl heard a quiet whisper, seemingly thoughts aloud. It was almost inaudible, but she caught the phrase "M3." What it meant, however, was completely unclear.
"What war?" The moment of surprise passed almost immediately, and the guest was ready to ask questions again. "What does the chalice of Christ have to do with it?"
"Oh, it's simple. The Grail is an artifact capable of fulfilling wishes, and every few decades it selects seven masters who will fight for the right to possess it, since there can only be one wish." Rin felt her servant no longer intended to harm her and switched to her favorite mentor tone. "Each master receives a servant. A hero from antiquity who will fight on their side. Now, perhaps, let's get acquainted anew." The girl slightly adjusted her usual outfit and with a habitual motion tossed her hair over her shoulders. Straightening her back and extending her hand palm up, she spoke again. "I am Rin Tohsaka. Heiress of the Tohsaka Family. And you are my servant, summoned to help me win the war. So tell me your na—" The majestic monologue was interrupted by a barely audible chuckle.
"You're so bold, it's even amusing." The man stepped forward, right into the rays of moonlight, finally allowing her to see him properly.
Rin, who had already wanted to erupt in indignation at the one who interrupted her prepared speech, froze. The face of the man standing before her was more beautiful than any she had seen in her life. Pale, almost translucent skin was perfect. Not a single blemish or scar defiled its splendor. Features as if created by the greatest sculptor challenged the confidence that this was reality, not a dream. But the most memorable was that the man's hair shimmered with beautiful silver light. Even platinum. Combined with the servant's perfect physique, his entire appearance screamed superiority. In everything a human could touch.
"The situation is still unclear, but one thing I can say for sure." A light smile touched the man's lips again. The very one he wore almost always. And his gaze betrayed equally light amusement. "It is quite intriguing."
"So you're... willing to fight in the war?" Rin did not quite understand the man's train of thought before her, nevertheless, he had expressed interest. That was already something.
"I didn't say that. Nor did I claim the opposite." The man said in a carefree tone. "First, I want to question you... about much." The already mysterious tone made Rin shiver; her premonition told her this would be a test of her nerves. "Ah yes, you wanted to know my name, right?" A new smile, fully benevolent, calmed the girl's agitation, and the question made her forget her previous thoughts. Learning the name of the hero of legends before her, she could assess his strength and abilities. Rin hoped it would be a famous figure. Preferably from the Age of Gods; those heroes were far more powerful than others.
"You may call me Fulgrim, Miss Tohsaka."