Warning: Warning: This fanfic dealt with probably controversial themes and you may find it not suitable for you. If you still decide to read, then stay strong and brace yourself for what you are about to read. This story here happens in Arc 2 and thus may contain some spoilers.
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Chapter 7: Destination to Unknown
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Dawn of the new day, at the shoreline
Words of God: For this part, play Fate/Stay Night - Ever-Present Feelings
The sun has risen and the flame of war has finally died down, but the damage and destruction left behind has forever changed this place and scarred the memories of the people here.
Everyone is now talking with each other, discussing what has happened and how the entire plan got thrown out of the window midway. The last of Polish refugees taking their trip to the Courser using the ATCs that the US Army has provided for them so they can be relocated to the USA.
Stormalong who decided to remain on the ship so that he doesn't risk himself being annihilated by EKS, the platoon is doing what they were supposed to do, escort the last surviving US soldiers who were supposed to fight the final battle in Eastern Front.
"All of you will be valuable assets in our fight to fend off the invading Nazi. Especially you, Pierce." A soldier of the rescuing team said to Pierce and his squad.
Nine survivors of six nightmarish years that they had to endure, combining with the fact that they had to withstand one last fight that they can't believe themselves to have made it through all in one piece despite how there were many chances that they could have died a gruesome death like how they have witnessed in it.
Nine men who have been brother-in-arms for who knows how long, now lining beside each other talking to the rescue team's platoon leader who has to return them to the USA. The soldiers were all up in tears from how they finally able to go back to their homeland but Pierce only having a blank look on his face as if he is solemnly thinking about his decision about whether to return or not.
"Pierce, you know that your sister on the other side is waiting for you, right?" The platoon's leader said to Pierce.
Pierce sobered up and broke out of his thought, he still has people who are waiting for him back there, especially his sister. But, he can't shake off his feeling that if he decided to return right now, he'll regret it as long as he still lives.
"I... I'll stay. I can't return right now." Pierce said with a keen determination.
"Wait, why are you staying? There isn't anything here that is worth staying here for." The platoon's leader asked back to Pierce.
"I know, but for some reason that if I abandon right here, right now. It would make me felt that I have gone against my own belief and I would never forgive myself for doing so." Pierce said it almost as if with a sad tone.
"Pierce, I understand what you trying to get here but there is a fine line between determination and insanity, and just what are you even trying to gain from doing so?" The platoon's leader asked again.
"Call it a personal thing, you know that each person has their own belief that would forever shape how their character will be like. I wanted to know why and how the Nazis managed to create something that it takes supernatural being to defeat whatever they created, I wanted to know what has happened during all those 6 years of drifting from places to places." Pierce answers with his clear resolution.
"I... I see then. I'll let your sister know, you better come back alive or your sister will kill herself just so she won't let you rest in peace in heaven. We don't even have any masterful engineer and losing her would be a killing blow to the Resistance." The platoon's leader told Pierce about the consequences should he failed to upkeep his promise.
"Don't worry, I'll keep that promise. Until the day I learned the truth of what happened, I'll stay at this place." Pierce ascertain his words again.
"Well, hope you made it through somehow. The rest 8 of you, all of you'll return to America or unless you guys felt that you wanted to follow him."
"No no! We have already gone through enough trauma for multiple lifetimes, we don't have the kind of insane-like determination that Pierce had!" The soldiers quickly panic the moment they heard that.
"Hahaha... Don't worry, once you guys got back there, you will have as much rest as you want." The platoon's leader said which makes the panicking soldiers started to calm down afterward.
"Please don't play with our fractured hearts already." The soldiers said after they calmed down.
The last 8 soldiers of Pierce's squad started to get on the ATC and before they return, they look back at Pierce to see the man who shared in their lifelong hardship.
"Farewell... My friends..." Pierce whispered silently before the ATC started to activate and return to Stormalong's ship.
He looks into the distant sea, seeing that his tour of duty has finally ended and this will be the start of his new mission. The mission to reach the truth of what happened.
"Well, let's see what my old man is doing right now..." Pierce turned to look around for his Servant.
He walked for a while along the shoreline and see that his Servant and many others are building what looks like graves. He understood what is going on instantly when he saw it. In warfare, casualties are unavoidable aspects of conflicts like this. He sees many deaths throughout his time in services but never has he felt empty like this before. The Assassin plunging blades into the ground like grave markers, many of the Finnish refugees are also pitching in to mourn the loss of the people they know.
He looked over many graves as they were dug and filled although there aren't much remains to be found anymore due to the sheer damage that the enemies inflicted on. His heart ached for knowing those people's family and relatives deserved to be treated better than this. They deserved to be living in peace, not stuck in this eternal nightmare of war.
Then he finally found his Servant, the old man sitting on the ground with a sad look on his face, his view overlooks the graveyard itself. He sighed as he felt he is responsible for their deaths.
Pierce approaches his Servant and sits nearby him. For this time, they'll have a heart-to-heart with each other. It is better to let it all out now before it might impede their progress and performance.
"Richard, why do you burden yourself with so much thoughts and what has happened?" Pierce asks his Servant.
"Back in my day, life was extremely hard. It was full of hardship and working with backbreaking jobs. Living conditions were extremely deplorable for only those with a great number of riches can ever live a 'satisfactory' life and that is being optimistic. Seeing it like that, I strived to become an inventor so I can finally lessen the burden of work and life, making things that can improve the quality of life. I even get an MD in doctorate just to know how to deal with smallpox but the heart of inventors override it anyway. I revolutionized agriculture in my time with wheat drills and rice-sowing machines. Even near my carrier's end, I greatly improved the toilet that you would use in modern time." Richard gave an overview of how his life went.
"You sounds like you led a great life at that time but you sounded really sad when you said it. Did you ever felt any regret of taking the path of inventors?" Pierce asked his Servant again.
"All those inventions, I never regret them at all. I never would disregard away my life as an inventor either. But, if there is anything that I truly regret is that greatest achievement of mine. The Gatling gun. I was such a naive fool at that time. Believing that if I could cut down army sizes, I can reduce casualties. I gave my patents to the army before any war started and they disregard it at first away for they considered it a waste of ammo. But soon, the US Army and other nations saw the potential in it and many other inventors quickly improve it and soon they created a gun that surpassed my Gatling gun. But it didn't stop there, the Gatling gun created a trend to create a machine gun that could kill the most in the least amount of time. Even with my Gatling gun, the destruction created by it is unfathomable and I realized that I have created a cataclysm that would soon happen, a prelude of the bloodiest war born from my foolishness. Even if I never going to see it with my own eyes. I realized that once technology evolved faster than tactics, it will be a dire consequence that awaits to happen once the disparity reached its breaking point." Richard said with a sad tone.
Pierce thinks about what his Servant just said, and he nailed on the head exactly what has happened. WW1 was among the bloodiest conflicts in human history and the untold deaths caused by the machine guns was extremely huge although the advent of long-range artillery was what overtakes its kill count. It was until tanks were invented such conflict was swiftly brought to an end. He understood what Richard truly meant.
"Richard... Even if you didn't invent the Gatling gun, there still will be inventors that will create that weapon of war, even if it is not going to be as soon as we know, it is inevitable nonetheless." Richard talks back to his Servant, trying to calm him down.
"Even still, that weapon has gone up heavily against my belief and that pain of mine went with me to the Thorn. In the end, I never able to repay my sin from creating such a thing." Richard said sorrowfully.
"Hey, aren't you the old inventor that helped us?" An old man behind Pierce and Richard said to them.
"What do you want to do with me? I failed to protect all of you, I have sworn to defend all you but letting them slaughter you people like this, look at those graves. I let my insecurities causing this amount of death. I..." Richard said as if he is confessing all of his sins.
"Sir... That doesn't matter anymore, there is no use crying over what has happened. Truth be told, we knew that we would be wiped out of history soon enough if we don't have any help at all. It will be just one-sided genocide if we don't have you helping us at all. Hundreds may have lost but what matters most is that we are still alive in this world. That is the most important part to us." The old man said to Richard
Richard became silent, thinking about what the old man said.
"Nonetheless, I wanted to say thank you for giving us a chance to reach tomorrow. We may never see each other again but please be proud that you have saved all of us with all you have. All I have left to say is, goodbye" The old man said before he headed towards the last evacuation carrier.
Richard is now deep in his thought, for the first time around. He received praise directly for using what he has thought to be his largest blasphemy. It was like a conflicting thought of what he didn't expect between his integrated belief and what he heard.
"Richard, there is something I have to say too. Power by itself is impartial, dependant on the heart of its user. It is just simply an extension of one's soul, as long as you denying it, you will be only shortchanging yourself. I know that if you trying to understand what purpose your power have, you felt uncertainty of what to do but as far as my life has gone. Uncertainty is a far more favorable alternative than standing still." Pierce giving his Servant a piece of his mind.
The moment Richard heard what Pierce said to him, it was as if his mind short-circuited but in the next moment, he felt a great sense of clarity. Realizing his own mistake and 'Achille's heel'. He replied to his Master
"I... I finally see what you mean. To think that a person can resolve this knotted string of feelings in my heart. Very well, if you told me to use my Noble Phantasm, I'll use it with no hesitation. I won't let anything stop me from choosing the best course of action for everyone and you." Pierce told his Servant with all of his heart.
"That's what I wanted to hear. Welcome to the team again, my old man." Pierce said to his Servant.
Both of them laughed heartily with each other, shedding away the horror and pain of the past so that they can together reach for a better future. There is nothing more simple and fulfilling than being with a person who trusts you.
Back to where Gudao's at
"I... I'm so fucked, I fucked the entire plan, the whole thing..." Gudao berating himself for having caught off guard by unexpected reinforcement and having the plan thrown out of the window instantly, the whole thing has put a lot of strain on him that he felt he could fell in exhaustion.
"What is bothering you there, mongrel?" The transmission from Shadow Border showing the hologram of Gilgamesh talking to him.
"I... I let the whole thing to blow up, I let so many people died even though I have many powerful Heroic Spirits on my side, I still unable to ensure everyone's safety..."
"Pull yourself up already, mongrel. Don't be ridiculous at a time like this. First off, back during Camelot's siege, we can bring up to 25 Heroic Spirits but this, you were seriously undermanned for this mission. It is a surprise to see you being successful in the defense against that 'Tiger' that they called. Just remember, no plan survives first contact with the enemy. You aren't me, and thus you are prone to making mistakes eventually. You were unable to save everyone's but remember Babylon? Even if just a small number of people survive, as long as there are still people like this. They will be able to rebuild back to their former glory."
"But..." Gudao wanted to say but he got cut off by Gilgamesh soon afterward.
"You made mistakes, that is no denying it. However, what has happened should be left in the past and learn from it, you shouldn't let your failure stop you from moving forward. Now dry your tear and get moving, for this world has never revolved around you in the first place but you will become a better person thanks to it."
"Gil..." Gudao thought for a while then he decided to wipe his tears away. He knew it, if he was like this every time, he would have died long before reaching Lostbelts.
"I'll gather all my strength back, it isn't like me to be like this at all," Gudao said back to Gilgamesh.
"Now that is the mongrel that I knew so long, now get up and finish this mission for once and for all," Gilgamesh said to his Master before turning off the communicator in his side.
"Well, it is clear that we know where to heading next already. Our destination... Berlin." Gudao said after he gathered his heart back.
"Well, someone finally got back on to their right track. So shall we head there now?" Shirou said to his Master.
"Yeah, we'll begin to head there a few hours later, I pulled an all-nighter in that fight and I desperately need an ounce of sleep right now. If Pierce and his Servant ask anything, just let it all out. They will need all every information that could help them." Gudao said before he just sits somewhere and fell asleep right in that positions.
"Sigh, we almost forgot that he isn't a Servant but what he went through almost gave everyone else the impression that he is almost Servant's level tenacity. Well, we can't proceed if he is going to rest so might as well take our time," Iri said when she saw him just sleep like that.
"Hey, so is everyone here yet? When will we head toward there?" Pierce askes while his Servant came along with.
In the next moment, the Finnish with his white coat came back with a wound that has pretty much healed outside although it is clearly painful inside of it.
"Did I miss anything? Because that thing is a force of nature that I didn't expect to get deployed. But holy, that pillar of light in the fight before shows how much power behinds it. I don't know what any of you did but I'm glad that I was not the receiving end of that one." The Finnish said as he walking wobbly from the wound he sustained, he said that he will stabilize soon but not right now.
"Well, good to know. I actually tired right now. Determined or not, staying in good condition is far better than trying to compete with supernaturals despite not being one in the first place. Wake me up when Gudao's does, Ok?" Pierce said before he sits next to Gudao and fell asleep."
"Yeah, the entire thing was pure chaos, I'm not saying that you should be here but that Tiger didn't exactly make everyone's life any easier at all, even Servants like me. At least I saved as much people I can in those moments" Desmond said to his friend.
"By the way, I wondered how you managed to deploy those timeless blades in the first place, it just almost sorcery and magic like to me," Richard asked Shirou about how he made it.
"You know what I said when these things are limited to only our expertise and us alone. It is because I used my father's time crest as a catalyst to remove the concept of time off the blades. If not doing it carefully, it will move with the speed of the Earth's rotation to the west and might kill someone with its sheer speed." Shirou answers the question he is given.
"Wait, concepts?" Richard asked again.
"The world consists of many concepts stacking on top of each other, there can be up to millions of it. What I am saying here is that I try to see how much concepts I can remove without making it breakdown upon itself and using it to my advantage. For example, I can remove the concept of wind resistance and get full unhindered speeds of the arrow I am using. It was literally a brainstorm when I realize I could just do that when my father told me about the memory he received in his memorial essence. It is a chance discovery after all" Shirou answered again.
"Memorial Essence? Can you elaborate that?" Desmond asks Shirou about what he just said.
"The Throne of Heroes consists of limitless possibilities for it exists outside time and space and gathering everything in all timelines, because of that every historical figure can become Servant for myriad reasons which lead us to be able to summon copy despite already have them. When a copy is summoned, it collapses upon itself into a rainbow illuminating sphere with an object or concept which represents that memory itself. It can only be used by the corresponding Servant that it was the same to it. By doing so, they can have access to their weakened alternate selves' Noble Phantasm or having their strengthened. It depends on what was summoned. My father's recent Memorial Essence let him have access to all modern weaponry with a maximum weight capacity that will extract itself depend on the weapon he chose except for the Calico and Contender and the weight cap will reset itself after midnight. The power of the weapons he brought will be ranked depending on its non-Servant variants' power." Shirou gives an infodump on what he said.
Both Desmond and Richard can't understand the concept of what Shirou said and it looks like they can only understand it if they see it for themselves.
"Well, that aside. I still can't understand how the Tiger managed to broke through the timeless blades. I mean, things without the concept of time will remain unchanged no matter what." Pierce asked Shirou about what he felt that it needs to be answered.
"That is what it is supposed to be but we learned that anything with enough Strength or Divinity or both can breakthrough if given enough time. Like Heracles for example, he has A+ Strength and A-ranked Divinity. If he used his Noble Phantasm, he'll breakthrough it in minutes. We thought that nothing in this time period would have enough power to breakthrough but it seems like we were proven wrong." Shirou answered with a sad tone.
"Yeah, mystery supposed to diminish through time but here? I can feel it is rising slowly but surely. I don't know what is behind it but what we know for sure is that this Singularity is going to be no pushover and especially when we were undermanned when it comes to those who are qualified to enter this place in the first place" Kuro said about what she feels.
Richard can't fathom just how large Chaldea can be and how powerful its force. He knew that they supposed to fight against anomalies in timelines and all but this just make him believe that they have fought the like of gods.
"By the way, we should clear up all of the things that just seem to be out of place like how Arnold literally uses a flamethrower against flamethrowers that has flame retardation suits on and what is strange here is that it actually works," Kiritsugu said.
"Now that you said it, I was within the heat of moments and just decided to go with what I think is the strongest and it just works somehow," Arnold said what he thought then.
"Gentlemen, let me explain how it actually works," A voice sounds through Chaldea's Intercom. The voice belongs to Moriarty, the nemesis of Sherlock Holmes who is fighting alongside Chaldea with said Holmes right now.
"When two things clashing again each other, there are two factors which will decide which will overwhelm the others. Mysteries, and mana it contained. Stuff with greater mysteries will overwhelm the other unless said other has high enough mana that it contained. In Arnold's case, the flamethrower he used is one of the first in WW1 thus got greater mysteries than the flame retardation suit they wore. Not even counting the mana he charged into it." Moriarty explained how Arnold use fire to fight 'fire'.
"I see, but it is just me or the flame intensity from each flamethrower that we killed just so... differ? Shirou analyzed that the flamethrowers that they wielded can burn even Demonic Beasts and he can't possibly wrong about that, can he?" Iri asked.
"Hmm... That might probably because it differs from the source that combusts the fuel in the first place, I guess? I mean... There are many ways to ignite the fuel and one of them you surely know that you fired at the fuel tank and making it explodes?" Moriarty tried to find a good enough answer.
"Understandable, it probably only a phantasmal flame if it was fired from the nozzle but anywhere else and it would just be a fire that has enough mana to harm Servants," Kiritsugu said.
"Well, that explains it. We should probably fix all of the 'plotholes' before we move on.
Gudao and Pierce who is resting nearby each other, impervious to what is going on and talk between the Servants. They deserved their own rests for they have done all their best. The sounds of their Servants' chattering became more and more distance until they fall into sweet embraces.
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Shadow Border
Witnesses of Other Side
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Back at the Shadow Border
"HOLY! Never in my life would I see something like that!" Illya said when she walks out of the observation room.
"Well... War has always been unpredictable, something like this could happen isn't out of the possibilities." Sitonai said.
"At least our family made it out, right?" Miyu said after she made out of the Observation room.
"That's true but if we think about it. There were so many times when death could have happened to our family due to unexpected circumstances." Sitonai replied.
"Hold up! Isn't it Waver-san?" Illya said when she saw someone she think she knows.
Waver who is standing alone in the hallway, putting his back against the wall. He has a sad look on his face, most likely from what has happened in that singularity.
"Waver-san, are you alright?" Illya asked him.
"Oh, I'm alright, just leave me alone, okay?" Waver replied.
"Uh, okay? But you look really sad. Do you feel sick or something?" Illya asked him again.
"Ugh, I'm Chaldea's most trustworthy tactician and yet I'm unable to secure a safe victory for my Master. My own lack of foresight leading the team to almost being defeated. Death could have occurred and I swore that I could have prevented it if I was with my Master. It just, it is hard to forgive my own incompetence for that..." Waver let out his bottled up feelings.
"Waver-san..." Miyu sighed.
"My retainer, you shouldn't be looking down on yourself right now," Iskandar said to Waver while standing right next to him. It seems that Waver was too deep in his thought that he didn't notice the man whom he aspires to.
"Wuh! My liege!? What are you doing here?" Waver said in surprise as he looked at Iskandar.
"Dear lord... The entire mess in that singularity wasn't your fault in the first place yet you are trying to burden yourself too much of it. I should have also known that warfare has always been unpredictable and that tiger-head archaism is an unknown factor in the first place. All of us tacticians have our fault in the failure of our plan." Iskandar explains to his retainer.
"But... but..." Waver answered back to Iskandar with uncertainty.
"We may have suffered losses, our plan may have been declared unusable from the surprising reinforcement. But our Master has made through nonetheless with no casualty which is the most important right now. You should be glad, not punching yourself for being incompetence." Iskandar said to Waver.
"But, my liege. How can I accept your apology." Waver said.
"If you felt like you can't accept my apology then how about this? You'll push yourself to become better next time. What happened shouldn't be things that to be distraught over but things to take a lesson and learn from it. From there you can strive to become better. Because after all, we men are creatures that become better from our mistakes. What doesn't kill you make you stronger after all." Iskandar explains to his retainer with a charisma that is beyond any human capability.
Waver thinks for moments while Iskandar is waiting for his answer. Within his thought, Waver started to crack a small smile, understanding what Iskandar is trying to say.
"I see now. I'll strive to be better, that last failure shall be the last time I make such a blunder like this. Thank you, my liege for showing me what to do right now." Waver said before he walks along the hall with a much better mood than before.
"Sigh... It is a wonder that we managed to make it all the way here without seeing a single death. It is more than a miracle how our Master can even survive all the shit that was thrown at him till now. But I guess that is what makes him better than most magus can ever come close." Iskandar said to himself."
"Well, it is good to see you, Mr. Iskandar. But what are you doing here?" Illya asks the man himself.
"Well, just passing by until I saw all of you and my retainer but since I'm here anyway, I'm just going to say ' have a good day'," Iskandar said with a smile.
Shadow Border is still lively as always.
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The Meeting of the SS
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Somewhere at the SS headquarter
"So let me get this straight... You failed your duty... again..." A voice that has been distorted said to a certain man.
A blinding light shines upon the figure of a person, a light that is so blinding that the shadow that it cast only reveals the silhouette of a person. Except for the light, everything else is shrouded in darkness.
"Yes, I know my punishment with this one... It is death, right?" A voice that is distant yet familiar was said, there is no hint of fear but a stalwart will that remain unchanged.
"While your failure is indeed unforgivable, the council has no right to execute one of its members without Furher's permission. And we haven't received anything in his end so far and so you will be staying here until your judgment is given." The distorted voice said to him.
"Haha, you first separate me from my duo and expecting me to fight well? Plus, you aren't even there to see the shit show that they made." The man shows the shit-eating grin of his.
"Silence, show what you have seen there and we may rethink your punishment. If Furher is willing to pardon your failure only then will you get to be free." The distorted voice said back with a fury.
"That 4000 'elite' soldiers you sent were almost annihilated under the first 4 entering Servants alone. A tanned-skin bowman shrouded in crimson, a little girl who appears to be the same as him and wearing a much more skimpy version of his clothes, a dark red assassin who using firearms that don't seem to belong to this era a9nd a maiden whose white dress makes her like an angle. I tried to fire at them for almost every time, they managed to block my attack with theirs. I decided to resort to using my 'secondary Noble Phantasm' and I found out that they are stronger than how even most Modern Servant can be." The man said back to the source of the distorted voice.
"Oh? Then explains..." The voice said back to him.
"How do I explains this? A shield that consists of 7 petals appeared. Blocking every shot I fired at it. No matter how one looks at it. It is impossible for any Modern Servant to be capable of doing this at all. I can understand the Assassin but anything else, it just unreal." The man said back.
"So we assumed that we were right to send more units but in the end, we lost all of them, especially the Tiger. And now, the EKS won't update itself until about 2 weeks, we might have done it too soon or perhaps we are too late now. Explains how they managed to attain the power to destroy the Tiger in the first place." The voice ominously said to him.
"I don't know what exactly did they use but even when I have gotten a distance away from them, whatever they used caused a pillar of light to blast from where I saw. But since there is nothing return from the infernal wall, I assumed the Tiger and its operator, a Grand Cross are dead from that 'Noble Phantasm'" The man said with an unshakable conviction.
"You have done well to assume from that, just like from the report, there is indeed no survivors on our side. All of our 'combatants' are dead just from that 4, I assume?" The ominous voice said back to him.
"From my perspective, there wasn't just 4 of them that I mention, there are also 9 brass and steel armored units that have enhanced armaments to take down any of the closings in Azure Soldiers. They weren't at the top of my priorities so I just leave them alone, it's not like they could stand up against Servants in the first place." The man said to the source.
"9 soldiers? Is there anything else?" The ominous voice asked.
"There is also this old man who uses outdated firearms and this one US soldiers whose reading just point him out to be a Servant. And the most important thing is, our defect has also come to their side." The man said everything he knows in that fight.
"The defect? Haha... I see... This is going to be interesting." The voice said in a way that is unnerving when heard.
"Huh, what? I see... You who are being judged, it seems like luck has chosen your side for you have received our Furher's pardon. You better savor it for you won't be so lucky next time. You will have to pull your weight should you wish to be alive." The ominous voice said with a tone that is somehow making it even more unnerving than before.
"Tsk, I don't care about prestige or wealth, I just wanted to live a life like a normal person. Until then, I'll have to keep this facade should I wish to live. Oh, my old friend. I wished that I could be free to drop out but it seems like it won't be anytime soon." The SS Archer thought before the light that shines upon him turned off and makes the entire surrounding fall into the deep darkness.
He remains silent as he fell into its dark embrace...
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Destiny
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Back at the ridge or where it used to be
*gasp* "Damn, we are already having lunch here?" Pierce asked while he was just waking up recently.
"Well, you and my Master are human after all. Staying in the top shape is essential for both of you so have a bowl." Shirou said to Pierce with a carefree smile.
"Yeah, thanks... I'm just wondering how did all of you become family in the first place..." Pierce asked the tanned chef with curiosity.
"If this was a year and a three fourth ago in Chaldea's time. The idea of having a loving family won't even cross my mind since most of us are incapable of reaching the Throne through normal means. I was among the first of Servants in Chaldea along with a few who answered Chaldea's call." Shirou answered with his lighthearted spirit.
"Well, can you tell me how you met the rest of your family members?" Pierce asked Shirou for the answer.
"I first met my mother in a Singularity that is very much different than this one, it set around 1994 where the 4th Holy Grail War takes place in secrecy. The things there are different for my mother were supposed to be sacrificed into the Holy Grail that grant wishes, however, the Greater Grail was corrupted since the 3rd thus making any wish turn into annihilations that kill as much human as it can and thus Chaldea has to intervene. My father was present but not as Chaldea's Servants but as Counter Force. His mission was to kill my mother to prevent the Grail from manifesting while I and Waver who is also a Chaldea's Servant came to resolve it with the least amount of Servants casualty as possible." Shirou explained.
"That must be really strange or awkward to see your father like that," Pierce commented while listening to his story
"At that time, I was shocked to see the man whom I borrowed the ideals from, I know damn well the end of the path I have taken and so was his. We ended up clashing with each other as I outwit him many times for knowing him deep down to his core. He back then has no memory of being my father at all so I have to push my feeling aside to push him back. In eventually, we managed to fight along with each other in our supposed final battle against the corrupted Greater Grail." Shirou said his story in the Singularity that shapen who he is now.
"Damn, to think that the world can go stranger just unreal," Pierce said what he thought.
"In our final battle, we finally facing the corrupted Grail, All the World's Evil manifested in the form of my mother. Let me tell you though, it is not pretty at all. I who was a Counter Guardian got exempt from being consumed by its corrupting mud and my father who is the same as we duked it out against the evil that would doom humanity. It was a tough fight but in the end, we managed to push it back to where it belongs, hell. But of course, knowing how the world works, it would be oblivion." Shirou said with a smile despite what he portrayed is nothing beautiful at all.
"But how did your mother became a Servant?" Pierce asked.
"Beats me. Not even our strongest and most knowledgable mages know, I theorized that the material inside her that supposed to turn her into the Holy Grail ended up linking her in the Root thus granting her the power of a Servant and Third Magic. Her Noble Phantasm allows those under her NP's effect will always survive one fatal blow no matter what it is. At least that is what I know about her Noble Phantasm so far." Shirou explained about his mother.
"What about your father?" Pierce asked.
"My father was summoned shortly after the Singularity is resolved but once again, he has no memories of being my father. That's not until his memory essence also come shortly after he was summoned. When he received it, he almost has a cognitive dissonance and locked himself in his room for days. Until about a week or two, he finally opens up and accepts the memories and emotions that it brings. For a person who was devoided of his emotion for so long, it is like addictive like a drug. In eventuality, he finally opens up and accepts being a father." Shirou said.
"I see, but that begs the question. How did you know that they were your parents in the first place." Pierce asked after hearing his story.
"You know what would have happened should the 4th Holy Grail War left alone and to its own accord?" Shirou said with a face that belongs to a person who is about to bring back his darkest memory.
"Wait, you don't mean..." Pierce finally realized how much meaning that Singularity must have held to the Servant he is talking to.
"Albeit the timeline I came from was different from this Singularity, the 4th Holy Grail War was the furthest thing my mind able to reach even till now and it was my darkest part in life that started it all. I was an orphan who lost everything in the fire caused by the corrupted Grail. I trekked and crawled through the blazing heat that swallows everyone and everything I could see. I sacrificed every part of my soul just for the wish of being alive until I collapsed and waiting for death itself. That was what supposed to happen until a man who looks like need to be saved more than myself came to help me, he was holding onto something that shines with noble gold and blue enamels. The next moment, he implants it into me who was on verge of death and it was the only thing that saved me at that time. In eventuality, he and I became father and son until he died a few years later from being cursed by the corrupt Grail in the 4th Holy Grail War." Shirou tells the story revolved around his childhood or if he ever has one in the first place.
"Damn, I don't know what you did to become a Servant. But that is pretty depressing to hear your story like that, to lose your chance of having a normal life over a cursed magical entity that you didn't even know existed." Pierce said after hearing what Shirou said.
"A lot of things happened in my past but at least in Chaldea, I can follow my ideal with all I had, my father could say the same but..." Shirou said before he decided to stop himself from saying his own personal problem.
"But what?" Pierce asked when he heard the word 'but'.
"It is nothing, it just my own tiny problem. Even if you were part of Chaldea, there is nothing you can do with it. I'm the only person who can solve this problem that persists in my heart." Shirou said while trying to hide his secret.
"I see..." Pierce think for a moment after hearing what he said.
"Onii-chan! Master just woke up, shall we proceed with our mission?" Kuro suddenly jumped into their conversation, trying to inform them that Chaldea's Master has awakened.
"Oh, I see. I'll prepare for him soon enough." Shirou said to his sister and pull himself up to get to his Master's position.
The drizzling rain still captivating him, while he misses the height of Desmond's ridge but this is beautiful in its own way to him. For some reason, he just looks up toward the sky while the drizzle falls on him. His vision stares toward the heaven beyond and he knows that his duty as a soldier still haven't ended yet.
I'll do this, with all I have
"._.""._.""._."
Berlin Offensive - Recommence
"._.""._.""._."
"Our destination... Berlin." Gudao said as he commences their operation. To search for the center of this anomaly.
"Since all of our transports were destroyed by this point, all we can do is hiking our way to it. Da Vinci, How long is the distance from here to Berlin?" Shirou asked for more information.
"Well, if we calculate it from modern Europe's map. It is about 400km, assuming you will go straight to it. In singularity, however, Shiba can't pick up anything under that storm but by calculating it from the diameters, its eye is right on top of Berlin. Because of that, It further proving the fact that Berlin is most likely the source of the Singularity." Da Vinci said.
"Plus, we have already inside the defense circle so it just leisure walk from here, right?" Kuro said mischievously.
"I kinda doubt that considering the destruction of the part of that circle about a week ago yet they still going on strong. Plus, that wall is way too distance from Berlin and seeing their military from our experience first hand, I doubt that is the only circle we have to get over." Kiritsugu gives his ideas from his knowledge so far.
"Then if we continue the path to Berlin, we will encounter the second defense circle, not before long" Iri said after hearing what Kiritsugu said.
Arnold is there closing his eyes and thinking about something, he felt that something doesn't seem to be right in this part. He felt something but he can't put it into words.
"We might have to get on soon enough. All of our 2 Masters are awakes and any seconds we spend standing like a duck here could be used to advance towards Berlin. They might even send more of those Azure Soldiers here." The Finn said to his allies.
"Well, he is at least right in that department. Shall we get our feet on?" Gudao said to his Servant.
And so the renewed team consists of 2 Masters and 7 Servants begin their journey toward the center of this Singularity.
Their path may fill with thorns and interlopers but this is the path that they have chosen and they won't stop until they unravel the truth of what has happened.
Without any transport, the only way to make it there is just walking. If not blocked by anything or anyone, they could make it there in 4 days if they decided to ignore their own health and keeping their pace without rest which is impossible by any standard. Because of that, their journey will be a long one.
After a while, they finally make it out of the deep forest and finally see the sign of civilization or to be exact, the remain of it.
"Guess everything that isn't Berlin has been purged in Europe. Not that it is surprising in the first place considering what the enemy has in store." Pierce said as he sighed from seeing the ruin of a town that he saw.
"Everybody, look!" Kuro said as she saw something from a considerable distance away.
"A defensive wall but something doesn't seem right. It was as if it has been desolated for a long while." Iri said.
"Shall we check it our?" Gudao said.
"Considering that we haven't encountered any Azure Soldiers yet, I would say we should at least checking it out." Shirou gives his opinion of the situation.
The squad decided to head to where the wall is located. As they thought, the area in front of the wall is a desolated open field where there is almost nowhere to hide should they aimed at you. But what caught their attention is that the large wall in front of them has been busted out entirely, like how Gudao's team saw the first one.
"I don't know what this wall is but I can tell that it used to have a tremendous amount of power put into it. They must have tried their hardest to build an impenetrable defense like this. But guess it was no match for what it was against, be it a Servant or not." Desmond said after he takes a quick look at it.
"I can see what you trying to get at, it is hard to think even a Servant would ever manage to breach this let alone any army at all" Pierce commented about what he saw there.
"So my suspicion was true then..." Kiritsugu said.
"Huh, what do you mean?" Richard asked the man why he felt suspicious.
"Before we see this one, we have seen the other one too, the outer most wall that is also destroyed like how this one is. The destruction that was left behind there isn't much different than this one, anyone who could have done this mush has an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm and a powerful one at that in order to do this. As far as I know, there isn't any 20th-century historic figure that has destroyed a fortress at all." Kiritsugu said his hypothesis.
"While that is true, can you elaborate on how exactly will that affect us?" The Finnish asked.
"Someone powerful like that couldn't die from the mobs that we fought, it is very possible that whoever it's is inside there. Sooner or later, we will encounter that individual. Whether that person is hostile or not is up to divine above if they are still there." Kiritsugu said what he suspected to be behind the destruction of this line.
"I could totally see that, I just hope that person won't be killing us just because we look suspicious," Desmond said.
"Whether we will meet them or not should be left to the future, what we should do is moving inside." The Finnish said to his allies.
"I don't know, something about this doesn't seem right... I mean... Such an expansive wall like this got desolated just from this tiny crack compare to how large and long this defensive circle actually is. If the German is gonna do something, they should at least repair it instead of leaving it like this." Kuro said her doubts.
What Kuro said makes sense. In common sense, whenever someone's defense line got damaged, they should get it repaired as soon as possible, not desolate it like that.
"Something is really wrong here, their actions conflict with common sense is telling us that something doesn't look like how it appears. This singularity can possibly be more dangerous than everything we have faced to this point." Gudao commented after hearing his Servants's analysis.
Arnold just stares straight into the broken wall, his feeling hasn't stayed silent for long as if it is telling him that there is much more to see than what meets the eyes. He decided to take another good look at the top and realized that his instinct hasn't betrayed him. He sees it, the white hawk from much before, he hasn't seen it since last week and its appearance here signifies that whatever Servant behinds it is closeby or that is what he believed so.
"Arnold? What are you doing?" Gudao asked why Arnold is staring at something until he saw the answer for himself.
The white hawk flies away into the inside of where the second line held. Whatever is in there will be a mystery for them as far as they concerned.
"That thing! It flies into the territory inside!" Gudao said as he saw the hawk for himself.
"It seems like whoever is behind that hawk is definitely inside there," Kiritsugu said.
"Let's go, everyone! Follow that hawk!" Kuro followed up.
Everybody picks up their speed and runs through the gaping opening in the wall. The wall itself was very thick, about 60 meters of reinforced concrete that used to be enhanced by being charged with mana. Right now, it is just concrete that has no special value of itself.
Arnold who is running with the team at surprisingly fast speed. Suddenly, he heard something, the voice of someone, the voice of a little girl.
Find me...
The next moment, he came into a complete stop, confused by what he has just heard. Shirou who is running ahead of him noticed that Arnold stopped running.
"Arnold? Is something wrong?" Shirou asked Arnold.
"Um... Did you heard a voice near you?" Arnold asked reluctantly.
"None as far as I concerned, us Servants can hear even smallest noise if we focused on it," Shirou answered.
"Can you use your ability to scan this part of this ruined place?" Arnold asked Shirou again just to be sure.
"We can't be too careful huh? Not that we have can ever retry in the first place." Shirou said before he uses his Hawkeye on the ruined encircling fortress itself.
Shirou's eyes turned into the color of cold silver looking at everything with almost complete detail on anything he sees but the result is still the same. Nothing is here but pure concrete.
"There is nothing but at least it is safe to assume we won't be ambushed by anything," Shirou said after checking his surroundings.
Arnold became silent, he simply can't explain what he has just heard at all. He doesn't know if his mind is playing tricks with him or there is actually something here but he thinks it is better to not raise the topic up for now.
"Sorry, it probably was just my imagination..." Arnold apologizing for wasting his ally's time.
"No, that isn't something you have to apologize for... Plus, it is you who found that hawk which we are chasing right now. All Archer-classed Servants must have a keen insight in the first place so you probably just acting upon something that you felt is wrong." Shirou said to his fellow ally.
"Okay then. Shall we move on?" Arnold quickly followed up and then reach toward the other side along with Shirou.
And the rain started to fell more heavily as if it is a premonition of what is to come
"._.""._.""._."
Second Ring - Sprinkle
"._.""._.""._."
They finally see what is inside of the second circle for themselves, it is as ruined as the town from before.
"I think it is safe to assume that Servant with Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm is a hostile one," Kuro said.
"Actually, it is still too soon to assume that. When I used my Structure Grasping, these buildings were corroded over time from not being maintained at all, not to mention, these buildings have been destroyed around 7 years ago and have never been rebuilt since." Shirou gave his analysis after checking out the ruined buildings nearby.
"It seems that Hitler has been expanding too much that he never bothered about rebuilding, it is easier to steal others' property than rebuilding what is destroyed. But this is just nonsense to do so on a large scale like this." Pierce said.
Arnold is still staring at the destroyed scenery, it reminds him much of his memory in that war, ruined buildings everywhere as far as he can see, the rain that carries the sorrow of this hell that he lived through.
"It is just me or the rain seems to be raining heavier than before?" Gudao asked.
"Now that you saying it, it rained a bit heavier than before. Albeit it was slightly, it seems to be a sprinkle." Iri said after hearing what her Master said.
"Then it is clear now, the further we moved in, the rain will worsen over time and the further we move in. Soon, we will be facing a massive storm that can heavily hamper our Master's movement." Kiritsugu said.
"We will be dealing with that if we made it there. For now, we have to chase that hawk and see if it belongs to anyone. We could potentially have another ally who will help us fight such a threat like this." Gudao said.
"If said 'ally' doesn't attempt to kill us the instant we saw each other," Kiritsugu said.
"Not that we have any better choices, we were severely undermanned and there is no leyline here at all. It is either doing that or possibly die attempting to breach through the third ring." The Finnish said with assurance.
Suddenly, that white hawk returned and dropped something on them, it was a piece of paper of sorts and something is written in it.
"I have already known all of you for a considerable long time and I see that all of you seem to doubt whether or not all of you can trust me. Here is what I have to say, follow the white hawk and all of you will reach my destination. We'll consider alliance there. It is up to you to whether or not to head to my location."
"That person has already known about us? Damn, that was careless of all of us." Gudao said.
"At least that proven one thing, they could have easily wiped all of us since the first day yet decided to make an alliance with us. It is really unlikely they are trying to lure us into a trap." The Finnish said.
"You know... You can actually tell a person who they are by analyzing their handwriting, this actually belongs to a person with a past that they can't ever let go themselves, compassionate and sensitive but lack feelings in it. It is almost like they had resigned themselves to fate. Of course, I know some people can even fake their feelings and their handwriting but I could at least tell if it is forced or fabricated or not." Richard said when he analyzes the handwriting on the piece of paper.
"Well, we gotta at least check out whoever this person is, there must be a good reason for such a person like this to ask for an alliance from us," Gudao said.
In the next moment, the hawk flew away in the direction, the squad quickly follows it to see whoever is behind it. In a hazy rain it goes, so is the path of perils they walked.
"._.""._.""._."
Steel-forged Maiden
"._.""._.""._."
They have pursued the hawk for a considerable distance and it seems like the hawk was intentionally slowing down so that they can catch up. It is clear that whoever behinds it truly wanted to meet them.
Suddenly, they heard gunfire, there is fighting nearby.
"Did they got into a fight with something?" Pierce said before the squad reached where they would see the source of the gunfight.
A girl with short curly blond hair, skin as pale as snow, wearing a WW2 soldier's attire is fighting those Azure Soldiers. She wields an Stg44 Assault rifle and returning fire towards the Azure Soldiers that caught sight of her.
With her surprisingly good agility, she easily evaded oncoming hail of bullets without fail like the mist of falling dusk. Meanwhile, her aiming was infallible as far as they can see. Those mystical soldiers stood no chance against her as she is graceful yet lethal at the same time.
The team can only see and let things flow by itself for they might obstruct her more than helping her right now. However, Arnold for some reason got captivated by her, something inside him felt strange that he can't put it into words. He felt like he is resonating with her like both he and she sharing the same wavelength.
Only in the next few moments, the fighting died down and the azure ashes flow through the air. She stands there as if looking at somewhere distant while her white hawk flies toward her. Like a duo they are, she extended her left arm and the hawk landed on it. It seems that they can actually talk to each other despite they are a bird and human. In the next moment, the girl turned toward and greet them.
"It seems this is the first time we meet each other in person, aren't we?" The blond-haired girl said.
"That is true. How long have you known about us?" Arnold asked.
"About 5 days, and I have known you for like a week ago before any of those guys near you." The blond-haired girl answered back.
"Wait, you encountered the white hawk long before use?" Pierce asked.
"That is also true, I know there is something suspicious about that hawk but I can't fathom it was you who control it," Arnold said.
"In warfare, information is the most important thing to attain victory and scouting is one way to attain it. Now, let us get to the point. I wanted to make an alliance with all of you." The blond-haired girl said.
"Hold up, I wanted you to give me a good reason for doing so, you who is capable of destroying that wall there is asking for an alliance? It just suspicious no matter how you see it." The Finnish said.
"I can see you asking me about it but destroying defensive location is the only fort that I have, anything else just averages at best, Azure Soldiers are simple enough but against Servant and I couldn't possibly keep up with that. I can stay elusive using my friend here. Say hello to them, Silbern." She answered the question and said to the hawk who is sitting on her left arm.
"Scree, scree..." The hawk said to them which is unfortunate that no one in the team has Animal Communication skills except for the blond girl.
"Umm, okay? It is nice to know you, Silbern. Can we know your name?" Gudao decided to speak for the team.
"Well, I don't think we have enough trust in each other yet to speak it so lightly but you guys can call me Alfin." The blond girl said to them.
"Understandable, can you convince us that we could trust you watching our back and we doing the same?" Gudao asked Alfin again.
"I can't show off my Noble Phantasm nonchalantly in a place like this, not when I have a target or the situation is critical. But I'll promise that I won't betray any of you. While we are on the path to the 3rd ring, I'll answer any questions that I can answer." Alfin answered resolutely.
"I see, um, how many of these rings are there will stop us on our path to Berlin?" Gudao asked.
"Based on the intelligence that I managed to gather so far, there are a total of 5 rings like this and the further you go in, the worse the weather. You see that in the previous ring, there was only drizzle, now it is a sprinkle. You can tell that right?" Alfin said.
"That is true, but we couldn't imagine it would be like this. I know that there are far stronger storms in humanity's history but this one is extremely peculiar and strange." Kiritsugu said.
"I have another question, what would happen if the defensive wall like what we saw before was destroyed?" Pierce asked.
"That is a good question. If the wall was destroyed with a scale that you saw, the mana that reinforced it will be disrupted and wane over time. Give it 2 days and it is just an ordinary wall and anything can just go over or through it, if it still left behind like that and from my assumption, it seems like it is still the same a week ago when I destroy it, right?" Alfin answered.
"That is also true, but it is also strange that the Nazi would leave it like that until now." The Finnish said.
"I also wanted to ask, how many Azure Soldiers are here patroling?" Desmond gets his chance to ask.
"For now, not much to make a threat, but the further we go in, we will be soon flooded in them and The Nazi's Servants will join the fray too" Alfin answered.
Many questions were asked and the team is now heading to the 3rd ring. It seems like this will be a stroll in the park for them but nothing was ever simple. For when one's sin became an unknown cataclysm that is awaiting to happen to others.
Somewhere a considerable distance away
"So we meet again, my old sworn enemy." The voice of an old veteran was said.
"That is the man who destroyed motherland and genocide our people you said, huh?" A woman replied.
The woman that the veteran is talking to is a Servant. How he obtains her? Nobody but him knows, but he only has one purpose and that is to kill the man who destroyed the country that he fought for. 'Russia' which is now a wasteland that hardly anyone can live. As if millions of innocents were forced to be burdened the sin brought by a single madman that was in power of the nation itself. That very same madman received the most painful and agonizing death that none could describe by words by that very same demon. He was powerless against that monster but now he has the mean to do so.
"Back in that fateful day, back when the sudden retaliation of the evil of Third Reich managed to slaughter millions of us with ease. We were suddenly forced to retreat when we were so close to victory. They pursued us to Moscow and when I see that demon for myself, for the first time in my life have I ever witness such a fearsome force in one man like that. And for the first time, I concede my defeat from that evil." The old man said as if facing a million wars is better than ever witnessing what he saw then.
"If it weren't for the fact that I seen the wasteland myself I would never believe that such a monster like that was allowed to exist, even I can't fathom how many lives were lost over one's uncontrolled rage." The woman said back.
Just take a look at that woman and you could instantly tell she is a Russian, her tall figure, her curly silver tinted hair flows with the wind and the ushanka and trench coat she wore only add more to the obviousness.
"Hey there, my sister... How are you doing?" The voice of a late-30 man was heard.
"For the last time, just because we have the slightly identical surname doesn't mean I'm related to you in the first place." The woman said back to where the voice comes from.
A soldier with a bushy beard comes with his Servant, a young man who wore the old uniform belongs to the Red Army, carrying a rifle in his hand. He carries an aura that anyone could tell doesn't belong to a normal person.
"Come on, what is wrong with a little lighthearted conversation in a time like this?" The bearded soldier said heartily.
"While that is certainly needed in a time like this. We about to get on to our next step, we will finally hunt down the sinner that brought our motherland to its ruin." The old veteran started rousing everyone's spirit up.
"Dimitri, tell your Servant to surround the vicinity that I saw them, anywhere that would grant him vantage point." The old veteran said back.
"Got it," Dimitri replied.
"And you, you will follow Dimitri's Servant command so that we will corner and hunt that sinner and his group." The old veteran said to his Servant.
"Understood." The woman said back.
The old veteran chuckles when seeing his plan about to go to motion. It is almost as if he spent his entire life just to find his own revenge. And just before he started to let his plan in motion he said what he finally wanted out loud.
"My name is Reznov! And I shall have my revenge!"
Author's Note: Well, I finally got this out before I would never get any chance to write for very long. School sucks and what comes after is even worst. I just hope that I would get my chance to write when I finally sorted all of it out. After I'm done with it, it will just be homerun from here on out. Stay tune if you are still reading this.