Author's Note: Edited on 2020/11/15. Adjusted Carnwennen to include abilities from Caster Artoria's version.
Chapter 04: Remembrance
Fuyuki City Streets
208 hours to Zero
Ryuunosuke Uryuu had a rough time of it this afternoon. He hadn't even had a chance to eat his lunch before the police barged into his most recent workplace at a convenience store. He fled, narrowly escaping from the officers who were quite ready to employ their sidearms. In a place like Japan, which was strict enough to require every single bullet fired to be accounted for, it was an added surprise. Had Caster not taken measures to protect him, he'd have died there and then. Said measures had involved tentacled monstrosities that killed the police, his boss, and his coworkers as well. At least there were no witnesses.
The criminal vanished into the alleyway, following Caster's directions in his mind. Even with the assistance of Caster in Spirit Form above him, he still came across more police. These were thankfully distracted by a high-speed chase involving a cool-looking foreign guy on a souped-up ice cream scooter. The man provided the distraction necessary for Ryuunosuke to escape the area into the sewer system. He gave a sigh, blind to the stench after so much time amongst the scent of the dead.
"Thanks for the help, big guy! I didn't expect them to find me so soon." Ryuunosuke said as Caster manifested near him.
"I believe this is the work of a Magus, Ryuunosuke. Those men had a veil of Magecraft over their eyes. A suggestion spell to increase their urgency. I fear that your identity is known to at least one in this war." Caster conveyed, his fish-eyed expression unchanging.
"And the Mage used the cops instead of getting their own hands dirty? Man, that means I can't go home! I need to find a place to crash tonight. And clothes. And food! I'll have to raid the fridge of the next family we visit." Ryuunosuke started to realize just how bad being a wanted man was going to be now that he lacked anonymity to rely on. Caster put a hand on his Master's shoulder.
"Worry not, Ryuunosuke. We shall seek out a place for me to set up a workshop. I will forge for you a Mystic Code to evade those who seek to find you unless they have Magic Circuits of their own. That will allow you to continue the essentials of living. Then, once we have accumulated enough prana, we shall take back my Jeanne. Any who interfere with us are merely volunteers to be our newest canvas!" Caster smiled to reassure the kindred spirit, who was already smiling once more.
"That's so cool! Alright, big guy! Once we've got what you need, we'll have fun and paint the town red with their blood!" They walked along the sewer, the man excited as if he were a child promised a treat from his father. "I wonder if a mage's guts look any different from normal ones! I can't wait to see!"
Einzbern Castle, Germany
206 hours to Zero
Sharing the same bed, Kiritsugu Emiya and Irisviel von Einzbern shuddered in their sleep. Nightmares plagued the pair, though it was really something far more than just shadows of their own imaginations. Images of war with a Servant somewhat like their own plagued their minds, followed by death and suffering. It was brief for one, but it was long and lingering for the other. Then, it abruptly ended. They jolted awake to find Lancer Artoria standing over them, her hands on their heads. "Master. Irisviel. I just used my Magic Resistance to disrupt an attack on your sleeping minds. Are you both well?" Her tone was formal, though it carried with it a tinge of concern. Irisviel sat up, rubbing her eyes. She looked at Lancer in confusion for a moment before speaking.
"S...Saber?" Irisviel slowly woke and noted Lancer Artoria's surprised expression before correcting herself. "...L-Lancer? I'm so sorry! Wait...how did we get back here? We were in Fuyuki...the Grail..."
Kiritsugu embraced Irisviel swiftly and unexpectedly. He held her close, trembling in a manner unlike that Lancer Artoria had ever seen from him before. "You're alive...thank God you're alive, Iri..." The Servant looked upon the pair, stunned by Kiritsugu's response. Just what had the pair seen? What could have made a man like her Master respond in such a way?
"...Please listen. A mage just intruded on your sleeping minds. I was able to recognize it through the Master/Servant bond and break it with my Magic Resistance. I recommend that you adjust the Bounded Field around the castle to ward off such attacks, and do not sleep anywhere without a similar field configured. Someone is clearly intent on using dishonorable means to achieve victory. Just what were you forced to see?" The King of Knights inquired, wondering what could have shocked the pair so thoroughly.
Garden of Avalon
"See? It turned out just fine. They're nice and stable. I don't know what you were worried about, Morgan." Merlin said with a smile expression to his jailer and former lover.
In Merlin's tower-turned-prison, Morgan le Fay looked upon the smug magus with irritation. "This turned out well because all I permitted you to do was add the memories and the corresponding emotions of their alternates to them. Aside from historical rote knowledge, there is barely any dissonance aside from Rhongomyniad, Add, Gray, and this Lancer being present instead of Avalon and Artoria. It is only enough to let them know where the 'appended content' begins and ends." Morgan's eyes narrowed as she approached and poked Merlin in the chest with an accusatory finger. "Had you attempted more changes, that would have taken far more time. What would have happened if you were editing their souls as you intended when Lancer cut the connection, I wonder?"
"Something very interesting, I'm sure," Merlin said playfully only to see Morgan's face shift toward anger. "Oh, don't be like that. As interesting as it might have been, it's not what Artoria would want. You were right. See? I can admit it." Morgan's anger was partially diffused, the imminent consequences dulled into a simple glare. Merlin had given in too easily. Had he already known what he could get away with and simply over-stated his interventions to alarm her? Putting this aside, she looked at the man warily.
"Well, I hope you remember that altering unnecessary details will increase complexity and cause butterfly effects. Are you going to tell Artoria about this?" Morgan asked, only for Merlin's smug smile to never waver. Giving a small sigh, Morgan yielded the fight for now. Hopefully, her sister could weather the coming surprises well.
Tohsaka Mansion, Japan
204 hours to Zero
Tokiomi's study held an unusual sight. The Tohsaka patriarch sat behind his desk as normal as the grandfather clock chimed six in the evening, but in one of the seats in front of and to his left sat Artoria. Fuyuki's Second Owner held no belief that this woman was the typical modern girl she dressed to appear as. She was clearly one of noble birth, her attire an effort to fit in with this era.
"The Mystic Eyes were not borne of a recent mutation. They are something he's had likely since he was born." Tokiomi said after a moment of consideration. "They activated once his Magic Circuits did and he used a spell, but he has always had the power locked away from what I can determine. In-born Mystic Eyes are far easier to learn to command. We are also fortunate that he is learning to control his Magic Circuits so quickly and that we found him young." The woman before him nodded, bearing no surprise. She'd seen the results of the past few hours as well.
Shirou seemed unable to tap into his Magic Core as of yet, which thankfully remained concealed from Tokiomi. It was to be expected as Artoria's own Magic Core would likely have attracted mages back in Britannia had Merlin not taken similar measures during her own youth. Shirou did, however, have the ability to tap into all one hundred and eight of his Magic Circuits. Tokiomi had encouraged the use of the 'Tracing' Magecraft which he thought to be a clue to Saber's identity, though initially disappointed to find that it was indeed a form of Projection. Still, he had the boy start out by making projections of gemstones for the sake of being able to analyze any flaws in their internal and repeating structure.
Shirou's ability to project was flawless, though it was explainable by his hybrid Mystic Eyes rather than needing to reveal the existence of the child's Reality Marble. The projections were also impressive in their duration because they were so realistic that it took Gaia notable time to recognize them as phantasms to be corrected. In fact, they had yet to be rejected.
They checked his abilities of Alteration and Reinforcement next, those being the other basic skills that Mages first learned. The child's proficiency with them was impressive to a disturbing degree as well, easily warping various pieces of metal into sharp swords and arrows. The latter called forth memories of Archer in Artoria's mind. Though Shirou was skilled at archery in his previous life, it was apparent to Artoria that Archer had left an added mark that she didn't fully approve of.
May the Root help Merlin if she ever learned the truth of the matter.
Artoria was snapped out of her thoughts when Tokiomi resumed speaking. "Shirou's Projection, Alteration, and Reinforcement abilities are impressive. I chalk that up to his Mystic Eyes analyzing his work more fully as well as a natural skill at controlling his energy flow. He seems to have the potential to employ Bounded Fields as well, though not much practical knowledge. I've not had time to determine his Origin, Element, or any Affinities, but he is clearly a prodigy. Someone who may be able to compete with Rin." In spite of this information, Tokiomi bore a look of concern. Artoria had been unable to give him much information on Rin's background, though her description of the girl's character was spot-on. After all, Artoria had only known Rin for two weeks and that time was spent trying to survive, plan, and keep Shirou alive from the latest danger. On those matters unrelated to Rin, Artoria was quite silent.
"You seem to enjoy the prospect of your elder daughter having a rival. Forgive my confusion, but that seems to oppose the logic in sending away your younger child." Artoria stated, drawing Tokiomi's attention. This statement served a dual purpose. First, it further cemented the idea of Shirou being Rin's rival or study partner in Tokiomi's mind Second, it made Tokiomi consider Sakura's fate once more.
Tokiomi regarded Artoria for a moment, before smiling sadly. "In a sense, perhaps. But it was my responsibility to secure Sakura's long-term need of a family from whom she could inherit a crest and skills. Shirou has so many Magic Circuits and such raw potential that he will not have any issues finding a Mage Family to marry into. In the meantime, he can serve as the benchmark for Rin to compete against. My daughter too is a prodigy and is thus at risk of laxity in terms of unlocking her full potential unless she has a goal to reach for. I am teaching her diligence, but a friend and rival can be a stronger motivator during youth."
"Would that not require someone teaching Magecraft to Shirou in a more complete manner?" Artoria asked, prodding if this man was considering taking Shirou on as an apprentice. After all, Shirou would need someone to care for him if the end of the Fourth Grail War was averted and Shirou was not found by Kiritsugu. Tokiomi paused, seriously pondering the matter. However, it was at that point when both smelled the aroma of food being prepared. Artoria knew that particular smell by heart.
Tokiomi was confused and Artoria expectant as they interrupted their conversation to investigate. Leaving the study and tracking down the origin of the scent, they found Shirou cooking in the kitchen. He'd found a step stool and was employing it to aid him in his efforts, the young boy cooking quite effectively. Artoria smiled warmly on realizing that Shirou hadn't lost any of his cooking skills, the child having elected to make sukiyaki with what he had found in the fridge. He was as artful with it as Artoria recalled.
Her mouth watered at the prospect of having her first taste of Shirou's cooking in centuries. Tokiomi simply looked on as the child found himself absorbed in his task. He was about to interject, but a voice called out from the dining room.
"It is best not to disturb a cook while he performs his duties, Tokiomi. Even a King knows when to let the help do their work." Indeed, Gilgamesh was waiting in the dining room sipping on tea. It was strange for Artoria to see Gilgamesh partaking in such things. Still, the King of Heroes did seem to enjoy the fruits of man's labor and innovation from time to time. Kings though they were, neither lived in a time where cooking was as sophisticated. It could be both a blessing and a curse.
"At the very least you maintain a supply of fresh ingredients, Tokiomi. Some of the things my subjects eat today are nothing more than filth." Gilgamesh recalled some of what he'd seen people eating when he was out and about. Prepackaged culinary sins that made his stomach turn. Ice cream was a ray of hope that this World might yet have things to offer. Artoria had a seat and started to enjoy some green tea herself. Tokiomi, after a time, gave up and elected to join them. He observed Shirou as best he could, though the kitchen interior was designed not to be easily visible from the dining room.
In time, the child came out of the room with assorted dishes. Rice and miso soup were available with pickles on the side. The main dish, however, was a shallow iron pan in which strips of meat, mushrooms, tofu, noodles, and various types of vegetables were segregated into sections of the pot and cooked together. Rather than just being a reckless mix of flavors, the meal was carefully proportioned and arranged. In a deviation from the typical Japanese meal, Shirou then emerged with a barley-like flatbread. Artoria smiled at the sight. Shirou had learned how to produce it before in an attempt to make her feel at home during the Fifth Holy Grail War, and it was a further sign that he was still in there and knew her on some level. Gilgamesh's society also functioned on barley bread, and he seemed to note the familiar item amid the unusual.
"I would typically insist upon a taste tester, but we are particularly short-staffed. Tokiomi is needed to sustain me, after all. I have little choice but to proceed. Be grateful for my trust." Gilgamesh said this as he sampled the food. He had adapted well to the use of modern cutlery, though he instead used gold implements from within his own Gate of Babylon rather than the silver implements which Tokiomi employed. He cared little that it was inappropriate for this particular dish.
"I do not see beer or wine with our meal," Gilgamesh noted before looking to Shirou. The boy looked confused, so Tokiomi interjected.
"My King, current law in this land does not allow children or young men to drink alcohol until they are twenty years of age and are thus better equipped to be responsible with its consumption. Children are taught to go out of their way to avoid even touching it. I will get the wine." Tokiomi said, rising from the table and giving a bow before going to fetch the wine. Gilgamesh was soon provided the red drink which was at least acceptable. Still, it was not as much to his liking as that stored in the Church's basement.
"Hn. I suppose I shan't fault the mongrel child this time. Ensure he is properly educated in providing the complete meal in the future. My will supersedes any modern law." Gilgamesh rolled the wine gently in the glass before taking a sip. Artoria, across from him, bore a rather different expression. Her face was one of pleasurable consumption, the pace of her meal slowed in an attempt to maintain decorum. Even Tokiomi was surprised at the meal's quality. He suspected Shirou to help cook at the orphanage regularly.
After the meal was complete, Gilgamesh deigned to speak and evaluate. "An unusual taste from a foreign land, fine in its own way. The bread was palatable and reminded me of my homeland's best. Continue making it. The bean curd absorbed the taste of the surrounding foods well enough. However, the meat was mediocre and the vegetables were not all up to my standards." Shirou's chin lowered, the boy disappointed in himself, while Artoria looked a mix of surprised, irritated, and insulted for the child's sake. Gilgamesh, however, continued.
"To make the meal acceptable in spite of those ingredients shows that you have some use as my chef during this War. I shall provide some more suitable ingredients from my personal supply for you to work with in the future." The powerful Heroic Spirit looked to his 'Master' next. "Tokiomi, provide some of the best examples of local ingredients and spices for additional flair. The regional cuisine may be more interesting than I initially suspected. See if you can have the Church deliver some of its wine as well." Shirou's eyes lit up as Tokiomi gave a bow. Shirou quickly followed suit. It seemed to Artoria as if Gilgamesh's current attitude was not triggering Shirou's hidden memories. While always prideful and conceited, the King of Heroes was a bit more unhinged during the Fifth War than he was here. Artoria suspected it to be due to the influence of Angra Mainyu's corrupting power. Even if the cursed mud hadn't been able to overpower Gilgamesh's will and sense of self, it still seemed to amplify his worst tendencies.
"I will improve the quality of the stocked ingredients. I will also consult Father Kotomine about the wine selection, my King." The Magus knew that Gilgamesh needed to be kept amicable through the War, and Tokiomi was fortunate that the child actually knew how to prepare food capable of assisting in that regard. His own Chinese dishes were not as much to Gilgamesh's liking. The man continued, taking careful note of the time. "In the meantime, I must tend to some matters in my workshop. While I cannot guarantee enjoyment for my King, I am pondering a subtle change to the plan which would require less of your intervention. Your attendance is welcome, of course, but not a prerequisite if you prefer not to attend."
Gilgamesh knew what plan he meant, but Artoria wondered if this detail had changed from her memories as well. The false attack on the Tohsaka Manor by Hundred-Faced Hassan, which was supposed to lead to that Assassin's 'defeat' and subsequent concealment, could not work if a different Assassin had been summoned.
The King of Heroes, meanwhile, noted the effort by Tokiomi to say that he was welcome but may well be bored if he attended. The golden Archer suspected that the business would likely involve chatter over that silly device before they actually came up with a plan. Still, Gilgamesh decided to attend and left with Tokiomi.
Tokiomi seemed to be unaccustomed to cleaning up after meals, and Gilgamesh had no interest in doing so. Seeing the child struggle a bit to handle the work, Artoria recalled that she had helped very little when she was Shirou's Servant in the Fifth Grail War. Feeling a tinge of guilt, she assisted the child in the cleanup...though she was a bit clumsy with the dishes and almost broke a few. The 1500-year-old girl realized that she wasn't really aware of how to handle domestic activities, but the ten years she had left before her planned return should be enough to fix that...right?
"Shirou?" She inquired once they were done cleaning up, the child looking up to her once bidden and prompting her to continue. "I will at times need to leave to hunt Caster. He must not be permitted to assail others without consequence. While I believe you will be safe here, there is something I need you to copy and keep for your own protection. Can you please try to do so?"
"Okay, Saber. What do you want me to Trace?" The boy was a bit confused, but he had gotten used to Tracing gemstones. The woman briefly looked hesitant but pulled a playing card from her jacket pocket. The King of Hearts card, however, quickly discarded its camouflage and transformed into a dagger.
"I desire you to look upon my weapon with the full power of your eyes. Analyze it and its powers completely, taking whatever time you must to do so. The dagger's properties may protect you, even if it is the weakest of my armaments." Obeying Artoria's instructions, Shirou's eyes widened as he set his Mystic Eyes upon the blade. The dagger, The Shadow-Treading Carnwennan, was also known as the White Hilt of Penumbral Dagger and was the emergency weapon of King Artoria Pendragon. It was able to conceal the user visually and from magical senses in a manner equivalent to a B-ranked Presence Concealment. It was able to hit the enemy when thrown, even changing direction to strike if needed. It also had some anti-thaumaturgy properties which were notable. Its strengths lie in its versatility in keeping its user safe and providing alternatives. Shirou felt the D-ranked weapon integrate into his Reality Marble. Focusing and guiding his energy for the next step, the child worked on creating the best possible reproduction he could. Then, to Artoria's and his own surprise, he said the first words of his Aria.
"I am...the Bone of my Sword."
In a brief flash of light that filled the room, a dagger appeared in his ready hand which was an exact copy of the original.
"V-very good! We will have to test its powers, but I can do that and teach you the use of the blade at the same time...Shirou?" The boy's eyes looked over Artoria's shoulder and he dropped the dagger, the weapon clattering to the ground. His eyes were wide as they stared just past Artoria's head. He didn't even register Artoria's hands on his shoulders. "Shirou, can you hear me? Are you alright? Shirou!"
In looking to Artoria with the power of his eyes active, he was drawn immediately to the woman and the baseball bat on her back. Excalibur, The Sword of Promised Victory, was not so easy a construct to analyze. It was forged by the planet itself as a Divine Construct to protect the planet in its darkest hour. However, it was not forged merely of metal. It was forged by feelings and concepts, an ideal made into steel. In its long history, it had defended against an invader from space, was guarded by the Fairies, passed into Artoria's care with Avalon, helped defeat a dragon, attained the Invisible Air ability, battled at Camlann...and then there were the Holy Grail Wars. He saw battle after battle. Death after death, including his own...
Once more, Shirou Enjou fell into unconsciousness.
Tohsaka Mansion Workshop
203 hours and 12 minutes to Zero
Gilgamesh had followed Tokiomi to the basement, where the latter had his workshop set up. Tomes in English, Chinese, and German were present, but none of them held interest for the two men. No, their focus would be the phonograph in the room which had been modified with a gemstone. For people who abhorred modern technology, someone had adapted the century-old machine to Magecraft efficiently enough. Gilgamesh thought it a foolish and arbitrary dividing line for what technology was considered taboo and what wasn't. What was a century in the grand scheme of things, anyway?
A burst of energy from above was felt by both, followed by faded shouts of alarm from Saber. Tokiomi was about to investigate, but Gilgamesh raised a hand to stop him. "No need, Tokiomi. Our resident lioness has merely miscalculated. The cook will be fine after sleeping for a while." Gilgamesh had a look of mild amusement as if he had heard an inside joke that only he was privy to. While the idea of someone copying the identifying symbols of heroes through the ages would be distasteful on its own, Gilgamesh knew that the child had a small chance of becoming something more than a mere faker.
"Very well, my King." Tokiomi yielded to Gilgamesh's input. Defying him wasn't a good idea, and his Clairvoyance was likely able to determine what was happening through the walls. Tokiomi returned to his original intentions. Approaching the device and verifying that the gem was in place, the man turned a dial and waited. A bell rang on the other end, compelling the man he sought to speak with to answer. After a somewhat extended time, a response was heard through the horn on the phonograph.
"Hello, I'm sorry for the delay. I didn't expect any messages through this device." Risei's voice came through, clarifying that this deviation wasn't in the plan. The priest was careful not to use his name or give anything away until Tokiomi confirmed things on his end. It was a sound decision considering the weight of their actions.
"Greetings, Father. My apologies for the intrusion. I was wondering if you were available to speak." Tokiomi said, making sure no one else was listening in on Risei's end.
"I am. What can I do for you, Tokiomi?" Risei inquired of the younger man.
"...I am tempted to adjust the plan slightly if Kirei is willing to do so. Assassin's Presence Concealment is likely sufficient to investigate the Matou estate and determine if Sakura is truly suffering from abuse as Berserker and her Master have indicated. I must confess, though, that my motivations for this change would be entirely personal. Kirei and Assassin may certainly decline if they wish." Tokiomi felt guilty for calling upon his connections with the Kotomine family and Assassin for personal gain after what he had already requested of them, but his daughter's fate nagged at him. Kariya and Berserker could have been lying to gain an advantage in the War, but the rage they conveyed over the matter seemed very real.
There was almost no pause before Risei responded. "I will give Kirei a call and relay this, but I see no problems. It is not a sin for a father to care for the well-being of his child, and I would feel duty-bound to assist in this matter by human decency alone. I fully expect Kirei and Assassin to agree."
"Thank you, Father Kotomine." Tokiomi's voice carried a measure of relief. Gilgamesh was only vaguely interested in what he was hearing. If it meant he could continue waiting for an encounter worthy of him rather than soiling his weapons on someone unworthy, all the better.
Einzbern Castle, Germany
203 hours to Zero
"Five years? Oh, Kiritsugu..." Irisviel walked around the desk in their study to her husband's seat and embraced the man to comfort him. She and Maiya had both recounted ten days of events that comprised the Holy Grail War before they both met their ends, but Kiritsugu had survived. No...he'd lingered. It was just a matter of how quickly it took that war to kill him. He hugged back, clinging as if she would fade away. It was understandable. From his perspective, she was long dead.
Only the red light on the telephone indicated that Maiya was still connected to the speakerphone, her silence one of contemplation. Kiritsugu's apprentice had the same dreams of another life that these two had from half a world away. She remembered assisting during the Grail War before being mortally wounded and eventually dying by Iskandar's hand, though it was revealed by Irisviel that it was actually Lancelot in disguise who had done the deed. The identities of all the servants were known, and that particular one had stunned Lancer Artoria just as much as the news that a Saber-class Servant bearing her name had fought on their side. One who had chosen Excalibur and Avalon rather than Rhongomyniad as her primary armament and had thus stopped aging. That detail was hard to fabricate in the modern era.
"Thank you, Iri..." Kiritsugu finally said, collecting himself. His priorities were forever changed, a resolve to prevent the nightmares which had plagued him filling his soul. "Maiya, do you remember anything else from your end?"
"That's about everything on the personal side, though there do seem to be major geopolitical differences. Do you remember the existence of a country called England?" Maiya inquired, making Kiritsugu's and Irisviel's eyes widen.
"Oh...that was a thing, wasn't it? British history was a bit different." Irisviel revealed, gaining Lancer Artoria's attention.
"Irisviel? Master? Would you care to elaborate on that point?" The flaxen-haired Servant inquired. This seemed to be quite relevant to her own concerns. The intense gaze she bore was one that revealed her request to be a formality that was unwise to ignore.
It would be Kiritsugu who responded. "Lancer, that World's Britannia fell to the Anglo-Saxons after your rule concluded and took the name England, which means 'Land of the Angles'. King Arthur's Camelot became a famous tale ending in tragedy. Saber wished to save her Kingdom from that end and sought the Grail to do so." Lancer Artoria nodded, following the description so far. "In this World, Artoria Pendragon occasionally appeared over the centuries to set Britannia on a different path, including protecting it from the invaders and entrusting it to King Gawain and his descendants. While the Saxons and Angles eventually cohabited here, it was under British terms rather than theirs. Camelot fell, but Britannia endured."
"Maybe her wish was granted by some other Grail, and we remembered the way it was before the resulting change to history?" Irisviel put forward, hopeful that things eventually worked out well for Saber Artoria.
"I'm not sure. What I do know is that the Grail was corrupt in that World. The Bounded Fields of the Einzbern Castle were also used against me later on. I need to account for both of those problems." Kiritsugu pondered how to deal with these things if they held true here as well. He felt Irisviel's hand go to his shoulder and he looked at his wife's face.
"We also need to make sure our son will be okay," Irisviel said, surprising Kiritsugu. Before he could speak further, the kind woman simply said, "If he still exists and things go properly, his parents may survive this time. If he is in need of us though, we will be there. You love him. That is enough for me to love him too, Kiritsugu."
Kiritsugu gave a tired smile to his wife, relief washing over his features. Maiya couldn't see this, but she decided to chime in just the same. "I'll start running searches for the name 'Shirou' using the kanji you've provided, but not knowing the family name will make things difficult. Hopefully, a redhead in Japan is a unique enough target for me to trim the search time down to something reasonable."
"Thank you both," Kiritsugu said before a gentle knock on the door drew their attention away from the topic at hand. The embattled man noted the sound and collected himself with a sigh. "Enter." After being given permission, one of the many homunculus maids in the Einzberns' reserves opened the door and stepped inside. Emotionless eyes regarded those assembled, eyes through which Jubstacheit von Einzbern could perceive them.
"Recent events in Fuyuki require the Master to speak with you. He awaits your presence in the Chapel." She gave a curtsy before she departed to continue her other duties. It was notable that though she was polite, there was no request or wiggle room. There wasn't even enough consideration of a decline for her to stay and hear their response. The word of the Einzbern Family Head was absolute within these walls.
Kiritsugu's trust in the man had been impacted by the memories he had, and he felt himself having trouble dismissing them. An attacker wouldn't have been able to anticipate the personalities of everyone in his memories to such a fine degree, including Kiritsugu's own. Collecting himself, the man rose from his chair. "Maiya, I'll have to disconnect. There's been an emergency meeting called."
"Understood. I'll keep exploring my own end. We'll talk more later." With that, Maiya's call ended efficiently. Others might interpret it as bordering on rude, but Kiritsugu knew better. They both had a job to do as soon as possible. Kiritsugu, Irisviel, and Lancer Artoria all went to the familiar chapel, their expressions and misgivings set aside for now. They couldn't show weakness in front of the patriarch of the Einzbern family.
They entered the chapel where the tall and aged homunculus waited. He regarded the group with stern, red eyes before speaking. "A seventh and eighth Servant have manifested. Somehow, this war has become host to an additional Saber-class servant." No pleasantries or greetings were exchanged. The topic, however, was enough of a surprise to distract the arriving trio from realizing such. "Caster's Master is a serial murderer named Ryuunosuke Uryuu who attacked a child and used his blood to summon the Bluebeard aspect of Gille de Rais as Caster. Saber manifested to protect the child and managed to fight off Caster with the aid of Berserker. Caster believes Saber to be Jeanne d'Arc, though she denies this. Hopefully, at least some of this information will be useful in ensuring their elimination." The man donned a slightly irritated expression before continuing. "Sadly, due to Caster and his Master's conduct and Caster's obsession with Saber, Saber and her Master have been deemed too useful to attack by the Supervisor of the War at this time. You will have to eliminate Caster before taking out Saber."
"Right. I'll begin researching the name of Caster's Master. Do we know anything about the child?" Kiritsugu asked, finding this to be interesting. This second Saber did not exist in the last war, though Caster's identity seemed to be unchanged. He would have to look up the name of Caster's Master in public records and see if the face matched that of the man who he recalled shooting at Mion River last time around.
"The child is an orphaned boy who happened to have Magic Circuits. We don't know any more than that because the Supervisor is withholding that information. However, there is one more detail I should mention." The homunculus' expression turned dark before he continued. "Saber claims to have memories of a corrupted grail from a previous summoning and has been casting doubt on the state of the Grail. The Supervisor, Tohsaka, and Matou have all inquired as to the validity of the claim. I rejected such a thing, of course, but will still be sending some homunculi to protect the Grail's physical location from tampering. If anyone asks, you are to support the stance of the Einzbern family in this regard."
Kiritsugu's eyes narrowed slightly, though this was thankfully taken by Jubstacheit as an agreement regarding the ridiculousness of the claim. "Understood. That may be related to the mental attack Irisviel and I endured in our sleep."
"Mental attack?" The old man asked while Irisviel wondered what Kiritsugu was doing. Why was he even mentioning it if it was to their advantage to stay silent?
"It seemed geared toward trying to dissuade us from pursuing the Grail. Lancer's Magic Resistance, however, allowed her to interrupt the assault. She recommends adjusting the Bounded Field around the estate and the forest to prevent further instances, and to do the same wherever we sleep for the duration of the War." Kiritsugu relayed just enough truth to be believable but clearly didn't want to reveal everything. He had an angle here.
"That is correct. Merlin used to use his dream intrusion abilities to assail his sleeping enemies. It was quite effective, though I frowned upon their use in certain cases. Bounded Fields were later used by my forces to prevent others from performing similar attacks on us." Lancer Artoria backed up her Master, knowing that he technically hadn't lied. It was best to see where he was going with this.
Their host pondered over what he was hearing, clearly irritated that such an attack had passed through the defenses of his Castle. This was expected by Kiritsugu since Jubstacheit was originally built as a management system for the Castle itself. He would not tolerate less than perfection and had made Kiritsugu enhance the Bounded Field repeatedly before. Adjustments that had earned Kiritsugu a measure of limited trust. "...Very well. Do what you must to adjust the Bounded Fields to protect against such intrusions. Irisviel, assist him. We have at most half a day before you must leave to maintain our schedule." The old homunculus considered the matter closed, unaware of the glint in Kiritsugu's eye once he'd turned his back and walked away.
Kiritsugu turned his eyes to the ladies in his present company, giving them a smile that Lancer Artoria noted was directed toward her as well. "Then we have to hurry and adjust this bounded field if we want Illya to be safe." Comprehension dawned on Irisviel and Lancer Artoria, the former giving back a warm smile. They both followed Kiritsugu to help put a few secret holes and vulnerabilities in the Bounded Field so Kiritsugu could save the girl later. They weren't about to let history repeat itself.
Atlantis
Twelfth Millenium BC
Storms covered the earth as a result of the war waged in the upper atmosphere. The Twelve Machine Gods had done battle with Sefar, known also as the White Titan, and lost. Their spaceship bodies, the Aletheia, fell to Earth and crashed with cataclysmic results. The Shooter-Type Interstellar Fighter Craft Artemis had crashed violently into Atlantis as the final vessel to fall to the White Titan. The sentient and sapient vessels which had nurtured the life on the planet had been lost, their lives flickering away. The indigenous nature gods which populated the world were also dying in combat, extinguished in scores by this insurmountable juggernaut.
Between the global tsunami caused by the violence and crashing of ships into the oceans and the more direct damage of the conflict, life in Atlantis had been snuffed out. A white-haired humanoid figure stumbled clumsily out of Artemis' broken Altheia and splashed into the thigh-deep water. It was an injured body constructed and controlled by the vessel for interacting with the primitive humans in her care, but now Artemis was using the Terminal in a manner that was never intended for. The enviably proportioned body was now an escape pod for the consciousness of the ship to survive even as the true body died. Of course, this meant Artemis' power was greatly diminished and even the Terminal itself was fatally wounded.
The White Titan stood above the dead and tsunami-swept land, looking down upon the white-haired remnant. It was as if she was contemplating crushing an insect. Was it even worthy of her time?
Artemis, meanwhile, lamented the loss of her family and looked upon her foe in rage. As a warrior dedicated to protecting assets from a distance, she never truly came close to the people in her care. She'd only watched from afar as she kept them safe. Nonetheless, she raged at the failure of her duties and the loss of her kin to this monstrosity. Even now it held Ares' Sword of Mars as a spoil of war as if to taunt her.
"It won't end this way, you hear me? Everything we've accomplished wiped out? Our very lives destroyed? I refuse to accept thiiiiiiiiis!" Artemis raged helplessly, her left fist clenching at her side as she stared defiantly at her fate while her right hand cradled her injured and bleeding chest and torso as best it could. Her torn, white dress was stained red with her blood in the process.
Her cries were not ignored. Rather, they were heard and answered by the one that was the least likely to intercede. The Moon Cell had been present for longer than the Earth itself, the only information on it being that it was once the core of a rogue planet called Theia that struck the ancient Earth and altered its tilt and rotational period into something conducive to forming life. Unlike the Atlantean Pantheon which actively sought to cultivate the world, it was more focused on observation and did not establish contact often. Indeed, Artemis' role as the moon's goddess was born in part from the fact she was in charge of communicating with the Moon Cell in the rare instances when it was required.
This time, the Moon Cell responded readily to the cry and surprised Artemis. Visions of a crystalline segmented cube and a sea of blue numbers flooded her mind before a prompt called her attention to it.
ANALYSING PARAMETERS OF CONFLICT
RUNNING SIMULATION...DONE.
PROBABILITY OF SHORT TERM DIVINITY SURVIVAL: 0.35%
PROBABILITY OF LONG TERM DIVINITY SURVIVAL: 0.01%
PROBABILITY OF SHORT TERM HUMAN SURVIVAL: 7.68%
PROBABILITY OF LONG TERM HUMAN SURVIVAL: 2.35%
PARAMETERS UNACCEPTABLE. INTERVENTION REQUIRED. GAIA CONCURS.
SEARCHING FOR CONCEPT OF CREATION...HUMAN WILL SELECTED
HYPOTHESIZING BASIC STRUCTURE SUITABLE TO COUNTER THREAT...DONE
GAIA AMENDING SCHEMATIC...DONE
GAIA ADDING SECOND DESIGN...DONE
PARSING THROUGH SIMULATION...DONE
DIVINE CONSTRUCTS 1 AND 2 APPROVED
PROBABILITY OF SHORT TERM DIVINITY SURVIVAL: 70.26%
PROBABILITY OF LONG TERM DIVINITY SURVIVAL: 16.49%
PROBABILITY OF SHORT TERM HUMAN SURVIVAL: 99.935%
PROBABILITY OF LONG TERM HUMAN SURVIVAL: 99.916%
PARAMETERS ACCEPTABLE. GAIA CONCURS.
COLLECTING THE COMPOSITION MATERIAL...
As this flashed through Artemis' consciousness, she became aware of the wishes of the humans in her care manifesting as golden light. As if drawing together an army of fireflies, the will of the fallen throughout the past, present, and future began to congregate in one place. Hopes, dreams, aspirations. Artemis' eyes widened as she marveled at the beauty which she'd never before been close enough to see before it descended into the Earth.
CREATING DIVINE CONSTRUCT 1 WITH GAIA'S ASSISTANCE...DONE
GAIA CREATING DIVINE CONSTRUCT 2...DONE.
The golden light would then return, rising from the sea in the shape of a sword and scabbard which had both been forged in the heart of the planet. The scabbard was a blue and gold Conceptual Weapon connected to the very heart of Gaia and was insurmountable in its defense. Artemis was also aware of the waves of energy it emitted rapidly healing her injuries, leaving not even a scar.
NO COMPATIBLE USER ON SITE. GAIA ENACTING EMERGENCY SUMMON OF COMPATIBLE USER...DONE.
Artemis then saw a woman appear from a burst of light, standing on the surface of the sea. Armored and ready for battle, yet radiant in the moonlight, the flaxen blonde opened her emerald eyes and looked upon the newly created armaments. Sparing a moment to regarded Artemis with a nod of respect, she claimed the sword and drew the newly minted blade. The weapon was an impossibly radiant blade of blue, gold, and silver-white in her hand, pulsing with power. This was a Divine Construct made by both Gaia and the Moon Cell for the former's defense. It was not powered by a god or goddess, but by the wishes and will of humanity through the Earth's history. A fine replacement for Artoria's Caliburn which, from her perspective, had just been shattered.
The blade, which could only be described as conveying the impression of perfect beauty, bade Artoria to hold it on high. She lifted the light of the purest human wishes above her head. The blade began to charge with yet more golden energy. The White Titan that had thus far stared without expression decided to destroy this unexpected obstacle. It would find the decision too late in coming. When Sefar swung the stolen Sword of Mars and attempted to strike down Artoria Pendragon with it, it met an absolute defense in the form of Avalon.
"I know not where this test has brought me, but I clearly see that you lust for the blood of the innocent!" For the first time, Artoria poured her energy into the sword while the surviving goddess looked on. "To give the slain peace and to protect those who remain...cleave through this monster, Sword of Promised Victory! EX...CALIBUR!"
The light was so powerful that it tore Sefar apart, a piece of it even launching with the Sword of Mars into the eastern sky. It was only protected because the Sword of Mars managed to shield that small section of its body. The blast also finished tearing Atlantis apart, the sea rushing in as the landmass itself collapsed. Artemis noted that a curved piece of broken hull from her former body had rolled over and she climbed into it like a lifeboat, even as the waters rose and consumed all.
Before long, Artemis was aware of the woman from before standing next to her boat on the sea. Artoria Pendragon regarded the adrift goddess for injuries as she stood on the waves with the blessing of the Lady of the Lake, unaware of Artemis' identity or nature.
"My apologies, fair lady," Artoria spoke in a language that was foreign to the era but that the Moon Cell allowed Artemis to understand. "Had I arrived sooner, perhaps more people could have been saved. It is not my place, however, to question Lady Vivian's wisdom." Artoria sheathed the sword and faded away in motes of golden light, back to whence she came. The scabbard and sword remained behind, lowering into the water to return to the planet and wait for when they were next needed.
Over twelve thousand five hundred years later, in the sixth century AD, Artoria Pendragon would return from her test in the past and be awarded that era's Excalibur and Avalon by the Lady of the Lake to replace the broken Caliburn. The King of Knights never knew that she had traveled through time to save the world, and Artemis had never even been able to respond to her champion.
After what seemed like hours of being adrift alone in the Atlantic Ocean, a voice called out and gained her attention. "Artemis! Hey! Over here!" Following the call, her eyes spied a small submersible in the water. It was one which she recognized as a survey and emergency craft normally attached to Poiseon's Aletheia. Spying Apollo's Terminal waving to her from the hatch, her eyes widened. Had the others also thought to survive in this manner? Hope blossomed once more in the weary Artemis' heart, and she went to rejoin her kin. Though the Atlantean Pantheon from the First Age of Gods was no more, the Greek Pantheon of the Second Age of Gods had just been born.
Britannia
Sixth Century AD
Artoria plunged Excalibur into the black dragon's right hand while Excalibur Galatine was plunged into the left by Gawain. Even as the creature drank up the light of the swords, Excalibur continued to carry a weak glow and the blades kept the creature at bay long enough for Artoria to employ another weapon.
"No, foolish child! The Age of Man will cause everything to fall! It must be wiped away! One such as you with a foot in both cannot rule or it will bring ruin!" The dragon, Vortigern, called out to his niece as she drew her lance.
The King's expression was focused as she refused to heed her foe's words. No more time would be bought, no more quarter given. This was the closest to loss she'd ever known. "Let light be released from the Ends of the World. It shall split the heavens and connect the land. Anchor of the Storm, RHONGOMYNIAD!" A spiraling cone of light that tightened into a tip at the end was plunged into the enemy, with a mighty blast destroying the already wrecked castle around them.
Though all the weapons employed seemed weakened in this battle due to the nature of their enemy siphoning their energy, Rhongomyniad was enough to destroy the dragon. All this left behind was a dying old man who briefly lamented his loss before the light forever faded from his eyes.
November 15, 1994
Mion River, Fuyuki Japan
A madman chanted that his lord had come, watching the abomination shrouded in pink mist with glee. Four golden beams of light pierced the horror summoned by Gilles de Rais, but that was all the contribution that Gilgamesh was willing to provide from his armory. One of the modern craft sent to intercept, an F-15J from the Japan Air Self Defense Force was consumed. The other, however, was seized by Lancelot and used to do battle with Gilgamesh in the air in what the King of Heroes deemed a more suitable source of entertainment.
Artoria slashed at the tentacles of the monster which fought to come ashore and devour the masses watching the nightmarish creature in their ignorance. Her blessing from the Lady of the Lake, allowing her to walk on water, was indispensable for this. Sadly, the monster was able to regenerate seemingly endlessly. Even Iskandar's aid did not make much of a dent. Only when the mad Master of Caster was killed by two shots, dying in glee at seeing his own blood, did the monster even briefly pause. Even this, however, was not a true reprieve.
Only working together did the remaining group manage to even guide the horror into a position that had a chance of achieving victory. Diarmuid Ua Duibhne restored Artoria from a previous injury by breaking his own Noble Phantasm. Iskandar used his Reality Marble to relocate the monster far enough away from shore and into an optimal position. And Artoria, after evading Lancelot's fire and getting support from Diarmuid and Gilgamesh to force him to break off, finally stood on the water in front of Mion Bridge and raised her glowing blade. As had happened long before, golden flecks of light appeared, drawing into one location.
"The light..." Waver Velvet said in awe.
"It shines bright." Irisviel von Einzbern stated. "It is the true embodiment of the sad, yet noble dream of all soldiers; past, present, and future who lie dying on the field of battle. Touched to their hearts with their last breath. Holding aloft their dying wish. Making certain that their loyalty will not be in vain. The invincible King is about to cry out the True Name of the miracle the wields in her hands..."
Artoria stepped forward, preparing to swing the blade as Irisviel continued. "And that name is..."
The King of Knights swung her blade toward her foe, golden light pouring into the night. "EX...CALIBUR!" As the wave of energy rushed out, displacing the sea as it surged forth into her foe, everyone was reminded of their dreams, their wishes, their happiest times...even the madman commanding the monster recalled the one who he had lost and, in doing so, found peace in his final moments before vanishing in that light.
The King of Heroes decided at that moment to claim Artoria as his own.
February 15, 2004
Ryuudou Temple, Fuyuki Japan
Only when acknowledging that some things were beautiful because they could not be possessed did Gilgamesh show some semblance of contentment and allow himself to fade. It had been a hard fight, Excalibur's light employed alongside the defense of Avalon. Still, Artoria had won.
Rushing to assist her Master, whose energy was fading, Artoria's eyes widened in horror as she witnessed it. The mud had covered her Master, his pain insurmountable as he fought to stay sane. His opponent stood victorious as Shirou's dreams were eroded by All the World's Evil, compelling him not to see humanity as worth saving. To let himself perish.
"Sh-SHIROU!" Artoria cried out, attracting Kirei's attention. He looked to her with a sadistic smile, not caring that she could cut him down. The look of surprise on Artoria's face was a source of immense pleasure for the man.
"Saber? Did Archer lose to you? Well, you're too late. Even if you saved your Master now, he will merely bear the same curse as his father. Let him die here, or permit him to linger in a slow, painful death? Both choices are difficult ones, aren't they? Of course, you are a King. Deciding who dies or lives to suffer is a duty you are very familiar with." Before Artoria could respond, the mud surrounding Shirou contorted and he forced himself partway free to his chest. His skin rotting, one of his arms falling away, and only one eye seeing, he raised his other arm toward his shocked Servant. He couldn't gather enough energy to trace Avalon, but there was still one thing he could still do.
"Shirou, hang on!" Artoria worked to start removing Avalon from herself to save him, thinking that was what his outstretched arm was for, but Shirou had other ideas.
"Saber...I'm sorry..." Shirou said, Saber's eyes widening in horror as he instead bore his Command Seals. "By my Command Seals..."
"Shirou, NO!" Artoria called out in horror. Kotomine also flinched, not expecting the boy to still be able to act.
"...Destroy the Grail and All the World's Evil!" Shirou cried out, the red markings vanishing. Even as the woman struggled, her eyes tearing up as she was once more commanded to destroy something precious to her, she could not stop her blade from rising and the golden light from rushing forward when the blade fell once more.
This time, however, that which was precious to her wasn't the Grail. The young man with whom she'd fallen in love vanished in that light, alongside All the World's Evil, Kirei Kotomine, and the Grail. Only Illyasviel von Einzbern remained. The girl shuddered to her core as she recalled her Master's dying expression...the same relieved face that Kiritsugu bore in Shirou's dreams when he'd managed to save someone. He bore her no contempt or hatred...seeing her blade as the salvation of the World. Dawn broke as she looked over the carnage, lamenting over the blood of her lover and Master on her hands. Before she vanished to her era once more, all interest in the Grail gone, she managed a few words which no one remained alive to hear.
"Shirou – I love you..."
November 11, 1994
Tohsaka Mansion, Japan
192 hours to Zero
His eyes ached. Shirou was accustomed to awakening with the dawn and had received plenty of sleep over the last 11 hours on top of that. When he opened those eyes, he was immediately aware of Artoria sitting in a chair next to his bed. The young woman's eyes were focused on him, her sad expression shifting into a warmer one when she became aware of his wakeful state.
"Shirou, you're awake..." She smiled with relief for a moment before her face became stoic once more. "What happened? Did you overwork yourself tracing Carnwennan?"
"N-no..." Shirou corrected. He rubbed his head, noting that he was in the bedroom belonging to Sakura which had been allocated to his use. "I looked at Excalibur's handle by mistake and...overloaded, I think?"
Artoria's eyes widened a little as her face bore concern. "I'm so sorry, Shirou! I should have been more careful! Excalibur is not like other weapons..." She recalled just how dangerous it had been for him to trace Caliburn. Excalibur was far above even that. A Divine Construct that was among the strongest of Noble Phantasms. To endure using Structural Grasping on its long history while a mere child...
"N-No, Saber, it's my fault! Besides, i-it wasn't just Excalibur. It was...I..." Shirou tried to make sense of what all he had seen and heard. Finally, he regarded Artoria with worry. "...I saw myself. I-I know it was me, somehow! I saw a grown-up me make you kill me with my Command Seals-" Artoria's arms were around Shirou in an instant, embracing the child. She was trembling and Shirou could feel tears running down his cheek that had fallen from her face. Those shaking arms anchored him in place with their strength, as if she was terrified that he would vanish before her eyes once more.
"I'm sorry, Shirou..." The young woman clenched her teeth in grief, having wanted to spare Shirou such a memory. While she wasn't sure how much Shirou remembered, Excalibur's history would surely have shown him every fight she was part of. That in turn would guide what he saw of her life in his dreams. For him to see his own death at such a young age was something she never wanted for him. "I'm so sorry..."
Shirou gently hugged back, his headache and Magic Circuits aching due to his exertion. Still, he ignored that for Artoria's sake. "It's okay. It was to destroy the bad Grail, right? You had to...it's like when Dad destroyed the Grail the first time..." Shirou's eyes widened a bit as he tried to parse something that made no sense in his mind. "'Dad?' Why'd I call him that..." Soon, however, he cast aside that thought for Artoria's sake and continued to speak. "I heard you say you loved me, so I know you wouldn't have done that to me if you could help it. I don't remember everything about you yet, but I will someday! My arm said so in a dream!"
Artoria's tears continued to flow for a moment but soon stopped. In spite of her confusion at the continued mention of his arm, her face heated up slightly at the fact he had heard her confession from way back then. "Y-yes..." She managed to say in response. Of course, the child likely didn't understand what sort of love she meant. He might not until he was older or regained his memories in full.
Shirou kept going, not sure what else to say. "Well, I want you to know that I forgive you ahead of time. Excalibur is made of wishes from the past, present, and future. I guess I saw the future. So...I don't want you to blame yourself when you have to do that-" Artoria's eyes widened and her grip around Shirou tightened. Her head pulled back and stern emerald eyes with yet unshed tears bore into his own golden ones.
"No," Artoria said bluntly as if staring into his very soul. "Listen to me, Shirou. Are you paying attention? I need you to remember my words." The child was surprised by her intensity and gave the barest of nods. "Good. Because from both of our perspectives, that event has already occurred. I was devastated when you died, so I contacted a...man who is like a father to me. He took your soul after it left your body and put it into a new body. You have been reincarnated. It is complicated, but what you saw does not have to happen again. I will not allow it. By my will as your Servant and King, you will live." Artoria was not normally one to insist upon her authority. She even knew that her kingship wasn't binding to Shirou on an intellectual level. It was more a statement to convey the strength of her own will than a command.
"I-I see. Got it. Thank you, Saber..." Shirou said, surprise giving way to a smile. So she'd given him a second chance? Even as a child, he somehow knew the value of such a thing. What he didn't know was just how much his smile warmed Artoria's heart. A growling noise broke the moment, making Saber blush for a very different reason. Shirou blinked and looked down, before smiling widely. "Ah, you haven't eaten yet? I should get to work on breakfast!"
Her bangs covering her eyes, the embarrassed girl seemed as shy as she had previously been insistent. She hadn't had a chance to eat since she was kicked out by Gilgamesh to patrol for Caster the previous night. Artoria gave a nod of acquiescence before letting the boy go and departing the room with the house's new cook. She was looking forward to a decent meal.
EMIYA's eyebrow twitched as he looked upon the mess. Oh, he knew it would self-organize into something more structured once Shirou's soul had the ability to sort everything, but the new 'additions' were messily integrated for the moment. He sighed as he picked up Artoria's smartphone as well as Irisviel's much older brick-style cell phone, the latter being from the Battle on the Mion River. Shirou's Mystic Eyes had seen it through an odd mix of analyzing Excalibur's massive Conceptual Weight and his dream link with Artoria. Cleaning up those was easy enough.
Every weapon of the Knights of the Round and the weapons Artoria encountered in her first time through the Fourth Holy Grail War would be a huge boon, but weren't the other things Shirou had picked up a bit much? The ex-Counter Guardian looked upon the Lion Pop Ice Cream Scooter with an odd expression, and couldn't help but eventually give a chuckle as he shook his head.
Author's Postscript: I know that Artoria could simply have brought Avalon and Excalibur with her to 12,000 BC as a Servant, but I kept thinking to myself "How were Excalibur and Avalon created, then?" Having Artoria defeat Sefar as a task given to her by Vivian to prove worthy of Excalibur and Avalon in the first place works because Vivian is a Fairy, an extension of Gaia. It also side-steps the contradiction that the Artoria Pendragon at Camlann Hill is only supposed to be summonable when there is a Holy Grail involved.
Now for some details on Artoria's dagger, Carnwennan. This is based on an article from the Fate Fanon Wiki I found while I was searching for any canon interpretation of the dagger in Fate but toned down with its heaviest attack removed. Credit goes to the original author, who based its powers on the original Arthurian legends where it cut a witch in half.
Edit: A variant of the weapon has since become used by Caster Artoria, so I mixed the abilities of the two.
WEAPON DATA:
Name: The Shadow-Treading Carnwennan
Owner: Artoria Pendragon
Type: Anti-Unit
Rank: D (normal), C (projected)
Range: 1~2 (normal), 1~30 (thrown), 1~50 (laser)
Maximum number of targets: 1 person (normal), 99 people (projected)
The dagger Carnwennan, also known as the White Hilt of Penumbral Dagger, is the backup weapon of King Artoria Pendragon. It is nowhere near as powerful as Excalibur or Rhongomyniad, but its strength instead lies in its versatility. It is best employed when keeping its user safe and providing them with alternatives in a situation where a frontal assault would be ill-suited. It is possible, however, for a user to master the weapon's shadow nature to project floating duplicate jewel-like javelins to help convey its power against multiple targets or across a wider area. A skilled user can use this in a manner similar to Unlimited Blade Works or Gate of Babylon, albeit with elevated energy cost.
It can conceal the user visually and from magical senses, granting a B-Rank Presence Concealment skill like that of an Assassin. The weapon also possesses some anti-thaumaturgy properties which, while inferior to Rule Breaker, are notable. Carnwennan can also guarantee a hit against an enemy when thrown or if it fires a laser-like energy burst at its foe, though the type of hit is not guaranteed like with Gáe Bolg's heart strike and favors the center of mass instead. This is accomplished by using the shadowy Imaginary Number Space to redirect the blade in flight, even allowing it to change direction rapidly before or after passing its target. It is possible for a person to use Carnwennan to traverse Imaginary Number Space through shadows themselves, but requires one whose senses or calculations safely allow such travel.
Similar to how an alternate version of Merlin turned Excalibur into a prosthetic limb, Carnwennan is often disguised as a playing card. While it can appear as any card in various types of playing card decks, the King of Hearts is its default disguise as Merlin's reference to Artoria as a King in love.