1 A Sword's summoning

Shirou pov:

Bright.

That was my first thought, as I fought off the intense rays hitting my eyeballs. The drowsiness that comes with having a nap not helping matters at all.

At Least I think I was napping. I'm pretty sure I was having a dream about a devil girl with pink hair and large...ok, none of that, onto the present. Where am I? I thought to myself after having the type of dreams more common when I was 15 instead of 18.

I squint my eyes, as they adjust to my new environment. It seems I am lying down, on a- scratch that, I'm not laying, but hovering? Levitating? No, that's not right. It feels like I'm on a surface. I just can't see it.

An invisible floor?

"Welcome Shirou Emiya to my humble abode!" Yells out a voice, coming from all angles. Then with a sound that is between glass breaking, and an eerie screech that sounds of violins being tortured, a tall figure appears. The light dissolves, and shows more of the man's figure. Red eyes, gray hair, standing tall and proud, and with a shit eating grin on his face.

One of the most dangerous "Man," in the world has just made an appearance.

That explains the kaleidoscopic like room I'm in. The room I have been in has been shifting colors over and over in several places. I imagine this is how it would feel to be stuck in an actual Kaleidoscope.

"Good morning, Zelretch-san.''I courteously announce to the user of the 2nd magic as I bow my head.

Angering a man that can throw the moon is not a good idea, not to mention Rin's boss.

"No it is not!" he shouts out, as Zelretch's trademark drops off his face.

With a wave of his hand, a chair appears. Zelretch moves over to it, and let's his self slump over on the seat."

Sigh,"

"...good Afternoon?" I corrected myself. It's not like theirs is an easy way to tell time in a world of constant light.

"Not that. Although technically it's still night, that's besides the point. So…" he continues on as he taps his chin with his index finger. "Well, this more difficult than I thought it would be. So, how should I put this…" He halts for a second, and ceases his tapping before finally deciding on what to say. "Well the world ended, and I now need your help. So please help me put it back together"

…

I think something ridiculous was just said.

"Ah, don't worry, the hard parts, like slaying demon gods, are already done thanks to that Chaldea organization...more or less. That said, the world, well multiple worlds actually, are in a bit of a state of flux, but the recovery process is already in process...well mostly...and well, I need your help putting the pieces back together. haha... He continued on followed by a nervous laughter.

...something more ridiculous was said.

"Ah...huh?" How exactly do you respond to that?

"Great thanks for agreeing. Well anyway, no time like the present, let's get a move on." Zelretch continues on, as he languidly stands up from his chair, as it disapparates.

Or maybe it's being teleported.

"No wait, wait, wait. You're obviously leaving out some 'very, very,' key details. Please explain in more detail. Don't just go teleporting someone after saying something so ridiculous. This is too much, even for a prank Zelretch-san."

"Ah, what a pain, why couldn't my world's Shirou be one of those ask no questions types. For the record, this isn't a prank. My theatrics don't tend to bring about apocalypses." He says, before he starts revealing the information that I desperately need to make sense of my situation.

It was an...interesting tale. He told a tale filled with triumphs and sorrows, but by the end of it I finally had a vague idea of what I was dealing with. With the minor exception of a few comedic moments involving a tone-death emperor, a love struck goddess, or a tsundere goddess, it seems the situation was indeed a serious one considering the usual merry Zelretch was serious… well as serious as the 2nd user could get.

Honestly what's so funny about a Gem loving Goddess. When it came to that particular story he just had this all knowing smirk on him, as if he was laughing at a joke only he knew.

Rin is a lot of things, but a liar isn't one of them, and if Zelretch is in a serious mood, then things are truly serious..

.------

My head hurts.

"So in conclusion; The world, more or less, ended in another timeline.-" I say, while Zelretch raises his hand slowly ready to interrupt, I beat him to the draw. "No, please let me continue. If I get a couple things wrong, correct me then and only if it's absolutely important, or else my mind might overload."

I don't think my head could take another explanation about…

"Adjacent worlds." He supplied.

Can he read my mind?

Yeah, stuff like that.

"So the world, somewhere, ended. That said, despite the circumstances, a master with the command of an Army of Servants, and the backing of a magus security organization, were able to "restore," the world. And with the world, being restored you are now doing your part in order to tie up any loose ends. Other yous are doing the same thing. And now you are more or less in the hunt for...Demon left-overs?"

I pause on that note. The other terms give me a headache thinking about it, but I can more or less understand what's going on, but that Goetia thing...sounded terrifying. I want to make sure that part was correct, as I turn to him

Zelretch nods.

I understood that correctly it seems... unfortunately. "Right... anyways, on the lookout for any 'left-overs,' so as they don't mess up anything during this tumultuous time. So did I get it right?"

"Yes, not as elegant as I stated, but that's the gist of things." Zelretch gives a curt reply.

"Okay… but why am I here? From what I understood the battles have already been fought. I will help in any way I can, but my specialty is more hacking and slashing, not ah....cosmic repairman."

"No, in this situation you would be more of a tool, than the repairman. You see…" Apparently, that was not the full explanation.

Zelretch continued on, that because of these circumstances, and a threat he refuses to name, he is working around the clock keeping things together.

Literally.

As he makes his explanation he starts waving his hands, and making projections of a large blue cube made of several small cubes itself. He goes on, with comparing the current state of the multiverse as a game of 3d Jenga. With all the pieces being knocked down currently. He says as he lets the projection break down in several places.

He needs a way to piece them back together, a needle if you will. A way to tie things together.

"You Shirou are that needle. Because of the nature of the current Multiverse, any figure I sent to another world would probably make some changes, diverting that world from its natural path, although usually that would make for an interesting viewing. Don't judge, we all have our hobbies, hero freak. My abilities are a bit limited currently, and if someone were to change the timeline, they would change with the timeline, and I would lose both them, and that world."

He turns away from his projections to look at me in the eye, to get his point. "I can't abide by any unknowns at this time. Once everything is over, I can let the cosmic forces and Alaya act as they wish, but leaving any worlds alone in the dark might attract some 'foreign,' visitors."

"Luckily, thanks to the Shenanigans of one of my alternates, Shirou Emiya, multiple Emiyas at that, have been marked thanks to a certain toy my other self was working on. Leaving you, as well as with multiple other Emiyas, a unique signature if you will. I'm sure you've been wondering why you have been having memories about lives you haven't lived recently, well now you know. Anyways, that unique signature wouldn't change if you let's say killed a butterfly or something a little bigger like... killingacertaindemonpillar that only exists to annoy me… honestly," He lets it all pour out. He seems exasperated.

A tired, annoyed, angered Zelretch huh...the world really did end.

That or pigs started flying.

"Besides, you were the only credible option. My other 2 options being; someone like my granddaughter which can only lead to...very chaotic situations, and the other being a couple of magical girls I know of, but I rather not send children to the wolves...well not unless they can handle it, but those two aren't ready."

"Well Shirou Emiya, care to save the world?"

It's not really a question, after all that, how could I say no. "Should we get started?"

"Thank you. Honestly, even if you refused I was going to just drop you in it, and use you as an anchor, but in my experience with Emiyas work better when given all the pieces first hand." He confeses as he waves his hand.

That does sound very Zelretch like.

There is a cycling of colors, and as if someone is spinning a kaleidoscope from the outside, the colors and shapes that make up this world start contorting for a few moments, before it stops,and a portal of bright white appears before Zelretch's hand. I suppose this is my doorway.

"Honestly, I'd like to give you some information about what to expect, but normalcy has been thrown out the window, and your guess is as good as mine. Best case scenario nothing happens, and you'll be one of the Shirou that lucks out, and gets one of the worlds that gets ignored. In which case it will just be a long vacation. Still though, best to treat this like a proper mission, and prepare for the worst."

I take a step forward, halt a step and ask "How will I know if this world is in trouble? A world is a big place after all."

"You'll know. World ending events tend to be anything but subtle. When the world is in trouble you'll notice something like a meteor shower, Demon pillars, or the sky being on fire. It doesn't matter where you are on the planet. Trust me you'll know. Besides, just follow your instincts. In doing that, I'm sure you'll find your way to any anomalies. Stopping any calamity from occurring."

With everything being said I start making my first steps towards the portal, "Well, here I-"

Before I'm gone, Zelretch makes one last interruption. He places his hand on my shoulder and says, "Speaking of instincts...I know you're going to be, well you, but please keep this in mind.

You can make a Jenga Tower without all the pieces can't you. Whether it's me or the Counterforce, what must be done, will be done. So don't die. Got it."

I turn my head, and look him in the eye. "Of course."

After all there's no way I could die before I save everyone. The world must be saved, so I will save it. I think as I let myself be enveloped by the light of the portal, and fall into an abyss of pure light.

Oh one more thing.

A voice not my own sounds in my head as I am lost in the swirl of light.

The world you're entering is in the age of gods, so common sense is out the window… good luck with that.

...Damn you Zelretch.