Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Different Fates

Chapter 33

"Gilgamesh…King of Heroes…" Anika echoed. "…isn't he?"

"Yeah…" Sakura replied. "…he was my father's Servant. The Archer of the previous Holy Grail War…I don't know how he survived that war's cataclysmic end ten years ago, but that's pretty academic. What matters is that he's here: the strongest of all possible Servants."

Berserker and Lancer didn't look happy at that, but Saber's lack of reaction was enough to keep them from talking. Rider however was looking at Gilgamesh curiously. "The girl's got a point." He said. "How are you still here?"

"Were it any save for you…" Gilgamesh replied with a sidelong glance at Saber, who narrowed her eyes at him as she cautiously took a seat. "…such impudence would have been paid for with death. But such impudence is well…expected from you, so I shall suffer it."

"Well I'm grateful. And…?"

"Humph…" Gilgamesh scoffed as he took a seat as well. "…the Holy Grail was certainly destroyed during the previous war's end. That pathetic fool, Kiritsugu Emiya used all his command spells at once to interrupt the battle between Saber and I, commanding her to destroy the Holy Grail with all her might. So she did, expending her prana and shattering the vessel before I could dispense judgment on his impudent behaviour. Isn't that right, Saber?"

Saber silently stared at the Golden King, who smirked at her. "Come now lioness…" he said softly. "…there's no need to deny it. You already tipped your hand earlier."

Saber briefly closed her eyes and nodded. "Yes…" she said. "…Kiritsugu Emiya was indeed my Master during the previous war. And at the end of that war, even as Archer and I fought in a sea of fire, he betrayed me, using his last command spells to command me to destroy the Holy Grail. The effort cost me all my prana, and I ceased to exist in this world as everything around was consumed by fire."

"Consumed by fire…?" Sakura echoed with horrified realization. "The Holy Grail is a vessel, containing the energies of fallen Servants with which to power the wish-actualization process. Even if it was destroyed…all that energy has to go somewhere!"

"The firestorm from ten years ago…" Bazett concluded angrily. "…which killed countless people in this city at the conclusion of the previous war, the cause for which we could never determine, was caused by the Grail's destruction. But the Magus Killer was no fool! There's no way he could not have foreseen that! If so why…?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Lancer said. "He was Saber's Master. I'm sure he was probably fighting golden boy's Master, and had no confidence in winning. He probably gave the bastard the slip or something, and then ordered Saber to make sure that if he couldn't win, no one would. Talk about sore losers."

Sakura punched the ground hard enough to strike blood. "Damn that Emiya!" she roared. "I could forgive him killing my father…but to destroy the Holy Grail despite knowing that its released energies would run amok…simply because he didn't want to lose? Damn him! Tens of thousands of lives…! Damn him!"

"Sakura, calm yourself." Anika said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Sakura looked at her, and with another sound of disgust took a deep breath and fought to bring her temper under control.

Shirou however was staring at Saber in horror. "Dad…" he thought. "…did you really destroy the Holy Grail just so you wouldn't lose? Did you kill tens of thousands…scar so many survivors…and even poison the land…did you know it would happen?"

Shirou shifted his gaze to the ground, as a memory flashed through his mind. "Saving someone's life means not someone else's life…" Shirou bitterly reflected. "…just as I don't trust Tohsaka with the Grail, did you not trust her father with it as well? Will I…will I have to make that same choice eventually? Can I…?"

"Your father hmm…?" Gilgamesh remarked, all the while staring at Sakura. "No matter…indeed as the governor it is entirely meet that you should feel anger that an impudent fool would set fires over your demesne."

"Governor…" Sakura echoed. "…yes, I am the Supervisor. My responsibility is to ensure the spiritual welfare and proper use of magic within the territory, as it was my father's before me."

"But…?"

"The man is dead." Sakura said. "Going after a dead man is pointless, it won't achieve anything."

"Is that so?" he said, narrowing his eyes. Anika however took Sakura's hand and squeezed it, and Gilgamesh turned his attention back to Rider. "Do as you will child, the right of vengeance and judgment in this matter is yours. What you do with it is none of my concern."

Sakura bowed, and squeezed Anika's hand back. "Rider…" Gilgamesh began. "…you would seek reincarnation with the Grail once more, would you not?"

"That's what I said before…" Rider began while filling a spare cup. "…and that's what I said just now."

"Humph…" Gilgamesh scoffed. "…then King of Conquerors, allow me to enlighten you. There is no need for you to squander a wish in pursuit of that. Simply partake of the essence within the Grail, and it shall grant you your wish. Yes, the essence within the Grail once partaken by a Servant, grants existence independent of a Master, all the while retaining all the might of a Heroic Spirit incarnated once more within the world."

"Oh!" Rider exclaimed triumphantly. "Good to know…! And so that's how you're still here!"

"Of course it is you impudent rebel." Gilgamesh said irritably, but taking the offered cup of wine regardless. "As Saber vanished and that Emiya fled like the whipped cur that he was, I was engulfed by the spilled essence of the Grail. Some would say it was too much…but I? I am the King of Heroes, Master of Mankind, and Lord of the World and all its treasures. An ant challenging a whirlwind would have better chances than something like raw, untamed magical energy overwhelming one such as my great and glorious self."

"Still a narcissist I see." Saber said acidly. "Ten years haven't changed you a bit, Archer."

"You presume much lioness." Gilgamesh said, and then he smiled. "The years…no, eternity has not changed you either it seems. Do you still wish the same, King of Knights?"

"And if I do?" she challenged, and Gilgamesh laughed.

"We're in for an interesting night it seems." He observed to Rider who chuckled sadly.

"So it seems." He agreed. "Still, we should leave that for later. The night's started so well, we wouldn't to spoil it so soon."

"Hmm…" Gilgamesh agreed, inwardly-surprised at his generosity. "…a fair point…what say you lioness?"

"For once I am in agreement, King of Uruk." She said, deliberately avoiding calling him by such a presumptuous title like 'King of Heroes'. To her surprise, he simply smiled at that. 'King of Uruk' was ultimately more treasured to him than 'King of Heroes', though she didn't know that.

"I'm curious." Lancer spoke up. "Goldie over there won the last war by default, so I get how he remembers. But from the sound of things you and Saber died or well, vanished after the war. So how'd you remember?"

"I'm curious about that too." Anika said, and Sakura nodded.

"As is I." she said, and the other Masters nodded. Saber however refused to answer, while Rider thoughtfully swirled his wine and drained it before answering.

"I do not stand alone. Wherever I go, whenever I am, should I call for them, my followers would rush to my side no matter what." He said. "Those who walk the same path as I, the path of kingship and conquest, ours are bonds of friendship and loyalty that go beyond the limits of time, space, the world and even death itself. The King, their King, will never forget. My friends will never forget. We will never forget."

With the exception of Saber (who was stoic as ever), Archer (who wore a smug smile), and Reines (deep in thought) everyone else just looked uncomprehendingly at Rider. And ultimately it was Reines who linked it all together. "Waver…!" she said in realization, and with a laugh Rider clapped her on the back in congratulations.

"Smart girl aren't you?" he commented, even as Bazett understood the importance of the name.

"Lord El-Melloi II was your Master during the previous war." She said. "You absorbed him into your legend? How is that even possible?"

Rider smiled at her even as the other Masters and Servants (for the most part) began looking and whispering amongst themselves at that realization. "Join me and find out." He said.

Bazett looked taken aback, and she shared a glance with Lancer. "T-that's not possible…" she whispered, and Rider smiled before refilling his cup.

"So that boy from ten years ago has become a mage-lord, eh?" Gilgamesh said with veiled amusement. "He refused to bow you know. And I actually spared him, if only because he was as impudent as his King. Take heed rebellious child. You are as much a rebel as they are, so remember: I have expectations from you."

Sakura bowed in silence, and Gilgamesh lifted his cup to his lips…and just as quickly took it away with an expression of distaste. "King of Conquerors…" he said irritably. "…must you again show ignorance of true drink?"

"Hey, this was supposed to be a better vintage than last time!"

"And yet it's not even worth passing refreshment for a brief chat." Gilgamesh snapped back. He set aside his cup. "Honestly, I surprise myself sometimes. Be honoured mongrels, rebels and fakers, that I would show you such generosity."

He snapped a finger, golden portals opening and dropping golden cups in front of the gathering. The Masters generally failed to catch the falling cups in surprise, but the Servants were far quicker. A larger portal opened, and Gilgamesh took a strong-smelling flagon of gold by the handle.

"Rejoice…" he said as he filled his cup, and the Rider's, and then Saber's before placing the flagon on the ground. "…for this is the drink of kings, and I have the generosity to share it with the likes of you."

"Honestly…" Rider said as he drained his first cup. "…always showing me up aren't you? Still…good drink…"

Gilgamesh laughed. "I am always willing to accept your challenge King of Conquerors." He said. "And once again, I show which of us is truly superior."

"Back then you said that if we were to claim the Holy Grail…" Rider said softly. "…we should ask you for it, did you not?"

"Hmm…? Yes so I did. And so it shall be again this time. Whosoever triumphs in this war must pass my judgment before they may hold the promised treasure."

"Ha! I knew you'd say something like that!" Rider barked with a grin. "I won't lose this time, King of Heroes."

Gilgamesh smiled with anticipation, raising his cup in a toast. "I'll be looking forward to it…" he said with a smile. "…King of Conquerors."

"How conceited…" Saber said as she took a drink. "…you presume to judge us based on your default victory during the previous war?"

"I do not presume to judge." Gilgamesh corrected her. "I am the King. I simply am, and the same goes for my words, my thoughts and actions, my authority and all that belongs to me."

Saber glared at him in distaste, and Gilgamesh's smile turned predatory. "Furthermore I never said I would judge you all, only the one who would triumph this time round." He said. "As with the Tokiomi's rebellious child I have expectations from you lioness. Or have you forgotten my proposal ten years ago?"

"You dare?" Saber exploded, getting to her feet with Shirou fast behind her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and instantly Gilgamesh's expression soured.

"Saber…" Shirou urged. "…calm down. We're not here to fight aren't we?"

Saber looked at Shirou, and with a calming breath nodded. Shirou removed his hand and waited for Saber to take her seat once more before doing so himself. All this time, unnoticed by any save for Archer, Gilgamesh's eyes remained fixed on Shirou.

Know your place faker boy, and if not for the annoyance it would cause, I would punish you for laying hands on a treasure that belongs by right to the King.

At this point Anika coughed to gain everyone's attention. "Well…" she began. "…since we've heard Rider's wish, how about we hear from his Master?"

"Oh that's a good idea!" Rider agreed, and giving the baroness a subtle look of thanks for clearing the thickening air. "So Reines, share with us your aim in this war."

The woman in question took some time to pull herself together, unaffected by Rider's wine but her cheeks turned rosy by Gilgamesh's. "Um…" she began, putting her cup down. "…to be honest when this war started…in hindsight I had fairly…petty goals."

"From the sound of things they aren't anymore." Sakura commented while taking careful sips of Gilgamesh's wine. It was strong, that much was obvious from the smell, but it was good. Even so, it was probably best to take it easy.

"No, they aren't." Reines agreed before looking at Shirou. "I wanted to kill you, you know."

Shirou scratched uncomfortably at his cheek. "Why does everyone want to kill me?" he thought to himself, while Archer snickered at him.

"It's nothing personal…" Reines continued. "…it's just that your father killed my uncle, and destroyed his crest in the process. Any magus worth the title knows how valuable crests are, especially the older they get. Uncle Kayneth's crest was worth ten generations…so yeah…I was obligated to kill you."

Oh great…another one of those 'you killed my relative so I have to kill you' magi…damn it…what is wrong with our kind?

"But…" Reines said. "…after I began to have those dreams…and then Rider earlier going on about conquering the world…"

"Please tell me you're not actually considering it Lady Archisorte." Bazett groaned, and Lancer snickered.

"Let me finish." The younger magus retorted before taking a deep breath. "To be honest I don't have any wish for the Grail, not even before Rider here began to make me think. My goal was to avenge the loss of my uncle's crest, and by winning the Grail gain honour and prestige for my family."

"So what changed?" Anika asked.

"I saw empty shores…" Reines answered softly. "…the dawn sky tinted rose and pearl by the rising Sun, and an endless sea stretching out to the ever-distant horizon. The water is stained ruby-red by that same Sun, breaking with white foam over pristine shores beyond the reach of men. Even if it was just a dream…even if a place like that no longer exists in this changed world…I…"

She paused and then looked at Rider who looked down at her with an unreadable expression. "I saw a city of brick and bronze…" she continued. "…its walls rose from the depths of a great river, decorated with dragons and lions in gold and blue, and running with murals of the glories of ancient Kings: Gilgamesh, Hammurabi, Semiramis, Nebuchadnezzar, and many others."

"Babylon…" Rider murmured. "…City of the King…"

"The people opened the gates, welcoming the conqueror with open hands and with loud cheers where they should carry weapons and shouted defiance…" Reines continued. "…I also saw the defeated kneeling before a King seated on a throne that was too big for him. They should have and would have lost their heads, but the King brought them up, and I saw them riding with him, in the direction of the rising Sun."

Rider smiled. "And…?" he asked. "What's your point?"

"You are insane." Reines said bluntly. "Your dream for the world is insane. But…this war is insane isn't it? The spirits of great kings and heroes from across time and space brought together in a glorified blood sport. If you can win this…if you can overcome the King of Heroes…"

"What then will you do child?" Gilgamesh murmured, his good mood enhanced by mention of beautiful Babylon.

"Humph…" Reines scoffed. "…I'll see. I'll watch and see how far my brother and his insane King will go before they finally go down."

"Oh?" Rider replied. "And what if you go down with us?"

"So long as my questions are answered, I don't care." Reines said. "Don't misunderstand me: unlike my brother, you are not my King. I'm just tagging along because I'm curious that's all."

Rider laughed and clapped Reines on the back, while Anika and Sakura exchanged glances. Shirou looked neutrally at Reines, unable to understand why someone would even consider wasting her life watching an insane dream unfold when she could something useful, all the while being watched by Archer, who divined his younger self's thoughts.

As opposed to what really, Shirou Emiya…? Staining your hands with blood and throwing away everything you value for an empty and meaningless greater good? Idiot…at least she would gain some meaning out of her trouble…you however…death would be a mercy…

"A chance to conquer the world and to watch someone do just that or die trying…" Lancer remarked. "…compared to that I feel rather lowly…"

"Oh?" Rider said, turning to Lancer. "And what's your wish Lancer?"

"Nothing…" the Servant said. "…I've got nothing really that I want the Grail to grant me. In fact, just to be summoned like this and be granted the opportunity to fight worthy opponents…in its own way that satisfies me."

Gilgamesh made a sound of disgust. "In other words…" he drawled. "…you're just a bloodthirsty dog looking for throats to rip out before yours is."

Lancer glared at Gilgamesh, who only suffered such impudence out of respect for Rider. "So I am…" Lancer said. "…and if I get through this in one piece, I'm going to see how sturdy that throat of yours is King of Heroes."

"Is that so?" Gilgamesh said with narrowed eyes.

"Now, now…" Rider cut in. "…there's no need to be so belligerent. Truly Lancer's wish is a simple one, but a simple life and simple desires are nothing to be ashamed of. Heracles was a humble man, yet one of the greatest heroes of the age. Lancer's wish is modest and satisfies him, and that is nothing to be condemned."

"Humph…" Gilgamesh scoffed, but the rest of the gathering agreed with Rider, especially Berserker who eyed Lancer appraisingly. And he noticed.

"You want something?" he asked, and Berserker smirked.

"Yeah…" she said. "…I want to see how sharp those fangs of yours are."

Lancer smirked back. "I'll try not to disappoint you." He said. "I hope you'll do the same for me though."

Berserker's smirk grew, and she raised her cup in a toast. Lancer toasted her back, a pair of bloodthirsty killers finding equals and a desire to prove who the alpha was between them.

"What about you Enforcer McRemitz?" Anika asked. "What's your stake in all this?"

Bazett froze at the question. "M-me…?" she stammered out uncharacteristically.

"Yes."

Bazett stayed silent and unmoving, and then slowly refilled her cup. And then she drank it all down at once. Eyes went wide at the sight, with even Gilgamesh raising an eyebrow a fraction higher. "T-this is strong stuff." Sakura weakly pointed-out.

"It really is." Archer agreed.

"No question about it." Illya said, having taken one sip of Rider's wine before backing out, and had not touched Gilgamesh's wine at all. If she couldn't handle Rider's, well…just one whiff of Gilgamesh's was enough of a warning.

I'm a child, not an idiot.

…

…

…

Did I just call myself a child?

Finally Bazett finished her cup, bringing it down to the ground with a gasp, cheeks rosy and her eyes slightly wild. Rider whistled and clapped his hands slowly. "I…I…this war…" she stammered out, the wine clearly to brace herself. "…I….IwanttosaveLancerthatsall!"

Silence…dead utter silence…eyes stared and mouths hung open at her, including Lancer's. Well Gilgamesh remained reserved, but there was an obvious air of…something shorting out around him. And in the end, he was the fastest to regain his wits.

"What?"

Bazett made a sound like a dying cow, childishly poking her fingers together. "Ever since I was a child…" she began. "I've always looked up to Lancer's legend. I knew every detail of it, and I've always wanted to meet him. But more than that, I also wanted to save him from the cursed fate that awaited him."

She paused and looked at Lancer, who was gaping with utter astonishment. "I don't pity you." She assured him with a small smile and blush. "And I don't expect you to regret anything you've done. I just…I just want you to know that meeting you like this is a dream come true for me. And…I'd like to help you…somehow…in any way I could. And maybe with the Holy Grail…"

She trailed off, eyes downcast but still with rosy cheeks and a small smile. Lancer couldn't get a word out either, his mouth working up and down without a sound like a fish. And then Illya keeled over backwards, laughing her heart out and rolling from side-to-side clutching her belly. "Oh…oh…oh…" she gasped out. "…she actually fell in love with her Servant! No…even before that…can you believe it?"

As the little girl collapsed once more in raucous laughter, Gilgamesh gave a groan. "I don't believe this." He complained. "If you want him that much woman, just take him already."

Bazett shrilly made a sound of embarrassment, covering her face while Lancer turned on Gilgamesh. "This is not funny!" he shouted.

"You're right, it isn't." Gilgamesh agreed. "It's about as amusing as watching cattle mate."

"You…! Are you making fun of me?"

"Why on Earth would I want to do that mongrel?"

Rider coughed, and with a glance at Lancer, Berserker, and Gilgamesh took back control. "Well…" he began, pouring a bracing cup of wine for Bazett. "…that was…unexpected. Anyway at least from the look of things Lancer and his Master would work well with each other. That's not exactly a bad thing, and their wishes don't appear to contradict either."

"Lancer has no wish." Archer pointed out, and Rider nodded.

"Well nothing that the Grail is needed to grant…" he agreed. "…and you're not exactly opposed to your Master's wish are you Lancer?"

"None of your business." He retorted, and the freshly-calmed-down Illya snickered.

"Are you embarrassed doggy?"

"Shut up brat! And don't call me a dog!"

"Now, now…" Rider put in again. "…no need for base insults. Moving on, what about you Archer, and you Miss Tohsaka, what are your wishes?"

Archer and Sakura traded glances, and eventually Archer nodded. "I…" he began. "…well to be honest I have no real wish to bring before the Holy Grail."

"Faker…" Gilgamesh said softly. "…could you be just like that mongrel Lancer?"

"I prefer to think of myself as more civilized than him." Archer said with a smirk at the glowering Lancer. "To be honest, I am a Heroic Spirit from the near future. Due to the…limitations of the world I can neither reveal nor remember my true identity, at least not consciously. However I can remember my legend in general. Simply put, my legend was based on helping people."

"Really…?" Shirou said sceptically, giving Archer the evil eye. "After what you said earlier, I find that hard to believe."

"There are many ways of helping others." Archer responded coolly. "For you it's saving them or literally helping them. Me…? I simply went where there was a need and demand for my skills, and put them to work."

"Don't play with words." Gilgamesh said. "In other words you're a mercenary."

Archer shrugged. "Close enough…" he said. "…but I prefer to think of myself as a tool in the hands of…others."

Alaya to be specific…

"I told you not to play with words." Gilgamesh snarled, pre-empting an angry-looking Shirou from retorting against Archer's claim of 'helping others'. "You are or were or will be a mercenary without honour or code. Ugh…the fact that the world has granted you a place on the Throne of Heroes…is it a sign of how low the Human race has or will degrade to?"

"Tools are meant to be used, not wasted." Archer replied smoothly, and Gilgamesh made to reply, only to close his mouth in thought.

"For once your words have merit faker." He said grudgingly, and Rider nodded.

"Indeed…" he agreed. "…I myself have made use of mercenaries in the past, and while a part of me is rather uncomfortable with men fighting for simply money rather than true conviction, so long as they did their part…"

Rider trailed off, and Archer bowed. Gilgamesh meanwhile turned to Sakura. "And you rebellious child…?" he asked. "What is your wish?"

Sakura slowly put her cup down before crossing her arms. "To be honest…" she began. "…I joined this war only because it was my duty to do so. Father always said that it was my duty to win the Grail if he failed, and if I failed, then it would be my children's duty. However…"

"Go on…"

Sakura scratched her head. "I…I don't have a specific wish for the Grail." She said. "But that doesn't mean I won't seek it. The Grail is after all, a marvel of modern magecraft. And if I win it, well I'm sure I can find a use for it, to go further than I could by other means."

Gilgamesh chuckled. "In other words…" he said. "…you would use the Grail itself, as a stepping stone for greater heights, is that it?"

"Yes."

Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes at her, red staring into blue, the latter flickering but unwilling to look away. In truth ever since the war had started Sakura had harboured a certain suspicion (or hope) about the Grail's power and what it could be used for, and while she'd never spoken of it to anyone else or thought about it in depth, every so often her thoughts would go back to the potentiality.

If anything could make father smile…smile like he used to smile at my sister…no even greater…if the Grail truly is what it is…then maybe…I can…

A/N

Der Grossadmiral: Louise Francoise is derived from Louis Ferdinand, and Derfflinger is actually a real Prussian name. As for Anika and Sakura reflecting Mittermeier and Reuenthal, it wasn't intentional, but I am a fan of Legend of the Galactic Heroes so I might have subconsciously drawn on their relationship. As for your suspicions based on the fates of Mittermeier and Reuenthal, you be quiet.

Knightoblivion: people will die…eventually. I'm drawing a lot on Fate/Zero here, and if you recall people only began dropping like flies after Rider's little get-together. As for your concerns about Sakura's mysteries…well, the only in-story explanation for her spells came from Rin and Caster, and…well I don't want to spoil it, but Sakura (naturally like all magi) keeps her cards to her chest. Rest assured there's more to her mysteries than what's been shown so far.

Next chapter: we have Berserker and Saber. Gilgamesh seems too nice here just keep in mind he's been stuck with Kirei for ten years now. The other Servants might be 'mongrels, rebels and fakers' but to my understanding he doesn't particularly like Kirei (more like he tolerates him) and the gathering (in particular Saber and Rider) would be something like a breath of fresh air.