Fate/Grand Heaven
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MESOPOTAIMA GRAND BATTLE
CHILDHOOD'S END
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Beast II roared as the depths of the underworld itself was being corrupted by her own being. Her figure no longer recognizable as that of the Femme Fatale that appeared in the ocean. Her stance is similar to that of a wild beast, her wings enormous that it could blacken all of Mesopotamia, and it's face so monstrous and hideous. Yet despite all of that, one could still be reminded of the mother that loved her children.
Gilgamesh is dead, but the Grand Assassin has managed to take down the wings of the Mother of All and turn her mortal. It was up to those that remained in Kur to deal with her.
Ana… no, Medusa died to take off the Beast's horn, Quetzalcoatl sacrificed her life to buy the team time, Kingu used his ability as Enkidu and chained the Goddess down to be brought down.
All that remained for the final battle was Mash, Shirou, Ishtar, Ereshkigal, Merlin, the first Hassan and Jaguarman.
She was now mortal, weakened by the flowers of Merlin and being in the presence of the underworld. All of these factors should have meant that she was weakened and that she no longer had the strength to fight.
Yet she began to climb.
"Oi, oi, oi, oi. What do we do!?"
Ereshkigal not knowing what to do as her own underworld was slowly getting corrupt, and although the flowers were keeping it back, Tiamat was beginning to climb the walls of the underworld to escape it.
Shirou stares at Tiamat. The mother of life. Without a doubt that this would be his hardest fight. He may have faced off impossible odds before. His own Servant, a Goddess and Divine Being, several Holy Grail wars, his own body, but he doubted that all could compare to a battle against the Mother of Life, the one who gave birth to the Gods.
His fists clench tighter.
"Oya, oya. It seems that your motivated Shirou." Merlin says in his usual wish washy happy tone while maintaining his calmness and seriousness.
Shirou looks at the mentor of his teacher. His gaze unwavering as he resolves himself to fighting the monster. He will take that monster down to beat it. He will finish this battle that has taken many lives and sacrifices.
"Merlin. I'm sorry, but…"
But he can't do it. He does not have the strength to fight the Goddess. The Noble Phantasms in his arsenal were to weak and he could not bring out his own reality marble in time. To do so would ruin what efforts Ereshkigal has done and Merlin's flowers would vanish.
"It's fine, it's fine. After all I still owe you a great favor Shirou." And with that he waves a spell over Shirou with his wand.
Hero Creation EX. Although unclear of what it can actually do, it was an ability that gave birth to the King of Knights, a legendary hero of Britain and an unforgettable existence nonetheless. This ability grants whoever is given this buff the strength to become a legend itself. The power, talents, skill will all flow into the user.
Shirou gasps as he feels the magical energy flow through him. With this, he realizes what were once impossible to him can now be possible. Even if it were for a minute only, even if it were even for less than that, he was given the strength to do something that he could have never have done before.
He looks at his open palm to confirm the flow of magical energy as it flows right through him. This confirms it. The raw and powerful power in hands right now as he outstretches his hand to the sky. This impossible task can be done now with the help of the mana around them and the support of the Grand Caster.
"Trace…"
He searches for it.
He goes into his memories to find the most powerful weapon that can go against this monstrosity. The strongest Noble Phantasm that his eyes have ever laid upon.
Aestus Estus, the Red Blade of the Emperor of Rome. The one to summon the Golden Theatre itself! The flames of the Emperor and the strength of five men to wield this blade! The ultimate instrument of Nero Claudius. No. This is not even a comparison. This will not do. Further, FURTHER!
Gae Bolg, the Spear that Guarantees Death. The spear of his war's Lancer, Cu Chulainn. An anti-unit and anti-army Noble phantasm, it is certainly one weapon that should be feared by many. No, stronger than this, STRONGER.
Arondight, Gae Draeg, Excalibur Galatine, Failnaught, Clarent Blood Arthur, Balmung, Doujigiri Yasutsuna, Golden Eater, Caliburn, he passes through every Noble Phantasm in his memory in order to find the specific one that will hurt the monster.
Normal Noble Phantasms won't cut it. He has to find something more! More! More! MORE!
Photon Ray. The Sword of War that Velber earned by defeating the original God of War, Mars and has immense power. Used by Atilla the Hun and wiped out Rome. A powerful sword beyond his comprehension, yet it was not enough.
Vasavi Shakti. The spear of Karna. The Sun that abides to Death. To compare it to Galatine would be like comparing a gun to a nuke. Both receive their powers from the sun, but only one of them was the sun itself. It is said to kill the Gods and was the final strike of Karna at the cost of his golden armor.
None of those will do! None of these are good enough! There has to be something!
Shirou
"Ah."
Sometimes the greatest answers are the ones that are most simple.
"…ON!"
And a flash of lightning crossed through all of Kur as a blue light shines through all the land and in the hands of Emiya Shirou. A singular blade solidifying itself in his hands.
Then, from the sides, random Lahmu appeared. Shirou Emiya had no means to defend himself from the approaching enemies.
But he had allies with him.
"Stay away from my younger brother, you damn weirdos!"
And Jaguarman kicked the Lahmu into each other. All of them piling up into a group of a singular file. Like a mountain of flesh and teeth, it looked grotesque and something out of a horror movie.
"Hahahahahaha!"
They all laughed before a burst of energy hits the top of the group directly.
Ishtar yelled as she pointed her finger like a gun, "Just shut up, won't you?!"
Jaguarman smiled like a savage. "Thank you, Rin-chan. I got this now." And her eyes began to glow orange. A mix of the brown from Taiga's own set of eyes and the red from the deity inside her. Both their personalities began to manifest as the wild beings they were.
"Heh. Even I don't know what the hell I am anymore." And the floor began to form a circle of magic. She lifts her naginata in the air as an enormous tiger like claw manifests from the tip of the blade. Its flames burning as bright as the sun and as yellow as the dirt of the jungle.
"What is that? What is that?" The Lahmu kept on repeating as the claw moved closer.
Fujimura Taiga smirked.
It was brought down and it grabbed all the Lahmu that formed that group and crushed it under a fist. "DIE-NYA! GREAT DEATH CLAW!"
And in a sudden burst of flame, all the Lahmu burned up in a blaze. The smell of ash and the crisping of flesh could be heard throughout the caverns of Kur. The cries of agonizing pain rang throughout and none felt pity to what they are seeing.
Taiga turned to Mash and gave a thumbs up. She was going to protect them from all the Lahmu. Their job now was to focus on the main event.
With Shirou, the sword was so close to be finished, but he needed time. Time for it to manifest, time for it to come into his hands and for it to solidify its existence as a mere copy.
And time is something they have very little of.
Tiamat sings as she climbs on each step. Her movements slow but her pace is fast due to her size. Within minutes, she will no doubt reach the surface. That is something they must avoid if they want to win. In order for that, she must be distracted.
But how could he distract the Mother of all Life? How could he distract Tiamat from destroying all of Mesopotamia, all of Human History? What was the answer to his dilemma?
Emiya-kun
His left hand encloses in a fist and he yells with all his might.
"Ishtar! Ereshkigal! By order of my Command Seals! I order you to use your Noble Phantasm at full strength to fight Beast II!"
And a red glow flashes throughout all of Kur.
The Goddess of the Underworld stares at Shirou in shock while the Goddess of Venus smiles at him as Maana floats right next to her.
Command Seals. He never used a single one throughout his journey, despite knowing that they could have been refilled at any time. He would never force his Servant nor anyone else that was fighting alongside him to do his bidding.
An order that cannot be disobeyed. A forced command. Something that binds and forces a Servant to obey you. Something Shirou never wanted to use and never believes he should use. The last time he even used a Command Seal was the time he used one a second too late, but even then, he was forced to use one.
Yet, that was not the only use of Command Seals. It could be used to empower Servants to do things that were normally never possible. Instantaneous teleportation, enhanced agility, but more importantly strengthen a Servant.
Should a normal Servant receive the power of a Command Seal, no doubt that they would become more powerful than before.
But imagine a Demi-Servant possessed by a Divine Being empowered by a Command Seal. Imagine what they could now do against a powerful foe now with their combined Noble Phantasm strength. The destructive capabilities that they now have, the strength they now possess, the chance of victory that they now have.
A Goddess of the Dead and a Goddess of the Earth. One that stands beneath Humanity to offer peace in death while the other ruling over Humanity while demanding sacrifice.
"Gotcha, Emiya-kun." Ishtar winks as she flies above the Beast and floats above the underworld to deliver her deathblow to the Goddess of Life.
The Goddess of the Underworld looks at Shirou with worry before Death himself pats over her shoulder.
"His will is powerful and strength steadfast. Heed his commands, for I shall assist thee. Thou mustn't concern thyself over him yet." Hassan replied as his eyes glowed.
He had always followed the boy. He may have been the one to take the life of a Hassan, but he was still Death. This boy was marked by Death thousands of times over. He watched him survive the flames of hell itself. He watched as he gave his life again and again for a futile dream and a doomed one. Yet no matter what, the boy always pulled through.
Ereshkigal stared a moment at the old Hassan before relenting herself and summoning her very own spear.
Sky and Earth. Arrow and Spear. These sisters that are contradicting each other, yet seemingly blend together. These sisters that are at odds against each other yet seem to love each other. Both have the same origin and the same source. A young girl that fell in love with a fool.
"GATE OPEN!"
"ANSWER MY CALL MESLAMTAEA!"
And the sky opened up. It was no longer the blackened sky of smoke and flames filled to the brim with corruption. Rather, it was the empty void of space along with the stars that belonged there. But through the portal, the enormous planet of Venus began to drop.
"From the skies to the earth! Behold my full strength and soul! Behold the strength of a Goddess!"
And Venus began to glow. It's form morphing to that of light and shrunk itself to fit into Maana like an arrow. A Noble Phantasm that uses a planet as a bullet is most assuredly something one must fear as powerful. She points her finger as though it were a gun and aims for the head of the Mother of all Life herself.
"A vast sea in the heavens, and a prison up on the land…"
The underworld began to morph around Tiamat. Causing barriers, holes and cracks to slow her down, and also bring down her descent into the underworld. Her rule over this land is not something that one must underestimate. For this is the land of Kur itself, and she was its Goddess.
"My heel is the wrath of Kur itself! Know the blessings I offer in turn!"
The floor began to shake like an earthquake. As though lightning was continuously striking beneath the earth, each shockwave under Tiamat's feet was disastrous enough to end a small country. Each second passing was another moment of thunder.
"Appear, O scorching shrine!"
Soon, thunderous flames appeared, crackling and sizzling the floor. Its appearance was that of flame yet that of lightning. It's oddness, it's fearsome existence, it's power, radiates throughout the floor underneath Tiamat.
The true gift of Ereshkigal is to bless those that enter Kur. But her Noble Phantasm is one to be most feared when she is in the underworld as well. And with the old Hassan himself staring down on the Beast, weakening it as he shrouds it in blue flame.
"Annihilate them! An Gal Ta Ki Gal Se!"
"Behold the strength of the underworld! Kur Ki Gal Irkalla!"
In an instant, Tiamat was devoured in a world of white. Sound could no longer be heard as the blast ensured that all in the surrounding would lose their hearing. Nothing could be seen any longer and it's as though a nuclear bomb had been dropped directly in front of Shirou and the group as they simply stared on.
The strength of these two strikes will without a doubt be powerful on the Beast. It will harm her and perhaps fatally wound her. But she would heal. She would regain her footing and climb once more. What they needed was not a strike that would hurt her, but one that would kill her.
"LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
And there she stood. All that power, all that destruction, all that strength only pushed her back by a minute meter. It did not destroy her and it was not certain if it would even harm her. It did nothing to her.
But the wall she was standing on began to crumble as it split and began to fall back into the depths.
As each rock fell, so too did the balance of Tiamat.
She was pushed back. All that was left now was to finish her.
Senpai
He coughed out blood. It seems that his body was catching up to what he was doing.
He knew that tracing this sword would have consequences, he knew that he was tracing something impossible, he knew that there would be a cost. Just because it was now possible, just because he could now do it, does not mean there is no cost.
But what of it?
If he fails now, all of History would fall. If he doesn't have the strength to take down this monster, he will not live to see another day. If Solomon won, if Tiamat destroyed Mesopotamia, he would no longer see her smile.
But he would die. This sword would definitely kill him. This blade that is the breath of the earth, this blade that is the strongest of them all, this blade that will bring them victory, will kill him.
He would fail in his promise and dream. He would no longer be able to return to her should this continue.
"I should do this… right?"
The doubt that had flooded him before now drops on him like a tidal wave. Sakura would live, but she would no longer smile or feel true joy. Sakura Matou will have truly lost everything in order to live happily.
But then…
Senpai.
"Then grit your teeth." He mutters to himself as more magical energy flooded his entire being. His dream began to fade from his mind as he prioritizes one thing above all else.
Protect the world that the girl is living in.
She would die. She would cease to exist should he fail. It was no longer a matter of him wanting to return to her but for her to live. He was fighting this battle for her and her alone. No matter what, he had to win so that she could live.
A flash covers his mind. A memory that never was, a moment that does not exist, a time that never even came.
In a field of cherry blossom trees, she stands there. Every spring, every year, every time on that specific day, she stays there. She stands in the middle of that field.
No doubt about it, but she has grown older. The years have shown in her facial features, her height, and in her eyes.
How long has she lived without him; she wonders? She reminiscences on the days when she first visited him. How she stayed out in the rain, how she waited back then for him to get to the door and greet her and the surprise on his face as he recognizes who she was.
She remembered the time they first tried to cook and they swapped each other's cooking. How he tasted her cooking first and how she eventually grew confident. She remembers standing in front of the house, ready to leave before he gave her the most important thing in her life.
A pair of keys that would unlock the house.
She may never see him again, she may never see his smile, his face, his appearance, or anything about him any longer.
"Senpai… Shirou…"
But she will wait. He promised her after all.
On that day, under the cherry blossoms, she turns to see the boy and smiles.
"SENPAI!"
It seems that he spaced out. He turns to look at his servants as she called out to him.
And Mash slams down her shield.
"LORD CAMELOT!"
The beautiful shining gates of Camelot are now manifested. Protecting Shirou from his own body and bolstering his defenses. Really now, he owed this girl a debt that could never be repaid. She may not know it, she may not even believe it to be so, but Shirou Emiya is forever in her debt for what she's done for him.
"Master!"
He looked at Mash with a bit of shock in his eyes, but what was really in them was a deep sense of gratitude. His body felt refreshed as the swords that were piercing his body began to revert. Avalon and Lord Camelot somewhat managing to heal him and give him further strength to bring forth his sword. Avalon, sensing the need for healing from Shirou Emiya, and the glorious walls of Camelot, strengthening his defenses.
"Thank you, Mash."
Let's see the cherry blossoms someday, Sakura.
"HROOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
Find it. This may not be the sword that she wielded. This may not be the divine construct made from the breath of the planet nor the twisted sword of the tyrant. This may not have been a sword wielded by Artoria Pendragon and Merlin.
This was nothing more than an image of what could have been. This was nothing more than a copy of the sword that promised victory. This was nothing more than an image.
But even a copy of something strong can still be powerful.
Tiamat stares at Shirou. Like before, it seems that he is now her target. King Gilgamesh died to protect him. And now that her focus was on him once more, it meant something.
He would die. Tiamat's strength compared to his is like a mountain to a pebble. A nuke to a bullet. A god to a sword. He would not survive. No matter how strong the shield or his defenses, a Beast level entity would surpass whatever he had in him.
"How amusing faker. To see you struggle as such is entertaining. But seeing your determination, your drive, your resolve… I commend you!"
Suddenly a rain of swords came down and crashed upon Tiamat. Golden portals from the sky dropped Noble Phantasms of many kinds. Swords, axes, staffs, any form of weapon was dropped on Tiamat to hold her back even further.
"It can't be!" Mash exclaims as she looks to the cliffs above.
All Shirou could do was cough out blood as he mutters, "If you could have come back, do it faster damn it."
There in all his glory, lies the King of Heroes. Not the wise King of Uruk, but the arrogant and more powerful Tyrant of Uruk. "Heh. I thought it would have been amusing to see you suffer as so Shirou Emiya. Yet you have provided me far more than just entertainment. For you to earn my respect and commendation is not something so easy a feat."
It seems that even though he remained in that form, his calmness from when he was King remained. And for Shirou to see that, he chuckled.
"Then keep it you bastard. We have a Goddess to kill." And in his hand, it finally formed. The image that he was searching for. It's golden blade and blue hilt along with lines that belonged to the fae. Even Merlin was surprised that he had managed to trace what he had.
Merlin gave a gentle smile at Shirou as he held on to it. Without even notifying anyone, he waves his hand and mutters an incantation.
Indeed Shirou Emiya.
I think it's time.
I do believe that you are indeed worthy of it.
"Fuwhahahahahaha!"
Tiamat roars as the world around her seems to lose color. Like a sphere, it swallows all that approaches it. Lahmu that are born are now being disintegrated by the bounded field that was summoned by Tiamat.
Merlin stares in shock. "This is-!"
Nega-Genesis. The creation of an entire new world of life. Similar to a reality marble, it projects an entire new world in the place of the one they are on, like a barrier or a bounded field.
No Servant may enter that bounded or else they would die. No matter if they are Divine or Demi, they would instantly perish the moment they would enter that bounded field. Their existence would be denied as they are considered to be, "no longer alive." Servants are beings that have already lived and died and as such, they are not permitted to enter a world of new life.
Yet there was a boy amongst them that was still alive.
"It seems that it's my turn, huh?" Shirou says with a smirk.
It seems as though Archer was still influencing him, even though his arm had finally merged with him.
Gilgamesh scoffs. "If you are offering victory mongrel, then deliver it to us now. We have very little time before that bounded field reaches us."
Shirou steps forward.
One step.
He understood from the beginning that he and King Gilgamesh were two different people entirely.
Shirou Emiya is someone who struggles to understand what he wants. Someone who struggles to receive the happiness that he desires and could only mimic others before Sakura. Feelings of pride, joy, were not something that he understood before she changed his perception of it.
Gilgamesh is someone who understands what he wants and what he is. All that he desires go to him. The king that took happiness from everyone before realizing the truth of his folly. Before losing his happiness and tried to seek out immorality. After losing it to a snake, he became one of the wisest kings in legend.
"Yeah. I know that, King of Heroes."
Two steps.
They were different fundamentally. A King and a nobody. A hero and a dreamer.
Someone that understands himself but not others, someone that understands others but not himself. Someone remembered by all, someone remembered by only one.
One that seeks to fight for the future of humanity and the other to return to the one he loves most. One who owns all the original swords and one who copies them.
"But I want to ask you something."
Three steps.
Their differences were decided. They were beings that were far too different. However, for now, they were allies. The boy would never be able to understand the king. The king would never be able to understand the existence of the boy.
But they both understood what was needed to save humanity.
Gilgamesh simply glares at the boy, demanding that the question be asked and done with so that they could do their jobs.
Shirou stops.
He turns to the king with a smug look on his face as the sword on his hand glows even brighter.
"Can you keep up with me?"
The audacity of the boy to even attempt to mock him. If this boy were so much less than what he granted him for, he would not even hesitate to kill him on the spot in spite of the situation. For him to even have attempted that mockery is a sign that he lacks intelligence.
Gilgamesh smirks. "Don't get ahead of yourself. Faker."
But Gilgamesh has acknowledged the boy to be strong. His will, his abilities, his stubbornness was certainly something that Gilgamesh has never seen before. He has seen a future where he had lost to underestimating this boy, a future where the loyalty of his servant won over his strongest blade, a future where a woman damned by the world was saved by a boy in love.
Gilgamesh will forever be irritated by the boy and hold a strong dislike towards him. However, is strength and drive are acknowledged.
Jaguarman could only stare at Shirou. She saw her little brother ended up like a fine young man. This may not have been her Shirou, but the feeling of pride could not even contain itself as a smile appeared on her face and a tear escaped from her eyes.
She would not stop him, but unlike last time she knew that he would be alright. Unlike the last time she let him go, she believed truly that this would not end in tragedy.
Shirou Emiya, her younger brother, had a path to walk. Once it ends, he could finally be happy with Sakura.
Shirou turns to the Mother of Life. For just a moment, their eyes cross each other. Even in the Nega-Genesis she manages to stare at her child. She gazes on Shirou Emiya and he stares up to her. This was not so much as a mother and child, but a goddess and her own creation. A gaze of rebellion, a gaze of abandonment, a gaze that shows that their time together had come to an end.
That moment soon passed as Shirou burst forth in speeds that surpassed his limits.
He rushes forward and enters the reality marble. The world of color fades away as he moves on forward.
Black and white. Like a monochrome painting was the only way to describe the world around him. The only thing that bore the concept of color was himself, the blade he wielded, and Tiamat herself.
Then from the floors itself, Lahmu appeared to protect their mother. In order for them to live, for the new humanity, for their mother to receive their love, they had to kill Shirou Emiya.
"Hah!"
He slashes through them. One by one, as though they were no different from mere foot soldiers and only minor obstacles that blocked his path. The screams he hears before they fade are cries of pain and howls of agony as they become dust.
It was almost as though he were cutting down people. As though he were murdering innocent children as they tried to reach out to protect their own mother. In a sick and twisted sense, he could understand it and it made him feel sick in the inside.
It matters not. They chose their side and he his. All that they are to him right now are just annoyances. All of them were just blocking his way. If they were going to get in the way, then they shouldn't just exist at all!
"GET LOST!"
He continues to cut through them as his sword pierces through each and every one of them. He does not lose a single step forward and continues on. As more Lahmu come out, the faster and quicker his slashes become. He had to reach Tiamat, he had to win.
One came from his left and one to his right. He simply weaved under the assault and slashed them down. Slicing through them clean. More approached him from behind. He didn't even turn as he spun his sword and slashed backwards, cutting through each Lahmu cleanly.
He had no time to deal with small fry like this.
Push forward!
Push forward!
PUSH FORWARD!
"HROOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
He slices down another Lahmu as he nears the head of Tiamat. One slash from this Noble Phantasm, one time for it to activate would be all that he needed to win.
"Damn, there are too many of them."
But the Lahmu behind him grew in numbers. He would not win. He would not be able to get his chance as he was alone. They would drag him back and devour him and he was all alone in this reality marble.
"Kakakakakakakakaka!"
"Hahahahahahahah!"
"For mom! Mommy!"
He turns to face them but a sudden gust of wind blocks his vision with his free arm.
"Focus on thine task, Shirou Emiya. For the children of new life shall not touch thee and rather feel the chill of my blade."
And numerous Lahmu began to burst open as they've all been sliced up in but a moment. Behind him was the monstrous figure known as the Grand Assassin. The first Hassan-I-Sabbah, and the personification of Death itself.
The Lahmu all stared at the first Assassin known to man as his blue eyes gazed at them all. Suddenly, his eyes began to glow bright as the flames seemed to have grown strong.
Lahmu suddenly burn as they are engulfed in the blue flame. King Hassan drops his blade and lifts his mask to speak. "If only those that are alive can enter this domain, then Death must be inside, waiting for the new life. I shall deal with you all. For all of you must face death."
Then in a sudden burst of speed he grabs one of the Lahmu and devours its head like some ravenous beast in the body of a human. Before any of the other Lahmu could react, he rushed to the side and used his bare hands like claws to rip open another.
To be a Hassan is to be death itself. No matter how gruesome or horrible you must inflict it upon your chosen target. Be it a poison that erodes the skin and melts the organs, an arm that rips out your heart from a distance, or one that turns your head into gunpowder. There are many ways to kill a target. Some of the ways are horrifying and disgusting.
But let it be known that none can compare to the First Assassin.
A Lahmu approaches from behind, ready to tear up its target. It's sharp hands made to be comparable to swords ready to slice up King Hassan from behind, leaving nothing but diced up bits in its wake.
"It seems that thou art truly a fool."
And he vanishes, leaving the Lahmu dazed as he is forced to slice up the other Lahmu that was directly in front of him.
In a flash, he is cut apart. The Lahmu had no time to register the fact that it had died before it actually had. It seems that even though they may be creatures of new life, they had no chance against death.
"Does thou think that you can sneak behind an assassin such as I? For you have practically announced thine own arrival towards me."
All Shirou could do was stare in awe at the power the former Grand Assassin had. Seeing how much power he had, it felt reassuring that his ally was somebody of this caliber. If he was protected on this end, then he only had one objective left.
He turns to face Tiamat and places both hands onto the hilt of the sword.
"This is the breath of the planet."
He slowly walks forward. Mana began to flow into the sword as golden light particles began to float around Shirou, his left arm crackling with energy, eyes dead focused on the target in front of him.
Another memory passes by. One that was and one that could have been. It was a simple flash but it was enough to stop him in his tracks.
This singularity is over. You will return to Chaldea. My Camelot will fade and you will fight to return to Sakura.
Shirou… is that all I am to you?
A tear flows down his cheek, "No. You were much more than that, Saber."
Saber was never just another person to him that needed to be saved. She was never just an obstacle that got in his way. She was not someone that he could ever forget if he went to the depths of hell. She was far more important to him than what she gave herself credit for.
Saber… Artoria Pendragon was not just a Servant that Shirou had in the Holy Grail War… She was his partner. She was the hardest choice he ever had to make on the spot. She was valuable to him.
And without a doubt, he cared for her too.
The simple pass times they had back when he was under her tutelage. Whenever they had meals together and when both Sakura and Saber got mad at him for staying out with Illya for too long. Those moments are irreplaceable memories to him now, and ones that he will never let go.
"Behold the light that promised victory."
And the mana from the sword burst forth like a pillar of light. The output was stronger than he anticipated and he began to feel the backlash in his magic circuits as more magic poured out forth, draining him dry.
However, he did not flinch. He did not falter and he did not show any form of pain.
This was the mother of all life. This was the separation between mother and child.
This was the Childhood's End.
And he faced her properly as such.
"BEHOLD THE END OF THE DREAM!"
And he shot forth, memories of those that were with him on the journey flood his vision.
Ushiawakamaru sacrificing herself to slash off Gorgon and aid in the evacuation of the city, Leonidas holding off the Gorgon, Ishtar and Ereshkigal reconcile for who they were, Ana's sacrifice to destroy Gorgon, Quezalcoatl's burning Noble Phantasm as she struck Tiamat, Hassan giving advice to Shirou, his many bickering arguments and small duels with Gilgamesh, the small moments with Merlin, the smile of Mash.
It goes even further.
Artoria's kiss, Hassan's regret for his actions towards Shirou, meeting the younger Zouken, facing Solomon, defeating Lancer Alter, fighting Berserker once more, the dragon Fafnir, the empire of Rome and it's empress, Nero.
But the memory that lies at the front of it all…
Let's see the cherry blossoms one day, Sakura.
…was the promise he made that day.
Appearing in front of Tiamat, he held the image of the sword in his hand, raised high, and was ready to slash down.
"EX…"
And Tiamat gazes at him once more. A look of sorrow and despair ring throughout her vision as Shirou stares her down.
Why are you doing this to me?
"…CALUBUR!"
And be brought it down, causing the ultimate slash. It was brought down and the Nega-Genisis began to halt and crumble instantly. Causing the earth beneath Tiamat to crack with the sheer power of this slash alone and all of Kur began to shake. A large pillar of light came out and began to swallow up Tiamat. It's heights even reaching the world above and beyond.
This was the sword of promised victory realized. This was but a mere image strengthened by Merlin who in secret left another true copy of Excalibur in his soul. But he decided not to tell him.
Excalibur Image. Though it does not compare to the one Merlin left nor the original, this was one that showed the relationship that Shirou had with Saber. What he had thought of her, what she left for him, what they had.
This was the final gift of Artoria Pendragon to Shirou Emiya on his journey back home. It was a powerful sword, and enough to harm Tiamat herself. It was the light, the breath of the planet itself and one of the strongest blades known to man.
Yet, Shirou was engulfed in a world of white as the power of the slash blinded all that could see it.
.
.
.
"Why is it that they hate me so much?"
A young woman asks Shirou, who was surprised to be where he was.
Without a doubt, the person in front of him was…
"Why do you hate me? All I wanted was to love you like my own children."
The girl looks up and stares at Shirou, who does not look fazed by the hurt in her voice, the sadness in her eyes, nor the tears falling down.
He still had the sword in his hands, but chose not to slash her. Instead, he lets go of it, leaving it to dissolve and disappear. What he had to say to the one in front of him, was just as important as what sword he had just wielded.
"We do not hate you. It's just that we had to leave you."
The girl began to shake.
"Then why did you return? Why am I the one getting hurt so much?"
Silence reigns before Shirou answers.
"Because many things come to an end, even childhood. But you never let us go and hurt us in turn."
The girl then down before her tears suddenly stop.
"Then please, leave."
She then looks up with eyes filled with sorrow and acceptance.
"And never love me again."
Shirou simply walks forth and pats her head, shocking her.
"Just because childhood ends, does not mean that love will. The love of a parent, the love of a child, the love of someone else, all these emotions will not stop. Not everything ends." Shirou says, rubbing her head.
He crouches slightly to get on the same level as her. She was not short that he had to completely crouch, but enough that his knees bent ever so lightly.
"It's the end of childhood, Tiamat."
And he offered her a smile. Not one of his usual fake everyday smiles, not one of his sarcastic smirks, but a genuine smile of acceptance. Even if Tiamat was a mother to be hated by many, there will always be those that remember them as loved.
Tiamat begins to cry. She wipes her tears before replying.
"Yeah. Goodbye, Shirou."
Eyes widening, he was going to ask how she knew his name before his consciousness began to fade away ever so quickly. As his eyes began to fade out and he returns to the real world he sees the face of Tiamat and her reply.
"Goodbye my child."
.
.
.
Shirou was flying back as Ishtar was speeding up to catch him.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand!"
Before she could even grab him, Ereshkigal morphed the very earths of Kur to make a slide for Shirou so that he could slide down to the ground with ease.
Doing so caused this odd chain of events that led to Ishtar somehow crashing into the slide, breaking it and having her fall butt-first onto her own sister's face. Leaving both of them to be an incredibly embarrassed mess.
Shirou was let down by Merlin who used his magic to help him down. A simpler alternative.
"It's your turn now…"
Shirou turns to the highest cliff and stares at the one meant to finish it all.
"…King of Heroes."
Smirking, Gilgamesh brought out a key from the Gates of Babylon.
"You certainly took your time, Emiya Shirou."
And with the key turned, all of Kur began to feel the power from it. Red lines from the sky appear like circuitry and begin to narrow itself down into the key to form the weapon that he so desires.
"The time for judgement is now."
And reality itself broke apart and shattered like glass in sheer terror on what he held in his hands.
This was Gilgamesh, King of Heroes, the first legend and the first hero, the most powerful Servant, the most arrogant of them all and the strongest amongst all Servants. There are not enough words in the world to describe how powerful he truly was.
He was no longer holding back.
"I speak of the origin. Heaven and Earth dividend in two as creation is eulogized by the void."
In his hands, something that appears to be a sword appears. It's three main parts, spinning rapidly in opposite directions and its golden hilt held by the naked hands of Gilgamesh as he raises it to the sky, pointing it upwards.
"My Sword of Rupture shall cleave this world asunder."
In the place of the sky was the empty void of space. However, even the void of space seemed to twist and contort to the will of this sword. As it spins the dust of stars itself seemed to swirl and form something akin to an entire universe.
Three times over.
"This is the milestone that rotates the stars and guides the eve of genesis to the hells of heaven!"
All that energy seemed to coalesce into the sword. The universe itself becoming a part of that sword as its energy bursts open and lets out its own energy. That which counters the universes that appear before it as it now swirls in the directions of the three chambers of the sword.
Shirou could not comprehend what the hell it was. Whatever that thing is, no matter how much help or energy he may receive, he will not be able to replicate that thing. He could not even consider it a sword or a blade. That thing existed before the concepts even existed.
"Let death silence you."
Shirou thought that Excalibur was powerful, but he never thought it would have been dwarfed by Rhongomyniad, and even then, Rhongomyniad was nothing compared to what he was seeing now.
This was without a doubt, the strongest Noble Phantasm that any Servant could ever have or wield. It was meant for one king and one king alone. This is what represented his power, his strength, his rule. This was the weapon that Gilgamesh truly considers to be his best.
"Now awaken. Ea. It is time to say goodbye."
Mash placed her shield up in front of her master while Merlin cast a spell around them to protect them from what was to come. Meanwhile, Jaguar man went in front of Shirou in order to protect him with her body.
She would not lose her younger brother again. Not anymore.
The strength of this sword, the strength of this power, was one that could end the world a thousand times over.
"Subside by death."
He aims it at Tiamat. All she could do was stare at her incoming doom.
"Enuma Elish."
The very concept of sound was ripped from any that could hear what had happened. The concept of sight was torn apart by any who could see it. The concept of touch and smell was annihilated from any who witnessed it. The term concept was even broken the moment Gilgamesh used his sword. For everything broke and shattered in an instant.
The universes dropped and the sword fired.
All that power focused on the Beast II, all that monstrous power was enough to tear apart all of Kur into nothing. It struck Tiamat in less than any observable amount of time. The sheer force alone was enough to tear her to shreds atomically. The power was enough to twist any parts that were still there to distort and wither.
All of Kur could feel this impact as though they have all been struck by the sword itself. The impact almost knocked them off their feet and their own defenses were about to be shattered from the world itself. It seemed to possibly be the end of it all.
Meanwhile Tiamat began to fade.
The instant he used his Noble Phantasm, Tiamat knew that she lost.
Yet, a tear still dropped.
For she still loved her children.
The separation of Man and God, Parent and Child. It was time for Humanity to walk its own path into the future.
It was the End of Childhood…
Senpai
A purple hair girl smiles at Shirou.
In his vision, he sees two.
One that he fell in love with, the other the one that is loyal to him.
Sakura Matou probably remained there, in the house where they made that promise. Forever just waiting for Shirou Emiya to return home.
Mash Kyrielight had little time in this world. She was dying and would probably not live to see the next day.
But he would walk forward for both of their sakes.
… and the Beginning of the Future.
AN
Fastest update in the west.
Jokes aside, I've been writing this since the Merlin chapter.
Ya know, writing this while listening to Haruhayuku (end of spring version) and Grand Battle (Babylonia remix) makes me feel hyped while I write. Cosmic Air was dope for Gilgamesh's part and EMIYA for Shirou's part. Also fuck yeah, new DMC5 Bury the Light theme was so good, I fucking bought that shit.
Also,
IT'S ONLY MY FIRST FUCKING MONTH OF COLLEGE AND I ALREADY WANT TO KILL MYSELF! IT'S LIKE HIGHSCHOOL ALL OVER AGAIN FUCK.
And,
DW WHAT THE FUCK WITH PROTO MERLIN AND SITA BEING ARCADE EXCLUSIVE YOU FUCKS. I WANT THAT ONEECHAN FOR MY MAIN ACCOUNT AND SITA FOR MY PHONE! DAMN YOU FOR DOING THIS! DAMN YOU! I WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS BULLSHIT!
And now my rant has ended.
Have a nice day!