Prologue

In Fuyuki City, Japan, Rin Tosaka wakes up after having a dream about her last moment with her father Tokiomi. Once she arrives at school, she realizes she is early because the clocks in her home were set forward by an hour. She meets with other people at the school who arrived early, including Ayako Mitsuzuri, the head of the school's archery club; Sakura Matō, a new member of the archery club; Shinji Matō, Sakura's older brother; Taiga Fujimura, one of the schoolteachers; Issei Ryuudou, the student council president; and an unknown red-haired boy fixing a heater for Issei. After school, Rin performs a summoning ritual and summons a Servant of the Archer class, much to her displeasure, as she hoped to summon a Servant of the Saber class. Archer is initially dissatisfied with Rin, who uses one of her Command Seals to order Archer to listen to all of her orders. While the order is worded vaguely and therefore pointless, Archer admits that he now realizes her skill as a mage. The next day, Rin skips school and shows Archer around the city, revealing to him that she has no wish for the Holy Grail, only a desire to win. The following day, Rin senses a magical barrier being set up at school. As night falls, Rin attempts to destroy the barrier, but is then confronted by another Servant, identified as being of the Lancer class, who engages Archer in a sword-fight. As they battle, Archer correctly deduces that Lancer is in fact the ancient Irish hero Cú Chulainn. The battle is witnessed by a student, whom Lancer pursues and mortally wounds before fleeing. Finding the student's body, Rin identifies him as the same red-haired boy who was helping Issei, and decides to use magic to revive him. After leaving, Rin and Archer realize that Lancer's Master will sense that the student has survived and have Lancer finish the job. They head over to the suburbs to save the student, only to be attacked by another Servant, whom Rin identifies as belonging to the Saber class.