Note: this story takes place in the Fate / Stay Night universe. You may consider it an alternate ending to the Fate route of the game. It takes place before the last battle with Gilgamesh and Kotomine (anime episode 23). Instead of letting Shirou go to confront Kotomine, Gilgamesh strikes him down instead.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fate / Stay Night or any of the characters in it. I do not own TYPE-MOON or any part of it. I'm merely a fan writing a story for fun, absolutely no profit etc.
Enjoy.
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The Ever-Distant Utopia
I'm going to die.
This was Shirou's last thought before darkness overwhelmed him. From somewhere far away, he heard Saber's voice calling after him, he heard the golden Servant's malicious laughter as life was sucked out of his body…
In the end, I was unable to stop this War.
The past few days flashed in front of his eyes – had it really been such a short time? Killed by Lancer and revived by Tohsaka, attacked again and summoning Saber, fighting Rider, Berserker, Assassin, Caster…
So much fighting, so much bloodshed.
And what had it all come down to? Only more death and suffering came from it. Ilya, abducted to be used as a vessel for the Grail. Tohsaka, in a pool of her own blood, struck down by the ruthless Master of Gilgamesh. Lancer, killed by the murderous King of Heroes. Countless, nameless victims all over Fuyuki city.
It was all for nothing. I tried to save them all, but it was impossible.
He had tried, tried so hard, tried to make them see reason, but they had been blinded by their own desires, their pride, their bloodlust. They had died because of it, them and others who had nothing to do with this War.
So I will die, too.
Shirou himself was on the verge of dying. What for, though? All those people who could not protect themselves? Or those who would kill them? He had fought, placing his life on the line, to protect others. And he had been betrayed. Betrayed, but not by those he was trying to protect. Rather, it was reality itself that had betrayed him.
Each time you save a life, another life must perish.
Not his words, those, rather, the ones from his adoptive father, Emiya Kiritsugu. Saber's previous Master. A cold-blooded murderer. Who was he to give him such instructions? Why should he listen to the person who had done so many horrible things during the last War? Was he really a hero of justice?
Who am I, to determine who lives and who dies? Who am I, to determine which life holds the greatest value?
In the end, a hero of justice didn't mean too much. It only meant hurting yourself to save others, and usually failing. And usually dying.
I have failed. I am dying. I was a true 'hero of justice'. And now I pay the price for such a title – I have given up on living, and thus my life is forfeit.
But what about her?
Try as he might to surrender to his fate, there was still something there. Something he wanted to live for – something that, in spite of his determination to uphold justice, he could not give up even for all the lives he had managed to save – and would ever save. No matter what, he could not abandon Saber.
However, it didn't matter. Gilgamesh' blade had pierced his lungs, and without the sacred sheath, he could never regenerate from such a wound. He was no Servant, just a human, a human who had tried and failed to be a hero.
Shirou felt a strange warmth on his left side. An unfamiliar warmth, one not stemming from his own body. What - ?
Saber. There, she lie, next to him, her blood mixed with his. Her petite figure ravaged, broken. She too had fallen, trying to protect something. She had tried to protect him and was dying from it.
Gilgamesh' laughter pierced Shirou's ears. "That's a fitting stance for the famous King of Knights!" He said loudly, arrogance dripping from every word. "With the last ounce of your strength, woman, submit to me, accept me as your King, and I will spare you. I will let you experience the wonder of the Holy Grail, and you will have the honor of being my slave for the rest of eternity!"
"Shi – rou…" Saber's shattered voice spoke hoarsely. She was dying. He felt her hand in his, clinging to his grip with the last of her strength. "Please… know that I… always…" Her eyes turned blank as consciousness fled from her.
Saber.
Oi, wake up, Saber! You don't want to be late for lunch!
Saber.
I too…
I…
"GILGAMESH!!"
Existence exploded in a golden light, or so it seemed, as reality warped around Shirou, turning his world into a silver-white kaleidoscope. For too long had he stood by, letting himself be hurt for other people's sakes. For too long had he placed Saber in danger, for some other, nameless, people to be saved. No. The world did not work like that, and he would accept it. Take what you want and pay the price for it. And he knew what he wanted – and he knew the price. As for Gilgamesh…
He had only seen it once, when Saber extracted it from his body, but even thus, he could still perfectly visualize the image of Excalibur's enchanted sheath in his mind. Trace, on. Analyze the structure. Physical composition, enchantment, age – it all went into it. Duplicate the process of creation. He felt Mana explode within him as he formed the lines that composed the object, the intertwining illusionary threads that would lead him to his ultimate goal –
Avalon.
Shirou was no fighter. For too long had he let that thought cloud his mind. He was merely a creator. And as a creator, it was his duty and power to create what he desired most.
He would use his power to trace a future for him and Saber.
Avalon, the utopia the King was taken to upon his death, a place separate from all realities… for Shirou, such a place meant one thing. He would create his own 'Avalon', and take Saber there with him.
A man's dream has the power to shatter a hundred realities together.
The pure white sheath, an object of true Magic and the most sacred of Noble Phantasms, appeared in front of him. He could see it even with his eyes now. The pain was lessening, rapidly being removed from his body. His wounds closing – blessed by the power of Avalon, such injuries meant nothing. He pushed himself up, gently laying Saber's limp body on the ground.
Rest, Saber. I will take over the fight now.
He slowly turned around, unheeding of his own blood staining his clothes and body. With Avalon activated, those wounds might as well never have been.
"Oh? The mongrel has some interesting abilities." The golden-clad Servant said mockingly. "But what are you going to do now?"
Shirou didn't reply. Whatever he traced, he would still fall far short of the strongest of Servants. He needed to close that gap.
When you can't defeat your enemy, imagine what can.
It was a process harder than Reinforcement - although simpler than Tracing – and infinitely more delicate. Slowly, carefully, he redirected his Mana to his arms and legs. This should at least make sure his speed and strength could compare to Gilgamesh. The Servant watched him with amusement. Well, let him see just how far Shirou could go.
Trace, on.
He had already witnessed Saber's Excalibur fall against Gilgamesh' sword. That golden blade he had forged against Berserker was much weaker. No, power wasn't the answer here. He needed something versatile and easily reproducible, something to enable him to withstand Gilgamesh' onslaught of weapons.
Divine skills, flawless and firm.
The image of twin curved blades, white and black, flashed in Shirou's mind.
Our strength rips the mountains.
Gilgamesh had already replaced Ea within the Gate of Babylon, apparently not considering his enemy worthy enough to be executed by the divine sword.
Our swords split the water.
Archer's signature equipment, and one Shirou had been able to familiarize himself fairly well with, Kanshou and Bakuya.
Our names reach the imperial villa.
The golden-haired Servant withdrew another blade from King's Treasury – from somewhere deep within the confines of his mind, Shirou recognized it as Merodach, the sword Gilgamesh had claimed was the origin of Caliburn.
The two of us cannot hold heavens together.
With his own hand, he would carve his fate.
Two rivals, walking their own life!
Shirou charged, and the sound of metal grinding against metal filled his ears. Merodach clashed against Kanshou and Bakuya, again, and again, black and white steel deflected by the iron blade of the Original Sin. Gilgamesh effortlessly parried his strikes for a while, until finally he decided to go on the offensive. Shirou only caught a glimpse of silver as both swords were flung from his hands. No matter.
Trace, on.
Another pair appeared, faster than the first, to block Merodach's killing blow. Sparks flew in the air as the three swords clashed, Shirou slowly yielding under the pressure of Gilgamesh even though the latter was only using one hand. Suddenly Gilgamesh vanished in a blurry of movement, his instincts preventing him from being struck down by the first pair of Kanshou and Bakuya returning to Shirou's hands. Shirou caught them in mid-flight, now each hand holding one white and one black blade. Without hesitation, without delay, he tossed them all skywards, and they spun into the sky, blurring white with black.
Trace, on.
Both pairs converged on Gilgamesh – the air rippled behind the Servant, and Gate of Babylon appeared briefly to shield him from the explosion with a shield of blades. However, the blast blocked his vision, and in that time –
Shirou's mind stretched. It reached the edge of his swords. Like natural extension of his arms, Shirou felt them, felt each particle of their composition, each minor detail of their structure. Mana wrapped around them, every inch of Shirou's being into a last, desperate Reinforcement.
Kanshou and Bakuya exploded into black and white light respectively, their blades stretching as Shirou crossed them behind his back. Feathers sprouted from each edge, shining like a black-and-white pair of angelic wings. Charging in this stance, Shirou closed the distance between him and Gilgamesh, and while the Servant was still wrapped in the aftermath of the exploding blades, he brought both swords down in one fluid motion. A powerful finishing move that should have killed an opponent even of Gilgamesh' caliber.
It should have been so, but even then, the moment he felt his wing-like blades stop far short of the hero's armor, Shirou knew it wouldn't end that smoothly. More swords from the Gate of Babylon, six swords crossed defensively in three pairs above Gilgamesh' head, the target which Shirou was aiming for, appeared from the smoke of the previous explosion. Kanshou and Bakuya sliced through the first pair, disintegrating them completely, but Shirou felt the Mana sustaining Overedge weaken, and even more so as it cut down the second set of blades. Shirou's swords collided with the last two weapons with an explosive sound. Gilgamesh' weapons broke, but even as they did, Kanshou and Bakuya, strained to their limits, lashed out of Shirou's control, the Mana combusting in a violent meltdown, the conjured objects vanishing from his hands. The next thing he felt was a brutal kick in his abdomen that sent him reeling several feet backwards.
"Very impressive, worm." Gilgamesh' cold voice resounded from within the cloud of dust and debris he was enveloped in. "You cut through six legendary swords, no less than Noble Phantasms in their own right, with your pair of toys. But this is as far as you go." The ominous black metal tip of a spiraling sword etched with crimson runes emerged from the darkness, pointing straight at Shirou's chest. "For your struggle, you have earned a swift death."
Shirou could only stare, defenseless, unable to even think, much less act, as the blade began spinning furiously, dispersing the fog that hid Gilgamesh. Scarlet waves of energy raged around its tip.
"Enuuma Elish."
The world exploded in fire.
Shirou should have died at that moment. His body was thoroughly vaporized, every last atom that was him disintegrated by the Star of Creation, the divine sword Ea. It should have ended there.
But even though it is a mystery to even the most knowledgeable Magus, even though it has faded from mortal memory since ages long lost, there is still magic at work in this world. Not the tricks and crafts modern Magi employ, not even the ancient spellcraft of the sorcerers of lore. Nothing short of miracles, the great Magics are wonders that rival the strongest Noble Phantasms. They are forces of nature, powers that have existed since the dawn of creation.
Shirou had no idea of this Magic. Even so, he had unknowingly been fighting for one of the great Magics, the one dubbed as 'the Third Magic', the supposed Holy Grail. In truth, the ability of 'soul resurrection'.
Shirou was no magician. He barely classified as a Magus. But at that moment, when his soul was torn from his body in the light that tears apart heaven and earth, without knowing, without realizing, he drew upon that which is called the Third Magic. In that instant, he became a true Magus, and with the nigh-completely manifested Grail's power, he revived himself as a heroic spirit. Unknown to them, the plan formed by Kotomine and Gilgamesh had ended up saving Shirou from death. It was just for a while, just for a few minutes. But those would be enough.
"I am the bone of my sword."
"What?! How is it that you are still alive?" Gilgamesh exclaimed. To him, it was a miracle beyond his comprehension, a mere mortal surviving the wrath of Ea, the ultimate offensive Noble Phantasm of an EX rank. For he had not survived. Saber, from that close proximity, knew.
"Shi…rou…" She whispered, the aftermath of the Third Magic being wielded so close to her restoring her consciousness, if not her health. She could not stand up, she could barely lift her head enough for her gaze to fall onto her Master. No, not her Master – reborn as a spirit he might have been, but upon his death, Shirou's contract with his Servant faded away. She would soon disappear if she stayed like that, but long before then, it would all be over.
"Steel is my body, and fire is my blood."
"You are one persistent worm…" Gilgamesh growled, raising his weapon again. "Enuuma Elish!!"
"I have created over a thousand blades."
The flash of light from Ea's energy blast carved the sky between Gilgamesh and Shirou, but at the same time, a great shield formed by seven circles of light one behind the other materialized in front of him. Enuuma Elish crashed against Rho Aias with its full force, but the Seven Rings that Cover the Fiery Heavens withstood the attack, if barely. The last ring dispersed along with the remnants of Gilgamesh' attack, leaving Shirou unharmed.
"Unknown to death."
"What the hell is going on here?" The spirit of the King of Heroes screamed in frustration. His strongest attack had been blocked! By a human! The sky turned red behind him as Gate of Babylon opened once again.
"Not known to life."
Hundreds upon hundreds of weapons, swords, spears, axes, scythes and a variety of artifacts of unknown usage emerged from within the confines of King's Treasury, each and every single one of them a Noble Phantasm in its own right, and all aimed straight at Shirou.
"I have withstood pain to create many weapons."
Gilgamesh' armaments were enveloped in a white light as they surged forward, a true hailstorm of weaponry as it descended upon his target. Rho Aias formed again to deflect the barrage, but this time, all Seven Rings shattered before blocking all blades. Shirou groaned desperately as he tried to project more Mana into his shield, but it was hopeless – all was lost…
Steel met steel as Excalibur's golden blade knocked aside a javelin, then a halberd, then an axe. Saber, critically wounded and barely able to remain alive, now stood in front of her Master, deflecting Gilgamesh' weapons with the last of her strength, defending Shirou till the very end.
"Master!" She yelled, and Shirou knew that this was a last chance.
"You…" Gilgamesh shouted in outrage, as once again his deathblow was foiled. "The dead should stay dead, Saber! Need I teach you that lesson more thoroughly?"
"Yet those hands will never hold anything."
No more Mana for Rho Aias – not here, anyway. If that chance was wasted… Gate of Babylon opened again, this time no less than a thousand weapons baring their sharp edges at Shirou.
"Behold, the full extent of my wealth! The final depth of the King's Treasury!" Gilgamesh shouted as he spread his arms, framed by the sight of the most powerful collection of Noble Phantasms in history.
"So as I pray – "
The weapons came again, tearing apart the sky, slashing at Saber. After the first twenty blocks, a spear pierced her left shoulder, disabling her ability to dual-wield Excalibur. Hundreds of them smashed on the ground around her, raising smoke that made it difficult for her to even see the attacks. An axe completely chopped off her right leg, a dagger pierced her lung, yet she still struggled, struggled to deflect an unlimited amount of weaponry. A hundred weapons smashed against Excalibur, and finally, the holy blade shattered to pieces, destroying Saber's last defense. Time slowed down in that fraction of a second, that last moment before Saber's body disintegrated into nothingness, split asunder by the attack of five hundred weapons, slowed down enough for her to cast one final look at Shirou.
"I… love you…" She muttered weakly, before she sank into death's embrace once more.
"Saber… do not worry. The utopia that you dreamed of… I will definitely… make it real for you."
"But first…"
Shirou's eyes flashed open, and they were burning with an unyielding hatred. This was the last blow.
"Unlimited Blade Works."
As Shirou said these three words, the key to a different world twisted in its lock, and Shirou and his opponent were sucked within. Shirou was now facing Gilgamesh amidst a field of blades. The autumn sky painted the world a light crimson shade, the ground below riddled with myriads of swords.
"Wha – a Reality Marble?!" Gilgamesh exclaimed, looking all around him. "How can a human create… this?!"
A sorcery that could be said to reach the level of a True Magic, a Reality Marble was the reflection of the Magus' soul made real by his Mana. In a Reality Marble, the user had almost god-like powers. And in this particular one…
"As you can see, you are challenged with an infinite number of swords." Shirou stated, picking one of the blades from the ground. "This is the ultimate extreme of weaponry."
"Don't screw with me!" Gilgamesh yelled. The air rippled behind him, and he dragged Ea from the Gate of Babylon again. "An infinite number of swords…"
"…you need at least three times as many to defeat me!" Energy pulsed in Ea's mouth, preparing for one more lethal strike.
Shirou didn't reply, instead, he focused his mind on the weapon he held. Even in this world, there was one blade that could grant him victory, the victory he had promised Saber.
"Saber, I'll be borrowing your sword."
"Enuuma – what?!" Gilgamesh stopped in mid-phrase, as the gold coating of Shirou's Tracing receded, leaving behind…
"…Excalibur, the Sword of Promised Victory!!" Shirou held the blade overhead, glowing golden, brighter like the sun.
"Even that Noble Phantasm won't stand up to a blade that was born from the chaos before the world's creation!" Gilgamesh yelled, drawing Ea back. "Do you forget that even the true owner of this blade could not defeat me with it? Do you think you can do it? Don't make me laugh!" Ea burst with Gilgamesh' Mana. "Enuuma Elish!!"
Saber.
Shirou. The reply came, slowly, hesitantly, from somewhere beyond the boundaries of Unlimited Blade Works.
Saber. The enemy is strong. I need you to fight with me.
I will always be by your side, Master. My sword is yours. As is my heart…
Saber…
Let us defeat this enemy together. Let us create a paradise for ourselves.
The utopia… we dream of…
…it's name…
"…Avalon!!"
Once more brought together, sword and sheath, Master and Servant, Avalon and Excalibur, Shirou and Saber, their hands finally grasping that ever-distant utopia… Gilgamesh' attack struck harmlessly against the ultimate barrier, the defense that cannot be penetrated even by the five True Magics… and from within that scabbard, a sword is drawn…
"Excalibur!!"
Gilgamesh blinked in surprise. His eyes must be deceiving him. For that petite figure next to Shirou, both their hands on the hilt of the holy blade… he was sure he had killed her, obliterated her existence to pieces. He was sure that no matter what abilities a Reality Marble held, it could not bring back the dead. He was sure… yet despite that certainty…
"I see." He closed his eyes. "I think that this… this is what might surpass even True Magic. A completely different form of Magic…" Ea vanished from his hand – he barely had enough Mana to sustain it anyway. He felt the golden blade approach his head. There was no time to dodge, no resolve to avoid.
The pain was intense, but not as much as he had expected. Excalibur stabbed his right shoulder, and carved a long trail of blood right up to his waist. His upper torso split in half, he still had time to open his eyes and gaze upon his adversary one last time. No, Saber was not there, it was only that young man who had somehow surpassed reality. He struggled, coughing blood, but finally, the words came out.
"Farewell, King of Blades."
"It was…"
"…quite fun."
As Gilgamesh' body dematerialized into a golden light, Shirou's world blacked out.
#
Where am I?
Shirou's mind awoke to a rocking motion. His mind could recall nothing. He slowly opened his eyes. There was no pain, but he felt as if he hadn't used his muscles for a long, long time. Finally, after blinking once or twice, he managed to clear his vision.
The blue sky overhead seemed the brightest he had ever seen. He looked around him – he was lying in the inside of a boat, an old wooden boat designed for no more than five people. It seemed to be flowing by itself, gliding over the smooth surface of the crystal-clear water, since there was no one manning the rows and no sound that would indicate some engine at work. He twisted his body around…
"I see you are awake, Shirou."
His body instantly forgetting numbness, Shirou spun around to come face-to-face with Saber. Well, she looked a lot like Saber, a Saber clad in a pure white gown that outlined her features far better than her silver armor or everyday clothing. The shock drowned Shirou's words. Arturia, the King of Knights, smiled at him brightly, and for once, Shirou could see no concern, no worry, no sadness in that smile – only happiness. Shirou couldn't help but smile back.
"Where are we going?" Shirou asked, even though he already knew the answer.
"Avalon." Saber replied. The two held hands and stayed quiet, as from beneath the veil of mists, a beautiful island emerged.
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Important notes: As you have noticed, the chant used to create Unlimited Blade Works is not the one used by Shirou in the game – rather, it is Archer's original version. Also, Reinforcing Kanshou & Bakuya's third pair resulted in Overedge instead of what Shirou did to fight Dark Saber in the end of Heaven's Feel. This is because, in this story, Shirou is summoned by the Holy Grail as Archer (heroic spirit Emiya Shirou), and thus his abilities reflect those his future self would have if he had lived and grown up as Archer. In short, this is Shirou from Archer's 'timeline' – take Rho Aias, which Shirou had no knowledge of in the Fate route, for example.
That said, I sincerely hope you enjoyed this. I worked on this on a break from my other project, a longer Fate / Stay Night story. I will not go into detail here, but I have already written down a large chunk and I'm currently going through it with corrections etc. Hopefully I will start posting it soon.
Feedback is always appreciated, positive and negative alike. Thank you for reading!