Atop a hill of corpses and fire, two individuals stood. Instead, one stood and the other sort of just kneeled. 

"We... we have done it... Shirou... we have won the war... You're a superhero now... right?" Says the standing figure half-drowned in black mud. 

Where once a bright blue battle dress once flowed with the wind, now only a blackened, torn gown-like garment existed. Where regal armor once covered, now only battered chunks of steel dug into flesh. Where once wheat-blonde hair and emerald eyes were topped off with a smile that rivalled the sun, now only tresses of gold, and pale yellows are left to do a haggard cold stare.

Looking back at 'Shirou', the lady in black's heart sinks. The visage of determination that once served to light her path and push her through despite her soul threatening to tear was now just a mere husk. Bright red hair akin to flames have been used up and now resemble the ash that exist in the wake of a great pyre. His skin was scorched tan with black lines of charring travelling up his arm and right eye like darkened veins. And yet, in his face, there was an unyielding hope... an unbeaten smile. Yet he would not speak to her. 

Rather... he no longer could...

The war has taken much from him. His body, his strength, his mind and even portions of his soul. Yet only at the cusp of victory did it take away his very life. In the final moment, when relief was finally at hand, did his body finally give way. And in giving way, his spirit held on no longer. As his knees fall to the death that surrounds the two of them, vile black mud creeps up to engulf him.

The warrior of the blade would proceed to run to Shirou and grasp him just as he was about to fall off the pile of death. 

"Shirou... do not leave me... you were like a brother to me..."

A brother-in-arms; Unlike her, he was but a mere mortal; a mundane existence not even qualified to be a mere mage, yet he took up arms and fought as if he was one of the heroes of old. Despite coming from an age where magic has declined, this one boy has proven that he can be just as powerful as any of her former knights. He had a dream to save his city from this war... and even still he failed. Just like she had hers.

"I love you like a son..."

Though they may both appear to be around the same age in appearance, truth be told, she is older than him by centuries. While neither the orphan nor the swordswoman knew of it at the beginning of their contract, their relationship would blossom. Not as master and servant; not as lovers; not only as friends... but as family...

"I am sorry... even now... the city is ravaged by the flames of the mud... this is all my fault... if I had only heeded my last master's reasoning, then you would never have been dragged into this..."

The centuries old heroic spirit tightens her hug upon the 17-year-old boy who fought tooth-and-nail for naught, sacrificed everything for naught, and perished for naught.

"Emiya Shirou..." The servant of the sword mutters numbly as she rests the corpse upon the pile created from the abominations created by the mud which oozes from the grail in front of her.

"I will make this right... I... will..." 

There is no longer any time to cry... not when there is still something that needs to be done... when there is still some business to heed...

Picking her blade back up, she pours mana into it, lighting it up with a crimson flame intertwined by minute motes of gold. 

"Ex... ca-"

Before she could bring it down, two figures appear in front of her. One was a man much taller than her, wearing a green suit and top hat, and the other was a peculiar creature with vaguely humanoid features, black matted fur, a metal mask and long white hair.

"What is the meaning of this?" She more-or-less demands. 

One of the things she'd lost in this war was the ability to trust anybody not Shirou. Not when allies turned into enemies at the drop of a hat. It was like this in the past life, and it will be like this in this one...

"We'll get straight to the point since I doubt you enjoy flattery." The black creature points out before pulling out a dark purple gem from... his butt..?

"We need the grail to power this gem, known as the Chaos Emerald."

The Saber servant's eyes only narrow hearing this.

"And why would I relinquish the corrupted holy grail to two suspicious individuals who are intending to power something named the CHAOS Emerald?"

"Please madam, if I may be so bold. Calling us suspicious-looking would be quite hypocritical of you, would it not?"

Infinite's eye twitches at this demon's need to try and bite back against a relative nobody. Just like his foolish past self...

"Anyways, before you two go at each other's throats, allow me to explain. The Chaos Emerald's ability is not to create Chaos, but rather to focus it. You may say this grail is corrupted or evil, but in the end it is merely untamed, unfocused. The Emerald will allow its power more control and make it useful."

"And what is in it for me?"

For once, Infinite is at a loss. Having been a self-serving mercenary all his life, all he knows is the target he is given and the pay afterward. Luckily for him, his... ally can cover for him in that department.

"What about... saving that boy over there for a start?"

This seems to only have pissed off the warrior of the sword. In response to her fury, her blackened sword ignites with a ferocious black flame filled with malice.

"Do not fuck with me! Do you mean to tell me this thing can resurrect the dead?! One of the other masters said specifically that-"

"That resurrection is impossible. They are indeed correct. However, your beloved master is still alive if you bothered to check instead of mourning him immediately, impudent little girl. Oh, and do put your cubes down, the adults are talking, child."

Infinite growls at this jab, but ultimately lowers down his attack cubes.

The servant's face lit in hope hearing that as she rushed to her master's side to check for a pulse and heartbeat. Much to her shock and relief, the boy was indeed alive. Barely, but still!

"Did I tell you not? Now, what will it be, madam?"

Saber looks down at her master then back at the two. It did not take a genius to know that these two figures were up to no good... but they held keys to resurrecting her master, her dearest little boy...

Her she was now, torn between crossroads... Do what's right, or do what's good? Recalling both the previous war and her life prior to becoming a heroic spirit, she has always done what was right... and each time... everyone suffers for it...

"Your master's quickly running out of time."

She proceeds towards where the cup stood and picks up the grail which was still spewing tainted mud like an agitated pus.

She then looks up and sees Lev's outstretched arms.

"Won't you shake a poor sinner's hand?"

Biting her lips, the altered saber servant takes a chance and deviates from choosing what she believes is right. She offers the grail to Lev while shaking his free hand.

In an instant, the man's smile stretches to an unnatural degree as a crazed expression appears on his face.

"Yes... YES..."

Lev face the Grail, and together with Infinite, crams the gem in the cup. At first, nothing happens, but suddenly Saber's vision goes blurry. Looking back at the cup, she would soon notice the black mud and the flames get drawn into the cup, first in small droplets which grew steadily until whole rivers soon were pooling into it. It even gets to a point where Lev and Infinite were both needed to contain the recoil.

But that was not what Saber cared about. Looking around, her eyes widen after seeing Shirou begin to stir.

"Sh-Shirou!"

"O-Oka-san?" The boy mutters weakly as the mud around him vanish into the cup.

"Yes baby boy, it's me... it's me..." was the woman's teary-eyed response.

On the other hand, Lev was more manic in expressing his joy at seeing the floating glowing rock-in-a-cup.

"Yes! YES!"

The light turns blinding and everything goes white for a while.

When the light died down, the Chaos Emerald vanishes and the grail takes on a new look. No longer was it a golden goblet. Rather, it was now colored silver, with a purple crystal rim decorating it.

"Chaos..." Infinite spoke in awe, seeing the object.

"Grail..." Lev gasped after.

Yet much to the two's annoyance, their moment of awe is rudely interrupted when 'Shirou' screams in agony.

"Shirou, what's... what's wrong?"

"I can't... I can't remember anymore... I just know you, swords and a demonic voice screaming at the back of my head for one hundred percent no chill! My head hurts!"

Saber raises her sword at the duo, growling out, "what is the meaning of this?!"

Lev seems to just about have enough of the sorry-looking altered Saber but Infinite stops him, pushing her sword away using the jeweled blade.

"If you aren't happy, don't blame me. Blame my friends on the other side." Lev says, not even caring for the fear in Saber's eyes.

Yet it seems the grail wanted more than the attention it had just gotten as the crystal rim begins to glow once again. However, this time, a powerful deluge of water shoots out of the cup and into the sky, making everyone look in the process.

Rain soon follows which turn into a strong monsoon.

As everyone look up to view and feel the cold rain, Lev speaks.

"Earlier, you asked us what our end goal is right?"

This gets Saber's attention.

With a mad smile, Lev then answers, "we want a deathless world that no human kill. And it starts... here..."

As he says that, corpses around them stir up and raise.

A. N. As you may have come to notice, this is not the regular singularity F we're used to. That one has been done by many, more competent writers than I, so I decided to shake things up a bit.