Tohsaka Tokiomi walked down the stairs to his underground workshop, feeling good. Caster was defeated, the chaos had settled, and things were looking good.
He opened a hidden door and spotted a familiar figure inside.
"Assassin, what are you doing here?" Tokiomi asked, caught off guard. "Where's Kirei? He was supposed to meet me."
"Lord Tokiomi," the red-clad Assassin replied, his voice steady and flat, "Lord Kirei sent me to wait for you. He had urgent matters at the church and asked you to wait a moment."
Tokiomi waved a hand. "No need to be so stiff. He could've just told me later. Kirei's always too hard on himself; it's his strength and his weakness."
"He respects you deeply as his mentor…..Oh, Lord Kirei, you're here!" Assassin turned to the space behind Tokiomi.
Tokiomi smiled and glanced back. "Kirei, you—"
No one was there.
"—Ugh!"
A sharp pain stabbed through his back. Tokiomi looked down, stunned, as a small blade tip poked out of his chest.
Even using a Command Seal wouldn't help now. Even a magus as skilled as Tokiomi couldn't survive this.
His life was fading away fast. He reluctantly turned to face his attacker. "Assassin… why…"
"Because you're Lord Kirei's 'respected' mentor."
With that cold reply, Assassin pulled the blade and Tokiomi crumpled to the floor.
Steady footsteps echoed. A stern man stepped forward, glancing at Tokiomi's body with no trace of feeling. He asked the Assassin, "Why did you do it?"
Assassin tilted his head. "Why didn't you stop me?"
Kirei Kotomine went quiet.
Why, indeed? He'd watched his own Servant kill his mentor and done nothing, though he could have acted.
He felt no hate, no envy, no greed toward Tokiomi. No reason to want him dead. By all logic, he should've cared.
But why… Why did he feel not sorrow, but a quiet thrill?
Assassin studied Kirei's face and shook his head. "It's not enough. You need more to stir you."
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hm?"
Gilgamesh, perched on Vimana, froze mid-thought. She guided the golden craft down to the bridge, pressing a hand to her chest. "Tokiomi… is dead?"
To her, Tokiomi was a boring existence; his death barely mattered. But as a Servant, losing her Master left her in a tight spot.
Servants needed two things to stay in this world: an anchor and magical energy.
Energy wasn't a problem for Gilgamesh; her treasury overflowed with resources rarer than Command Seals. The anchor, though; that was trickier.
Without it, a Servant couldn't hold their form.
As an Archer, her Independent Action skill let her linger without a Master for a time, but not forever.
Thunder rolled above. The Conqueror landed his Gordius Wheel on the bridge, grinning wide at Gilgamesh. "We meet again, Golden One."
Gilgamesh's expression soured. 'Of all the times'
"You saw Saber's light, didn't you? Any thoughts? Are you still planning to claim her for your collection?"
Gilgamesh smirked. "Her purity makes her worth breaking. Flames shine brightest before they fade. When Saber's dreams collapse, and she cries in shame… her tears will be sweet."
"As expected we really don't see eye to eye, Hero King of Babylon."
Rider rubbed his beard, then frowned. "Something's different about you. Your energy, your presence… Did that dark one wound you? No, it's deeper. You feel like a tower with no base."
'What a sharp guy.'
Gilgamesh didn't hide it. "My worthless vassal died. A Servant without a Master fades eventually. I'm at my weakest now."
Her red eyes glinted, teasing. "Now's your shot, Rider. You might actually win."
Inside, she thought: 'He's just a mongrel. If I look weak, he'll jump at me… Good. Let him see my power and let him know even when weakened, a true king outclasses a mongrel like him.'
But Rider laughed it off. "Don't be ridiculous. I'd never do that."
"What?" Gilgamesh blinked.
The Conqueror King grinned, proud. "Enemies or allies, the stronger, the better. Beating the weak is pointless."
"…"
Gilgamesh stared, then sighed. "You're a fool… but I like it. Too bad only one can be my equal. Otherwise, I might've let you sit near my throne."
"Still full of yourself."
"Conqueror, I promise you this: you'll see the world's origin. I grant you that honor!"
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"That said, I need a new Master soon."
Gilgamesh roamed the streets with no clear aim, dressed in stylish modern clothes. Her golden hair and red eyes turned heads.
She'd searched from night to midday, finding no one worthy. Frustration crept in.
The Grail didn't interest her, but she'd promised the Conqueror a real fight and a king keeps her word.
All day, she'd sized up people, but none fit. Magi were scarce, and regular people didn't catch her eye; her standards were sky-high.
Without noticing, she'd wandered past Fuyuki… somewhere else now.
Her energy drained quickly; she had hours left, maybe.
She sat under a streetlamp, its yellow glow casting her shadow; striking yet lonesome.
"Will I break my promise?" she murmured.
"Um… Miss, are you okay?"
A small voice piped up. Gilgamesh turned to see a ponytailed girl inching closer with hesitation.
When Gilgamesh didn't answer, the girl tried again. "Are you lost? Can I help you get home?"
Gilgamesh chuckled. "You? Help me?"
The oldest hero-king, needing a kid's help?
"Yeah! My parents, uncle and aunt are police. They can get you home!" The girl patted her chest, copying grown-ups awkwardly, making Gilgamesh grin.
Then, an idea hit. She looked at the girl anew.
"Hm… she's decent-looking, though not as stunning as I was at her age. Among humans, she's fine. Innocent, curious; good traits. Talent? I can handle the energy part. The anchor's what counts."
The girl took her silence as a sign of being lost, her odd little mind likening her to a stray cat.
Making her decision, Gilgamesh asked, "What's your name?"
Awed by her tone, the girl stammered, "R-Rias."