Fate: Edmund

The sunset painted the sky in shades of orange as Kiritsugu finished reviewing the information printed on the documents he held in his hands. In the dimly lit room, only the hum of the small portable printer and the controlled breathing of the magus assassin could be heard. The still-fresh ink gave off a faint smell of burnt paper as he meticulously went over each line.

"Edmund Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri..." he murmured softly, memorizing the name that now stirred a disquiet he couldn't ignore.

He had tracked his information through several reliable sources, and while he had expected to find a common academic record of yet another Clock Tower student, what lay before him exceeded all his expectations. Edmund wasn't just a student—he was a prodigy, a genius whose talent was described as almost unnatural.

He had mastered all fields of magecraft at a ridiculously young age. By 15, he had already achieved the rank of Pride, a title reserved for magi with exceptional mastery of their craft, those who stood at the pinnacle of the academy. The mere fact that he had accomplished what others took decades to achieve made him a fearsome individual. But there was more... much more.

Assassination attempts. Multiple attacks against him. All of them failed.

Kiritsugu felt his throat go dry as he read through the records of the incidents. Since childhood, Edmund had been the target of numerous assassination attempts, and yet, not only had he survived each one, but he had seemingly emerged unscathed, displaying a mastery of magic and strategy that made his would-be assassins look foolish. This wasn't normal. Not even a Lord of the Clock Tower could boast such a track record.

"Another Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald..." he whispered, pausing at that part of the report.

By the standards of the Clock Tower, Kayneth was a genius, an outstanding mage with a first-rate lineage. And yet, this report compared Edmund to him, suggesting that he might be even more talented. But if this was what Edmund had achieved by the age of 15... what was his true level now? Brand, the highest rank within the Clock Tower? There was no way to know.

Kiritsugu felt a shiver run down his spine. He wasn't someone who was easily intimidated, but this information unsettled him more than he was willing to admit. He clenched his teeth in frustration. He could deal with assassins, arrogant magi, heroic spirits. But Edmund was an enigma. Not just because of his innate talent, but because of the magecraft he had displayed in the forest.

Those creatures...

Kiritsugu frowned and took a deep breath. There was nothing in the records that explained what kind of magecraft Edmund had used to summon those grotesque, green creatures. The closest he could find in the database was projection magecraft, but even that didn't fully match what he had seen. Projection was illusory magic, incapable of creating physical entities with their own will. Yet, Edmund's creatures breathed, bled, and could kill.

"This isn't conventional magecraft..." he thought, gripping the paper tighter.

If Edmund could summon those creatures effortlessly, what else could he do? If instead of simple goblins, he brought forth something far worse, something bigger, stronger... then the situation could spiral out of control. Kiritsugu was terrified. This was even worse than Kotomine Kirei. At least with Kirei, there was room for action. He knew he could kill him with his own hands if given the chance. But Edmund...

He couldn't see any way to deal with him without Saber's help. And even then, could his Servant truly defeat someone like him? Rider had protected him in the forest. That meant he had some connection to Rider's Master. But then, why had Edmund also been at the Hyatt Hotel, where Kayneth was staying? For a moment, Kiritsugu thought the two Masters might be allied, but if that were true, Kayneth would never have revealed Rider's identity so easily.

So, what role did Edmund play in this war?

"Is he just a spectator...? No... That's not possible."

Kiritsugu felt a pressure in his chest. Edmund couldn't just be an observer, not after what he had done. He brought a hand to his face, trying to suppress the overwhelming sense of helplessness. If Edmund was truly pulling the strings of this war from the shadows, if everyone else was nothing more than pieces on his board...

Then the threat he posed was worse than anything Kiritsugu could have ever imagined.

Kiritsugu was lost in thought, going over the information he had gathered about Edmund again and again. Despite having faced countless enemies in the past, none had unsettled him as much as that mysterious young mage. Not only was his track record impressive, but the magecraft he had demonstrated that night defied all known logic. Creatures with form, substance, and autonomy—something no projection magecraft should be capable of.

"If he can do that, what else is he hiding?" he wondered, feeling a shiver run down his spine.

As he tried to find a solution to deal with the threat Edmund posed, the door opened and Irisviel walked in. With a look of concern on her face, she approached him.

"Kiritsugu, what's wrong?" she asked, noticing his distant gaze.

Kiritsugu exhaled heavily, closing his eyes for a moment before responding. "I'm terrified... and afraid."

Irisviel blinked in surprise.

"What are you talking about? Is it about that mysterious mage from the other night? Did you manage to find out who he is?"

Kiritsugu nodded slowly and handed her the printed report.

"His name is Edmund. He's not just some unknown or ordinary mage. He's a prodigy from the Clock Tower, achieved the rank of Pride at fifteen, and his lineage comes from the Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri. The amount of knowledge and power he's accumulated at such a young age is simply inhuman. But the worst part... his magecraft. There are no records of anything like it in any of the Mage Association's documents. It's something completely new and dangerous."

Irisviel read the information carefully, understanding the gravity of the situation. However, she stepped closer to Kiritsugu and gently took his hand.

"You're the Mage Killer, Kiritsugu. You've faced much greater threats and come out victorious. No matter how talented that boy is, if he becomes an obstacle to our goal, you'll know how to deal with him."

Kiritsugu looked at Irisviel for a moment and then turned his gaze away. Her words were right, but the problem was that Edmund didn't fit any of the threats he had faced before. Still, he had no choice but to move forward.

"You're right. I can't afford to doubt now. The only way to win this war is to keep moving forward, no matter the cost."

Irisviel smiled tenderly at him, but before she could respond, she suddenly tensed.

"Kiritsugu! Someone just entered the forest."

Kiritsugu's head snapped up immediately. "Who is it?"

Irisviel closed her eyes for a moment, sensing the magical energy through the detection barriers they had placed around the castle.

"It's a Servant... no, wait... there are multiple energy sources. They're moving fast and approaching from all directions."

Kiritsugu clenched his teeth.

"Tell Saber to get ready to receive them. It seems we have visitors."

At that moment, deep within the forest, a group of figures moved among the trees with inhuman agility. Dressed in dark robes and hoods that hid their faces, the multiple bodies of Assassin advanced with no intention of concealing their presence.

They leaped from branch to branch, others ran with superhuman speed, and some even laughed disturbingly. It seemed as if they were announcing their arrival, wanting to be discovered before launching their attack.

Kiritsugu looked out the window toward the dark silhouette of the forest.

"This is going to be problematic" he murmured to himself as he drew his weapon and prepared for the imminent battle.

...................

I already have 40k words, well, I feel relieved now, I don't know why... but well, the more I write this fanfic, I have no idea how to end it hahaha.