• The heroic spirit Emiya was summoned once again. As always, it meant there was war. He was not an ordinary spirit--he was a Guardian, a protector of balance. A special classification of heroic spirits summoned to prevent humanity from destroying itself.
    This time, he was summoned to stop a war before it started.
    A group of terrorists from China, acting outside of the authority of their country, had commandeered a submarine and were heading toward Japan. The weaponry of the submarine wasn't the issue, but the passengers were. They were all powerful mages. That was why Emiya was needed. If these mages went through with their plan, it would announce the existence of magic to the entire world, in addition to starting a new world war. The world would quickly turn against the mages, and there would be mass slaughter on both sides. However, if their progress halted here, the world's largest secret would be kept.
    Guanyu Wu was the most powerful among them. Naturally, that was because her family had the longest history of mages. Mages carry on their legacy by implanting magic crests on their heirs, granting their descendants access to all of their magic. Guanyu's magic crest was more complex than any of the others' combined. But even with all of her power, she couldn't find the strength to lift a finger when he entered.
    Emiya appeared from thin air in the control room. Someone shouted, and the crew jumped into action, some grabbing guns, others relying on their magic as weapons. Guanyu simply watched. Who could this man be? His face had no wrinkles, even though his hair was white with age. His sun-tanned skin contrasted his red cloak, which was worn over a tightly-fit black jumpsuit.
    Someone fired. The man before them ducked backward, dodging the bullet easily. Then, when Guanyu blinked with surprise, he was gone. She heard a body fall, and looked over to see her crewmate dead. The intruder stood over him with a curved short sword in his left hand. It was black with a hexagonal pattern outlined in red. The hilt was emblazoned with a yin-yang symbol. He took a step forward and was gone again, this time appearing in front of one who was chanting an invocation. He died, the spell incomplete. By now, guns were blazing, and spells of all kinds were thrown into the room.
    Someone cast a lightning spell, targeting his sword. The magnetised blade flew out of his hand and stuck to the floor, but disappeared and then reappeared in his hand, along with a second sword in his right hand. This one seemed to be the reverse of the other. Instead of dark and patterned, this one was gleaming white. Even though it seemed opposite, it had the same curve and the same yin-yang design. Wielding both swords, he cut through his enemy's ranks easily, even while reinforcements piled up.
    Emiya, while dodging, started to chant, his deep voice filling the air above the sounds of battle.
    "I am the bone of my sword
    Steel is my body and fire is my blood
    I have created over a thousand blades
    Unknown to Death, Nor known to Life
    Have withstood pain to create many weapons
    Yet, those hands will never hold anything
    So as I pray, unlimited blade works."
    The submarine seemed to break apart, yet no water poured in. Instead, the floor was replaced with sand. Guanyu recognized the effects as a reality marble--basically, they had been taken to another realm. The entire crew of the submarine was here. So he took us here to prevent us from using the submarine to our advantage? Did he know about our traps? Or did he just want to save the time it would take to hunt everyone down?
    Suddenly she realized that, in this space, the air itself was a weapon. Swords materialized out of nowhere, annihilating the entire crew in a matter of seconds. The swords... each of them was created differently from the others. Not one of them looked alike. They were all beautiful... but very, very deadly. And yet, for some reason, Guanyu was still alive.
    "You. Girl."
    It took a moment for her to comprehend that he was talking to her.
    "You stood there and watched as all of your comrades were killed. Why?"
    Why did I...? It's not like I was too shocked. I was making rational assessments the whole time. The crew didn't matter to me, but still, I should have done something. Is my conviction lacking?
    Tidying up her ponytail, she stood up, thinking of her response. Her black eyes peered into her questioner's. Finally, she spoke. "I suppose I was captivated. Your swords are truly beautiful."
    Emiya narrowed his eyes. "You cared so little for your comrades?"
    "They were using me, and I was using them. It does seem like a waste, though."
    "Now I see. You're far too dangerous to be left alive."
    "Then why don't you kill me?"
    "Because of what is on your hand."
    "My hand?" Guanyu looked down at her right hand, and, to her surprise, found a red mark. It wasn't an injury. It almost looked like an ancient hieroglyphic. To her, it looked like two men joined hands and created a flame above them. Below that, two moon shapes facing the men, and a triangle connecting the two crescents underneath. "So it has finally returned, has it?"
    Emiya closed his eyes with a frustrated look on his face. "I thought that the Grail had been destroyed. In any case, I have no desire to be wrapped up in its works again." He opened one eye. "Those Command Seals look almost exactly like... never mind. That's not something you need to know."
    The reality marble faded, and Guanyu was once again on the submarine. The intruder was still there. "Who are you?"
    He shook his head. "That doesn't matter. You should worry about yourself. You are the only survivor here. Your organization may think you killed them."
    "Heh. So what if they do? Tell me your name, heroic spirit."
    The man looked surprised. "You recognize me as a spirit?"
    "Don't underestimate me because I'm young. You're a Guardian, right? And you let the word 'again' slip earlier. You've been summoned as a Servant before. I will summon you again."
    "Don't bother trying. You have no connection to me."
    "No, but I will find one. Do not underestimate me."
    Shaking his head, the spirit dematerialized. Guanyu smiled wickedly. "The Holy Grail has chosen me to be a Master. It's time to prepare the ritual to summon a Servant."