She loved everything about him. But he never looked her way. They were together by fate and nothing more.

Even so, she loved him dearly. He knew what he had to do. He knew that in the end the would be defeated, and he faced it all with a straight face.

He never told her anything about his true feelings. Reading him was impossible. Musphels were hotheaded, stubborn, and prone to anger. However, he was different. That was why she loved him.

One day, he came to her while she was in their home, tending to the realm of Musphelheim.

"I need it," he said. She looked back at him, surprised. She knew what he meant. He wanted Lavaelin.

"But… it's not time," she said. He looked her in the eye, but said nothing.

"I'm going to end it now. The entire world," he replied.

"Bur that's not your fate," she said. She reached for Lavaelin, who was always at her side with it's nine seals running along the blade.

"I'm tired of fate," he was colder then ever. There was no hint of emotion on his voice. And he smelled of flesh and ice. As he spoke ice crystals formed alongside his left shoulder.

"W-What have you done?" she asked. Ice was not supposed to exist on musphelheim.

"Do not worry. Once I am done," he extended his hand, and Lavaelin flew towards it as if attracted by a natural force. It was made specifically for him, it was part of Surtr himself. "All of the earth will be Musphelheim."

Sinmara looked at the ground, stunned. All her life, she was supposed to do one thing and one thing only. Marry Surtr, keep his sword safe, watch over Musphelheim, and judge those who wished to use Lavaelin.

She hated it. She didn't wish to do any of it at first. But according to Odin, and to every seer in the nine realms, it was unavoidable. So she accepted it. After all, there was nothing to fear if everything was predetermined.

She tended to her duties for years, and grew to love the cold fire giant Surtr. She admired his acceptance, his determination.

To hear he wanted to shatter fate terrified her so much her legs shook. However, her mouth curved upwards. She was happy.

Surtr was making her happy for once.

She knew then that their love was genuine.

"I understand. Please, let me be at your side."

He looked at her as he began to leave. He was as unreadable as ever.

"Why?" He asked. Her answer was instantaneous.

"Because I love you," she replied, going to his side and grabbing his free hand. It was so cold, despite burning bright.

"Hmmm," he looked at the ground as if unsure of everything. For a while, all that was heard was the rumbling of the realm of Musphelheim, the hum of it's volcanoes, and something new. A strong breeze. "How very strange of you. Do what you want then."

He left without another word. And as always, she followed.

"Bring him back!" Their battle had taken both into Skadi's ice castle.

"No," answered Skadi. Her expression didn't change and that angered Sinmara further. Of course, her entire life for the last thousand years had been anger.

"Then die!" she thrust lavaetin forward, emitting a pillar of flame towards the goddes. Lavaetin was an anti god weapon, and it's attacks would disable any divinity in range. That is, if it actually hit.

With a flick of her wand, Skadi shot an ice beam that clashed against Sinmar's fiery attack. The entire area was covered in steam, the incredible heat emanated by the fire giant began to melt the foundations of the castle while Skadi's magic brought it back from the brink of collapse time and time again.

Not all Jotün saw each other eye to eye. Fire giants and Ice giants were especially antagonistic towards each other, but they always put their differences aside in times of conflict, or when fate deemed it so. For Skadi to betray them was unfathomable. And yet here she was, playing the jailer to her beloved husband.

Sinmara used those feelings and her flame grew even hotter. Skadi did not give up any ground, and it the end, the clash of their attacks formed a sphere of energy that exploded outwards, sending both women flying in opposite directions. Sinmara crashed into a wall. She didn't mind the pain. Her body was numb from the millennia of imprisonment.

Once she unstuck herself from the small dent in the wall, she observed her surroundings. Everything was draped in a grey mist. Sinmara had no time for this. She needed to get Surtr back, she was too behind schedule.

"Skadi!" She screamed, swinging Lavaetin around, throwing waves of flame through the mist. It only had one of it's seals unlocked, meaning it was at a ninth of it's total power. Even so, it remained an anti god weapon.

The ground moved, and an ice stake launched towards her. Sinamra moved her arm up as the ice stake missed her and went below her armpit.

"I don't understand you…" she heard Skadi's voice echo all around her. From above Sinmara several runes lit up, and fired beams of energy she barely managed to dodge.

"Stop playing with me!" She screamed. She felt magical energy form beneath her feet, and from another rune that had been planted beneath her feet erupted icy branches which pierced her legs.

"…why can't you simply accept my love? Why must you go after Surtr time and time again? He has nothing more to offer. He would have killed us all without a second thought, including you."

Her voice irritated her to no end. Enough that she burned off the branches and remained on her feet despite the pain.

"I don't believe that," She said, looking around. Time had taught her patience. Years of doing nothing but listening and imagining what might be making a certain sound behind her back.

"You doubt my reach?"

"I doubt you could have what Surtr gave me," Sinmara waited for her voice. It had to have an origin.

"And what did he give you?" South east, a few meters up, levitating.

"Choice. I loved him because I wanted to. But you have everything, to you choosing on a whim is like breathing." she said, readying her sword. She felt magical energy in the air shift. "And that's something a god will never understand!"

She thrust her sword in her direction. The pillar of flame blew away the mist, and revealed a shocked Skadi. The fire was blocked by a rune shield, but Sinmara didn't need naything else, as she poured flames from her legs and flew towards Skadi like a meteor.

Once in front of her, all she had to do was swing.

A fiery, orange arc cut through Skadi's defenses and sent her through the wall in the castle. The fortress was shacken to it's foundation as it's creator fell.

Sinmara stared at the hole left by the goddess. She was weaker than she thought, maintaining the world was taking it's toll. And she wasn't about to let the opportunity go.

She followed Skadi through the hole.

Soon, the disgusting fire in her heart would be quelled.

Soon, no anger would remain.

"Brynhildr!" Shirou screamed, running forwards without a care in the world. All other voices were muffled.

He knew who his opponent was. Even is someone else was in his body, his weapon was undeniably the reforged Gram.

So he pulled the only other weapon that could match it from his reality marble. Magical energy crackled as it ran through his arm. He copied the stats, and moved faster than before.

The fake Sigurd barely had time to dislodge his sword from Brynhildr to block his attack. Shirou put all his might onto the swing. A crimson blade collided with the emerald one. Saber was sent back by the strike, near where Ophelia was, while a shocked Ortlinde watched.

The wounded Brynhildr fell to the ground, but Ritsuka and Hildr were quick to rush to her aid. Shirou stood in front of her, as if to block Saber's advance.

"Well… that's certainly surprising," said Saber. Shirou narrowed his eyes. He didn't know Sigurd personally, but the sword in his hand had the experience within let him know this was not Sigurd. "That's the sword I hold."

Shirou pointed the silver and crimson blade, which was a more traditional sword than it's reforged design. Gram, the sword of selection that belonged to Sigmund and later to his son, Sigurd. A bringer of misfortune and suffering, and capable of slaying dragons.

"Who the hell are you?"

Saber smiled. "Why would it matter?"

"If you truly were Sigurd, then I would pull my punches, maybe try to bring you to your senses for Brynhildr's sake," he said. He heard a gasp from behind him.

"Emiya…" Brynhildr's voice came out as a near sob.

"Try not to move, I'll fix this," he heard Hildr say.

"I'll help as well," said Ritsuka. They were probably tending to the elder Valkyrie. Shirou could not see them, as his sight was focused solely on the fake Sigurd.

"But now that I see you are a fake who seems to relish in her suffering, I know that I don't have to hold back anymore," he said, gripping the sword and holding it tight. His heart thumped in his chest.

"You're going to fight me? How pointless," said Saber, his smile now revealing sharp teeth.

"Emiya! Don't!" Mash screamed, rushing to his side. She was banged up, and the Ortynax gave off the smell of the smell of metal burning. He glanced at the Shielder, and gave her a reassuring smile. He needed to appear strong, despite his chances being slim.

"Trust me, Mash. You and Ritsuka take care of Brynhildr since you two are in no state to fight," he said. Mash nodded. Then Shirou turned to Napoleon. "If you don't mind, I'd like your help, as well as yours, Hildr."

"Well now, the recruit has gained some confidence!" Napoleon said, slamming his cannon on the ground.

"Trying to appear strong, yet asking for help. Very well, I'll keep Ortlinde at bay," Hildr said, stepping up to stand opposite of her sister, who simply grimaced.

"Are you seriously going to fight a Servant? For a woman that would kill you at the slightest sign of affection?" Ophelia asked, eyes narrowed.

"I won't let her die, even if I lose her later."

"Are you for real?" Ophelia asked, voice rising.

"Yes. I'm someone who saves others no matter what."

"How– you– I–I can't believe the Valkyries would change sides for someone like you!" Ophelia said, clearly outraged. Anger was a rare emotion for Shirou, but he felt a pang of it nonetheless.

"You have no right to say that. You gave up the lives of billions to secure your own survival."

"And what was I supposed to do?! Lay down and die?! Accept a fiery death, engulfed by fire and screaming for help that will never come?! You say you are someone who saves people! Where were you when I needed you then?! You can't act high and mighty, because you are as powerless as I am!"

"So… you died screaming for help… in a fire… and no one came…" Shirou whispered. Memories long buried resurfaced in full. A boy walking forwards and leaving everyone else behind for the simple wish to survive. How could he hate someone like that?

"That's right," Ophelia said, grimacing.

"I see. Then…"

"Ophelia Phamrsolone! Maybe I could not save you then, but now, I swear." He held a hand to his chest, his palm resting above his beating heart. "I will save you!" Ophelia retreated, shocked beyond belief.

"Hmph. What a speech," the fake Sigurd said, scowling.

"And I'll start by getting you out of the way,"

"You will try."

Shirou grit his teeth.

He two handed Gram, and then threw it forwards. It spun around like a saw blade, generating crackling red energy. The fake Sigurd did not move, simply using his own weapon to smack it aside. However, he underestimated the projected weapon, and thus lost his balance. Even so, the disinterested expression didn't leave his face.

Shirou charged forwards, magic circuits flaring up.

"Projection; start," mana swirled around his open palm, and the red gram appeared once again.

"I won't let you!" Ortlinde said, charging at the magus as well.

"Ortlinde!" Hildr screamed, intercepting the black haired Valkyrie.

The warrior maidens engaged in a lightning fast duel that was taken to the air. They flew around, fast and using their spears and shield. There was nothing Shirou could do to interfere, nor was there a need to. His target was the fake Sigurd, killing him without harming Ophelia or Ortlinde in the process.

"How naive," Sigurd replied, dashing towards Shirou at unimaginable speed. He knew where the attack would come from, Gram granted him both the experiences of the hero Sigurd as well as his father Sigmund.

Shirou evaded the vertical blow and a follow up slash, the blade leaving behind a beautiful emerald haze.

Shirou was about to counter, but the wicked Saber had already pulled a knife that looked like a smaller version of Gram from his belt. He could block it in time, if–

A shot rang out, and the fake Sigurd was pushed back by the impact. Even so, the immense power of the heroic spirit allowed him to maintain ground.

"Not so fast, lover boy," Napoleon said, loading another shot. Shirou thanked him mentally, and swung his own Gram at the opponent. From shoulder to waist, he would cut him in half.

His blow was deflected. The tremendous force nearly broke Shirou's arm, but he kept his ground, and slashed again. The blades collided, Emerald and Crimson fighting for dominance upon the battlefield as both fighters held face to face.

"I see," Saber said. Seeing him closer, he was morel like a monster or a Dragon than a man. Those red eyes seemed to hold nothing but killing intent. "Your sword is the original before it's reforging. Very impressive, still…" Saber pushed, and with his monstrous strength Shirou was forced to bend his knees. "… a copy remains a copy."

Gritting his teeth, Emiya channeled the history of Gram, and copied the stats of Sigurd. His body regained strength, and he kept the blade lock. However, Gram cracked. Of course it did, breaking was part of it's legend. And even with the advantage of being an older weapon, it's rank remained lower than the Reforged version.

Saber smirked and pushed further, breaking the sword into tiny pieces. He barely raised his divine iron shield to block the strike.

His eye of the mind warned him, and he ducked. A hail of machine gun fire rained upon the fake Sigurd, forcing him to block them.

Shirou traced Gram once again, and rushed forwards, covered by Napoleon's hail of cannon fire.

"Gh!" Saber said, turning to Ophelia, who had been staring in shock at the fight. "Do you want me to lose? Act!"

Shirou attacked the fake Sigurd once again, both warriors engaging in a fierce sword play. Any opening Shirou had due to lack of speed or strength was covered by Napoleon's large cannon. It was the only way he could keep up.

Soon Shirou would have an opening.

However, just then Ophelia was shaken out of her stupor.

"Enough of this Archer!" she screamed, her left hand hovering near her mystic eye. "Phänomen. Shufen Auß!" The red eyeball pulsed and glowed with the same colour. Shirou braced himself for it's effects, but nothing happened. Rather,

"You're dead," Saber said, grabbing one of his knives and punching it. Shirou raised his shield. They were coming towards him, he knew.

Yet, the knives flew past him, and the sound of steel meeting flesh. Shirou turned for a split second, and saw Napoleon keel over with emerald knives shooting out of his chest.

"Damn it! I was sure… my cannon was ready..." He said as he coughed up blood.

Another person injured. He was a heroic spirit, he could survive.

Even so, Shirou turned towards his opponent. As soon as his eyes landed on Saber he was dashing towards him, blade ready to strike.

He blocked it with his copied Gram, however, it broke again, and he was sent back with a gash around his chest area.

He landed on the ground and righted himself. He raised his shield and managed to block an incoming barrage of knives.

How did Gram break? That wasn't supposed to happen, unless…

"I see… so your mystic eye…" he began.

"It allows me to cut off possibilities I don't desire. Such as Napoleon dodging those knives, or Gram remaining unbroken. You can't win as long as I so desire," she stated. Shirou grit his teeth. With a sigh, Ophelia turned to Sigurd. "Finish him off, Saber. I'll make sure–"

Something hard and metallic landed at his side. "–Forgive me, Ophelia!" Screamed Mash, her shield once again in it's cannon form. "Bunker Bolt!"

A blast of red energy headed towards the mage. She would be obliterated if hit.

Ophelia narrowed her eyes as her magic circuits flared up. "Geister! Grant me your blessing!" She said as balls of light formed around her.

The bolt hit, creating a large explosion. Saber didn't even turn around.

This was his chance. He needed everything he had. Saber was confident in his strength, and seemed to look down on humans. He had the body of a dragon due to swallowing the heart of one, a protection able to dispel low ranked attacks.

"Trace; Overedge!" He screamed. Gram appeared once again in his hands, it's blade brimming with crimson energy due to the mana overload. It was, essentially, a broken phantasm.

"How weak!" Saber screamed, rushing at him again at inhuman speed.

Both warriors swung their blades, and they collided. As expected, the fake Gram broke and exploded. Even so, Shirou kept his ground, and traced again. Saber, however, was thrown off balance.

This was his last bit of magical energy. Any further, and the damage would be considerable.

"My core is twisted in madness," a spiral sword appeared in his hand. A modification of the weapon Fergus mac Róich wielded. A sword capable of twisting space and penetrating all kinds of defences. Gripping it tightly, Shirou unleashed all of it's power. "Caladbolg!"

With all the speed her could muster, he drove the sword into Saber's chest. Not even his monstrous strength or magnificent blade could stop it. His body was twisted as the sword penetrated his chest.

He still had more. This was not nearly enough to beat someone with a dragon core.

"Release!" Leaving the blade in, he gathered his last bit of energy, and punched the blade. It broke, and a beam of rainbow energy exited Saber's other side, destroying his chest completely.

After the deafening explosion, silence took over the battlefield.

Even Ophelia, who had recovered and was about to retaliate with magecraft, could only stare in disbelief as Saber clutched his gaping wound, coughing up blood.

"No… my knight… lost…?" She muttered, trembling.

Shirou took a step back, his body shaking. He heard someone stand up with difficulty, and then he saw Napoleon at his side.

"That's easy to answer. You didn't really want him to win, did you?" He asked with a small smile. Ophelia said nothing, eyes wide.

"It's over," Shirou declared, sure of his victory. "His spirit core has been twisted beyond repair."

Saber fell on one knee, the weight behind the action shaking the bridge.

"Sigurd…" Brynhildr said, Ritsuka at her side, healing her chest wound.

"Saber's magical energy is falling. We won, Emiya," Mash declared, a small smile plastered on her face.

"Yes," Saber said. "You've won. That's exactly…" he chuckled, eyes now glowing like two embers. "...what I wanted!"

"What!?" Shirou asked. His chest grew cold as Saber began laughing like a maniac.

"Now that you've killed me, I'm no longer bound by that command spell to not kill myself. I can finally be set free! Hear that, Ophelia?" Saber said, standing up as if his chest were not see-through.

"No… No no no no! I won't let you!" Shrieked the mage, magical energy crackling around her. "Phänomen, Shufen Auß!" She said, however, her mystic eye did nothing.

"It's useless. This was meant to happen from the start. Nothing can stop me now…" he said, before turning to Shirou. "I must thank you. Anyone else would have tried something different, like kill her directly. But all of you had to try and save her. Now this is your reward," The ground began shaking, and the temperature began rising. Shirou could feel the air around saber distort.

"What's going…?" he asked.

"The temperature around Saber is rising! The magical energy in the area is going haywire! I can't…!" Mash's Ortinax began cracking, and Shirou felt an enormous pressure upon him.

"I… I can't stop this… please… please stop him!" Ophelia cried, retreating away from her servant, a horrified expression on her face.

"As you wish, my lady!" Napoleon screamed, shifting his cannon and firing a blue beam of energy at the Servant. However, it did nothing. Saber remained there, energy swirling.

"You still believe I'm a lowly Servant. I never was Sigurd, I merely borrowed him as a vessel. My true name is Surtr!" Saber declared.

Shirou felt the air leave his lungs. Even though he needed to keep a calm mind, his fear won over for a second.

"W-What did you just say?!" Mash asked, raising her shield.

"That's right. For a long time I was trapped in that thing in the sky," Saber pointed upwards, towards the sun. Shirou knew that from what Sinmara told them, but even so, to believe someone like Surtr was sealed inside such a thing. "But thanks to my dear Ophelia here, I was able to come out and be summoned in this flesh puppet."

Ophelia retreated, clearly ashamed.

"But now that I have no vessel to hold me, I can finally escape this prison. How convenient, that the thing that made her so special, was tailor made to serve my escape. Despite how much I despise fate, it seems it favours me this Sunday."

As Saber smiled, the entire earth shook, along with the sky.

"What's going on?!" Ritsuka asked.

"He's… breaking free… nononononono…" Ophelia said, dropping to her knees and grabbing her head.

Even the sky itself shook as the sun turned into a black void from it's incandescent orange. Shirou's ears rang, his body felt heavy and he had to muster all of his willpower to keep standing, nostrils invaded by the smell of something burning.

The sun cracked like an eggshell, and soon from it's insides black and red lava began leaking like a blood from a festering wound.

With a smile, Saber collapsed and laid flat on the ground, his body completely lifeless.

Then, as the shell of the sun cracked further, a clawed hand peeked out, grabbing at the edge of the fake void.

"What…" Napoleon said, staring at the unfolding scene.

"...the hell…" muttered Ritsuka.

A head peeked out. A mask of brimstone with two burning eyes gazed at the group in the bridge. An empty stare of nothing but destruction and a promise to cover the world in fire.

In Valhalla, one thing all Einherjars asked for without fail was to be blessed with flight, and to do battle.

To Hildr, who was used to fighting all the time in the air, it was nothing new. But she did see the appeal. She enjoyed it. Enjoyment… that was a new feeling.

Sadly, she was battling her own sister, and the youngest of them all at that.

Ortlinde and Hildr fought against each other by dashing, blocking, throwing, grappling, and every other technique taught to them throughout the ages. They were all the same, thus the battle would never end if the conditions were equal.

They were not equal. Ortlinde was younger and had less mana capacity, thus, she could never beat Hildr in a fight. And Hildr did not want to kill her sister either.

They clashed again in midair, staring at each other with blank expressions before separating.

"You've improved significantly," Hildr said, a smile creeping up. Ortlinde didn't answer.

"Thrud said I needed to prepare to take you down, and handed down on me all training she had done," said her sister.

"I guess she really wanted you to survive," Hildr said. Thrud's feelings still lingered in her mind. Her eldest's desire to never abandon them, and never be abandoned.

"This is all your fault. Why could you not just remain a Valkyrie? Why do all this for a human?" Ortlinde asked, raising her voice.

Hildr looked down towards the bridge. The human Emiya, she still had conflicted feelings about him. But he had supported her, even if they were on opposite sides, he only wanted her to be happy. She had never met a human like that.

Another her had fallen for him. Perhaps that was the reason. Or perhaps it was because he wanted the best for herself as well as her sisters.

She wished to see him more. She wished for him to see herself, and her sisters, choose their own parts.

"I don't know," Hildr said, looking her sister straight in the eye. "But I do know, I did this for myself."

Ortlinde's eyes widened. "Selfishness? Father never put anything like that in us. It is Humans who are selfish!"

"We have human hearts, no? Wether that's what father wanted or not, it is undeniable now we have them, regardless of what father desired," Hildr said. Ortlinde now glared at her now. Their father was a sensitive topic ever since the stopping of Rangarök.

"You don't know that," Ortlinde said.

"I guess that's what I want to find out," Hildr said. "That's what I choose. And yes, it is a human thing to choose. And not a bad thing at all."

Ortlinde said nothing and readied her spear.

"Sister… I–"

The ground, and the air itself, seemed to shake.

"What…?" Hildr asked as she looked around. Then she noticed, the sun turned black.

"No…" she muttered. Was this Sinmara's doing? Or maybe… Saber had been defeated.

"He's free," Ortlinde stated.

Sinmara landed on the ice sheet behind the castle, and she felt it melt under her feet. Even so, magic kept her afloat. It wasn't hers.

She pointed her sword towards the unharmed figure of Skadi. "You could have left me to drown. Not like it would have helped."

"And why would I bring harm upon you? You are terribly misguided, Sinmara, nothing more. Please stop this."

"No," she replied, two handing her sword. This was it. It was do or die.

However, she saw something else in Skadi's unyielding face. A tear rolled down her eye.

"So be it, my child," a blizzard formed around her, and then multiple ice stakes shot out.

Sinmara blocked all of them, raising the heat around her body to melt others, but they were permafrost, and thus eventually she succumbed to their assault, her body pierced multiple times.

It was happening again. Skadi had defeated her swiftly.

She heard the click of boots, and looked up to see Skadi's apologetic face.

"I'm so sorry," she pointed her wand, and it became enshrouded in magical energy.

Sinmara grit her teeth, and welcomed oblivion.

However, before Skadi could shoot, the ground began shaking. Skadi's face twisted in abject horror as she looked skywards, Sinmara apparently no longer existing for her. The jotün looked in the same direction, slightly curious. Then she saw it.

Surtr's prison was open, the giant sun turned into a black, fiery void.

Her anger, her sadness, her frustrations all disappeared as a smile overcame all her other features.

"Yes!" She screamed, standing up despite the pain. She was simply too elated.

"Sinmara, listen to me–" she didn't bother. He was finally here. Her beloved would surely welcome her.

Elated beyond belief, she flew towards the sun itself, leaving Skadi behind.

Shirou's mind was assaulted by the images of people dying and reaching for someone to help them, the smell of burning flesh, the screams of the dying. It was going to happen all over again, to the people of the scattered villages. To Ritsuka and Mash and Ophelia and the Valkyries. All would be burned to ashes.

It was all going to repeat.

Nobody dared move a finger as Surtr left his prison. First came his body, then a foot, and then the other. Due to his size, it looked clumsy, but every movement made the earth scream out, the air around him distorted due to the extreme heat.

Shirou's wrist communicator beeped, and Da Vinci's worried expression appeared as a blue hologram.

"Emiya! Ritsuka! Please respond! Holmes figured it out, the Servant is not Sigurd, it's–"

"Surtr…" Shirou whispered, sight transfixed on the literal giant that dwarfed even Skadi's castle itself. He was not skyscraper size, but he was a giant humanoid nonetheless. Shirou had never faced something like it, the closest being the Orochi's in the Lostbelt Russia.

"Is Holmes okay?!" Ritsuka asked, now at Shirou and Napoleon's side.

"He is. You guys need to get out of there!"

"What?! I'm not going to let him rampage just like that!" Ritsuka said.

"Negative," a voice said from above. The group looked up to see the two Valkyrie sisters land side by side near Shirou.

"You okay, Hildr, Ortlinde?" He asked immediately, brought out of his stupor. As he looked her over, he saw Hildr's face turn slightly pink. Ortlinde had no expression.

"We're fine! We need to evacuate right now!" Ortlinde said, shaking Shirou off Hildr. "The process of escape will take another minute. If we leave now, we can get out of his disaster area," Shirou grimaced, looking up at the giant.

"So we can't beat him…" he mused.

"Not a chance. His magical energy readings are off the charts. And not only that, but something is missing as well. He's not at his full strength!" Said Da Vinci.

"Not at his full strength?! While I like insurmountable odds, this is a little too much… Even so, I feel we can defeat him!" Napoleon said, standing up. His chest was better now, his injuries repaired.

"I'm sure that if we work together we can do it, this is not our first time," Ritsuka said, smiling a little. Shirou wondered how she did it. She then turned back, towards the now upright Brynhildr. "Can you help us as well, Bryn?"

"But of course. He'll pay for what he did to my dear Sigurd. This Surtr is certainly strong, but nothing compared to the one that brought about Ragnarök. We can do it," she said.

"I'm always ready, Senpai!" Mash added, lowering her visor. Shirou looked at them. They were going to fight despite the odds. Of course, that was nothing new to him, but maybe Archer's attitude was rubbing off. And that was wrong.

"I'll fight as well," he declared, before turning to Ophelia, who was still looking up at Surtr in a daze.

"Ophelia?" he asked, going to her and shaking her a little. She did not move a single bit. It was as if she were under a spell. No, she definitely was. "Ophelia!"

"I see you are waiting for me still, Master," a voice boomed, yet it was calm and collected. Shirou's ears felt like they were going to explode. He looked up to see the fiery giant stare at them. Specifically, he was looking straight at Ophelia, who in turn continued looking at him. "Come now, join me and watch this world burn at my side."

Shirou knew in his heart that was wrong. Even someone like Ophelia would not want to watch the world burn. She had a better heart than she let on, she was someone strong enough to admit she wished to be saved. He needed to keep his promise.

"Hildr, Ortlinde," he said, standing in front of the dazed magus. "Take her away, quickly!" He said, snapping. The two Valkyries nodded.

"Understood. Moving lady Ophelia," Ortlinde said. Shirou kept his gaze on Surtr, who did not move an inch. He was still focused on Ophelia, but Shirou felt a killing intent directed at himself.

"You will not interfere. Disappear," The left eye of the giant shone. Shirou saw it. His death, incinerated by a beam of fiery energy, heart burned to a crisp. It was going to happen no matter what. He was already dead. All he had left was a few seconds to accept it.

However, when the beam came, a shadow stood in front of him, shield raised up.

Hildr was protecting him.

The beam impacted her shield. The Valkyrie did not move an inch, the shield did not bend. However, it melted nonetheless, and Surtr's attacked pierced her heart, barely missing Shirou by an inch.

In a second, Hildr was falling to the ground.

"Sister!" He heard Brynhildr shout out.

Shirou's mind raced. He grabbed her, holding her tight, looking her deep wound over, trying to find a way to treat her. Maybe Da Vinci…

"Look at you…" Hildr said, bringing him back to reality. Her mouth was filled with blood, her forehead leaving trails of it along her pristine face. Despite how hot everything was, Shirou felt her grow cold and… light.

"Hildr…" he said. What else could he say? He was sorry, he had tried his best, he didn't want to be saved. But none of those would console the dying girl in his arms. Brynhildr was at his side now, placing a hand upon Hildr's forehead.

"Her core is destroyed," she stated, voice devoid of any emotion.

However… Hildr was smiling. The first smile he had seen this Hildr give, and her last. He stared into her ruby eyes. He could see the sorrow in them, and he felt his heart shatter. Even so, he did not cry.

He didn't feel anything at all, except a void in his chest. He hated himself for that.

"...you are the same, after all," she declared with a long blink.

"...What?" He asked. He needed to call Da Vinci. See if Ritsuka and Mash were okay.

"Even in the face of sadness, or happiness, you keep that cold expression. Death doesn't even phase you anymore, nor does tragedy. You are like a machine, who only shows others what they need to see in order to keep going."

That was true, in a way. Before the fifth war, he barely felt genuinely happy with anything.

But after meeting the Valkyries, after all those years with Rin and Luvia in the clocktower, and his realization about his ideals… he began enjoying himself somewhat. Enjoying his life.

But the times he could not save anyone at all, he didn't feel sad or angry or frustrated, he felt nothing, and thus had to put on a smile so that he appeared human.

"Hildr… I…" A palm covered his mouth.

"It's alright. You chose to try and feel more, even if you still have ways to go. No wonder I fell in love with you once."

He said nothing. The world around him was a void.

"Thank you," she said, smiling like never before.

"For what? Getting you killed?" He asked. He felt something for a second. A burning anger deep inside his chest.

"For helping me make a choice, even if it meant you would suffer because of it. And now I chose to save you, to die here. That's… all I ever wanted, really. Being able to choose. So thank you," she said. Her body began to turn grey.

"Wait…!" He said, trying to bring her closer to him.

"Emiya… now that is a name I'll remember…"

With those words, her body turned to ash, and faded away. His hands now held nothing.

He had lost her.

He had lost her once again.

"How quaint. I really can't understand you lot. You surrender everything for another, and for what? A smile?" Surtr's booming voice was less than a bump on his consciousness.

Someone shook him. A head of orange hair. "Emiya! Snap out of it!"

Shirou looked beyond Ritsuka's shoulder in time to watch Ophelia step into Surtr's extended hand. The ice around his arm melted into vapour.

"Now, with you at my side," Surtr said, standing up.

Shirou shook himself. He had to help Ritsuka and the others. His grief could wait.

The fire giant towered above them all, Ophelia resting on his shoulder.

"I'll burn this world to nothing."

A/N: And that's all for this chapter. Not much to say except RIP Hildr. During the writing of this chapter I realised I suck at editing, so if any spelling/grammar mistakes pop up please let me know so I can fix them.

Part 10 will come soon. Our party will face Surtr's full might, and Sinmara will reunite with her beloved.