Fate/Reload

The man didn't feel comfortable in the two-stored building. He has got use to his own house for all those years. In his house, big enough to be called mansion, came the best years of his life. Even the woman beside him preferred to move there even though it was the home of her family for generations.

But now he had the reasons to come here. Or rather one, big reason.

"Are you sure you want it?" - she asked.

"It's not the matter of wanting" - his expression soured. - "You know that the war is coming. One of us should join it anyway. And you know that I won't let you do it"

"Yeah-yeah. You are just the same as usual" - she sighed.

"Isn't it the thing you like in me?" – he smiled as brightly as he could in this situation.

She only snorted and turned towards the window.

"Do you think you will manage to do it once again?"

He paused.

"We won't find it out until we try".

He came closer and hugged her from behind.

"Don't worry about me. Maybe I'm not the strongest of us but I have more combat experience".

"Don't even remind me. Have you forgotten in what state you returned last time?"

"That was my negligence. I promise not to repeat the same mistake again".

She turned to him.

"You'd better keep this promise" – she tried to say it as harshly as she could, but her tears revealed her inner state.

The man smiled again and kissed the woman. It could have taken a lot of time for him to explain everything. How he had evolved. How he had trained. That he was the one who could protect himself. But he knew a better way to make her understand this.

As their lips parted, his face turned serious.

"Remember what to do?" – he asked.

She snorted.

"Of course".

"Then let's get started. The sooner we begin the better".

She nodded, took her bag and went outside. She didn't want to leave but she knew she had to. In the upcoming war she had the task of her own. She didn't want to leave the man but she knew he could be trusted in the matter of warfare. The experience he had got for the last couple of years made him tough and strong. Thogh she was always afraid for his life when he went for his "expeditions", they made him more suitable for what was going to happen soon.

The woman got into the taxi that was waiting for her outside while the driver packed her bag into the trunk. The man was looking at her as if he waited that she would wave her hand saying him goodbye. She didn't. He knew what it meant.

"I don't say farewell because we will meet again. And don't even think about dying. If you do, I'll never forgive you!"

He smiled once again.

Eight years have passed but they mostly stayed the same. They could easily read each other though it took more time for him to achieve it. They have become much more than just a couple though sometimes he really doubted it.

Eight year.

A flash of memory sparkled in his mind.

It took him back to senses.

He went to the lobby and took a package from the table. Inside was a small but heavy metal scrap. Hardly anyone could say it used to be. Technically, only he could. A piece of armor of a great warrior. A catalyst to call for a Servant. A thing he got from one of the people he had saved during his "expeditions".

He went downstairs to the basement. This place he did't like the most here, as any magus don't like the workshop of any other magus. He would prefer to organize the ritual in his favorite shed but some formalities were to be followed.

"So, time to get started" – he said aloud.

"Wait for me, Rin. I'll do what I should and return to you" – he thought.