A/N: Here is the next chapter the conclusion to events of Fuyuki before the story truly starts.

Once again thanks to Greatratking88 for his work on this chapter for his touch ups and suggestions to improve it.

I go back and make some adjustments to Emiya's scene, specifically where he traces Excalibur after I was reminded that wasn't possible for him. I blame Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya for that mistake, but I did make some adjustments. I didn't feel up to redoing the whole scene, but I did replace Excalibur with Excalibur Image as a solution until I find something better.

It has also been brought to my attention that locations like the Tohsaka Residence and Matou Residences were destroyed in the game, when compared the map of the Fuyuki Singularity and another Fuyuki Map. However, since I have already been changing much of the story and likely to change more I decided to side-step this issue.

But I do appreciate these issues bring brought to my attention just the same.

Anyway, here is the next chapter and I hope my efforts to compose better fighting scenes from a writing perspective will help create a better reading experience.

Enjoy…

Chapter 5

Grand Order

As they rode the rest of the way quietly, Emiya glanced at the ruins of Fuyuki City around him. His expression was neutral, but internally the Archer-class servant was horrified by the destruction that had befallen his hometown.

Saber, you couldn't have done all of this willingly. Who is the one behind this?

Minutes later, the group arrived at a small clearing near the cave Cú Chulainn directed them to. They had happened upon some reanimated skeletons, but the servants had swiftly dispatched them. As they dismounted their horses, a call came in as Lelouch's communicator began beeping.

"Dr. Romani," Lelouch said, as the doctor's holographic avatar appeared before them.

"Excellent timing. I was wondering if you all had a moment for a quick test?"

"What kind of test? You better not be wasting our time!" Olga snapped, already annoyed with Romani.

"I wanted to try and send some supplies, just a few snacks to test the Rayshift. I want to make sure the system is back up and running," Romani quickly explained.

"You can send snacks by Rayshifting?" Ritsuka asked, uncertain, but Mash spoke up.

"Actually, we can rayshift supplies into a singularity to support the masters we send. Typically, we send your necessary supplies like food and camping equipment," she explained.

"Oh, I see. That provides a convenient way to test it, right?" Hakuno replied. Dr. Romani confirmed it with a nod.

"Okay, Mash, I want to use your shield to create a summoning circle," Romani instructed. "You should be over a leyline, so that will really help lock in on your location."

"Understood," Mash replied as she laid her shield down on the flat Earth.

"Here it comes," Romani replied, as a summoning circle appeared above Mash's shield before three black boxes materialized.

"I guess that is good news, at least. Rayshifting is back online," Lelouch said.

"Well, we need to make some adjustments to ensure Director Olga, Ritsuka, Mash, and Hakuno can return safely. Since Lelouch is still in a coffin, recalling him and his servant won't be a problem, but it's not quite as cut and dry for the others," Dr. Romani cautioned.

"Meaning recalling everyone else might be an issue," Lelouch said, feeling concerned.

"Don't worry. Da Vinci and Sion are working on it as I speak," Romani offered confidently.

"We have good reason to take heart. Two very capable geniuses working on ensuring we can return safely, then," Olga said with one hand over her chest, feeling confident.

"Anyway, you should all enjoy the snacks before the final battle with Saber," Romani offered, "Good luck to all of you."

With those words, Romani's holographic avatar vanished.

"So what did the doctor send?" Ritsuka said, opening one of the boxes.

"Donuts," Hakuno said, clearly not having expected that.

"Better than nothing," Lelouch remarked.

The group decided to eat the snacks sent as a feast for the battle ahead of them. With the facility back under control and their group united, their chances of victory had gone up considerably. Still, their enemy was the King of Knights, and she was not to be trifled with.

Still, I like to think our chances are pretty good.

Lelouch felt confident. Despite the danger the King of Knights posed, if they fought smart and made the most of their resources, they could win.

"We're about to face the King of Knights, and our feast before the fight is donuts," Genghis Khan mused, giving a laugh. "Could be worse!"

"I suppose it was technically short notice," Emiya said, shrugging his shoulders.

"True. Better our masters should follow us into battle on a full belly rather than an empty one, I suppose," said the Khan.

"I agree," Mash replied, biting into her donut.

"I think this is a good time to address the elephant in the room, but are you two alright working with a Britannian?" Lelouch asked Hakuno and Ritsuka. "All things considered."

"Well, it's not like you personally conquered Japan or anything," Ritsuka replied.

"Yeah, and the Doctor did mention you to me a few times. You were living in Japan when Britannia invaded, weren't you?" Hakuno said. Lelouch grimaced inwardly; the doctor should not have shared such details with strangers.

"Yes, it's true. My father," Lelouch spat the last word out with contempt, "abandoned my sister and I in Japan before the war broke out. After we survived the invasion, we were taken in by Dr. Romani."

"What a jerk. I have met my fair share of Britannians who were unpleasant, but wow, that's setting the bar really low," Ritsuka commented.

"I agree. He sounds like a horrible piece of work," Hakuno said.

"Indeed he is. Despite Romani's flaws, he made for a much better father figure," Lelouch said.

"Given what you said about your father, I can't blame you," Olga replied. There was something… odd about her voice. A little longing, maybe even a little resentful?

Is she jealous of me?

He looked at her face. She didn't show much, but Lelouch thought he spotted something there- just a hint of anger, quickly gone as she bit into her donut like it had personally offended her.

I see. So for all of his grand ideals, Marisbury seems to not have been a good father to Olga. I guess that explains some, if not all, of her attitude towards me. Thought Lelouch.

"So, what is the plan when we confront Saber?" Emiya inquired.

"From what I know about her, she was an effective king until she was overthrown by her own son," Lelouch replied. He wondered how that would have worked- if she was king at the time, acting as a man, people would have noticed if she got pregnant. According to myth she was married to Guinevere, which Lelouch understood was likely a marriage of convenience, since Artoria's true gender was kept secret to all but a select few. It was safe to assume Merlin and a few others, likely Artoria's foster brother Kay knew the truth.

With that in mind, I suppose Guinevere's affair with Lancelot makes more sense, in a way.

"However, she is known as a very powerful warrior, and according to our Caster friend here, she felled someone as powerful as Hercules in one-on-one combat," Lelouch concluded.

"Too true. We should all attack her, relentlessly and from all angles. I doubt we can overwhelm her with our attacks, but if we can keep up the pressure, either she'll make a mistake, or at least we can stop her from using her sword against us," Genghis Khan offered. "It's not much of a plan, I realize, but the biggest threat is that sword of hers which can release destructive blasts of magical energy, correct?"

"That's right," Cú confirmed with a nod. "In fact, our Archer friend here made a near-perfect replica of that weapon."

"What about Mash's Noble Phantasm? She was able to not only force Hercules back, but I was told she caused his own attack to rebound upon him," Lelouch said.

"It wasn't her True Noble Phantasm, but only a partial manifestation. It will stay that way until she learns the name of the Servant she is bound to," Cú Chulainn cautioned.

"Could she do what she did again?" Ritsuka asked, quickly adding, "I would rather not she try that method you suggested for her to tap into it."

"Yes, a Noble Phantasm is part of a Heroic Spirit. However, you can't just tap into it by thinking about it. It needs to happen on instinct. I confess having her face Hercules head-on did help draw it out, thanks to the danger and the immense risk," Caster said.

"That was still a rather extreme method you suggested. I am even more shocked Mash went along with it," Ritsuka said, having protested the risk Caster's idea poised to Mash.

"True. But it worked, didn't it? You can't teach a bird to swim. You have to teach a bird how to fly. Now that Mash did it once, she should be able to do it again," Cú replied. "I would suggest naming it. It will make drawing it out easier."

"Naming it?" Mash asked, uncertain of what she would call it.

"Your desire to protect your master and Hakuno is what helped draw forth your Noble Phantasm, did it not?" Olga began. "You didn't want the true name of the Noble Phantasm. Or did you seek glory for yourself? That is why I think your Noble Phantasm responded. Ah, it's just like an inspiring fairy tale."

"Director?" Mash asked, confused by the last part of Olga's words.

"Don't mind me; I was just teasing," Olga admitted with a dismissive hand wave before adding. "I am just pleased you can use your Noble Phantasm now, even if it's incomplete. Without a True Name summoning it will be inconvenient, as Caster pointed out. So I'll pick a good one for you."

"You're going to name it, Director?" Mash asked, surprised by the offer.

"Well, it's a pseudo-deployment of a Noble Phantasm. Let's call it… Lord Chaldeas," Olga said. "Chaldea is a name that has special meaning for you too, doesn't it? To activate your Spirit Origin, that should be a good spell for you."

"Yes. Thank you, Director," Mash said with a grateful smile.

After everyone finished their feast, they prepared themselves for the confrontation ahead. With Caster leading the way for the group, everyone entered the cavern; the cave was wide enough for everyone to walk through. They left the horses outside, but the Khan asked for a few of his men to cover their rear while the rest would scout the pathway ahead. Even if all of the enemy servants bar one had been defeated, the caverns were still an excellent location for an ambush.

"The Greater Grail is further ahead, so be careful and don't get separated," Cú cautioned, using a magical light to brighten the way ahead for them.

"This place is huge. Is this a natural cave, then?" Mash asked, in awe at the size.

"It's probably half-natural and half-man made," Olga pointed out. "Given this was the core of the Fuyuki Holy Grail War system, it was a Mage's workshop that was expanded over time to accommodate the Greater Grail."

"There were probably special wards and Bounded Fields in place to keep the curious away, I imagine," Lelouch added. Olga nodded.

"That is very likely, given the Greater Grail's importance. However, I haven't noticed any wards, or anything trying to deter us."

"Someone probably removed them," Cú suggested. "I can't say why, but I haven't noticed anything either meant to conceal this place or keep us away from the Greater Grail."

"No reason we should lower our guard," The Khan warned. "Even if we have eliminated all of the other servants but Saber, we have encountered skeletons running around the city."

"You're saying we could run into some here?" Hakuno asked as she cautiously eyed her surroundings.

"Relax," Emiya said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'll be right here. They'll have to go through me to get to you."

"Thanks, Emiya," Hakuno said, feeling more at ease.

"Senpai, when we confront Saber, I strongly advise you stay far back," Mash cautioned.

"I agree with Mash." Said the Khan. "You stay far back. Master, I'll have my men cover the entrance to ensure we have no surprises from behind."

"To think we're going to fight King Arthur… my hands are shaking a bit," Mash said, feeling nervous. She had fought Hercules not at all long ago, and that had been hard enough.

"You'll have to have a little courage. From where I stand, I don't see that being a problem for you," Cú offered sagely. "I may not know what your shield is, but I can tell it will never shatter. If you lose it, that will only happen because you messed up, which will leave your senpai vulnerable to attack. Don't think about beating the sword, just think about blocking it and protecting your senpai and the others. Leave striking Saber down to the rest of us."

"We'll handle her," the Khan said confidently.

"You do what you have to do," Emiya suggested to Mash.

"I understand," Mash said, feeling more confident.

"I am sure you can handle whatever is ahead, Mash. You did go toe-to-toe with Hercules and forced him back," Ritsuka said.

"Thank you, senpai," Mash replied. Then, Cú tapped his staff on the ground.

"Get ready everyone, we're here," the Caster warned.

A few moments later, the group exited the cavern and entered a gigantic chamber that was definitely man-made. It was dome-shaped, but in the dark, none of them could tell how big the rest of the chamber was. However, ahead of them was an elevated platform akin to a crater, with an enormous amount of magical power radiating from it.

"Is that the Greater Grail?" Lelouch asked, in awe.

"It is," Olga said, a mix of shock and worry on her face. "This is much more than what those notes mentioned. This is an Ultra-Superior Magical Reactor. What has been going on in this island nation so far East?"

At that moment, Dr. Romani chimed in to make his presence known, having been monitoring their progress closely.

"I guess this means you have reached the Greater Grail. Allow me to answer that," Romani explained. "According to our data, this was built by an eminent family of alchemists called the Einzbern Family. Though they didn't belong to the Mage's Association, with every family member being a highly advanced homunculus-"

"Sorry to interrupt, but we've been noticed," Cú said. He went into a fighting stance, as did Emiya and Genghis Khan, who drew his sword.

Wordlessly approaching them from the top of the crater overlooking the Greater Grail was a young woman of fifteen. What caught Lelouch's attention was the black armor she wore, along with a matching black sword with red markings upon it. Her skin was unnaturally pale, and her blonde hair was pale as well, her eyes a pale gold.

"What unbelievable magical power she is radiating," Mash commented. "Is that really King Arthur?"

"There is no question about it," Roman replied. "Her Spirit Origin has indeed been changed by whatever corrupted her, but it is still Artoria Pendragon. Don't let that youthful appearance fool you; she possesses a lot of magical power. That sword of hers was said to be capable of taking down armies, if Emiya's usage of a replica wasn't telling enough."

"He's right. Her power doesn't come from muscle, but rather from an insane amount of magical power her body has," Cú said. "Her skill with a blade is fearsome as well, but she can use that magical energy to boost her strength and speed beyond what a human is capable of. Every strike is going to be carrying a lot of power behind it, so if you are not careful, the top half of your body will go flying."

"Still, we need to watch ourselves," Emiya said, summoning his twin swords into his hands. "She is also a veteran of many battles, and that's before she became a Heroic Spirit."

"I am ready," Genghis Khan replied, assuming a fighting stance.

Slamming her blade into the ground before her, Artoria Pendragon looked upon her foes with what seemed to be cold indifference. However, a smile suddenly graced her pale face as she looked at Mash, before turning her attention to Emiya.

"I see. Three masters, and each of them has interesting servants with them," Artoria commented.

"What, you can talk?!" Cú Chulainn said, surprisedly.

"What, she never talked to you before?" Hakuno asked.

"Yes, and I was just watching you the entire time you had been talking, acting as a scarecrow," Artoria replied, seeming amused. "But I am curious about that Noble Phantasm."

Artoria pulled her sword out of the ground before pointing it at Mash.

"Be ready strange girl; this sword shall test the truth of your shield!"

"Don't ignore us," Genghis Khan said, mildly annoyed.

"No, all of you shall be tested by this sword. But forgive me if that girl has captured my attention more than the rest of you," Artoria remarked as she took a fighting stance.

"Here she comes!" Mash warned as Artoria rushed towards them in a display of superhuman speed.

Genghis Khan intercepted her charge, locking swords with her, but it didn't last. With one shove, the Khan was pushed back, but Emiya was already coming at her to join the fight. He clashed against Artoria, just barely keeping up with her powerful swings. As the Khan was shoved away, Cú unleashed a volley of fireballs upon the corrupted king, a set of glowing runes before him having summoned the magic. Artoria dodged a few of them, batting away the others.

The Khan rejoined the fight, charging at the corrupted king. As he crossed swords with Artoria again, Emiya switched weapons to his bow. Readying a sword he had compressed into an arrow, Emiya took aim. He waited for an opening, making sure to keep an eye on his target, avoiding any chance of striking his ally by accident. Artoria realized the danger and tried to move out of the way, but suddenly found herself pinned down by a hail of arrow fire from the Khan's men, firing from behind. While the arrows had little chance of piercing her armor at this distance, they forced the warrior king on the defensive. As she parried and evaded, the Khan surged forward, sliding a strike past her defenses.

The Khan's sword transformed, from a sabre into a golden long sword of ancient Chinese design, with Chinese characters inscribed upon the double-bladed sword's center.

The blade's sudden transformation extended the blade, cutting Artoria's cheek, and he quickly followed up with another attack. Charging the blade with magical power, the Khan unleashed a blast of white energy from the sword. Artoria pulled back, narrowly avoiding an explosion that would have taken her head off. Despite both her cheek being cut and part of her face burned by the attack, she deflected attacks from Caster and Emiya.

"What is that sword?" Artoria demanded, surprised but cool.

"The spell I had my shamans place upon it concealed its true form until I was ready to reveal it. Consider it one of my trump cards," the Khan replied with a smirk as he pointed his sword at Artoria. "This sword is called Kunwu, gifted to emperor Huangdi of China by Jiutian Xuannü, the Goddess of War, Sex, and Longevity."

Artoria rushed the Khan, crossing blades with him again.

"How did you obtain such a weapon?"

"I am the king of conquerors. How do you think I claimed it?" Genghis Khan replied to Artoria, batting away another attack.

Emiya rejoined the fight, changing tactics as he began fighting Artoria alongside Genghis Khan. Caster even sent more fireballs her way, trying to conjure roots to grab her legs. Artoria evaded their attacks, deflecting the sword strikes from Emiya and Genghis. The Khan followed up his deflection with another blast of energy unleashed from the sword; Artoria dodged it. However, Emiya followed it up by conjuring dozens of swords and spears behind them before firing them as projectiles as the King of Knights. Artoria narrowly dodged some, but others she was forced to strike down with her sword. At the same time, Emiya and the Khan closed in for another attack.

"You stole this blade from your enemies? This relic weapon of such venerable ancestry?" demanded Artoria.

"Of course," the Khan replied, standing his ground this time. "I made a point to use this sword during my conquests in China to demoralize them whenever possible. They tried to get it back from me, but they failed every time. I made sure they could never get it back. It was buried with me."

Artoria and Genghis were locking blades once more, but the warrior king was forced to move when Caster's roots tried to ensnare her.

"I see the caution in your eyes, king of knights, because I think I know why just a small cut and a glancing blast did so much damage to you," Genghis boasted. "Whatever corrupted you was evil in nature, which means you've been soaked in evil magic. My sword isn't just repelling the evil behind your transformation, it's deadly to you."

"Maybe so, or maybe not," Artoria said, looking at the Khan with a determined glare. "I'll just show you what my sword can do."

Realizing what she intended, the Khan and Emiya launched into a coordinated attack, striking at her rapidly from one side each. Yet despite their efforts, Artoria held firm, her arms moving like quicksilver as she parried left and right with superhuman speed. Charging dark power into her sword, Artoria unleashed dark energy blasts against her enemies, forcing Genghis Khan and Emiya back.

The attacks kicked up dust clouds, forcing Emiya and the Khan onto the defensive, expecting an attack from Saber- but none came.

"Cry out. It is time to fall to the ground," Artoria chanted as the dust cleared to reveal she was gathering an enormous amount of power into her sword. "Hammer of the Vile King. Overturn the aurora. Swallow the light!"

"Shit," Emiya said as he and the Khan hurried to stop Artoria, but she wasn't aiming at them.

"Mash, Saber plans to wipe us out with that Noble Phantasm!" Lelouch warned, realizing the danger they were in.

"True Name, pseudonym registered. I can do this," Mash began readying her shield. "Deploying Noble Phantasm!"

"Excalibur Morgan," Artoria shouted, unleashing a tidal wave of dark power surging towards them.

"Lord Chaldeas!" Mash shouted at the same time, projecting the shield-like barrier she had conjured during her fight with Hercules.

Artoria's attack struck the shield, but it didn't falter despite the intensity and destructive power behind the attack.

"Ahhhh!" Mash cried out, digging her heels in. Suddenly, Ritsuka put his hand on her shoulder.

"You can do this, Mash, just push back like you did against Hercules!"

"Ritsuka, use a command seal to boost her strength. That should provide the boost she needs to send that attack right back at her," Lelouch suggested. "Repeat after me; I order you to push back that attack with the power of a command seal!"

"Okay! I order you to push back that attack with the power of a command seal!"

Using one of his command seals, a wave of magical energy flowed into Mash, strengthening her.

With one final push, Artoria's attack was redirected right back at her. Before Artoria could react, she was struck by her own Noble Phantasm, Genghis and Emiya only narrowly avoiding the blast. There was an explosion of magical energy, and for a moment they were all blinded by the light as a massive shockwave rippled through the air, almost knocking the entire group off its feet. For a moment, Mash hoped that it had been enough, that the king of knights' own power would have been enough to vanquish her, but as she opened her eyes again she realized they hadn't been so lucky. Artoria was still standing, but she was in a sorry state.

Her gleaming armor had been ripped, partially destroyed, large chunks of her once gleaming armor cracked or outright destroyed. Blood trailed down her face from a large cut on her forehead, and her once immaculately groomed hair fell onto her bloodied face in messy stripes. Her left arm was broken, and blood trailed from her chest where her armor had cracked. She stood on wobbling legs, barely seeming to hold herself upright. She stared at them with a furious glare, seeming to hold herself together by will and hate alone.

This, they all knew, was their best chance to finally defeat her.

"I better go all out," Cú exclaimed, holding out his staff. "Burn them completely, giant of all trees. Cage of Scorching, consuming flame…Wicker Man!"

As he finished his chant, a giant, towering creature made of wood erupted from the ground, grabbing the weakened Artoria. It was a towering creature with a wooden cage for a chest. Despite the corrupted Saber trying damnedest to break free, the Wicker Man tossed her into the cage in its chest before bursting into flames. Once aflame, a pool of fire opened in front of it. The Wicker Man fell into it, becoming completely engulfed in flames.

The fire burned out, but the smoke remained. Emiya and Genghis hurried to attack where Saber was when the wood creature fell, intending to make sure she had been finished off. Spotting her in the smoke, Genghis Khan rushed forward, plunging his sword into Artoria's chest. But to his surprise, she made no attempt to dodge it or block it.

"Why didn't you block my strike?" the Khan demanded. Artoria simply smiled.

"She wanted to lose," Emiya said.

"I lost this battle when my tenacity wavered. No matter my fate, I am meant to lose whenever I am alone. My power weakened, it seemed," Artoria mused.

"What the hell does that mean?" Cú Chulainn snapped.

"You'll realize it soon enough, Ireland's Child of Light," Artoria remarked. "Grand Order, the Battle to obtain the Holy Grail and to repair the past has only just begun."

With a content smile, Artoria began to fade away. "I hope one of you will do me the honor of summoning me next time."

And just like that, the king of knights was gone.

"Hey wait, I still have more questions for you!" Cú Chulainn shouted, before he began to fade too. "Damn it, I guess I am called back too. This means the Grail War in Fuyuki is over, so my time is up."

"Cú!" Ritsuka called out.

"Don't worry about me, kid. I'll leave the rest to all of you. My job is done, but if there is a next time, I wouldn't mind if the girl with the nice hips were to summon me as a Lancer." Cú Chulainn mused with a smile.

"Are you talking about me?" Hakuno said, red in the face with both embarrassment and annoyance.

The caster only smiled before vanishing completely.

Lelouch activated his communicator, allowing Dr. Romani to appear before them again as a hologram.

"I've confirmed that both Saber and Caster have vanished. Does that mean we won?" Mash inquired, cautiously optimistic.

"Yes, you have, and all of you have done a fine job. I am sure the Director would be proud," Dr. Romani said enthusiastically. "Hey, where is Lelouch and the Director?"

"Grand Order," Olga muttered. "How did that Servant know that name?"

"Is something wrong?" Lelouch asked.

"Oh," Olga said, realizing the battle had resolved itself, "Right, you've all done an excellent job. Several points are unclear, but we have at least fixed the Singularity. First, let us retrieve that crystal. I think it was the cause for Saber's transformation, and it is possibly what triggered the Singularity in the first place."

"I'll begin retrieval of the-" Mash began, but some unseen power blocked her from getting closer to the glowing crystal.

"Well, I certainly didn't expect you all to get this far," a familiar voice echoed throughout the cavern. "Beyond my plan's own expectations and tolerances, I do admit I made some mistakes. For one: Master Candidates forty-eight and forty-nine, it was a mistake to overlook you two as incompetent children. My second mistake was not ensuring the bomb I used was powerful enough to destroy your coffin. Still, I suppose it was my fault for not checking if that Atlas alchemist had tampered with your capsule."

It was Professor Lev, appearing at the top of the crater.

Lelouch exchanged looks with the Khan, who simply nodded in silent understanding.

"Professor Lev," Mash said in shock. Lelouch and the Khan, for their part, were not the least bit surprised by his appearance.

"Professor Lev? You say Professor Lev is there?" Romani said, confused.

"Hm is that Roman I hear? So he survived as well," Professor Lev mused, his expression changing to one of clear annoyance. "I told you to come to the Command Center immediately. Honestly, trash that cannot follow orders just wants to make me throw up. Why do humans keep avoiding their preordained destinies?"

"Master, fall back right now," Mash cautioned.

"What's going on?" Emiya asked Hakuno.

"I guess this proves Sion and Da Vinci right," Hakuno said quietly. "Professor Lev is a traitor who tried to kill everyone in the command center with a bomb."

"Lev, is that you?! Oh, you're alive," Olga said, somehow having missed what he had just said, perhaps in denial. She took a few steps toward him, but Genghis Khan intervened.

"You will thank me later," the Mongolian said, punching Olga in the stomach. Olga was knocked out instantly, falling over, but the Heroic Spirit caught her before she could hit the ground.

Lelouch hurried over to Ritsuka and the others, as the Khan handed an unconscious Olga to Ritsuka and Hakuno.

"Take him down!" Lelouch commanded. As one, the Khan and Emiya charged, weapons out. However, the same mystical barrier from before deflected their attacks, clattering off harmlessly, much to Lev's amusement.

"So what gave me away? Judging by your expression, Lelouch, you were already certain I was the culprit before I appeared," Lev said.

"To pull off what you did… who else had the access, especially to evade security? Furthermore, we found bomb parts in your room. It might have been done to frame you, but I found it suspicious. The only thing I couldn't figure out was your motive. Considering Chaldea's purpose, I don't see you as someone belonging to a doomsday cult or something of the like."

Lev laughed in amusement, "You are correct… I did use my access as Olga's right-hand man to cover my tracks as I prepared. You were also right that once my bombs went off, I simply didn't care if I was found out afterward. As for motive... you were right to guess my actions weren't because I belonged to some cult."

"Master, stay back," the Khan cautioned. "This man isn't human."

"I agree. There is something unnatural about him," Emiya concurred.

"I too, sense something, but this isn't the Professor Lev I knew," Mash added, raising her shield.

"Excellent instincts," Lev complimented. "You sense that I am a fundamentally different lifeform from a human. I confess I was worried Lelouch's servant would have found me out. Still, thankfully I managed to conceal my true nature long enough to accomplish my objectives."

"Why did you try to kill everyone?" Ritsuka asked.

"I was just getting to that, but I suppose I should reintroduce myself," Lev began before he made a grand sweeping motion with his hand. "My real name is Lev Lainur Flauros. I am in charge of the year 2017 A.T.B. to dispose of you humans."

"Dispose of humans?" Hakuno said.

"Are you listening, Dr. Romani? As a friend who once studied Magecraft with you, I shall give you this final advice as a friend," Lev said before he began smiling sinisterly. "Chaldea is finished. You humans have reached the moment of your destruction."

"Professor Lev," Romani began. "No, Lev Lainur. I can scarcely believe what I was told about you being the traitor. But I have to ask, does this moment of destruction have something to do with being unable to see beyond 2019 A.T.B?"

"It's not related. This reality is simply at its end," Lev snapped back. "To think that your inability to observe the babbling of the future meant that it has disappeared was ignorance on your part. The future didn't disappear; it was incinerated the moment Chaldeas was dyed crimson. Your end is certain; your era no longer exists!"

Lev laughed maniacally, his words echoing throughout the chamber.

"Chaldea might be protected by its magnetic field, but everything beyond it has met the same fate as Fuyuki City!"

"So that's it, we didn't lose contact with the outside world. We lost the outside world itself," Roman said in horror, as Lelouch's face went pale.

Then what happened to Nunnally?

"You really are preceptive; it's a shame I didn't kill you immediately," Lev replied. "But that is futile resistance. Exactly one year from now, Chaldea will be wiped from the universe. No one can change the outcome now. This is a rejection of humanity by human history. You didn't perish because of your inability to evolve, or war with some foreign species. It was all because of your own foolishness and incompetence. All because you had lost the grace of our king. Like a bunch of worthless scrap paper, you'll be burned away without a trace!"

As Lev let out another cruel laugh, the cavern began to shake.

"Oh, I guess this singularity is at its limit then," Lev said, feeling the tremors shake the cavern. "Curse you, Saber. If you had just obeyed, you would have been allowed to live. Even when given the Holy Grail, all she did was cause trouble by sustaining this era. Anyway, I'll be leaving now. Farewell, Romani and the rest of you. Believe it or not, I have other tasks that require my attention, so my enjoyment of your destruction ends here."

"Everyone, watch out," Emiya said as he hurled one of his swords to cut a stone slab that would've fallen on them.

"Now be swallowed up by the dimensional warp. Don't worry, I am not that heartless. I'll allow you all to say a final prayer."

"The cavern is collapsing, no I don't think it was stable in the first place," Mash said. The ceiling was beginning to come down, as Lev vanished before their eyes. "Doctor, please perform an emergency Rayshift now!"

"Hurry, this cavern will come down on us any moment!" The Khan warned.

"Hurry, doctor!" Hakuno shouted.

"Hang on!" Doctor Romani replied. The next moment Lelouch began Rayshifting, followed by Genghis Khan.

At first, it didn't look like Ritsuka, Mash, Olga, Emiya, and Hakuno were coming, but suddenly they were enveloped by blue light and vanishing seconds before the rest of the cavern collapsed.

Their vision was dark, but within moments Hakuno and Ritsuka began to regain consciousness. As their blurred vision returned, they soon realized they were inside the ruined command center near where they had found Mash.

The only difference was that there were no fires this time.

"Fou," Fou said, appearing before Hakuno, who looked at the small creature confusedly, until it licked her cheek.

"Are we back at Chaldea?" Hakuno said, trying to get to her feet.

"Yes, it would seem so," Emiya said, offering his hand to Hakuno.

"I guess the Director even made it," Ritsuka said, using a fallen stone slab to support himself.

"I am glad you have awakened, senpai," Mash offered, now wearing her casual attire from earlier.

Laying on the ground nearby was an unconscious Olga. Near her, a coffin rose up out of the ground.

Upon opening it Lelouch came tumbling out, caught before he fell by Genghis Khan as the servant materialized beside him.

"Looks like we have all made it back, but what Lev said about the world outside…" Emiya said, deeply concerned.

"Actually, if I could have a moment of your time, I could address that," Romani said, approaching the group. "First off, well done on returning safely and resolving the first Singularity. However, as Lev told us, that was merely ground zero."

"Then all of Earth beyond Chaldea is gone?" Hakuno asked in horror.

"Yes," said Roman, his tone severe. "Everywhere on Earth except for Chaldea has been reduced to a molten wasteland."

Lelouch had fallen on his hands and knees, trembling, almost catatonic. Nunnally was gone. His beloved little sister, his everything, was gone. Everyone he had ever known had vanished. His life as he knew it was over. Although Hakuno, Mash and Ritsuka were not breaking down just yet, none of them felt much better. They all had loved ones, connections to the outside world severed forever. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters; the kind of people nobody could stand to lose.

It still felt unreal, unbelievable. The adrenaline-fueled heat of the moment in the confrontation with Lev had been a distraction, but here and now, back at the base, it was starting to sink in.

Everything was lost.

"There is hope," Roman continued firmly, seeing their distress. "We know how he did it, and what can be done to undo it."

"How?" Lelouch asked, his tone urgent, desperate.

"As I am sure you have all heard, changing the present is normally impossible with one Singularity. However, we have detected seven more singularities appearing simultaneously, following what happened in the Fuyuki Singularity. Changing our present day is impossible with one Singularity, but if you were to trigger seven simultaneously at key points in human history, then you have a different story," Roman explained.

"So the key to undoing all of this is resolving all seven singularities?" Ritsuka asked.

"Yes. Right now, Chaldea is like a colony floating in space while the rest of the planet is dead. Unless we do something to resolve the situation," Romani explained. "However, I should note these singularities pale in comparison to the one you saw in Fuyuki. Each of the dimensional disturbances are a lot bigger, and a crystal like the one you found is probably at the heart of each of them."

"It's more than that. Each of these singularities happen at a key turning point for humanity, right?" Lelouch asked.

"Right, so the damage is much more significant. History has ways of healing itself; usually, you can save a life or two. But at the end of each era, history has been set in stone. Still, with these seven singularities, history is unable to undo the damage, not without help," Roman explained.

"That's where we come in, isn't it?" Hakuno asked.

"Exactly. I know this will be a lot to put on your shoulders, but as you know, you three are all we have. All other master candidates are in cryo-suspension, and we cannot revive them without outside assistance. Furthermore, you are the only three with Heroic Spirits, including Mash," Dr. Romani said before asking. "So I'll just ask: Lelouch Lamperouge, Ritsuka Fujimaru, and Hakuno Kishinami. Will you go to these seven singularities, to ensure we have a future one year from now?"

There was silence from the group.

"Can you all shoulder the burden of the future of Chaldea and Humanity?" Dr. Romani asked with a serious expression.

"I'll do it," Lelouch replied without hesitation. "For Nunnally, I will do whatever it takes."

"If it's something I can do, then count me in," Ritsuka offered.

"Of course I'll go. It's either that or wait a year for the end to come," Hakuno replied.

"Thank you, all three of you," Dr. Romani replied with a smile. "With those words, our fates are decided. We will carry out the Preservation of Humanity as Director Olga would want us to do. Our objective will be the recovery and restoration of the seven singularities to save humanity's future. We shall seize whatever relics are being used to cause the disturbances in these time periods to put human history back on its proper course."

Dr. Romani sighed, as he watched two medical staff members arrive with a stretcher to carry Olga away.

"Until the Director has recovered, I'll assume command for the time being. We'll repair the rest of the command center and make preparations for our first mission into the first Singularity. Lelouch, Ritsuka, Hakuno, remember that history itself may be an enemy as well. You'll meet great legends and Heroic Spirits along the way. Be prepared for anything. You will have to face the past so we can reclaim our future. In light of this, we are changing the name of our mission from First Order to Grand Order. By the decree of the highest magical authority, we shall take back our future!"

A/N: Well I hope the battle was entertaining, and the reveal of Genghis Khan's weapon. Trying to find such a weapon wasn't easy, but looking at the sword's history I didn't find any mention what happened to it. So, I decided to roll with an idea from there, and its backstory how the Khan got it will be touched upon in the next chapter.

Now the world has been incinerated and we had Lelouch left reeling from the loss of Nunnally and those he knows at Ashford Academy. But he recovered, a little, after being told there was a chance to undo it. Yet, woe onto Lev and his associates should Lelouch come across them for we all know what he'll want to do.

Lelouch will be out for blood, but on a positive note Olga has survived but I doubt she'll be taking the news of Lev's betrayal very well.

Next stop, the first singularity shall take the group to Japan with an original singularity mixing Code Geass world history and real-world history a bit to create something new.

Thank you all for reading, seeing you all next chapter.