Disclaimer- I do not own Fate/ Stay Night or any other related properties. This story is for entertainment purposes only. Please Enjoy!
Epilogue
Blake awoke, strapped into a wooden chair with leather straps. A bright spotlight illuminated from overhead, only leaving a circle of visibility around him. On the outside of the circle, was pitch black darkness. Where was he? Last thing he remembered he had used Higher Arcana: The Fool and faded away. Then nothing.
What was this place? Why was bound?
"So you have awakened, Blake Ryan." A deep voice sounded out from the darkness.
What the hell? Was he being pranked right now? Blake felt like he was being pranked.
"Where am I!" Blake called out to the voice. "I thought I died! Is this the afterlife?"
A condescending chuckle came from the shadows. Blake's blood boiled a bit.
"That is a complicated question with a complicated answer." A second deep voice responded. "In simple terms, yes. But, in more complex terms, no."
Blake rolled his eyes. "Could you be any more vague?" He mocked. "How can this "be" the afterlife but "not be" the afterlife?"
A third voice now spoke. This one was female. "It is not the afterlife in the terms that you have been taught. That afterlife is set aside for regular people to live out the rest of their existence in peace. This place, however, is an afterlife in the simplest of terms, but one only for tarot or divine users."
"So what is this place?" Blake asked.
The first voice spoke. "We refer to it as the Diviner Realm. As to why you are here, Blake Ryan, there are two reasons. The first should be obvious. You are a diviner. A tarot card user. A wielder of great and terrible magic that can bend time and space itself."
"Careful, Vollu." The third voice spoke. "Your pride is showing."
Blake couldn't help but give a chuckle. He liked the female voice. The first voice, Vollu, sounded a bit too pompus and arrogant for Blake's liking.
"Silence, Integra!" The voice, now known as Vollu, snapped. "Anyways, back on topic. As for the second reason, you have displayed great power and focus. You saw the bigger picture and were able to make the sacrifice play for the world."
"I didn't do it for the world" Blake sighed.
"Even so, you saved many people at the cost of your own life." The female voice explained.
"Whatever," Blake sighed again. "What does me, sacrificing my life, have to do with the Diviner Realm?"
"Being a diviner, alone, does not get you to the Diviner Realm. It's simply a prerequisite." Vollu explained. "The true deciding factor is how you used such an ability for the sake of humanity as a whole."
"So this is like Heaven...but for diviner's?" Blake inquired. That would seem to make sense. You do a good deed, you get into the Diviner Realm.
"No," the second voice spoke. "It is an opportunity for a second chance."
This statement struck Blake like lightning. The diviner's jaw dropped. A second chance? Was that even possible? This couldn't be real.
"So you're saying that I could go back to the realm?" Blake asked with hope.
"Yes." Blake's hope soared with that single word. "But there are a few things that must be done to allow this." This seemed understandable, but the diviner couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
"What do I have to do?" Blake asked.
"Well, you see, we can't just go around changing the laws of nature as we see fit." Vollu, explained. "Your life was meant to last ninety-three years. Through your...poor...use of the Higher Arcana Cards, you reduced this span to twenty years."
Blake's irritation sparked at Vollu's comment. What did he mean by "poor use"? He had saved the city of Berlin from Einsbern and her grail. It may have been at the cost of his own life...but still.
Apparently, Integra noticed the irritation on the young diviner's face. "Do not take Vollu's harsh judgement on your use of the Higher Arcana to heart. He is simply jealous that your feat was far superior to his, and is just being overly critical of you."
"I am not!" Vollu shouted.
Blake was starting to get the feeling that he shouldn't take these guys too seriously.
Vollu And Integra argued back and forth until the second voice finally cut them all off. "Silence! The both of you! We should really get back to the matter at hand, don't you think?"
"Sorry, Master Jondor," the bickering pair apologized fearfully.
The second voice, Jondor, must have been the leader of the three.
"As Vollu was saying." Jondor picked up. "You reduced your lifespan to the limit of twenty years. In order to reverse this, you must enact certain missions that will counteract each of the cards that you have used. Missions that will put you against the spirits of those cards. Seeing as you used a total of eight of them, that means eight missions."
"How long could that take?" Blake asked.
"That depends solely on you." Jondor responded. "However long it takes for you to force them into submission. It could take a single day...or it could take an eternity. It all depends on the determination and focus that you show in the challenges that they will provide you with."
Blake admitted that it sounded tempting, but he had erased the memories of himself from his world. Would he really be able to go back so easily? Would he be able to restore those memories?
"Alternatively, you could stay here for the remainder of your existence." Jondor continued. "If you do so, you will be treated well, and you will not have to worry about the trials. Many choose this option. Your life would be one of luxury and comfort."
Blake thought a moment. If he stayed, he wouldn't have to go through pain, and there would be no fear of failure. He could live out the rest of his existence in peace. But, if he took on the trials, and subjected himself to their difficulties, then he could return to Rin. He could see his family again.
But again, he had erased their memories.
"I know that I'll get my years back when I complete the tasks, but does anything else happen?" Blake asked the three voices.
"I'm glad you asked," Jondor responded. "Yes. You gain mastery over those cards in ways that very few have. These mastered cards are called Mastered Arcana Cards."
"Mastered Arcana?" Blake raised an eyebrow. That sounded badass.
"Yes," The voice chuckled. "Higher Arcana cards that you'd be able to use without penalty. They'd do your bidding without question or sacrifice."
Blake nodded. Maybe one of the Mastered Arcana Cards could restore the memories of his loved ones.
Blake made up his mind. He had to do this. He would do this. He was going to get back to his world no matter what.
"I'll do it." Blake smiled. "You can count me in."
"Wait for me, Rin. I'm coming home."
Blake Ryan will return in Fate/ Re:REALM
A/N: Well guys, it's been a blast. I'd like to thank all my readers out there who gave this story a chance. It was a pleasure writing it and as you can tell, there will be a second installment in the future. I'm not sure on a title yet, but I am leaning towards Fate/ Re:REALM. Writing just will not begin for a while. Life is about to catch up to me here really soon, so I won't be able to write for a couple of months. This is actually the first story that I have ever officially completed, so I'm super proud of that. Again, I am super thankful for those of you who even got through one chapter of this story. I know it probably wasn't the greatest story with the greatest plot, but it's the one that I wrote. I hope you guys read more of my content in the future, and if not, then that's okay too. For the last time for a while: Thank you for reading! Peace!
-B