Two chapters only a few hours apart! As you can see, I didn't spend these two years not working on the remaining chapter. I'm almost done with the next and the final is already done.

It was noon by the time everyone returned to the Emiya residence. At least with Illya's Mercedes Benz along with Rin's car everyone wasn't all crammed.

Shirou was able to cook dinner and breakfast just fine but he didn't like that some cooking utensils he's used to were absent in the castle's kitchen. He kept his promise to sleep next to Illya in her room so she was fine with all of them going to his house for lunch.

"Those beds were really comfy, Emiya. Did we really need to come back here?" Rin griped.

"The castle is unsafe with that thing on the loose. It should take longer for it to find us here," Saber said. There was a ding. "Oh, good! The rice is done!"

"I'm not finished cooking yet." Shirou told the king without facing her. "The rice stays in the steamer for a little longer." Saber pouted and her stomach somehow growled.

"Shiiiirou, I want to eat now!"

Akiko rolled her eyes. "She's like a little kid."

"At least she seems to have gotten over last night. And I thought Emer's lectures were the most terrifyin'!" Lancer added.

Rin looked over at the little homunculus. "You okay, Illyasviel?"

"Well, I hurt inside. I'm almost full. Oh, that thing I saw! It's still plastered in my mind."

"I imagine." She glared at Akiko and Lancer when she said that.

"Hey! We said we're sorry!"

"Doesn't fix it."

The wall Shirou was at suddenly exploded, throwing him back where Saber caught him. The dust and debris produced acted as a smokescreen, so when a scream rang out no one could see why.

Then the air cleared, allowing everyone to see the new intruder. The thing had a black body with blue legs and feet. The edge of the blue at the knees thinned and went up to the hips like veins or vines. And the outer arms looked strange. Of course, large grey hands were at the ends of each arm. That looked normal. But each arm had long blue-grey feathers hanging down like a bird's. However, each feather looked stiff, like each was in fact made of metal. And it looked to have two smaller, pink-colored arms crossed in front of its chest. The black head looked somewhat human. Somewhat. The mouth had fangs inside like a predator's and it didn't look to have eyes.

"Hey! Let me go!"

"Illya!" Shirou exclaimed. The mentioned little girl was being held under one of the thing's arms, her flailing her limbs everywhere in an effort to escape. Before anyone could do anything it went through the hole it created like a gust of wind.

Saber instantly materialized her armor and looked ready to take off.

"Lancer! Stay here and protect the three Masters!"

"Huh?!"

"Where are you going, Saber?!" Shirou demanded.

"I am going to rescue Illyasviel."

Interlude

Saber jumped through the hole in the wall of the house, going as fast as she could. She couldn't protect Irisviel in the end, but the Servant could at least protect the daughter of the homunculus.

Saber took to dashing and jumping between roofs. The creature holding Illya seemed to be doing the same in order to avoid attention. It was moving as fast as Saber was, so it wasn't hard to stay far enough behind the monster so she could still see it, but it couldn't sense her.

She ended up following the creature to Ryuudou Temple, and that's when Saber began wondering what the intentions of the monster were.

'Where is it going?'

It did not lead her up the stone steps as she thought. The monster ran into a cave at the foot of Mt. Enzou. About a minute later, Saber landed at the entrance to the cave.

'What is in here? Well, I am about to find out.'

She took off at high speeds into the entrance that yawned before the king. She eventually came to a cavern at the end, still inside the mountain.

If there was a Hell, this was it. All that was missing was the fire surrounding her. The air felt heavier and more ominous than what led to it, as if stepping into a demonic realm. Covering most of the cavern ground was a mound looking to be made of brown-black earth, like the top half of an earthly orb. She could sense the insane levels of mana it held.

'Is that...the Greater Grail?!'

At the top of the mound was what looked to be a pillar of fire. It went up through a hole in the cavern's ceiling, up to the heavens. At the base of the pillar, looking to be enshrined in the fiery glow, was a figure. It was black and had no arms or legs. At the top of its "head" were a set of spikes, arranged like a crown. In the center of the spikes was a purple ball. Something contained within the figure seemed to be...growing? It's body was slowly coming together. Only up to its shoulders had taken shape.

The pillar lit up the cavern, giving the room a reddish glow to it. The air was thick and charged, making this place feel part of the demonic realm.

And facing the mound, their backs to Saber, were two others. One was Illyasviel. She was standing by the hulking creature that took Berserker down. The one that kidnapped the homunculus was nowhere to be seen.

"Illyasviel!" Saber shouted. The girl and the beast turned their heads, looking back over their shoulders. Illya's large red eyes were blank, as if her mind was under someone else's control.

"Ah," the creature said. It was still covered in wounds. It must not possess the same healing speed as the Servants. A pathetic excuse for even a pseudo-Servant. "You must have followed my Chi-You here. Planning to rescue the puppet?"

"Of course!" Saber held her invisible sword with both hands. "Now release her!"

The beast chuckled. "Very well. She has served her purpose."

Illya's eyes suddenly held emotion again. She instantly recognized the blonde Heroic Spirit. "Saber..?"

"Come over here, Illyasviel."

Illya, without hesitation, ran over to Saber, hiding behind the Servant.

"I had planned to let her go. I needed her to open the gate. But I need someone else now," the creature said lowly.

"Who?!" Saber demanded.

The thing laughed. "I see no reason to tell you. You should not have come, anyway. Like I said, I was going to let the girl go. After all, she has fulfilled her duty. And I do not need to eat her. I have already amassed more than enough power already. However, while she is free to go, anyone else who came here are not. I am afraid you will need to die."

Saber grit her teeth, knowing that she wasn't going to get out of this easily. Then she spoke, without looking over her shoulder at the girl cowering behind her. "Illyasviel! Return to the house! You are aware that you are near Ryuudou Temple, right? Then you should know the way back!"

"But what about you?!"

"It may take me longer, but I will return! I promise!"

"You'd better! And when you get back, call me Illya!" The little girl started to run out of the cavern to the entrance.

Saber smiled. "Very well." She readied her weapon, her eyes glued to the beast. She carefully watched its shoulders and eyes for any movements against her.

It tensed like it's about to spring at her and Saber did the same. Mana was forced into her legs and, like a flash of light, jumped to the side in time to prevent it from crushing her. This is her second time seeing it but its agility astounds her.

When she landed she pushed off the ground with enough force to crater it. Her sword was swung down at the exposed flank of the monster. A wall got in her way, keeping Excalibur from slicing into the monstrosity. No, not a wall, Saber realized. It was one of those web less wings. Regardless, she kept swing her sword in an effort to break it, sparks flying like a blacksmith's hammer hitting metal.

The thing roared and Saber had to back off as dozens of those rose-crystal knives tried to impale her. This was then followed up by Saber having to evade dozens of balls of red lightning.

A flash from the halo and Saber knew what was coming. Mana was forced into her legs once again along with using Mana Burst to narrowly dodge the speed-of-light superheated beam launched her way. A violent shaking gripped the cavern when the attack hit the wall.

An hour passed of Saber's attacks being blocked and her avoiding all the ones coming at her. She became aware she was getting tired. Saber spat in frustration. With her current amount of mana remaining, she won't be able to stand against this monster for much longer. She had to end this soon. Hopefully Illya got far enough away. As if on cue, Shirou began telepathically speaking to her.

'Saber, Illya's here. And she tells me that right now, you're fighting the same monster that ate her maids and killed Berserker!'

'Yes, that is correct.' She suddenly had to avoid a tail slam. The entire time she was blocking, dodging, then attacking.

'Well, forget it and get back here!'

'I cannot.'

'Why not?!'

'This thing will not just let me leave here.'

'Then I'll use a Command Seal to teleport you here!'

'No.'

'Why not?!'

'Even if you do, this thing will just attack us again. I must stop it here and now.'

'Saber, you don't have to do this alone!'

'I must. We may not get a chance like this again. He could switch locations and have his familiars keep doing all his dirty work.'

'...Fine. But flee if things go bad for you.'

She soared over the beast and swung her sword down, on where the arm of the left wing met the shoulder. But the flesh wouldn't split easily. She had cut it halfway before a thick tail met the side of her and harshly smacked her into a cavern wall. She was panting, desperate for more magical energy.

'Master, I require more mana!'

'Saber?! But this is my last Seal!'

'Use it anyway. We will figure out us only being connected through our pact afterwards.'

A golden rush of power filled the king's body and she got up. Fire was back to burning in her eyes. She charged with a war cry, her sword swinging from the side at the thing's face with all her might. It tried to block with a sudden crystal pillar but the sword easily cleaved it in two. A remaining yellow eye widened in shock and right then a deep cut was created on its face, making it recoil. Saber was about to follow up the sword swing when a tail slammed into her side, knocking the air out of her and making her crash into a wall.

Saber panted hard, blood coming out of her mouth. This wasn't good. It looks like she won't make it out after all. So she decided to talk to Shirou in her mind. For the last time ever.

'Mas...ter...'

Shirou could instantly tell that by Saber's weak, trembling voice, that something was very wrong.

'Saber! What's wrong?!'

'It appears...as if I...won't make it...back...'

The wing claws of the monster swung down and Saber tried to block them with her sword. But her arms were too weak now and the sword was pushed down. Lots of red flew up as the claws ripped into the king's left shoulder, severing her entire left arm. Saber cried out at the pain and the severed arm vanished into a dust of golden mana. She was planning on using her Noble Phantasm as a last-ditch effort but now it's too late.

'Saber?! SABER?!'

Saber bit her lower lip hard, trying to endure the pain.

'Shirou...I wish...for you to know...that...I could never wish...for a better Master...than you...' The monster punched the girl in the chest, denting her armor and making her back slam hard into the cavern wall behind her. More blood sprang forth from her lips and she swore she felt most of her ribs cave in. 'Shirou...I love...you...'

'Saber, don't talk like it's the last thing you'll say!' From Shirou's voice, it sounded like he was crying. Saber just gave a bitter smile and exhaled, accepting her fate. 'We'll send help your way! Lancer should be able to -'

'No, Shirou...Even Lancer...won't make it...here in time...' The monster swung its paw to the side of the knight. But she didn't resist. She knew already that it was hopeless. The paw made her bloody body skid sideways along the wall before eventually falling off it. She hit the ground on her face. 'Stay there...and stay safe...'

'Saber, I love you too! Which is why you can't die!'

The beast came over to Saber, raising one set of wing claws over the Servant. Saber's bloody lips curled into a smile as she said the very last thing she would ever be able to.

'Shirou...I only pray...that we...can meet again...'

The claws came down, slicing through both Saber's abdomen and skull. Her body burst into hundreds of golden glittering lights.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Talk to me, Saber!" Shirou shouted, punching the wall of the living room as Saber didn't reply. The others along with Illya were gathered behind Shirou, all looking concerned for him.

"Is Saber..?" Rin asked tentatively, since Shirou shouted that. Shirou buried his face into his arm and his shoulders shook as he cried hard.

"...You must be the only Servant left," Akiko whispered to Lancer, talking so quietly that Shirou wouldn't hear her. If he did, reality would only upset him further.

"Shirou..." Rin murmured. She carefully went to the sobbing teen and gently placed her hands on his shoulders. He didn't lash out at the mage, but leaned into her, still crying. "Let's go to your room so you can let out everything you're feeling."

"Thank you..." Shirou said, so quietly that Rin almost didn't hear him. Akiko looked at Shirou with pity. It was clear that he and the Servant loved each other. His anguish at her death must be more intense than he was letting out. Then she looked at Lancer. Was this pain the fate that awaited them?

Rin led the grieving male out of the kitchen, both vanishing when the door slid shut. Moments later, sounds of him crying hard could be heard, even through the walls.

Interlude out

Illya turned to Akiko and Lancer. "I need to talk to both of you."

"About what?" Akiko asked.

"He captured me to open the gate and had me under mind control to make me do it," Illya replied. Akiko and Lancer know who 'he' is. It's that tiger. "And that made me learn about him. His name is Arius Nova, the 'Vanguard of Angra Manyu'."

"Angra Manyu?" Akiko echoed.

"During the Third War, the Einzberns broke the rules and summoned an Avenger-class Servant named Angra Manyu," Illya explained.

"An Avenger?!" Lancer exclaimed. "But that would put the total Servant classes to eight! And how did they manage to summon Angra Manyu?! He's a devil! The Grail only lets you summon heroes!" But even as he said it, he knew it was possible. It was supposed to only be heroes that could be summoned. And yet there were obvious anti-heroes in this War. So something must have happened to make that possible. Or there was a loophole.

Illya glanced at him. "You're wrong about two things. First, this Angra Manyu wasn't the devil himself. Just someone given the name Angra Manyu. A long time ago, in a small village, the people practiced Zoroastrianism and believed that only by having pure souls, they were worthy of receiving God's blessing. But keeping a soul free of sin was next to impossible. So they believed in a method for this. They chose a single man to torture and burden him with their sins. He became 'one to bear all the evil in the world'. In a way, enduing this saved the souls of the world's people and made him a hero. Then, in the Third War, he was summoned and defeated early. When the Grail took him in, his wish was so strong that it remained even after his personality vanished. The Grail grants any and all wishes. And second, it is because of him that you are now able to summon anti-heroes. That is why Servants like Medea and Medusa were summoned."

"So 'Angra Manyu' is tainting the Grail," Akiko summarized.

Illya nodded. "Yes, and since Lancer is the only Servant left in the War, he will be freed soon."

"His goal must be to eradicate all humans," Lancer said. Akiko looked at him in shock.

"What?!"

Lancer looked at her. "He must harbor a deep hatred of humans fer what he was put through." Then he looked back at Illya. "An' how does Arius Nova fit into all of this?"

"When the Fourth War ended, Angra Manyu was frustrated that his rebirth had been stopped. So, just in case the Grail would be destroyed in this War as well, he spawned a protector of the Grail from the mud. That is Arius Nova. His task is to make sure that Angra Manyu's rebirth this time goes smoothly."

"If that's his purpose, then why has he been goin' around and committin' murders?!"

"He sensed that this War's Servants were stronger than he expected. So he built up his power just in case. He uses familiars known as Chi-Yous to carry out work such as gathering what Angra Manyu needs. Namely a Master for Angra Manyu."

"If he's survived this long without a Master, why does he need one?" Akiko asked.

"This entire time, staying in the Greater Grail has provided him with enough mana to stay in this world. But being outside the Grail will cut him off from its mana. So he needs a Master to supply him with it instead. But if that Master has a will, then he or she might break their pact with him. To prevent that possibility, he intends to take over their mind and destroy their will in order to make them a doll whose only purpose is to give him mana."

"But if all he needs is a mage, why did he go after you? You're a powerful mage. Wouldn't it be easier to go after a weaker mage?"

"It wouldn't work with just any mage and I was needed for a different reason. Arius Nova didn't target me only because he chose to, but that he had to."

"What do you mean?"

"Since I have the Lesser Grail within me, he can use me to turn on the Greater Grail. But he still isn't done."

Now Lancer spoke, also saying what Akiko was going to ask. "What else does he need to do?"

"At the end of the last War, when the Lesser Grail was destroyed, Angra Manyu gave a fragment of it to someone, though I don't know who. That person could be made his Master, the thing he needs. A Command Seal must be used in order to make your Servant destroy the Greater Grail. Lancer won't be able to damage it without having one used on him."

"Why?" Akiko asked.

"Because destroying a miracle isn't free. There is always a price to pay."