Chapter 9: Shattering of a futile desire

The criminal was laughing loudly after looking at the child crawling away, whom he scared by saying 

"I wonder how it feels to be killed by a demon."

A light flashed and a red tattoo appeared on the killer`s hand, he turned around while exclaiming 

"What is this?"

The fog of summoning decapitated, bizarre-looking, creepy man dressed in black robes. His robes had coloured protrusions as if they were the limbs of a monster.

He held a book with a screaming statue as a cover and spoke 

"I ask you, you, who calls me and seeks me ….. Summoner who manifests me under the class of caster…. I ask your name….yes…."

"Who are you?" he asked in a voice which sounded as if it was an old man and a youth`s voices were mixed.

" I am uryuu ryuunoske, am currently unemployed and I love to kill people." replied the deranged master to his servant

"Especially women and kids."

Hearing this caster replied 

"Very well the contract is established"

"I desire the grail, as do you. The vessel of paradise shall belong to us"

"The gra… what ?" asked the clueless master but then said 

"Anyways, how about a sacrifice? Wanna eat that kid ?>

Looking at his master he pulled up his book to which his master exclaimed 

"Hey, it's cover is human skin, right?"

This had already made Shirou sick in the stomach but he persisted with a morbid curiosity and righteous anger.

He watched how after muttering 

"Cthulhu fhtagn"

The servant released the kid giving false hope to the child with kind words and let him go towards the door much to the continuous complaining of his master.

But as the child reached the light of the door filled with hope he cried and moved forward before being killed amidst the scream by a black mass of flesh. 

Then Shirou`s vision went dark amidst the explanation of what terror is by the magus who killed the child.

Watching as they snuffed an innocent life for no reason and the look of enlightenment on the ex-killer and now master`s face he asked himself 

< Does every human being deserve to be saved ?>.

He went away amidst the praises of the master and servant for each other. The murder that happened contrasted with the happy expression on both their faces.

Learning about the cruelty of humanity Shirou began questioning his desire to save everyone like kiritsugu saved him from the fire.

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…

Walking out of the taxi Kiritsugu Emiya breathed in the Tokyo air. According to the information he collected before the Grail War, there is no magus family here but a branch of the demon hunter alliance who are users of ESP and shrine maidens who are spell casters.

At the airport, he waited till noon. A man in his early twenties walked out of the airport and handed a briefcase to the older Emiya before worldlessly disappearing into the crowd.

Holding the briefcase passed on by a mercenary middleman kiritsugu sped off into the street.

Arriving at a hotel built on a minor branch of a leyline he checked in for a day.

Surveying the ground floor room that he had deliberately chosen, he opened an envelope brought out of his coat. On not finding anything suspicious in the room he set up a bounder field and opened the suitcase.

Inside the case, there was a stack of bombs designed to suck prana from leylines and on detonating destroy the leyline.

On the cover of a satellite phone was strapped, looking at the phone the magus killer showed a nostalgic smile and picked it up. Holding the phone and channelling his od into it he dialed a number.

The call rang for some time and was then picked up and a male voice filled with Shaadafuede sounded 

" Kiritsugu my friend! Greetings. I am very delighted to talk to you after years."

"Stop with your deranged sense of humor Altair and come to the point." said kiritsugu with a neutral tone.

"As serious and to the point as always I see, then ask what you want to know about" replied the man on the other side now getting serious.

Kiritsugu explained Shirou's situation to Altair but emitted crucial details. kiritsugu explained the visions of the past and some glimpses of the future. The man interrupted him numerous times to ask questions and clarifications.

After the description, the room was drowned in silence and the sound of pages of books getting flipped was coming from the other side of the phone.

 Breaking this silence the magus of the astronomy branch revealed

"What you described is a combination of functions of 3 known mystic eyes. The Mystic Eyes of Retrospection which views the past in the form of vision."

"Mystic eyes of precognition that have visions of the future in the form of the scene of user's death."

"And the last mystic eyes of transient that are said to randomly have visions of future or past in a chaotic space."

"Mystic eyes are unique so there is a high chance of an awakened mutant mystic eyes doing this."

Taking a pregnant pause he continued 

"Or else it's an ESP and I suspect this is the case here."

"I know ESP but how does that matter here?" asked Kiritsugu

"Whoever you are asking about most likely underwent some form of traumatic experience and injuries to the brain which allowed him/her to view some hidden layer of the world." 

replied a disgruntled altair.

He continued in the tone of a professor lecturing a stupid student

"Esp stands for extra sensory perception so whoever is receiving these chaotic visions can perceive something that a normal human can't and his brain transfers this information in the form of visions."

"The least likely possibility is possessing some form of Clairvoyance, as from the name you have guessed it is an ability to have information that you can normally have through an unexplainable pathway."

"I don't know much about them as they are normally not found and if found they are prioritized for sealing designation."

After the rambling of Alistar ended kiritsugu was in deep thoughts 

< it's not enough, teaching Shirou mage craft has become a must. I will also have to train him in combat before this curse of the grail makes me incapable of that.>

< I don't want to have you be the target of sealing designation Shirou. Is this my fate to fail the promises I make to myself?>

<what a cruel fate but I deserve it. Let's forget it>

When Altair asked that if he can he should send him the body remains of the case they were talking about. He expressed a mild desire to study the specimen but then said 

"Alas, it had to be the target of a magus killer who doesn't leave behind a complete corpse most of the time."

Listening to this kiritsugu replied 

"I will try but it's most likely not possible"

After some more talking the phone was cut. Leaving a pondering kiritsugu

< I have to 1st set up these bombs in the caves and then order the material for the ritual to open magic circuits and roughly determine the elements and origin.>

< Shirou I hope you have magic circuits or else there are very few ways I can help you.>

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…

During the weekend Shirou woke up early intending to clean the whole household before his father arrived. By the time he had finished having his breakfast, the doorbell rang.

Through the now-open door, kiritsugu walked in carrying a classy black suitcase. He smiled and while patting his son said 

"Shirou, i am back."

Smiling back Shirou replied 

"Welcome home Dad."

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….

 The father and son pair happily ate dinner while chatting. After washing the plates kiritsugu called Shirou to the living room and pointed him to a cushion.

"Before we begin I want you to inform me of what dreams you had in the days I was gone and the day before that."

Nodding his head Shirou explains how he saw the summoning of archer, sabre, assassin and caster.

thought kiritsugu.

<sigh! I didn't wish a child like you to get exposed humans the master of caster. It might also be good that can view cruel war and prepare yourself because need know cruelty magus prevent having sealing designation placed on you.>

Kiritsugu was pulled out of his thoughts by Shirou asking 

"Dad, does every human being deserve to be saved? Even people like that serial killer?"

After a brief silence, he replied 

"That's for you to find out Shirou. Experience life yourself and conclude. For me, he doesn't deserve to be saved but this mentality had led me here."

"I know you have a lot of questions about that ritual and I will tell you about it but 1st you need to know basic knowledge. Today onwards I will teach you about the moonlight world."