1 Twist of Fate

Fuyuki 1994

Everywhere one looked they could only see fire and the mud like magma as it spread from the giant hole in the sky. The mud had long since covered his body, by some form of fate he was still living. Though he was experiencing the excruciating pain that was akin to being in hell. His mind was but a sliver of what it once was. In this sliver the only thoughts left to him were, 'I must protect my brother. No matter what happens to me I will protect him.'

Lying just below him was a young child with red hair was just showing signs of waking. It had been only a short time, but for the one holding back the flames and mud magma it was an eternity. Somehow his body had continued to survive the torrential downpour from the black hole. Unknown to him his body had subconsciously accessed the ancient, long thought lost magic of this world. Prana. And this child had a lot of it.

With his instincts in control he stood against the mud magma and held it back with his body, mind and soul. With his prana activated he pushed the mud magma back forming a slanted dome that protect his younger brother from the flames. He would continue to hold it as long as was needed to allow his brother to escape. And so he stood holding back the evil will of humanity from corrupting his younger brother. He took it upon himself instead.

Every type of horror humanity had ever produced was flashing though his mind. In each flash he experienced the evil form both the receiver as well as the producer. It sickened him to near insanity when he experienced this and had not way of dealing with it, save for using what he was and who he was to combat it. He used every fiber of his being to remember who he was. He was a son to a loving mother and father, he was the older brother to a bright young man who shone so brightly that he almost felt ashamed to be near him, while at the same time wanting to protect that innocence. He would protect this innocence as well as all the others here the best he could no matter what it took.

What he showed in his almost insane quest to save his brother were all the aspects of a Hero. A Hero that would fade from memory but shined just as brightly in its accomplishments through those he saved.

This situation was seen by a multitude of beings who were watching what was happening in this city in flames. Alaya, who watched as the fate of one of her future heroes was protected, decided to do something for this soul before it was overcome by the remnants of the Holy Grail. This was one of iteration that was different than the others and she was interested in the change as it was happening. She had been in talks with other gods who were looking for heroes that they could use in their own worlds. So she decided to give this unique hero to them as a sign of good will. For now she need to prepare the necessary powers that would be needed by this young man in the other world. She could not send this hero out without some form of thanks. After she finished she continued to watch as the hero struggled against all of humanities worst qualities.

While the gods were scheming, the young boy who had been protected awoke and looked around. Fire was everywhere in his vision. He was in fear of the flames, but from nowhere he heard a voice on the wind, outside of those calling for help, that resonated with him. Live.He could not understand what had happened, but he needed to escape. The child stood on wobbly legs and started his trek to escape this hell. He tried to help those he saw but after a time in each case he was unable to save them as they were devoured by the mud magma. When his legs could take him no further he fell to the ground and lay down. After an agonizing amount of time he turned over and saw the sky. A black hole was there releasing the mud magma in an unceasing tide. He wondered if this would be the place he died.

Almost as if to answer his question a man appeared before the child who had dead eyes. "I finally found one. Thank you. Thank you." The man with a haggard appearance cried as he held the hand of the child.

'Why does he cry?' The child wondered before he fell unconscious.

The older brother, who had protected his brother with ever fiber of his being was happy to see him being saved by another. He was just about to escape the unending pain when he saw two people appear from the mud magma, while another old man appeared with a walking stick as if he was on a stroll. The two emerged as if birthed by the disgusting ooze. Each of these people were different and each held themselves differently.

One held himself as if he was the ruler of the world, as he smiled and laughed at the spectacle before him. He wore gold all over his body in multiple forms he had gold hair and red eyes.

The other man looked upon the flames and destruction with almost, void like coal black eyes, which held almost no interest upon the world. He wore the clothing of a priest with a white collar and black clothing. He had a crucifix hanging down to his solar plexus. He watched as the world burned and smirked.

The third man was old and was hunched over his cane. He just gave off a feeling of wrongness similar to the mud magma. His eyes were nearly nonexistent. His wrinkled form looked upon the destruction with a certain amount of cheerfulness. Beneath his clothing wriggling forms could be seen moving. One of the wriggling forms escaped the clothing and climbed up into the man's ear canal and entered. The man showed no surprise at the appearance of the wriggling form, nor the puncture of his body.

The boy who was on his last vestiges of his being knew, somehow, that these three people had played a part in what had happened. He didn't know how besides the smiles they all seemed to sport. He was in such a position that he could see these three beings walking around as if enjoying the scenery.

And he hated it.

He also feared what would happen to his brother once these men found him and the man who was taking him away.

He could not let that happen.

Using the last of his body, which had merged with the mud magma at this point, the last of his mind and even what seemed the last of his soul he absorbed the negative energy the mud and shaped it with the long thought lost first magic, the magic of creation. He stripped away everything that was worthless and focused it down into a point, which he broke into three parts. What he created was three weapons that would forever be known as humanities response to evil that had been purified by a Heroes soul in his last moments. Of which, most would know that a Hero shown the brightest with their soul burning away evil.

A sword, a spear, and axe hammer of the darkest metal, simplistic in their design, they were filled with the rage and wrath of humanity against oppressors, against the monsters human or otherwise, and against the unnatural things of darkness. They sucked out all of humanities rage and wrath, focused it down into a sword which shone with a golden red light, after completion spun at a speed unseen to eyes straight for the golden-haired man. The spear had an unnatural coldness as if it was the coldest thing in existence, as it was created and in a flash shot to the black clothed priest. The axe hammer upon creation sucked up the flames all across the horizon before it flew into the sky where it absorbed the lightning that filled the sky and flew downward.

The young man never got to see if he finished his work. As the remnants of his soul floated away his body was finally consumed, by the now near frozen mud magma. He was consumed by darkness but not before he said a final sentence in his soul. 'Live a good life Shirou, do this for your big brother.'

Alaya who had been watching was shocked. She had never seen a hero do something like this, in his last moments he did something that no other hero had ever done. The hero created four weapons of untold power from the corruption and negativity of all humanity. Plus in his last moments he had defeated three beings who were far more powerful and experienced than him.

By instinct he used his soul to purify the evil of humanity and turn it into something constructive rather than harmful, something that had not been seen before. All to save his brother. Though he did not kill all three of the men, he did injure two.

The one who had been attacked by the axe hammer had been fully destroyed along with all of the monsters he held a connection to, which, luckily, was all of them. Including the ones that had been about to infest the young purple haired girl in a location not far away. The axe hammer of flame and lightning fell from the darkened sky upon the man with out allowing him a chance to move. The flame and lightning of the axe hammer spread to fully devour the man's soul as well as the monsters. Each of them popped and sizzled as the power of flames and lightning coursed through them. Leaving nothing, but a burning pile of ash. The axe hammer was hit by a final lightning bolt and sent to a faraway place.

The other two men were a different case. The golden haired man had, upon feeling the change, sent out almost all of his weapons and the chains of the gods. But much to his and Alaya's astonishment the sword did not stop not even facing the chains of the gods. It sliced though them like a hot knife through butter. It reached the man, who had just dodged and cut off his arm vaporizing it. The man screamed and tried to send out his power and created a golden ripple in front of the sword to capture it, but unlike his expectations, the sword cut though the golden ripple the same as the chains. Before it flew off into an unknown location. The man screamed as his very soul was cut apart as the ripple was destroyed. His power was not gone, but he would not be able to use his power for a long time. The man roared at the heavens at the injustice upon the so-called king of heroes. He had met his match and been bested, by a child no less. Though he did not know this.

Alaya did and she would hold it over him forever, once he returned to the Throne of Heroes. She was sure all the other Heroes would as well.

The third man, the priest was pierced by the spear as he tried to escape. It punched though him like tissue paper and flew to an unknown location. His body that had touched the spear was frostbitten and frozen. He would not live for long unless he got help from an outside source, which was not likely with everything destroyed around him.

The city, which had been burning and slowly devoured by the mud magma had frozen as the flames were absorbed by the axe hammer, the essence of destruction was taken by the sword, and motion of the tide was frozen by the spear. Unseen by the mortals a fourth creation made itself known above in the sky, a shield of such immensity, that it covered the sky within the clouds. It was the final creation at the end the child's life. A shield, to protect the innocent from all harm from the enemies of the three weapons. With it above in the sky it forced the broken grail closed forcing the remnants of the mud magma into its body where it was purified and turned into humanities Bastion.

All powerful beings heard the screech of the being within the lesser grail as it let out it's death scream.

Alaya, who had been watching astonished, came back to herself when she heard the raging of Gaia who had also been watching. 'Her plans had been destroyed by this boy it seems.' Alaya looked down upon the soul spark that had miraculously survived using itself as a forge for the evils of humanity purifying them into something that would help humanity to survive and prosper. The soul was only a spark of what had once blazed like the sun. One that had been one of the brightest she had yet to come across. If she had not supplied the soul with power and protection, it would have faded from existence. She could not allow that.

Before she did anything Alaya appeared before each of the weapons the soul had created and copied them sending each of them into the soul spark strengthening it.

'Good, now he won't be without his greatest weapons.' Alaya thought.

With that thought Alaya seeing that Gaia was still having a break down used her power to pierce the veil into the spiritual realm, to the Throne of Heroes, where all of the heroes of humanity, past, present and future, found themselves after their demise. Due to the child using his soul to purify the mud magma and no one knowing of his actions he could not be found here.

All of the heroes shivered when they came into contact with Alaya's power and a few of the bowed to her as she was their god in their past lives. Others stood stoically at attention as she passed searching for a designated few, while others gave more simplified forms of greeting. All of the heroes respected Alaya the collection humanity's will to survive.

Alaya had reached the top levels of the spirit realm. What she needed was a trainer one that would forge this hero into one that could compare to the ancient heroes. She found the perfect hero, one of the first heroes she thought could train this hero in all the ways he would need. Chiron, the Grecian immortal, who trained most of the known heroes of Ancient Greece. Upon her arrival, Chiron bowed on one knee as he met his leader.

Holding out her hand Alaya asked Chiron, "Would you guide and empower this hero with a portion of your soul?" Chiron looking upon the soul spark and nodded his head. He, as well as all the other heroes, had seen the young man's final moments, it was one of the most heroic he had seen, and he had seen some of the greatest. Holding out his hand to the soul spark he sent out his essence and a small portion of his soul. His soul fragment had some of his consciousness and his powers but it would not over power this soul spark, it would instead slowly siphon into the hero allowing him access to Chiron's knowledge as well as guide him in their uses.

"Thank you my child." Alaya said as she leaned down and placed a kiss upon Chiron forehead as she healed his soul and returned the essence he had lost. He bowed once again. Upon his face was single tear.

Alaya finished with the most important hero looked down upon the soul spark and came to decision that it would be able to support only up to four more hero essences. Any more heroes' essences then the soul would be over whelmed, by their powers and personalities. She sent out a message to the heroes asking for four others to offer. Hundreds offered but Alaya could only choose a few so she had to pick the best for the new hero.

One came immediately, even before she finished sending out the message, an archer who showed love in his eyes when he looked upon the spark of a soul. She knew this was likely to happen; she smiled at the hero who appeared. As the hero looked upon the soul spark, the hero changed, followed by his world and the way he thought. The world went from a desolate sandy realm, filled with gigantic cogs of machines in the sky with rusted and broken weapons stuck in the ground, into a peaceful land filled with lush green grass, sunshine shone upon gleaming weapons stuck in the ground. Four new weapons appeared near a brand new throne on top of the grass-covered hill. He would eventually be later known as the King of Swords.

He placed his hand over the soul spark and sent a large chunk of his soul, his most precious soul piece, into the spark. Alaya smiled happily as she kissed the hero's head returning the hero back to his prime. She then placed a looking glass into the hero's hand, after which he bowed to Alaya before leaving.

Alaya looked upon the spark again and came to the decision that only two other heroes would be able to leave a soul piece, while one hero would only be able to offer their essence. Since the last hero's soul piece was so large it took up a larger amount of the available space for the other soul pieces.

The third, who Alaya chose, was one of the many heroes who sought her out Tamamo no Mae, otherwise known as the nine tailed fox, she was mainly focused in magic. When she appeared, she asked Alaya if there would be magic in this new world where the soul spark would be sent. Alaya responded, that yes there would be, but only six people actually had access to it there. Alaya went on to explain that there people known as Faunus on this world that had animal features, so her skills would work well for this hero. After hearing this, Tamamo was excited and gladly gave her essence as well as a piece of her soul. She received a looking glass to watch the hero as he progressed.

The fourth was the second undisputed king of the Throne of Heroes. She looked upon the spark of a soul with the look of a mother. She showed love and understanding as she had experienced some of what this soul had in her life. To Alaya's surprise, as well as the king, they saw as her scabbard and sword lifted into the air and split into two. The original returned to the king's hand, but what surprised her was that there was no loss of power. They heard a chuckle behind them.

They both instinctively turned and saw a woman in a lake smiling and waving a hand, beside her stood a proud dragon of legend. The dragon showed its chest where a heart shone with power, forming into a ball that exited it chest. With a wave from the lady a whisper of power and the ball energy from the dragon entered into the spark of a soul strengthening it and giving access to powers few heroes had come into contact with.

Alaya bowed her head to the two beings, which was a great honor for the beings. The two bowed lower and left like a mirage. The king seeing this could only smile sadly, as she placed a hand over the soul spark and placed her essence and a soul fragment into it.

Alaya once again smiled and kissed the top of the king's head restoring her to full glory. She placed a looking glass in her hand before Alaya left to find the last hero who would give their essence. Hearing a call from a certain hero who could not speak any longer Alaya looked into the hero's spiritual realm. Within a man of immense proportions stood with a great stone axe in his hand. Alaya looked upon the hero and asked, "What part of your essence do you offer this child?"

The man responded with a growl as he went over to an immense boulder. When he reached it he put his fingers into the stone and lifted it. Alaya understood. "So you wish to give him your strength and stamina? This is a great gift, are you sure?" The man nodded at Alaya's words. "Do you wish to watch this new hero grow?" The man was indecisive when asked this. Seeing the hero's lost gaze Alaya smiled as she placed a special looking glass the size of a full body mirror. This looking glass was far more durable than all the others she had created. "I will leave this here for you. Watch when you want. Thank you for your offering." Alaya went close to the hero, who knelt down for Alaya, and kissed his head as she did the others. With this kiss his essence was returned. The hero had a hope in his heart, that his essence would help this newly born hero in his future adventures more than it did in his life.

Alaya looked upon the soul spark and the surrounding soul shards, and the essence of the final hero. Each of the soul shards had a different color and structure. The second brightest soul shard came from the King of Knights with a golden brilliance; it was shaped similar to her famous sword. The Nine Tailed Fox of legend had a pure white colored soul, that shown with brilliance eclipsing the sword of legend. The soul shard of the second hero to offer the newly born hero had an image similar to a tiny version of the Earth. The final and first soul shard was different from the others and was actually the form of the owner's original form, a centaur. Within the first soul shard was the remnant of the hero's original aspect of his life as an immortal.

Alaya saw all of these soul shards and formed a four pointed square around the soul spark with bridge connections to each of the hero souls to the soul spark. To accommodate the essence from the last hero Alaya placed a circular canal that connected all of the bridges. Within the circle was the essence of the hero of the twelve trials. Once the heroes began to train this hero the hero's souls would pour out a little of their knowledge and experience. These pieces of knowledge and experience would flow and mix with the essence of the final hero where upon the final mixture would flow into the new hero's soul, strengthening and expanding his potential; his soul.

Looking upon her creation with pride Alaya left the spirit realm and entered into the void between universes.