Chapter 20

-One Hour Ago-

The door closed behind Jim and its locks made a deep resounding thud. The Trollhunter was now separated from the group. Take care, you guys. Jim hoped that the mages would be alright as they faced Heracles, but he must believe in them because they also believed that he could stop Mark. He quickly brushed his worries away and proceeded to move forward.

The hallway was dark, but it wasn't long. He could see blue-green light on the other end. He slowly walked forward, trekking the path. At the other end of this hallway...is Mark. Jim didn't know what he would see on the other end, but he knew who he would see. He couldn't help but feel a bit of fear forming in his guts. He reached the end of the hallway and a whole wide room greeted him.

Whoa...Jim stopped on his tracks. The whole place was like a huge cathedral. Columns stood and supported the cave ceiling. The walls were glowing in different silvery metals coming from minerals embedded within. The floor was glowing in thousands of blue-green lines, a sign that the whole place was rich with mana. The Trollhunter was amazed as he followed the branching lines, which all ended on a table on the other side of the cathedral, and then his blue eyes saw something.

What is that? Jim squinted his eyes and he saw a little girl with white hair, lying on the table. On top of her chest, enclosed on a glass jar, was a beating heart that was glowing gold. The sight made Jim gasp softly, but his eyes widened more in shock as he saw the familiar figure of Invincible.

Invincible was wearing his costume. His back was resting on the side of the table and his head hung low. He was standing still as if he was waiting for someone. Jim knew who he was waiting for.

I'm coming for you, Mark. Jim's heart moved fast as anger rose inside of him. He couldn't accept what the Hero had done to Saber. Mark cheated by creating chaos in the city, which could've killed lots of people. "If it's a battle you want...I'll give you one." the Trollhunter said with a bitter scowl and took out the small bottle of Gravesand. He stared at it first, remembering Strickler's warnings about the effects of the magical powder dust made from the bones of Gumm-Gumms, but the boy put it below his nose and breathed the powder until it was empty.

Mark stood still as he felt the coldness of the cave seeping underneath his costume. Even though he wasn't showing it, the Hero was in deep thought. Jim's bloody and determined look played in his mind and he knew that the boy would chase him down here. But reality wasn't in the boy's favor. Jim lost and Mark was the champion of the Holy Grail. His wish would happen soon.

A small scuffle of sound echoed to his right. The Hero looked towards the source of the sound. His black eyes slowly shifted towards the dark hallway at the other end of the workshop. He didn't see anyone at first, but a small glint of silver flickered from within. He's here. Mark softly breathed the air and calmed himself. He shifted and hovered to the top of the altar table. The Hero watched as the boy that he was waiting for emerged from the dark.

Jim glared at him as he stepped down the stairs and slowly walked towards him. He saw the Hero at the table. Invincible was floating above him. The Hero's mask bore onto him while a small depressing smile formed on his lips.

"Jim...you really don't know how to give up." You should give up kid, I won fair and square. He thought as the boy's frown deepened more into a scowl.

"Of course, I won't give up. I will save you from your wish." Your wish is good, Mark, but the Grail is wrong and I will tell you the truth. The Trollhunter thought as he remembered the Mark's sorrow after he almost killed him back in the cathedral. The Hero didn't want to hurt others anymore.

"Save me? How can you save me when my wish could save you and everyone else?"

"Your wish is noble – that I agree on – but the Grail is wrong. We were tricked, both of us, by the real enemy – the Einzbern girl."

Invincible's smile disappeared and it was replaced by a cold and dark frown. He didn't like what the Trollhunter had said. That's not true, Einzbern just wanted to fulfill her purpose. She was the victim here, and if it is, then all of my sacrifices were in vain. Then her sacrifices were all in vain too. "Again, you will not trick me with that nonsense." Mark said darkly as his hands curled into fists.

He's way too deep in the rabbit hole of this stupid war! Jim couldn't help but let out an inhumane growl. The dust was slowly taking effect inside of him and the Hero's stupid choice was only making it worse. The Trollhunter concluded that he didn't have much hope in talking the Hero down on making his wish. There was only one choice all along.

Jim moved his hand from his back, showing his amulet to the Hero. "Then you leave me no choice, Mark. I will save you...from yourself. For the good of everyone, Eclipse is mine to command." The boy's clothes changed and morphed into his black eclipse armor and trollform. The sight made Mark's lips curl down more. The blackness of the armor had somehow struck a nerve inside of him. Mark felt a strong, dangerous aura emitting from it and he could tell that he would have a difficult time with Jim this time around.

But the Hero brushed it off again. The Grail was in his sight, after all.

"Then you're welcome to try." Invincible said coldly and the two men stood still. Their eyes gazed at each other hard as if they were seeing each other's souls. They had met and fought for just a short while, and yet both of them already knew so much about each other's lives and their own dark sides hidden by their own selfless wishes.

And then, both of them widened their own eyes and howled in madness and fury.

"JIM! I'LL MAKE SURE YOU'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO WITNESS THE BIRTH OF THE NEW FUTURE OF MANKIND!"

"MARK! I'LL MAKE SURE I'LL BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU UNTIL YOU REGAIN TO YOUR SENSES!"

The two screamed their battle cries filled with rage as both of them raised their attacking fists and thrust forward.

A blinding light of red and yellow illuminated the whole Cathedral.

Mark threw the first punch. He heaved his fist forward, but Jim swerved to the right. The Trollhunter delivered an uppercut, but the Hero caught it with his hand. Both of them jumped back, creating distance from each other, but the two quickly hurtled towards each other again. Invincible and Jim raised their fists again as the two met in mid air. The bones of their knuckles made a disgusting cracking sound and a blast of air erupted inside the cathedral, but the two weren't finished. The men balled up their fists and propelled them forward. Their fists missed and connected right into their cheeks.

Mark grunted in pain as a tooth flew out of his mouth. Jim growled achingly as his fang fell off. The two then leaped back and gained distance. The Trollhunter glared at the Hero. His nose was bleeding while his cheek was badly bruised. The same injury was also in the Hero's face. The right side of Mark's lips was cracked and leaking blood as he scowled at the boy. "You...gained some strength. Is that magic?" He rasped in rising animosity as Jim made a fighting stance.

"Yes, and it's one of your kind's weaknesses." he said with ireful glare.

Fucking cheater. "Fine...I don't need magic anyways!" Mark dashed and howled in pure fury at Jim. The Trollhunter was about to avoid him, but the Hero got to him first. Mark locked his arms on Jim's waist and pushed him up to the air. He slammed Jim on the ceiling. Cracks formed and the cave workshop shook a little. Jim gasped painfully and felt his body about to break. He started to fall only for the Hero to grab him by his horns.

"Now this will surely shut you up!" Mark said viciously as he spun in midair, dragging the Trollhunter before he threw him towards the pillar.

No, you won't! However, Jim recovered. He put his foot on the pillar, bent his knees, and bounced back towards Mark. The Trollhunter rammed his horned head into the Hero's abdomen with a strong impact. Invincible cringed in pain as he felt some of his organs inside snap. He coughed up blood and lost his bearings.

Mark fell to the ground while the Trollhunter landed softly away from him. Jim heard a loud cough and watched as Invincible stood up and coughed more, spitting and coloring the blue-green ground with red. A look of madness flashed on Mark's face. "That was a nice attack, Jim."

Mark rasped the words while wiping some of the blood on his lips.

"Thank you, for the nice compliment, Mark." The boy said simply as he positioned himself into a readied stance.

Invincible growled in anger at him. He wasn't expecting for the boy to suddenly grow stronger in such a short time. There should at least be a timer until his magic wears off. Mark thought in frustration as he eyed the boy darkly. "Tell me something...Jim." Invincible asked in a ragged voice as he also positioned himself into a fighting stance. "Since we are both Heroes to everyone...what is being a Hero to you?"

Jim stared at him with alertness. He couldn't help but he felt the man was planning something against him. But he felt strongly compelled to answer him. "A Hero should always protect everyone's happiness and that they are the ones who should stand against fear and dangers that could hurt innocent lives. It is their duty to become a savior so that there will always be a new day that everyone could welcome. That is all there's to being a Hero."

That's it? "Heh, if that's all you could say, then my thoughts about you are correct."

"What do you mean by-?" Jim was about to ask, but Invincible swiftly moved his hand. The Trollhunter's eyes moved and saw a small rock that was about to hit his face. He quickly pivoted his hand and slapped it away, only for him to see the fist of the Hero. Mark had distracted the boy and it was effective. He threw a left hook and smacked Jim on his nose. The Trollhunter slid to the wall and raised his forearms to his face. Invincible once again closed the distance and began to throw many punches at the boy.

"You're stupid, Jim! WHY CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND MY WISH THEN!?" Mark howled as he barraged the Trollhunter with punches. Jim gnashed his teeth in torment as the Hero hit his forearms with strong force. "MY WISH WILL BRING PEACE AND ORDER TO EVERYONE. NO ONE WILL GET HURT FOR BEING JUDGED BY OTHERS! NO ONE WILL SUFFER ANYMORE FROM RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION!" Mark roared as he jabbed his fists at the boy who was slowly sinking to the ground and groaning in pain. "YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A BACKWATER HERO FROM SOME BACKWATER TOWN! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING A HERO OF THIS WORLD!"

Backwater town? The words panged strongly inside the boy's head. Arcadia was his town, his beloved birthplace, and it was beautiful. It may not be perfect, but it didn't deserve to be looked down on, especially by the likes of Invincible. An unspeakable anger rose into his head.

"YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!" The Trollhunter cursed as he made a left hook and plunged his fist into the Hero's groin. Invincible let out a sharp yelp and stopped his attack. Jim took this opportunity. He quickly rose again and delivered a right uppercut. Jim's fist made a resounding thud on the man's chin and, with the help of the Gravesand, he sent the Hero to the ground, creating distance between them.

However, Jim wasn't finished. He quickly leapt into the air and crash landed his knee into Mark's abdomen. Invincible gasped and vomited blood. Mark felt some of his organs rupture, but before he could feel more, the Trollhunter landed his right fist in his face.

"JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE CORRECT!" Jim roared as he repeatedly hit the Hero vigorously and thundered more. "I MAY BE A BACKWATER HERO OF SOME BACKWATER TOWN, BUT I AM ALSO A HERO JUST LIKE YOU." He stopped his barrage of punches before he arched his back and performed a forceful headbutt on Invincible. The ground beneath the Hero's head cratered in and the man's vision swayed.

"I KNOW WHAT'S RIGHT AND WHAT'S WRONG. I KNOW THAT I MUST PROTECT EVERYONE AGAINST ALL DANGER! BUT YOU KNOW WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US? I DON'T GET MY HEAD STUCK UP IN MY ASS WHILE I BEAR THE BIG RESPONSIBILITY AS BEING A HERO!" Jim spoke madly as he lifted his fist and thrust it downward, but Mark tilted his head to the left, dodging the attack. The Hero freed his hand and smacked it into the boy's face. The Trollhunter was thrown away and the Hero immediately stood up. A resenting frown formed on Mark's lips as he walked over to the boy and kicked him with his leg. The Trollhunter let out a strained yelp as he was thrown into the air and landed hard near the stairs.

"Shut up...you lowly good for nothing Hero." Mark rasped the words heatedly as he started to hover towards the downed boy. "YOU DON'T FUCKING KNOW ME! I BROUGHT DOWN A MOTHERFUCKING FASCIST EMPEROR OF A MOTHERFUCKING FASCIST GALACTIC EMPIRE! AND WHAT EXACTLY DID YOU MOTHERFUCKING BRING DOWN?!"

Jim groaned as he rolled over to his stomach and slowly rose his head from the ground. He glanced up and showed a rageful...grin. Invincible stopped in the air. He was puzzled by the boy's reaction. And then the boy spoke with a menacing tone. "I brought down...cruel wizards and monsters that could end the world," Jim paused as his hand discreetly dug in to his armor's pocket. His fingers clasped an object that he recognized, "and since I've done that...that means I can also stop you!"

The Trollhunter took out the object and brandished it to the world. What's that...That looks like-Invincible narrowed his eyes on the object and then his eyes widened in fear. He recognized the object.

It was a dog-whistle.

"No-!" Invincible swooped down, but before he could reach the boy, Jim put the whistle in his mouth and blew it. The Hero crashed down to the floor near the Trollhunter's feet. A pain that was very familiar to Mark erupted within the insides of his skull. The Hero screamed and as he put both of his hands on his ears and tried to block the sound, but to no avail.

He started thrashing on the ground.

You're going to face Mark. Don't hesitate to use it. This thing is a weakness to Viltrumites. In fact, it might even kill one.

Jim remembered the words of Emiya. At first, he couldn't believe that such a small object could kill a Viltrumite, but the Terrorist Mage explained it to him. Their ears were so sensitive that the whistle was enough to rupture some of their brain's most important veins and arteries. Now he was seeing its effects. Mark was writhing in pain on the ground, blood pouring out of his eyes and ears like tears.

You deserve this! The Trollhunter thought in anger as his left hand took out a small baton-like rod. He stopped whistling through the dog-whistle and looked down on the Hero. "Hey, Invincible!"

Mark looked up and the boy pressed the button on the baton. The baton opened up and transformed into a large hammer. The hammer was colored orange and it looked like it was in flames. The Trollhunter spun it easily in his hand before he swung it. "Oh fuck-!" Mark cursed, but it was cut as the hammer slammed into his face. The Hero was thrown forward and slid on the ground.

Jim glazed at the weapon and a look of recognition formed on his face. Toby, I'm going to use your weapon of choice against Invincible. Perhaps this could bring him back to his senses. The Warhammer, the one that Jim was using right now, was Toby's weapon of choice back in the previous timeline. His friend wielded it perfectly and used it to defend himself or help Jim. However, in this timeline, Jim was the owner of it. And all throughout this timeline, it felt strange to the boy. The weapon wasn't his – it was Toby's to begin with.

"Had enough, Mr. Invincible?" Jim asked in a cruel voice. The Hero attempted to stand, but the boy didn't let him. Jim blew the whistle again, making the Hero howl in anguish as he approached him.

"This is for Saber!" he shouted and vengefully veered his hammer, smashing the Hero's head again. The Hero was ejected again and hit his back on the ritual table. He lay still as Jim approached him. A vicious frown was on the boy's face.

"One more chance...Are you gonna back down from your wish or what?" The Trollhunter gnashed in enmity. The Hero slowly and weakly opened his eyes, but he couldn't look at Jim. He isn't answering me! The boy thought furiously as the man lifted his head towards him. "I'll cut off your limbs and then your tongue! You won't touch and say your wish to the Grail!" Jim raised the hammer and was about to slam it when the Hero achingly raised his right hand.

Enough...Mark thought as his body felt nothing but ache. He could move, but the pain from the dog-whistle and Jim's hammer did brutal numbers on him. Mark groaned as he showed his right hand to the boy, telling him to stop. He had enough of his attacks.

As for Jim, Mark's haggard and bloody face made him stop. The mankind's strongest Hero looked so weak and it made Jim feel saddened. Invincible was Toby's favorite Hero. Toby adored Mark the Hero, and now that Jim was seeing him in this state, the Trollhunter felt bad. Jim slowly glanced at the hammer weapon. The tip was dyed in blood – the Hero's. He felt shameful that his best friend's favorite Hero was now lying on the ground, almost dying from his own injuries that Jim had inflicted.

The face of his best friend's smile played into his mind. No, Toby wouldn't like to see me hurting him. "No...I can't." Jim muttered in sadness as he dropped the hammer. Invincible looked at him and a puzzled look formed on his face as the boy glanced at him with a sorrowful look, warm tears starting to trail down his cheeks before he kneeled and broke down to a cry. "You're...my best friend's favorite Hero. I can't hurt you like this. I can't do this anymore." Jim said and cried more.

Jim...Mark observed him and he realized what had just happened. The Trollhunter was burnt out. He didn't want the violence that he had done. You hated hurting me...and yet I deserve it for hurting you so badly. Mark thought as a disgraced frown formed on his face.

Mark had tried to kill Jim many times before. He even killed Jim's Servant in a heinous manner. The boy must have hated him and had enough desire to kill him. But Jim didn't. Instead, he only cried. The Trollhunter had realized that he had almost got lost in anger and violence, just like Mark. However, the only difference between the Hero and the Trollhunter was that the boy recovered while he was still in the dark.

"J-Jim…" a weak and remorseful voice escaped his lips.

The Trollhunter glanced at him. "I can't do it. Please just open your eyes. The Grail isn't what you think it is. It's nothing but a gate to the Root. It may grant your wish, but you'll never be happy with it, the Grail will make your wish a failure." he explained to him between his snivels.

What do you mean by that? A foreboding feeling formed in Mark's guts. He always heard the same reasoning from the other people. It all came out as lies to him. But with Jim's desperate plea, a feeling of doubt against the Grail started to form inside his chest. What if the Grail would fail to understand his wish? What would happen then?

*CRACK*

A loud crack cut through the air around the cathedral. The two men looked up and found the source of the sound. The glass jar, the one that contains the heart of the homunculus, had gained a crack. The heart was still beating wildly, but the golden glow around it was now brighter than before.

"What-?" Jim was perplexed at what he was seeing, but before he could react, the glass cracked more and eventually shattered. The heart then floated in the air. The two men gulped in tension. The flesh beat furiously before its muscles suddenly melted away. The whole cathedral was enveloped in golden light. The heart made the occupants close their eyes to shield themselves from the blinding light. And then the light vanished.

What the hell was that? Jim was the first to open his eyes, and then he froze. Floating above them was a golden object – a chalice. The chalice was glowing in gold but its surface was riddled with cracks and its brim was chipped. It was as if it wasn't complete. But the boy ignored it, the chalice was majestic and it had a strong aura of divinity. What is that…? And then it dawned on Jim. "That's the Holy Grail. The Lesser Grail!"

Mark looked at it with his eyes widened in shock and astonishment. At last, the object that he had been waiting for was now hovering above him. His wish for a bright new future for everyone would happen soon.

As long as he reached for it.

The two men looked at each other, their eyes glinting in fire and alive. The object that they had fought for, the true main prize of this war, was within their grasp.

"I'm sorry, Jim!" My wish has to happen! Mark, with the Grail in sight, had completely forgotten his doubt. His eyes brightened and was lost in his wish and desire to fulfill it. The Hero shot up, ignoring the pain from his injuries. His hands reached up to the Grail. Jim, realizing what he would do, cursed in frustration.

"No, Mark, stop!" The Trollhunter took his hammer and swung it upward. The anti-gravity of the hammer, the one that made the weapon lighter than air, activated and its momentum pulled the boy up.

The two reached the grail at the same time. Their hands stretched and were aiming to grab the handle of the chalice.

"The Grail is mine!"

"Stop!"

The two men stared at the Grail and their hands grabbed the chalice by its brim. The Grail reacted to their touch and its luminosity increased more. The light engulfed them both before it burst into golden dust. The dust then hurled and began to swirl as a large hole that opened into an endless void appeared. A band of blue light encircled it perfectly.

The two men were nowhere in sight and the whole place was filled with roaring wind.

The door burst open and Emiya loomed out of the hallway. The Terrorist Mage saw the band of light on top of the altar. The light was swirling violently and the wind screamed in his ears. The whole scene was very familiar to him. It was like before, during the fifth Holy Grail War.

"Emiya, we're too late!" Rin stood behind him, a look of doom on her face. "The Holy Grail has been activated!"

"I know!" Where are you, Jim? Emiya's grey eyes started to look everywhere, searching for a familiar sign of the Trollhunter's black or silver armor. Nothing. He didn't see any armor. Then where's Mark? The Terrorist Mage noted the surroundings again, looking for the familiar costume of mankind's strongest hero. And just like Jim, not a single trace of the Hero was in sight. And then Emiya realized where they were. They are in "that" place! "I know where Jim and Mark are! I want you to stay here!" Emiya instructed urgently and faced Rin. The Mage looked at the band of light again and she understood what the Terrorist Mage meant.

"Be careful! Make sure to bring them both back!"

"I will." the man said as she smiled and planted his lips on her's. Rin responded as she felt the man's warmth crawling towards her throat, making her feel relaxed and at ease.

"I'll see you in a minute, Emiya." she said as she withdrew.

The Terrorist Mage turned around and sprinted. Rin watched as Emiya summoned a set of swords, which turned into stairs. He ascended through the blades and eventually reached the band of blue light. His hand stretched towards it and, as soon as his hand passed through the band, he burst into glittering golden light and disappeared.

The Lesser Grail had swallowed him whole.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Invincible, Fate/Stay Night, and Tales of Arcadia. Names, places and events are purely fictional. If one exists in real life then it was purely coincidental.

Special Thanks to Pure Red Crain for Beta-reading and Proofreading.

Woo-hoo! New Chapter is up! Looks like the two heroes had finally duked it out on each other huh. Well in anycase, hope you enjoy this chapter, feel free to leave some reviews! Any, ANY AND ANY reviews will do.