Fate series and characters belong to Nasu and TypeMoon


Facing the Greater Grail

"Excalibur Morgan!"

A powerful and violent swing of her black sword from above, a blazing red-black-purple flame blasted from the blade. The blast of dark energy flame headed towards where Mash stood. Her eyes sealed and exhaled a deep breath, quickly shot opened with a determined expression.

She lifted her shield high and shouted, "Deploying Noble Phantasm! Yaaa!"

THUNK!

A large magical circle glowing in green light appearing before her, safeguarding those behind like a dome.

The dark energy clashed against the barrier, generating sparks and the black flames diverted surrounding the dome.

Also, the strong pressure from the flames produced a powerful current to the back. While rushing to Mash, Ritsuko nearly fell and shoved back from the wind. Ritsuka quickly grabbed her into his arms right behind her. "Ritsuko! Guh!"

Not solely the two bracing against the strong breeze, Mash held onto her shield against the energy wave. The consistent strong pressure threatened to lose her ground against Saber.

Saber, but, stared at her with an impassive expression at her attempt. Olga Marie and Fou stared with uncertainty and distressed at the lone Servant withstanding all. Caster narrowed his red orbs at them and peered back at his staff.

Mash gritted her teeth as she realized fatigue crept into her. Her body collapsed onto the ground and the magic circle of her Noble Phantasm slowly dissolving. Mash's violet orb stared at the ground, darkness enveloping her sight.

Despite the desire to protect her Masters, the weary feeling and hopelessness drowned her thoughts. As her hands were to let go, a familiar warmth held above them. Mash gasped and spun her gaze in surprise to meet two familiar right hands onto her hand and left shoulder.

She turned to her right to see Ritsuko putting her right hand over hers while her other hand settled around her waist. To her left, Ritsuka placed his right hand over her shoulder and the other holding onto the grip of the shield.

Both siblings shared the same expression of unwavering conviction in holding her Noble Phantasm against Saber's own.

The surprise soon turned relieved as a joyful beam surfaced on Mash's lips, "Senpais…"

Ritsuko returned an assured grin and acknowledged, "We believe in you, Mash-chan."

"You're not alone, Mash. Together, we'll protect the Director and everyone." Ritsuka added with a satisfied grin of his own as Mash looked over.

"… Yes!" Mash nodded.

With a nod from the two Masters, the Command Seals on both their hand glowed bright red. Mash noticed that her body glowed in a gentle white light as though it erased her fatigue and renewed with a newfound strength.

Breathing in and out deeply, Mash stared back in front and rose back on her foot. "Please watch me, Masters."

The earlier white light transmitted into the shield as the trio gripped the shield and its handle tighter.

White magic circle radiated brighter and resolute against the dark energy, earning surprise reaction from Saber and Olga Marie.

"The Noble Phantasm…" Olga Marie gasped with surprise.

The magic circle projected a white energy shape of Mash's shield behind. Both left and right formed a giant white brick castle wall that stood as a barrier. Deep breath sucked in and breathed out, the Fujimaru siblings and Mash yelled in synch. "Yaargh!"

Golden orbs widened in shock, Saber gasped with her mouth agape. "That shield is…!"

The diverted energy of the black flame turned and reflected Saber in a single blast. Black smoke and specks of dust from the ground mushroomed and swallowed where Saber stood. When it dissolved, Saber's armor and face covered in bruises and dirt from the flame's blaze.

The black knight's golden orbs glared at them with teeth bared and gritting. Both siblings' eyes widened and mouths dropped at Saber remained standing. But, they noticed Mash's head dropped with her eyes barely able to keep them open.

"Mash-chan!" Ritsuko grabbed hold of the violet-haired Servant as she gave way. The white brick wall before them fading from the weakened Servant.

"Excalibur!" But, it wasn't over as Saber raised her sword again with dark energy circulating around her.

Mash heaved in a sharp breath and reassured in a weak voice. "I'm fine. It's not over yet…"

"Mash…" Ritsuka stared at her with his eyebrows furrowed. He shifted back to see Saber more resolved than ever to unleash her Noble Phantasm at her again.

Familiar dark purple energy moving up and channeling towards the blade, a black-purplish energy sword-shaped charged and generated bigger than before.

However, Caster's voice entered his familiar chant. "My spell is the coffin of flames, a giant of verdant thorn.

"Retribution, the forest that will purify misery―

"Befall the Wicker Man! And behold, as both good and evil bite the dust–!" Caster rushed from the back towards Saber. But as he reached towards them, he muttered them in an assured tone. "I'm proud you guys have held out this long."

Watched Caster stood in front of the barricade, he whirled his staff and continued his chanting. "Burn them completely, the giant of all trees― Wicker Man!"

Waved his staff forward, a bright crimson light glowed from the staff. A flaming circle formed surrounding Saber and emerged out a familiar tree giant from beneath her. Saber leaped off from its head and moved to the side as it sought to grab her.

Landed onto its arm, Saber tried to swing and strike at the tree giant. But, its other arm caught hold of her, drawing a shocked gasp from her lips.

Its free hand opened the steel gate and threw Saber inside its body. With a clicking noise of the gate sealed, the Wicker man slowly fell towards the burning circle along with Saber sliding towards inside.

BOOM!

The flame combusted the Wicker Man in a deafening thud. Black smoke mushroomed with a strong gale of wind burst into the surroundings. Olga Marie used her arms to shield against the strong current while the separate three lowered themselves behind Mash's shield.

The fire arose forming a figure of a man before shooting high into the sky. The Wicker Man dispersed away revealing Saber with her armor and face burned from the fire. She stared at them with a detached expression. "Victory for the power that protects? I see…"

Her golden orbs focused on Mash's shield that withstood and continued. "Such like that innocent one…"

"Innocent…?"

Ritsuka repeated with surprise laced in his voice. "You know the identity of the Servant?"

Saber showed a satisfied grin and turned her head aside. "Hmph. Unbeknownst to me, my power has weakened. I stayed my hand at the last moment. I was going to defend the Holy Grail to the end, but I lost because my tenacity wavered."

Gazed upwards to the sky, Saber mumbled to herself in an enigmatic tone. "Ultimately, no matter how my fate changes, I will always meet the same end if I'm alone."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Caster narrowed his eyes and demanded with a vexed tone. "Bastard, what do you know?"

"Eventually, you too will realize it, Ireland's Child of Light," Saber turned back and faced Caster. "Grand Order—the battle to obtain the Holy Grail has only begun."

Saber's body shone in a golden light as her body slowly dissolved from the light below. Ritsuka stretched his hand out and exclaimed, "Hold on, who is the Servant that Mash contracted with her? You know the true identity, don't you?!"

"That shall be something you'll figure out soon with your intelligence and resourcefulness, Magus of Flower's apprentice," Saber answered without a beat.

As Saber noticed Ritsuka's blue orbs widened in shock, she threw one last smirk at him. "You've met him in that land of Utopia, haven't you? That troublesome parent you deemed as the strongest warlock."

Ritsuka stared at her and repeated to himself, "The land of Utopia…?"

Caster gritted his teeth in irritation as the King of Knights ignored his question. "Hey, wait! What do you mean by—Woah!"

Switching their attention to Caster, they looked at his body fading in the same golden light as Saber. Caster raised his fist up and grunted, "Oh crap, I am getting sent back too?"

"Dammit! I don't like this, but whatever," Caster turned to the two Masters and shouted. "Kid, Lady, I'm leaving the rest to you!"

"Caster!" Ritsuko tried to reach her hand out to him.

The blue-haired Servant smirked and rested his staff over his shoulder as he glanced elsewhere. "If there's a next time, try to summon me as a Lancer!"

Caster's final words echoed in the atmospheres with the golden dissolving their body, leaving behind nobody but a golden crystal from Saber's spot onto the ground. Watched where they stood quietly, Mash soon spoke from the tranquil silence. "Confirming both Saber and Caster have vanished.

"… Does this mean we've won?" Mash turned towards her two Masters.

"Yes, you did a fine job, Mash, Ritsuka-kun, and Ritsuko-chan!" Romani's cheery voice chirped out from Ritsuka's wristwatch. "It looks like I can't get any visuals from there, so I can't see your happy faces."

Relaxed and bright grins bloomed on the three of their faces, they looked at each other and grinned wider at their achievement. Romani's voice went on, "The Director must be so pleased… Now we don't have to worry about Singularity F. Hey, where's the Director?"

Eyes examining around, they soon settled on Olga Marie who stayed at her spot with her head lowered. Her brows furrowed as she muttered to herself in a concerned voice, "Grand Order… How did that Servant know that name?"

"Orders please, Director Marie," Ritsuko requested, addressing her with Mash and Ritsuka behind her.

Noticed that Olga Marie didn't budge to face up, Ritsuka took a stride closer and leaned his head and probed. "Is something the matter?"

"Huh? O-Oh right," Olga Marie snapped her head upwards to look at the three of them awaiting her next order. She cleared her throat and made a proud yet well-hidden strained beam. "Well done Fujimaru, Mash. Several points are unclear, but let's call this mission complete."

The trio's face lit up with their grin surfaced as they glanced at each other. As they nodded, Olga Marie nodded too and instructed next. "First, let's retrieve that crystal. It's the reason Saber became abnormal… It's the reason Fuyuki City became a Singularity."

"Yes," Mash nodded, "An immediate retrieval—What?"

A slow clapping sound reverberated in the tranquil atmosphere. Shock and attentive expression shown on the four faces as they searched around for the origin. The clapping sound picked up its pace adopted by an uncanny calm yet familiar voice, "Well, I didn't expect you'd get this far."

With the clapping sound ceased, they gazed their head high to the top of the rock wall where a familiar figure wearing a top hat stood. They tucked their arms behind them and admitted, "Beyond my plan's expectations and my own tolerances.

"Master Candidate #48 Fujimaru Ritsuko… And you, Fujimaru Ritsuka.

"It was my mistake naively to overlook both of you as an improbable child."

With a more distinct view of the figure, Ritsuka widened his eyes and his mouth agape. "You're…!"

"Professor Lev?" Mash's orb widened upon realizing. She let out a faint breath of relief slipped from her lips.

"I-It really is him!" Ritsuko raised her hands to put against her lip at the recognition too.

Ritsuka's wristwatch blinked as Romani's surprised voice shouted, "Lev–? Professor Lev, you say? He's there?"

"Hm, is that Romani I hear? So, you survived," Lev stared down at the four. "I told you to come to the command room at once, but it seems you didn't listen. Honestly–!"

"Lev…?" Romani's puzzled voice emitted from the wristwatch.

Lev's eyes shot opened revealing black beady and silted eyes glared at them in a disdainful expression. "Trash who can't even follow orders. Just the mere sight of it makes me want to throw up. Why is it humans always try to avoid their preordained fates?"

"Professor… Lev?" Ritsuko weakly mumbled in bewilderment.

Ritsuka merely stared at him in shock at what he uttered. Romani let out a noise of an astonished gasp from the wristwatch. Neither them, Mash nor Romani could fathom what Lev spoke.

But, Mash's orbs widened upon noticing something and shifted to both her Masters. "Masters, fall back! Fall back, please!"

"Mash, what's wrong?" Ritsuka's puzzled expression from the earlier turned towards Mash's insistence. He didn't understand the reason of her words or the fear expression worn on her face now.

The violet-haired Servant's eyebrows furrowed and her teeth gritted. "That person is dangerous… Th… That isn't Professor Lev we know!"

"What did you say?!" Ritsuko dropped her hand and gawked at Mash's declaration.

"But, that's–!" As Ritsuka turned his head back at Lev, his blue orbs narrowed to stare back at the man. No questions that the familiar appearance was Lev that he remembered and talked to hours before.

But with Mash's declaration, Ritsuka felt there's a weird vibe coming from him. Instead of the amiable and welcoming vibe, an eerie and malicious vibe emitting from Lev.

Unknown to them, Olga Marie hadn't listened to Mash's declaration let out a relieved sigh. Tears formed and rolled down from her eyes, the Director's face bloomed a beam on her lips. "Lev… Oh, Lev! Lev! You're alive! Thank goodness!"

Her limbs moved and made a hasty dash as Olga Marie exclaimed with her overwhelmed relief of her assistant. "Without you, I don't know how I could protect Chaldea!"

"Director don't! That man is…!"

Mash's words fallen deaf to her ears as Olga Marie remained running towards Lev. Once closer, Olga Marie paused to take a deep breath. The Professor only smiled and answered in the familiar composed tone, "Hi, Olga. You seem well. Looks like you had a rough time, too."

"Yes, yes, that's right, Lev!" Olga Marie nodded and went on with the grin remained on her face. "The command room blew up, the city's in ruins, and I can't return to Chaldea! I'm going crazy about all these unforeseen complications!

"But it's okay, as long as you're here we'll be fine, right? That's how it's always been, right? You'll help me this time too, won't you?"

"Yes. Honestly, all these complications have irritated me," Despite the familiar grin, the tone laced in his voice was anything but complying with Olga Marie.

"And the biggest complication is you, Olga."

Unfazed by the shocked expression on the Director's face, Lev confessed bluntly. "I set the bomb right under your feet, yet you still live."

Behind Olga Marie, the three widened their eyes as their mouth dropped significantly from the revelation. She staggered back and weakly murmured, "What? L-Lev? Um, wh-what's that supposed to mean?"

"Sorry, you're not actually alive," Lev's grin flashed his razor-sharp teeth with his grin twisted into a delighted smirk. His black beady eyes looked down at the horrified Director and continued, "You're already dead. Your body, at least, long ago."

"The… Director is dead…? No… No way…"

Ritsuko repeated his words, orange orbs stared at the equally horrified Director on the exact truth.

Lev went on with his words as his grin broadened at Olga Marie's reaction. "Trismegistus thoughtfully transferred you into this land after you'd become residual thoughts. You had no aptitude for Rayshift while alive, right? You can't teleport while you have a physical body."

"Lies…" Olga Marie uttered in a weak voice.

"Understand? You only gained the aptitude you so desired after you died. That's why you can't return to Chaldea. The moment you do, your consciousness will vanish."

"Wh-What? I'll vanish?" Olga Marie weakly repeated his remarks. "Wait… I can't return to Chaldea?"

"Indeed. But that's too sad of a story for you," Lev stretched his right hand outwards. "Let me show you the fate of the Chaldea that you devoted your entire life to."

Orange orbs turned to her left, Olga Marie followed the golden crystal that Saber dropped flew towards Lev's hand. Once in his grip, Lev lifted his hand and the golden crystal turned into a glowing orb. It absorbed into his palm and he lifted another hand up to snap his fingers.

Behind him, a violet light burst into an enormous circle which revealed the familiar command room in ruins.

However, the enormous circle showed the familiar glowing crimson globe floating in the midst of the room.

Tilted her head skyward, Olga Marie's lip trembled to express at the sight she saw. "Wh-What is that? Chaldeas is bright red? It's a lie, right? It's just an illusion, right, Lev?"

"No, it's real. I've connected the dimensions for you," Lev replied in an unconcerned tone. "Having the Holy Grail allows me to do so."

Collected gasps heard not merely from the three but faintly at the command room where Romani and the rest of the Chaldea staff were. A chuckle slipped from Lev's lips as he proclaimed, "Now behold, the descendant of Animusphere. Behold your folly!

"Not a sliver of blue representing human survival remains. Nothing but a burning, bright, red. That is the outcome of this mission. Isn't it wonderful, Marie?" Lev laughed aloud before them. "Once again, your incompetence has brought forth tragedy!"

As Lev continued to laugh, the three who stood shocked, Ritsuko repeated Lev's declaration. "This is the outcome…? All of it had led to the destruction of humanity… Because of what we had done?!"

"No, that can't be," Ritsuka gritted his teeth. "There's no way, this is the truth–!"

"Don't—Don't be absurd!"

Jerked his head to the front, Olga Marie gritted her teeth and glared fiercely at Lev. "I'm not responsible! I didn't fail! I'm not dead! Who are you? What have you done to my Chaldeas!"

"It isn't 'yours.' Honestly," Annoyance flashed across Lev's face, he swung his hand outwards in a golden glowing light. "What an annoying girl you are!"

The same golden light illuminated Olga Marie's body. She floated high into the air and pulled towards to the front. The Director struggled as panic now overwhelmed her. "Wha… Something's pulling—my body across space–!"

"I told you. It now connects that place with Chaldea," Lev set his hand back down and smirked at her. "I could kill you now, but there's no grace to that. I will grant you your final wish, instead. Go ahead and lay your hands on your treasure. Think of it as benevolence on my part."

"Wait—What do you mean, Lev? My treasure… You mean Chaldeas?" Met at the burning red globe reaching close to her that drew her in, Olga Marie screamed as she struggled harder than before. "No, stop, please! Chaldeas? A high-density body of data? A territory of a dimensional anomaly?"

"Yes. No different from a black hole. Or perhaps a sun. Well, either way," Lev answered with an unconcerned tone. "A human touching it would be a hellish disintegration on the molecular level. By all means, have a taste of infinite living death!"

Mouth letting a terrified gasp, Ritsuka tried to rush over, "Director!"

Mash quickly seized hold of Ritsuka's arm to stop him, "No, Ritsuka-senpai!"

"No—No, no! Someone help me! Help! I… I don't want to die here!"

Turned their head back to Olga Marie, she remained screaming as her body drew closer to the Chaldeas globe. "Because I've never been praised… I've never been praised by anyone! Why? Why does this always happen to me?!"

Tears flowed down her pale terrified face, Olga Marie wept and pleaded to hope for a miracle took place for her. "No one ever valued me! Everyone hated me! No! Stop! No, no, no, no, no… I haven't even accomplished anything yet!

"From the moment I was born, I've never been accepted by anyone–!"

"Director!" Ritsuka struggled to remove his arm away from Mash.

Ritsuko grabbed hold of his shoulder and reminded, "It's too late! We won't make it–!"

"Noooooo!"

Before their view, Olga Marie's body turned as her back landed against the globe. Electrics sparks emitted from the globe and electrocuted her body. The sparks melted her torso against the globe in a liquid state as she continued to scream.

Her painful cries slowly diminished as her eyes shut tight, her body disappearing into one with the globe. As the sparks continued electrocuting her, Olga Marie's soul extinguished before the three.

When the electrical sparks disappeared, the three stood still.

Memories of Olga Marie flashed through in their mind, her laughter, her anger, her stubborn dishonesty.

And last, her appreciative grin and compliments to them for achieving their mission.

Those brief hours with her on this journey despite the bouts of disputes. Anger and grief swelled in their heart. Stood there in silence as Ritsuko remembered, orange orbs narrowed in fury at the man before them.

Her teeth gritted with fury and with a low growl escaped, Ritsuko tried to charge forward, "YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"

Ritsuka stood before her and grasped her arm before she left. "Stop it, Ritsuko! We know how you feel, but you go there right now is just an ambush set at you!"

"But–!"

Mash placed her hand onto her shoulder and directed her eyes at the globe to remind Ritsuko of Olga's demise. "Don't do it, Senpai! If you approach that man, you'll die the same way!"

Hearing the agitation, Lev turned his attention to them. But, Mash's nerves jolted with dread and wary as her orbs shrunk. "Oh, no!"

Quickly stood before the two, Mash slammed her shield onto the ground before them protectively. Ritsuka at once pulled his sister closer to him as he glowered in wary of his later action.

But, Lev merely smirked at them or Mash particular and complimented. "Oh? Impressive, for a Demi-Servant. You sense I am a fundamentally different life form. Shall I reintroduce myself? My name is Lev Lainur Flauros…"

He brought one hand to his back, the other planted on his chest and gave a courteous bow. "In charge of the year 2016 sent to dispose of you humans. Are you listening, Dr. Romani?"

As Ritsuka raised his wristwatch up, Lev declared in an unwavering tone. "As a friend who studied magecraft with you, let me give you the final advice. Chaldea is finished. You humans have reached the moment of your destruction."

A faint audible buzz emanated from Ritsuka's wristwatch before Romani's wary voice answered, "Professor Lev. No, Lev Lainur. What do you mean? Is it related to being unable to see 2018?"

"It's not 'related.' It's the reality that this is the end," Lev laughed with the sneer on his face grew wider. "Unable to see the future, you babbled that it had 'disappeared.' That was truly wishful thinking. The future didn't disappear. It was incinerated.

"The moment it dyed Chaldeas crimson.

"Your end is certain.

"Your era no longer exists.

"Chaldeas' magnetic field may be protecting Chaldea, but anyone outside will face the same as Fuyuki City."

"… So, that was it," Romani's voice acknowledged. He went on with a knowing tone after comprehending Lev's declaration. "We didn't lose contact with the outside world due to interference, we lost the outside world itself."

Ritsuka and Ritsuko gasped in terror after hearing what Romani explained.

Eyes widened upon realizing the truth of how much worse it came from the moment Chaldea Headquarters caught in the explosion.

Lev frowned and grunted in a vexed tone. "Hmph, you really are perceptive. A shame I didn't kill you at once."

A smirk returned on Lev's lips and announced, "But that too is futile resistance. If the time within Chaldea passes 2017, it will be wiped from this 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, nor did you perish due to war with foreign species." Dark laughter escaped Lev's lips together with a decisive declaration. "Rather, it was your own foolishness! Your incompetence! Because you lost the grace of our King! Like a bunch of worthless scrap paper, you'll be burned away without a trace!"

GURA GURA!

The ground shook fiercely, causing the trio nearly losing their footing.

Ritsuko scanned the area and wondered, "An earthquake?!"

After checking around, Mash shook her head and corrected, "No… This is…!"

Debris from the ceiling collapsed from the rocking, the ground forming fissure as the shock continued. Water sloshed from the top of the rock wall where Lev stood, he stared it calmly before turning upwards. "Ah, is this singularity at its limit?"

A slight frown appeared on Lev's lips and he recalled, "Cursed Saber. If you'd just obeyed, you could have lived. Even when given the Holy Grail, she caused trouble by wanting to sustain this era."

"Farewell, Romani. And you Mash, Candidate #48… Also, Fujimaru Ritsuka," Lev turned back to them with his beady eyes tightened at them. "Believe it or not, I have other things to do. My enjoyment of your destruction ends here."

He flew high in mid-air and bid, "Now, be swallowed by the dimensional warp. But I'm not that evil, I'll allow you to say a final prayer."

"Bastard!"

At Ritsuka's furious yelling, Lev gave them one last smirk before fleeing into the large circle. The large circle shrunk and disappeared, leaving stronger tremor from the current earthquake. Mash put her shield over her to cover against the rocks as the siblings crouched close to her.

The violet-haired Servant peeked at the side and watched larger rocks descending to the ground. "The underground cavern's collapsing! No, the cavern wasn't stable in the first place!"

"Doctor! Perform an emergency Rayshift!" Mash turned to Ritsuka's wristwatch. "At any rate, we can at least save both Senpais!"

"Understood! I'm already doing it!" Romani's voice responded. "But I'm sorry, it may collapse faster than I can fix it! Just hang on to your consciousness! If we don't lose that, I might salvage–!"

Bzzt!

The sudden buzz cut off Romani's words, leaving the wristwatch's light stopped flickering. Ritsuka stared at his watch and exclaimed, "Doctor?!"

The ground beneath broke and flung them high into the air. Ritsuka stretched his hand out as he swung to his sister. "Ritsuko!"

Ritsuko quickly stretched her hand out and gripped tight of Ritsuka's. She then shifted to Mash and drew her other hand out too. "Mash-chan, your hand!"

"Senpai!"

Mash tried to reach for her hand, but they were too far apart. Ritsuka stretched out his other free hand and yelled, "Mash, this way!"

"Senpais, your hand!"

Hands swiping and thrusting forward to get for the other. The two Masters gritted and propelled themselves closer to their friend. With both hand stretched forward from every ounce of strength, they caught hold of Mash's hand firmly once their fingertips grazed against the latex gloves.

But, as they grasped hold of Mash's arms, the vision before changed into complete darkness. The last thing they picked up was the loud continuous of the rocks tumbling from above…

End of Section 9


Apparently, I got too busy grinding for Rider Ishtar ascension materials... I forgot to upload this yesterday...
I'M SO SORRY! OTL

The next chapter or rather the last chapter of this Singularity F has a date set: The day Aniplex finally released their freaking Anniversary Banner :D
With Camelot hell here now... Time to dig my grave again OTL

I'm active on Tumblr under FGODestinyAwakenings if you guys want to talk or see the shit I shit myself into... Because it's a butterfly effect, how small initial differences may lead to large unforeseen consequences over time. And how I screw myself over the time before the final singularity and Babylonia that's to come :D

Anyway, hope you guys enjoy the chapter
Thank you very much for the faves and follows as always! :D