An ?Unfortunate? end (prologue 2)

Many times I think to myself, is it worth it? Is it worth going to the bar to maybe talk to someone? Is it worth it to by that snack you love even though it's completely unhealthy for you. Is it worth it to keep smoking a pack a day because you've done it for years by now? Well my, friends? (I don't know not many of them left) is it? Well I decided to take a nice drive after finally getting some time off from work. Nothing to fancy just a cruise in my truck for old time sake and as I was driving along ended up behind one of those logger trucks you see every now and again out in the country. Now I know what your thinking right, it can't be right? Well my people I must say I got final destinationed. For those to young to understand (or uncultured) the horror of such a fate. While driving behind I noticed the truck in front of me seemed to hit a very large bump. Then I noticed a log on the top of the truck seemed to be placed with nothing really holding it down… still not getting the picture? Well, suffice to say my truck became a kebab. Thankfully it was overall quick no real pain at 60ish mph and a quick second later a sudden stop. But those milliseconds leading to that point, existential dread.

Now I'm floating around darkness all around me. I know I'm going forwards but there's no real reference point or anything in this darkness or blankness. Just me my random thoughts of what happened and the past. I lead an interesting life overall. Started out as a military brat, met some fairly interesting people in life, soldier for a decent time, and a merc for some more. Finished out back in the more mundane side of things. Just a basic delivery guy nothing fancy. Also a nerd by high school standard if that even means anything nowadays after the pandemic. But I digress.

Some highlights I would say in my life were I didn't die a virgin, always a good check in my book. Also met the man, the myth, the legend himself of all marksman The White Death. Charming old man, would talk the interpreter's ear off when we went to visit. Would tell us his small tricks that worked for him back then would have got up and showed us if he could. Still carried his lessons in my own conflicts decades later.

As I was in my musings I see a small flash of light which is blinding in this space. Then I see said flash rushing towards me. It's been so long since anything has changed in this place so anything is welcomed. Then it collided into me, and I swear I didn't take the drugs mom I swear it.

Colors and lights flashed by around me as if I was being pushed back. So I get to live maybe? Don't know where I'm going now but it sure as hell looks like I'm on drugs. And then everything stopped. I see in front of me a wall of these colorful lights, crystal covering it's outer edge. The colors dance within. Then it forms shapes, then images, and finally something more recognizable. An image I only saw behind a tv or computer screen. A hole in a night sky dripping a muddy like substance onto the ground. Flames spread to every corner. No sound to accompany its image. From my side I see stretches of cloth touch the wall. The image changes and moves forward. The young boy with red hair walking forward through hell itself, crying and helpless barely keeping himself moving. Untill he collapsed, no one came to save him. I tried to reach but I could not see any hands. Only a ghost like flame moved slightly. I wanted to go forward, so try to save that young kid. I recognized him, a young boy who would become a bastardized version of himself. One who lived his dream but reality crushed it. The boy who would become a sword, Emiya Shirou.

I watched, pressing myself against the wall, trying to do something more than just stay here. The cloth by my side doing the same I believed as it clawed into the crystal. The. I heard a new sound. Tearing from the void a sword jeweled in its splendor. It ripped a tear and a man stepped out next to the boy. He wore a suit stood tall for a man is age. A mane of white hair with a matching beard. As he searched around he found no traces of what he was looking for. We both were looking for the man who would be the boy's saviour but at the same time who's downfall. In the end he turned to look at us. As if he could see us behind the wall, I wanted to shout but had no mouth to say. He seemed to make a decision as he looked to the boy on the ground. He spoke in a somber tone, "This timeline was to pruned once upon a time. To which I saw fit to keep it for a chance. This moment has been relived for so many times it still aches this old man's heart. This moment has passed but it was dug up by a hat and a soul. For our greeting gift to new friends, maybe a new begining. I'll let you sneak in bond with the boy there isn't much left of him be the new begining for him. Become him outsider, he's been lost once don't let it end so soon."

With a thrust and a turn of his sword a hole was opened and we slipped in. I rushed to the boy I wanted to touch him but I was afraid. A reassuring pat of cloth touched upon my fire and wrapped around it. I reached out and touched to forehead of the boy. When I did I could feel all the different powers I could do through the hat. One time deals, miracles, wishes. Three wishes I had. And so I made my first wish. A sound flew through the air using the hat as a medium. "I wish for us to be merged together equally." Many a stories start by people taking. I wanted mine to be more about giving. I don't know why I was given the chance but my adventure will start with us. My former name was Azarius Carmichael. So I'm giving an equal share for our new name, Azarius Emyia.