Author's Note: I adjusted the last chapter to clarify something. Bathing in Mélusine's blood gave Doctor Albion some increased magical resistance(had it been Fafnir's blood, it would have been physical resistance/invincibility), and drinking a few drops gave him a Magic Core. I mainly chose magical resistance as Albion's characteristic because it's something Artoria is known to have. I also had to quantify that bathing and drinking have different effects for possible future plot reasons.

I should mention that after playing Fate Grand Order's Lostbelt 6.2, I see the similarities between the multiple aqua blue javelins that I have been attributing to Carnwennan in this fanfic and Lostbelt 6's form of Rhongomyniad in the game. Caster Artoria's bio, however, indicates that the javelins are either Carnwennan or Spumador. Watching Artoria Caster's third ascension combat animations also shows the javelins traveling through shadows and helping Artoria either teleport(likely shadow traveling) or turn invisible—abilities attributed to Carnwennan in the lore.

As far as who returns this chapter, I initially hadn't intended on doing it so soon...but the indirectly clairvoyant Artemis saw an opportunity and I couldn't see her not taking full advantage of it given what was at stake. There are also a lot of Fate/strange fake details here for those who have read the manga. I'm not sure if the anime has shown them yet, though.

My apologies for the chapter being as short as it is, but the flow of the chapter demanded that it end at the point it did rather than continuing.


Chapter 22: War's End

November 24, 1994

Ahnenerbe Restaurant

Fuyuki City, Japan

12:22 AM

"What is a Beast of Humanity doing here?" Ishtar asked loudly, clearly not expecting these events.

"H-hey, why do you look like me?" Rin asked just as loudly, drawing Ishtar and Ereshkigal's attention to the Tohsaka family. The two girls walked up to Rin and Ishtar was about to speak to her, only to freeze on seeing Sakura.

"Merlin! W-why do I feel the urge to protect this small child?" Ishtar asked urgently.

Ereshkigal was just as surprised. "It's like...a strong regret tied with a compulsion to shield her from harm. As if...there was something we once allowed that should never be permitted to happen again..."

Merlin groaned lightly from the ground of the London sidewalk outside as passersby looked at him strangely, necessitating an answer from Artemis instead while he took a moment to recover. "Ah...that's probably your new bodies wanting to protect their baby sister! Horrible, inhuman things happened to her for about a year and continued happening for another ten years in another Worldline, but she's safe from that future now. You may not have lost any strength as Divine Spirits like you would have if you manifested as true Pseudo-Servants, but it seems that the instincts of the forms you're borrowing the shape of still influence you. It also helps that Shirou instinctively wants Rin to get along with Sakura, and that sort of thing miiiiight be subconsciously enforced a little~"

Rin was obviously depressed when reminded about 'horrible, inhuman things' happening to her sister, even if she lacked specifics, while the goddesses were visibly shocked and conflicted. Ishtar was rather loud about externalizing her inner struggle. "What?! You mean I'm not entirely me anymore? Is that why I've been acting and feeling strangely?" Ereshkigal was silent and pondering by contrast, but still somewhat disturbed by the notion.

Irisviel could understand the fear of not being one's self anymore better than most. She felt the urge to speak up and help them with what perspective she could give, so she boldly stood from her seat and gave a curtsy to the newcomers. "Divine Spirits...I am Irisviel von Einzbern, a homunculus that has adopted Shirou as my son. I started life in an adult body without a shred of humanity, only to develop it later thanks to the efforts and love of my husband. In another timeline that I recall memories of, my soul was invaded and twisted by the corruption of the Grail. I was forcibly turned evil to the point where I was used against my husband in a bid to destroy humanity." This got the attention of the goddesses as well as the mysterious green-haired person in Gilgamesh's company. Irisviel ended the curtsy, kneeling down to the child goddesses' level and smiling kindly. "I loved the first change because it gave me love and human understanding...and I fear the second change because it made the other 'me' evil and destructive. How do you two feel right now? Do you feel evil? Are you 'bad' Divine Spirits now? Or are you just able to understand the people around you better than a goddess otherwise would? Is the change in and of itself a bad thing?"

Ishtar and Ereshkigal were proud goddesses, Ishtar most of all, but the two seemed to be thinking about the matter rather than discarding Irisviel's life experience. Ereshkigal came to a decision first. "I...honestly haven't changed much? Or maybe I was alone for so long that I forgot what I used to be like..." Ereshkigal then got a determined look on her face. "Either way though, I like where things are going! I feel hope for the first time in thousands of years!" A decision made, she resisted her shyness to turn back towards Sakura and Rin. "I am Ereshkigal, the Queen of Kur. This is my sister Ishtar, the Mistress of Heaven! Shirou saved us before and made us look and...think a little more like Rin...do you want to be friends?" Ereshkigal asked the pair somewhat timidly.

Sakura tilted her head, not fully understanding the situation, but her eyes soon widened and she spoke excitedly. "I-I have three Rins now? And you want to be friends?" Sakura eagerly grasped Ereshkigal's hands. "Yes!" Sakura looked over to her family excitedly. "Look! More sisters!"

Rin was not quite as starved for affection or as quick to discard the value of pedigree as her sister. She was also not as used to being adopted by non-human beings like Morgan le Fay, but she did stop herself from rejecting it outright based on Sakura's happy face. There was also the first lesson of Divine Spirit interactions. If a Divine Spirit asked if you wanted to be friends without strings attached, and disagreeing might make them upset, you said 'yes'. The second lesson was to be careful of a contract or promise of any sort. Rin ultimately did a semi-formal curtsy and addressed Ereshkigal. "Friendship would be very nice, Lady Ereshkigal. Thank you. I am Rin Tohsaka, and this is my little sister Sakura. These are my mother and father, Tokiomi Tohsaka and Aoi Tohsaka."

"It is nice to meet you all...but Shirou started calling me 'Ere-chan'. I think I want my friends to call me that instead of 'Lady Ereshkigal'," Ereshkigal said quietly.

"Ere-chan? Ere-chan...hnnnnn...Ere-nee!" Sakura said happily, blurting out a far more sisterly form of the nickname. Rin's desire to be acknowledged openly by Sakura as her sister hit Ereshkigal and Ishtar like a ton of bricks and Ereshkigal hugged Sakura before she even realized what was happening.

"E-even better, Sakura! I'll be your Ere-nee from now on!" Ereshkigal was positively beaming, the girl clearly rather easy to please.

"...No fair..." Ishtar uttered under her breath, though it was still loud enough for Rin and the others nearby to hear. This included Tokiomi and Aoi. Irisviel also heard it due to her homunculus senses and had to wonder what Tokiomi and Aoi would ultimately say or do in response.

"All pay heed to your King." Gilgamesh chose now to speak, interrupting the scene and attracting everyone's attention for the moment. "I am Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes. As nice as it is to see one of the better goddesses embracing her newfound humanity, I came here to introduce Enkidu, Ereshkigal, and Ishtar from my lore. Ereshkigal has used her Authority over souls to extract all of the Servants but Caster from the Lesser Grail and contain them in her soul cages, rendering it impossible for the Greater Grail to manifest so long as she maintains vigil over it when a new Servant is defeated. Caster only remains in place to prevent the Greater Grail from switching over to a new Lesser Grail and can be extracted to dissipate naturally after the Fuyuki Grail is destroyed. Enkidu is my friend who is once more alive and able to walk amongst humanity in the World. He has become my new Master and can support my presence without a Grail. Ishtar is dead weight. Her presence here has no meaning."

"Don't keep saying th—!" Ishtar started but was interrupted by Gilgamesh.

"As I have had my greatest wish granted with the return of my friend to life, I declare myself the victor of this Grail War. Once we have seen to the destruction of the Fuyuki Grail, and its destruction is mandatory, Enkidu and I will depart to explore the length and breadth of the world. You will be left to your own devices, though we may appear from time to time to check on my cook's education and development. Now I must take leave of you. Enkidu and I are off to destroy the corrupted Greater Grail and relish in the lament of our enemies." Gilgamesh said this before turning to leave...only to hear an odd squeak from Ishtar. Irisviel looked in her direction and saw that she looked quite nervous.

"...Ishtar. What did you do?" Gilgamesh asked in a tone of false patience that implied that this was not an unfamiliar occurrence.

The once-vengeful goddess looked quite nervous but finally decided to speak. "Remember how the old me hated you with a passion rather than just being annoyed with you? Well, I might have hidden a curse within the World itself as I left for the Reverse Side...so that if you and Enkidu ever met up there again, I would manifest an echo of myself to be there to 'protect humanity'. But a goddess' concept of 'protecting humanity' seems a little different from a human one. I think the old me just wanted to mess up any reunion you might have had."

Everyone was quiet at that confession and Gilgamesh's face looked particularly judgmental. What hit Ishtar the worst, however, was Sakura's quiet response. "That...wasn't very nice, Isthar-san..." The contrast between the names 'Ishtar-san' and 'Ere-nee' stung Ishtar hard.

"I know..." Ishtar said in a somewhat defeated tone, unsure of if she was displeased with herself because she was caught, or because she did such a thing in the first place.

It was at this moment that Irisviel got an idea. Perhaps she could use this as a teaching moment to make Ishtar more self-aware and accepting of her new human morality! Yes...it was time for some mothering. "So you don't think the echo would do good things? What sort of problems might it cause?"

Ishtar looked back to Irisviel as she nervously pondered for a moment. "Well...she would try to turn Mount Enzo into a new Mount Ebih, claim the Ryuudou Temple as her own, and use the leylines for herself. That much is clear. It's an obvious place for re-enacting my legend. Ultimately...we'd be looking at a resurrection of 'old me' sufficient to interfere with the Age of Man and endanger the human race. She'd also probably use Rin as her body if she could."

One could have heard a pin drop for the few seconds of silence that this caused. Irisviel, thankfully, recovered before anyone else to resume her line of questioning.

"And she wouldn't see any problems with doing this to humanity? What about Rin? Would she feel bad about taking Rin's body?" Irisviel asked.

Ishtar sighed as she tried to think of how to parse it. "Look, the perspective of a Goddess is not something a human would understand. Humans are loved like a collection of short-lived pets at best or are more likely seen as a source of entertainment and faith if looked on favorably at all. As for individual humans...we might think of them when they're in front of us, or remember them if they're particularly entertaining or useful compared to others, but we rarely treasure or consider them beyond what we want from them. Taking Rin's body to manifest would be similar to just...changing into a new outfit out of necessity rather than a source of guilt. We also don't care much about inconveniencing humanity so long as enough of them keep worshiping us. Nothing my old self could do would be good, trust me."

Rin and Sakura looked horrified, and this made Ishtar wince. "...look, none of that will happen! I won't let it! I just have to...edit the curse before these two get to the surface, alright? I can still change it. I just need a little time."

Irisviel smiled. Just a bit more... "So you see your old self's actions as a bad thing. Why?"

Ishtar was confused and getting progressively irritated by this line of questioning. "Isn't it obvious? If that 'me' wants to lead and be worshiped by people, killing them and causing meaningless pain defeats the purpose! Besides, she already got her revenge and more when Enkidu was killed. It should have ended there instead of coming back to threaten humanity with needless cruelty!"

Enkidu, Gilgamesh, and Ereshkigal simply stared for several moments. Enkidu uttered, "That's...new." Gilgamesh subtly nodded in response to his friend, watching Ishtar with a note of contemplation in his gaze. Irisviel observed that his eyes briefly shifted over to Rin as well, likely identifying the cause of the divergence.

Ishtar froze for a moment while trying to process the striking change in her perspective and realization soon dawned. She looked at Rin as well, recognizing her as the source of her new way of thinking. Before she could give voice to her thoughts, Tokiomi realized what Irisviel was doing and interjected. "You are responding this way because you are carrying both the perspective of the divine and the perspective of a human. Before, you had no idea how it felt to be a human in the face of incomprehensibly overwhelming power because you never lived it. You couldn't understand or care about the pain you caused with even the slightest careless use of your power. By contrast, I have been trying to prepare my daughter to be a leader, responsible for managing a territory and the people within while aware of the consequences of failure. Because of that and her experience as a mortal, her perspective fills in some very wide gaps in your own awareness even if the actual span of time she has lived is minuscule compared to the weight of your existence. You are now far more conscious of the damage and suffering that abusing your power could cause."

Irisviel beamed at Tokiomi's assistance. If Ishtar was being influenced by Rin's knowledge, then Mister Tohsaka's paternal input surely carried weight. The albino mother chose to speak again as well. "That's right! I think the reason Lady Ereshkigal doesn't think she changed very much is that she was already attuned to human suffering to begin with! You just understand more than you could before, Lady Ishtar. It's not like Shirou set out to make you become someone else. He simply needed you in the closest form possible that he could understand, and that allowed you to understand him in turn!"

"I envy you, you know." Merlin's voice cut in, the man with a paw imprint on his face having managed to regain consciousness and re-enter the building at some point without triggering the bell. He apparently hadn't wanted to interrupt until now, or perhaps Zelretch was responsible for waking him quickly. Either way, the Magus of Flowers had heard enough of the conversation. "As someone whose own humanity is just broken enough to work 'some' of the time, I obsess over humanity's general abilities while sometimes losing track of caring for individuals. My imprisonment and all this work for Artoria and Shirou have helped narrow my focus to a degree to fight that failing, but I am still vulnerable to it. The idea of suddenly attaining a human perspective, of having that heart 'fixed' even if it necessitated a bit of a transplant of the non-working parts...you have been given something I would accept without a moment's indecision. Besides, it is not like the person who did it for you had any intent to control you."

Ishtar pondered this for no less than ten seconds. She looked to Rin's family, to her own sister, and to Shirou. She grumbled. She clenched her fists. She then gave a frustrated growl before finally coming to a decision. "Gah! I'll think about this later! All I know right now is that I need to stop this mess from happening by canceling the summoning!"

Artemis blinked for a moment, clearly pondering something, before she smiled widely. "...Oh...ooooooh! The Moon Cell just sent me a better idea!" Prompted by the lunar supercomputer she was constantly in contact with due to her role as a space interceptor and later as a goddess of the moon, Artemis rushed forward with High-Servant speed. She grabbed Yu Mei-ren's precious spear from the shocked Elemental's grip and, after discarding its wrappings, promptly lanced the back of Waver Velvet's hand with it. A flash of red light punctuated the loss of two of Waver's four Command Seals as they were transferred to the back of Artemis' own hand. Irisviel didn't understand how the Divine Spirit managed to steal them, but she was left with little time to speculate.

"Aaaaaaaggghh! What do you think you're doing, you—gaaahhhh!" Waver suddenly stopped talking and cried out again when Artemis yanked the spear back out of his hand.

"Give that back!" Yu Mei-ren furiously screamed as she lunged for the spear, only for Artemis to leap clear of her and Waver's general location before landing on the other side of the room.

The Greek goddess abruptly kicked away a number of empty tables and chairs to clear a space on the floor. She then started to carve a magic circle into it with the spear. Drips of blood flowed from the spear tip and made the rapidly forming magic circle glow with red light. She deftly avoided the Elemental's efforts to reclaim the weapon as she carried on her work. At one point, Artemis was carving one-handed while holding back the enraged bibliophile by grasping her head at arm's length. "Shirou, I need you to replenish the blood on the spear with your power while I make this circle. Don't let me run out~" After that, the smiling and gently humming Artemis harshly shoved Mei-ren back into the arms of her Servant and absorbed herself in her work. Shirou obeyed and constantly duplicated more of Waver's blood on the spear tip for Artemis to use. Gilgamesh watched with a hint of irritation on his face at having to wait even longer.

Atalanta couldn't help but speak up from the Tohsaka table in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Miss Yu Mei-ren. Mister Velvet. She gets like this sometimes. There is no malice in it. Lady Artemis just...employs a different logic than humanity at times, as many divine entities do."

"I noticed." Waver angrily deadpanned while trying to stop the bleeding from his hand.

Iskandar gave a loud laugh and smacked Waver's back so firmly that the King of Conquerors nearly knocked the boy out of his seat. "Don't worry about it, Atalanta! You know how many men would have willingly bled for the honor of spending even a moment in my sister's company. That and it's probably the closest my Master has ever been to a beautiful woman! A worthwhile trade!"

"Shut up, Rider! Is it really 'worthwhile' if it just means being hurt? I didn't want the attention of a Divine Spirit on me anyway!" While Waver complained, Irisviel promptly cast a healing spell that healed the damage to his hand and eased Waver's pain. That helped the student calm down, though Iskandar looked rather surprised at the idea of someone not being immediately enamored with the goddess. Waver took several deep breaths to get himself back under control. "Thank you, Lady Einzbern. I suppose this is proof of what Ishtar said earlier about how little the divine care about humans. She didn't hesitate to stab me at all!"

"I didn't know that my sister was so well-versed in Magecraft," Iskandar uttered, ignoring his master's complaining as he watched Artemis finish carving a complex piece of Thaumaturgy on the restaurant's floor and start carving another smaller one on top of a knocked-over table.

"Oh, that circle isn't her own knowledge." Merlin smiled widely. "She's borrowing from an entity with conditional omnipotence to cheat. I can't argue with the results, though."

"Let me go! She stole Lord Xiang Yu's spear! You all saw it!" Yu Mei-ren yelled, baring her fangs in anger while her Servant tried to hold her back.

"You are not wrong to feel this way, Lady Yu, but she is likely to return it when she is done. Besides, this place is necessary as a gateway to our new home. We can't risk destroying it or being kicked out," Gao Changgong explained in an attempt to placate his Master. The Elemental responded with a grumble, acknowledging the fact and calming down for the moment.

"Aaaaand...there!" Artemis happily exclaimed. She had finished a complex-looking Magic Circle with two large empty spaces, one on each side of the main array, and a smaller Magic Circle on a separate tabletop. Artemis ran outside of the restaurant to where the second EMIYA was still waiting in Shirou's Reality Marble, grabbed a large birdcage full of glowing soul energy from a treasure-filled cart that Irisviel had as of yet heard no explanation for, and ran back inside to place it onto the left-most empty circle. She then picked up a surprised Ishtar and unceremoniously plopped her onto the rightmost empty circle with a surprised squeak.

"W-what do you think you're doing?" Ishtar asked in response to being semi-manhandled.

"You're the key to hijacking the summoning, Ishtar. You just stay right there and it'll fix your mistake nicely~" Artemis' words made an irritated Ishtar stay in place for the moment. The Mistress of Heaven gave a childish pout, but she was at least willing to endure this much to correct her error.

Artemis then pulled out several strands of her own divine hair, tied a series of lengths together, reinforced the tips, and plunged them into specific parts of the floor and the table like push pins. The hair began to glow red as well, magical energy from the two circles flowing between them through the magically conductive hair. Irisviel recognized that she was using her hair as a medium to link the two magic circles together, but couldn't quite understand why. Her confusion grew as Artemis effortlessly picked up the table, opened the door to the restaurant once more, and tossed that desk into the Fuyuki City night. The hair went taught and kept the table from flying more than a certain distance, making it crash violently on its side into the street in front of the establishment. The table's Magic Circle was facing the doorway, still glowing red. She then stabbed the spear unceremoniously into the ground in a way that propped the door to the restaurant open and locked the 'exit' to Fuyuki City.

"Lady Artemis, what are you doing? I know the main magic circle has aspects of the Servant Summoning system, but don't quite understand it all..." Irisviel finally dared to ask.

The goddess blinked at the question and realized that she hadn't explained herself at all. "Ah! I do need to tell you all, don't I? Well, Ishtar made a curse thousands of years ago so that if Gilgamesh and Enkidu returned to the World, a piece of her own Spirit Origin would automatically be summoned and possess a compatible living being in the World so she could mess with them. That is very similar to something known to the Moon Cell as a Pseudo-Servant summoning. Both Ishtar's curse and your Servant Summoning System exploit the same mechanism used by the planet to make Servants appear, so I'm doing a little re-routing. Ishtar is on the Magic Circle as a source of Authority to override the permissions of the original curse so as to let us change it, and the spirit cage there holds the soul that we're going to have summoned in old Ishtar's place. The second Magic Circle I just tossed outside is just an anchor along with a few other little things. Part of the ritual has to happen in your World where Ishtar and I can't quite go right now, and the table's location in that World is also where the Servant will appear."

Waver Velvet's eyes widened. "That's why you stabbed me and took two of my Command Seals? You're going to resolve Ishtar's curse by using it to re-summon one of the War's previous Servants instead?"

Artemis nodded with a pleasant smile. "Yes, though using someone's blood to help make the Magic Circles also helped! That and taking your Command Seals when I stabbed your hand also gave me some authority over Iskandar as a co-Master, so I can send him energy that lets him continue existing after the War. Living in the same place as the Lesser Grail helps with that even if I'm not part of the World directly. Big sisters have to help their little brothers, after all~"

The Divine Spirit then looked toward Illyasviel and gave the girl a kind, gentle smile that was slightly different from the more 'fun' one she usually bore. "Illyasviel. I can tell by the hope in your eyes that you've realized who I'm bringing back. Will you accept one of the Command Seals on my hand? Will you, as one he cares for and who cares for him, be Hercules' Master once more?"

Irisviel looked back toward her daughter and saw tears running down her face from hopeful and pained eyes. In the very next moment, the girl leapt onto the table and launched herself at the Divine Spirit. Artemis seemed a bit surprised to have a crying Illya Missile flying in her direction but successfully caught her and accepted the hug. The room filled with the sounds of loud crying as a shaking Illya held Artemis tightly. "Yes...*sob*...I want Berserker back!"

"Then you'll have him back, Illya~" Artemis gently walked Illya over to the main Magic Circle, placed Illya's hand over a specific part of the circle, and covered it with her own Command Seal-bearing one. She then looked towards Gilgamesh and Enkidu. "We're ready."

Gilgamesh could have been abrasive or shown dislike of having been made to wait, but the crying and hopeful child was sufficient to curtail any cruelty that may have otherwise left his lips. He and Enkidu turned toward the door that would return them both to the World...only for one more person to stand. Lancer Artoria, the energy holding her body together on its last legs, made a decision.

"Forgive me, everyone...but I need to assist with this. To reject the Grail rather than simply wait for the end. As my Saber self sought closure and moved on from her flawed aspirations to finally face that blood-stained hill, so must I." It wasn't like her Spirit Origin could be repaired with a Command Seal, after all. Once she received a nod of permission and approval from Kiritsugu, her unwavering eyes met those of Gilgamesh.

She was judged once more by Gilgamesh, but for the first time...she was no longer found quite so wanting. "It seems that you've corrected yourself. You still pale in comparison to Saber, but there are now echoes of her beauty in you. I shall permit you to seek closure on the battlefield, one-sided as the fight will be."

Gray managed to get out of the booth in spite of the others sitting in her way in much the same manner Illya had—by climbing on top of the table—and gave Lancer Artoria a hug. The Servant smiled gently and hugged the child back. "There is no need to grieve. I carry a copy of Avalon just as Mordred did. I shall return whence I came, with hope for a future rather than being tortured by the past. I enjoyed my time with you, Gray." Of course, Irisviel knew better. There was no guarantee that Gaia or Alaya would allow the miracle that had happened to Saber Artoria and Mordred to happen again. Not when it had already made a Parallel World out of the Reverse Side once. No, it was highly unlikely that this Artoria Pendragon would be allowed to survive Camlann or be allowed into Avalon alive. She was going back in time to die, and she knew it.

"I love you too, Aunt Artoria..." Gray said, hugging Lancer for several moments.

"I shall not wait much longer, Lancer. Keep the farewells short," Gilgamesh said with fading patience. Many of those in the room stood and walked up to Lancer with a silent mutual agreement to comply with Gilgamesh's words. A toast and a final drink from Iskandar. A professional-yet-meaningful goodbye each from Maiya, Sella, and Leysritt. Less professional ones from Add and Taiga. Formal ones from Doctor Albion, Dan Blackmore, Waver, and Rin. A hug each from Irisviel, Illyasviel, Sakura, and even Mélusine. A warm smile and a copy of Caliburn from Shirou. And finally a handshake each from Kiritsugu, EMIYA, and her stoic—yet approving—Saber self.

"Whatever happens, seek out some happiness for yourself if you can, will you?" Merlin asked of his King's alternate in farewell. There wasn't much hope for it...but if there was in any way an opportunity to be had, she needed the reminder not to squander it.

After this was all done, Gilgamesh stepped out of the restaurant first, then Lancer Artoria, and finally Enkidu. The moment Enkidu departed the threshold of the building, Ishtar's curse attempted to activate. The Magic Circles that Artemis created immediately triggered. Illyasviel felt the back of her hand burn with energy as a lone Command Seal moved from Artemis' hand to her own, but she did not stop staring at the doorway as a bright light shone from beyond Enkidu's body. He stepped out and away from the doorway, allowing those in the building to see the forming Servant. Many of those in the restaurant, by this time, had walked behind Artemis' Magic Circle to view the events beyond the door from a relatively safe distance.

The mountain of a man wasn't quite the same as Illya remembered. Artemis' memories of Hercules and her connection to the Moon Cell provided added data to influence the available Saint Graph and her divine power influenced the scale of the Servant Container. It was as if Hercules was summoned twice, his Berserker self 'merged' with another version of the hero. The projections on his arms were gone, his face looked more human, and his eyes...his eyes held clarity. They also showed recognition as they looked upon Artemis and Illya, and the man gave a smile.

"Servant Hercules, manifesting this time in the Archer class," Hercules' voice spoke with power and without madness. Even so, even if he had changed, the crying Illya missile surged forth through the doorway and tackle-hugged the mountain of a man with no less force.

"Berserkeeeer!" Illya cried out through happy tears, having long used that more as a name than a title. She didn't even realize that it was technically incorrect now, nor did he care to correct the child. He simply allowed the small, once-lonely girl who he had once accepted as his ward to cling to him and find comfort in his presence. To his credit, he had made sure that Illya didn't hurt herself in the collision. He was a wall of muscle and nigh-impenetrable skin, after all.

Hercules shared a look of respect with Gilgamesh and Lancer Artoria before those two boarded Gilgamesh's Vimana with their green-haired ally and departed into the night sky. Hercules watched them fly off in the direction of Mount Enzo and immediately understood Gilgamesh's intentions. Both he and Gilgamesh felt the same way about Zouken Matou, after all.

Irisviel was briefly distracted from the heartwarming reunion between Illya and Hercules when Doctor Albion took the opportunity to walk up to Saber Artoria and place a tray in front of her on the table. The tray held two pieces of paper with text in different languages, a pen, and a wax candle that was already lit and melting. Artoria was clearly a bit confused by the action until she read the papers. She then gave the man a slightly surprised look before nodding, signing the documents, and sealing them with a wax impression of the fae script on Excalibur's blade. Given the story of how Artoria had previously been asked to give orders to the Blackmore clan regarding the release of Gray and two modern-day Noble Phantasms from their custody, Irisviel suspected that it was likely a similar order written in both the modern language and the language of Artoria's time.

When Hercules entered the room, Illya riding on his shoulder as if she belonged there, he first addressed Atalanta and Medusa. "I remember our battle. Thank you for preventing me from doing something I could never take back."

Medusa nodded almost imperceptibly in recognition of the gratitude, fully understanding due to having killed her own sisters in a similar madness. "If I had become a monster again, I would want someone to keep me from hurting Sakura. Stopping you was natural."

Atalanta gave an almost imperceptible shudder on recalling that she had potentially become that monster, even if only briefly. She also knew that Hercules had, in a madness forced upon him by Hera, slain his own children before and had that much more reason to be thankful not to have been forced to go through that pain again. "Medusa is right, Hercules. Between that, defending our young Masters, and the fact you were my comrade in life, there is no need for thanks."

Hercules gave a smile that few in present company had ever before seen, and Irisviel chose that moment to approach her daughter's Servant. "Hercules, I am Irisviel von Einzbern. This is my husband Kiritsugu," she gestured to her husband. "When you first answered our daughter's call, we were dead. I'd like to thank you for protecting her in our stead. For being there for her when we couldn't be." Irisviel knew that Hercules' aid was essential for Illya. The child had been thrown out into the German wilderness with a Catalyst by Jubstacheit to either summon Hercules or die. Had Hercules declined her call, her life could have ended there. From then on, he had been unwaveringly loyal according to every possible account.

"You're welcome. I accepted initially to protect a child in an impossible situation but stayed because I ultimately claimed her as my ward. I regret that I was not always able to protect her in the various histories I remember." Hercules took note of Shirou, who was looking back at the incredibly tall man with restrained awe. Even the towering Iskandar was a head shorter than him. The greatest hero of Greece regarded the boy before him for a moment before speaking. "Shirou. You showed bravery and potential back then. In one history, your future self's Servant form managed to take half of my lives by himself. In another that had me falling to corruption, you even managed to use Nine Lives to slay me and protect Illyasviel. I hope you are prepared for me to train you back up to that height and beyond to help protect your sister. Though I am in my Archer form, I seem to have retained my Berserker abilities and weapon. I have both my Bow of Hydra and my ax-sword."

"You get to call me Illya," Illya said from her place on her Servant's shoulder. No one in the know could claim that he hadn't earned the use of the endearment. "And those bad things won't happen again. Not this time."

Shirou was slightly nervous and also surprised to hear that some version of him had managed that much, but he could see that Hercules was not lying. The child gave a nod. "I'll do my best, Hercules." Several people present were reacting to the revelation that Shirou was apparently a future Heroic Spirit in addition to everything else, but Irisviel focused on another detail.

"Archer and Berserker? Did you undergo a Double Summon?" Irisviel asked with a measure of surprise. A select few Servants had the ability to manifest with the abilities of two classes instead of one. This was typically reserved for Cavalry classes like Rider, Caster, or Assassin though.

Artemis smiled widely and answered in her younger brother's place. "Kind of! The Moon Cell and I crammed more data into the Spirit Origin than normal to restore his sanity. He's a merging of the two classes, but favoring his Archer side. I could have chosen his Saber side instead, but it's not his ideal form...and since his Archer side already gives him Magic Resistance, the only real benefit his Saber side would have given him is something Artoria can provide through other means~"

At that prompting, Zelretch snapped his fingers and several small cat people pushed a large piece of wheeled luggage toward Hercules. This was done with extreme effort due to its incredible weight. Once done, the panting and groaning creatures then rested for a moment before they unzipped the luggage to reveal a massive magical sword with a white and gold blade. Hercules' eyes lit up in recognition as he reached down and lifted up the incredibly heavy weapon with one hand. Artoria began to speak. "I cannot claim to have prepared this for today. That was Doctor Albion, who has limited knowledge of future events, and apparently Zelretch. However, this is an item that was formerly in the care of the Armory of Camelot. This blade, forged for Hercules by the god Hephaestus, had survived the Greek and Roman eras into my time through his descendants. It later fell into my possession with the defeat of King Ryence of Gore. It was still in the armory after my departure from the World and kept safe until it was stolen for this day. I have just retroactively signed an authorization for its removal and return to your care, Hercules."

"Marmyadose..." Hercules said, uttering the name of the sword. Even this utterance, however, carried a presence greater than that of a normal man's voice. "...thank you all for returning this to me. My ax-sword will likely be reduced to a mere training blade after this. With this and the skills I already possess, I may as well be a Saber as well." He gave a smirk of amusement at this comment, one which was returned by Artoria.

Iskandar observed the return of Hercules' sword with immense pleasure. "To meet my divine siblings and be allowed to stand among them even after the War's end...to see the legends I marveled at as a boy come full circle and be added to rather than simply remaining stagnant in the pages of history! To have my own role in it all! Truly, I am blessed to have partaken in this war!" The man almost trembled with glee before raising his goblet into the air. A wide, manic grin spread across the man's face as his voice rose to a shout. "Shirou! Bring forth the best wine your Magic can muster! My siblings! My friends! Let us drink together and enjoy our good fortune! For on this day, our tales of glory and valor continue on!"

His younger brother's boisterous call for celebration felt premature to Hercules given that the enemy was still in play. A large part of the greatest Greek hero wanted to charge out and test his blade and arrows against the man who dared to send him against Illya, but he already knew that Gilgamesh would settle that matter. No, the best thing Hercules could do was stay right here and let his little Master take comfort in his presence. With that in mind, he joined his brother and sister in celebration with Illya on his shoulder. Atalanta joined them promptly with Rin in tow, followed quickly by Sakura bringing a hesitant Medusa and Ereshkigal along. Ishtar followed her sister in a blatant refusal not to be the life of the party and found herself competing with the Count of Saint Germain, Taiga, and Iskandar for the role. Saber Artoria brought Gray over so she would be close to Illya and not dwell on Lancer's departure, and Mélusine assisted EMIYA and the cats in serving alcohol. Shirou was kept firmly by Artoria's side rather than being allowed to join in this role. Yu Mei-ren tried to stay out of things, but the Count of Saint Germain demonstrated just how effective he was at dragging her into the conversation.

The interior of Ahnenerbe was soon every bit as lively as it was during the last Carnival Phantasm. The kimono-clad woman silently watched the display with subtle amusement, never involving herself in the celebration.


Caverns under Mount Enzo

12:36 AM

Dark Irisviel's eyes widened as she was distracted from the video game by the sensation of another change in the war. Another Servant was summoned? Where did the power for all of these Servants even come from? The homunculus serving as the Greater Grail clicked her tongue. This new Servant was also only the smallest bit connected to her systems, and even then only briefly. The Lesser Grail was truly meddling in this War to a disturbing degree and the connection was only one way. She couldn't control or access the Lesser Grail as she should, but it could freely drain the Greater Grail dry of power to do whatever it wished. Now the Greater Grail was virtually empty of magical energy and the Lesser Grail was still calling forth Servants.

"Is something wrong, Lady Einzbern?" Byakuya Matou asked, noting her distraction from the game while he handed her a bag of pretzels and some juice. She took a deep sip of the drink as if its taste could wash away her misgivings.

"Another Servant appeared. That's thirteen in this war so far, not counting myself. The Lesser Grail's up to something, but I have no idea what. It could turn out to be nothing, or it could be a prelude to some sort of action. Stay near me in case we only have seconds to react." She accepted the pretzels next and shoved the Megadrive's second controller into his hands. Her irritation at being unable to act proactively was obvious. There was thankfully a plan in place if things went badly, but it was the last one she wanted to employ. "Now sit down and play as Tails for a while...and do better on the Special Stages this time! I want those Chaos Emeralds!"

However, the continuation of the game would never come to pass because the very chamber they were in would start to shudder and shake. Dark Irisviel's eyes widened as she immediately forgot about her game and focused on the walls of the chamber to scry the exterior of the mountain for the source of the attack. What she saw was rain...a rain of steel and power.


Ryuudou Temple

12:37 AM

Lancer Artoria stood to the left of Gilgamesh's throne and watched as Einzbern homunculi clad in maid outfits and in shrine maiden attire did their best to defend by raising weapons, spells, and barriers alike—but it was meaningless. The contents of the Gate of Babylon would not be dissuaded by such meager efforts. They flowed like a river from the sky, a bored Gilgamesh seated atop his Vimana casting judgment down onto the homunculi below who had dared to aid his enemy. It was fortunate that the human monks had been sent away for the sake of protecting Magecraft's secrecy. Enkidu, standing to the right of the throne, showed no meaningful consideration to their rapidly dying enemies below. The King of Heroes took note of Zouken Matou, however, glaring helplessly from his place on the ground. Lancer Artoria was well aware that the only reason the normally cowardly Zouken stood before them was that there was nowhere left to run.

"Finally standing in bold defiance, worm? It will make no difference. It is my will that you return to the soil that your kind crawl upon. For your impudence and disrespect toward your King, I sentence you to death." Gilgamesh gave Zouken little chance to defend himself through word or action. He would not be permitted a lengthy last stand. Fiery blades simply descended from on high, pierced through the lich's weak water-based counterattack with little more than a flash of steam, and cut into his cursed flesh. Insects that tried to flee immediately caught on fire and burned to death. In less than a second, Zouken Matou had been turned into a screaming bonfire. Within eight seconds, he had been reduced to ash in virtually the same location he had been defeated 55 years prior.

Gilgamesh's eyes widened slightly before he then assumed an irritated expression. "Tch...so his soul did not rest within that vessel. Then where...?" Gilgamesh asked, only for his perception to hone in on the mountain itself. "...Lancer, your moment has come. Use your lance to pierce the corruption and banish this filth from my garden."

"Understood," Lancer Artoria said without complaint, even if she inwardly disagreed with Gilgamesh's arrogant claim of owning the whole of the world. There were more important matters to attend to. She called forth Rhongomyniad and took aim at the peak of Mount Enzo. The fact that this would consume the last of her power was a foregone conclusion. Still, she only acknowledged her regrets silently. She would have liked to spend more time with Irisviel and Gray. Shirou as well, though that was in part to see just what sort of man he would have become to guide her Saber self down such a transcendent path.

She would have liked to stay.

No, Fate was not that kind. It was a mercy in and of itself that Lancer Artoria had what closure she did. She discarded her thoughts and called out loudly to the World. "Sacred lance, removing restraints!" Once more, thirteen criteria were weighed.

CHECKING CONDITIONS AGAINST RESTRAINTS 1 THROUGH 13...DONE.

"The enemy must be more powerful than oneself" – APPROVED

"The battle must be one-on-one" – DENIED

"The enemy must not be an elemental" – APPROVED

"The battle must be one against evil" – APPROVED

"The battle must not involve personal gain" – APPROVED

"The battle must not be against Humanity" – APPROVED

"The battle must not be inhumane" – DENIED

"The battle must be for truth" – APPROVED

"The battle must be to live" – DENIED

"The battle must be to defend human order" – APPROVED

"One's comrades-in-arms must be courageous" – APPROVED

"The battle must not be against one pure of heart" – APPROVED

"The battle must be an honorable one" – APPROVED

10 OF 13 RESTRAINTS RELEASED, THRESHOLD ACHIEVED
100 PERCENT POWER UNLOCKED

The glow of the Lance made itself known in the sky, rapidly overpowering the light of Vimana's engines or even the barrage that rained down upon Ryuudou Temple. Even as she threatened to break apart, even as she clung stubbornly to the World long enough to charge the attack, Lancer Artoria did not falter. "Light, may you be released from the ends of the world. Split the heavens and tether the earth, anchor of the storm! Rhongomyniad!"

A beam of light erupted from the Lance toward its target, determined to pierce Mount Enzo and exterminate every trace of the blackened Grail.


Caverns under Mount Enzo

12:39 AM

Dark Irisviel's eyes widened as she saw that light. She knew that she was about to perish. The mountain, while restored, had never fully regained the structural integrity that had been lost when the Nazis destroyed the top of it during the Third Holy Grail War. There was no way it could endure what was coming.

At that moment, however, she felt a pull—a command from her Master. Grabbing Byakuya Matou and ignoring his fearful protests, the avatar of the Einzberns' Black Grail vanished in a Command Seal-empowered flash of red light just before they could be eclipsed by the light of the Lance.

The two suddenly found themselves on the ground in a disorganized heap. Looking up, Dark Irisviel found herself in the chapel of a familiar castle on the other side of the world. With them in this chapel stood a notably irritated Jubstacheit von Einzbern. Two of his three Command Seals faded from the back of his hand.


Skies over Ryuudou Temple

Once again—just like during the climax of the previous Holy Grail War—the top of Mount Enzo was violently torn asunder. Its camouflaged, artificial peak shattered more like an eggshell than a mountaintop, the attack striking the somewhat reinforced tunnels below with almost its full force. The more solid rock that comprised the surviving lower part of the mountain only served to contain the blast to the Grail Chamber, ensuring that the Greater Grail was destroyed. Gilgamesh's face showed aloof detachment, his thoughts impossible to read.

Lancer Artoria stood on the Vimana surveying the destruction, her attack having turned stone into ash and magma. She had done it. With this, she had fully rejected the Grail in her heart and found closure. The King of Knights gave a small smile as she faded away into motes of light, her role in this War ended.

Gilgamesh watched Lancer Artoria fade away with dignity and gave a smile. "Hmph. Only at the very end did she finally become beautiful. I would say that it is a shame no one else was able to see it, but to know we alone carry the memory makes it an even more meaningful treasure."


Ahnenerbe Restaurant

12:40 AM

Everyone in the restaurant saw the flash of Rhongomyniad and heard the explosion. Mount Enzo's peak was simply gone. All the Fuyuki Servants' connections to the Greater Grail were immediately severed. Artoria, who had been watching, could see from the subtle shift of Kiritsugu's expression that Lancer was truly gone.

"Is it over?" Illya asked quietly, the back of her hand now bearing Kiritsugu's four Command Seals in addition to one of Waver's. It was a bit morbid, but she needed more than simply the one if there was ever an emergency requiring her to command Hercules...and Kiritsugu couldn't use them without a Servant anyway. Whether she would give a seal back to Waver was undecided at this time.

"Yes," Artemis said to the child kindly, "we need only purge Caster from the Lesser Grail now." The Divine Spirit's own actions had been rushed, yet significant. After setting herself up as a secondary Master and power tap for Iskandar and Hercules, she had promptly done the same for Atalanta with the justification that the swift-footed lioness was her priestess. Between these Greek servants being sustained in part by a Divine Spirit from their pantheon and every other remaining Master having far more magical energy than a normal human, it seemed that the surviving Servants would have no need to return to the Throne for now. Shirou could theoretically have sustained them himself between his Magic Core and the link between Avalon and his soul, but he was young. It was decided that only she and Archer EMIYA would be sustained through such means.

Artoria wasn't sure if she should stay behind at first—conflicted over if she should remain in Shirou's company while he grew or not—but seeing Irisviel trying to console Gray while the little girl grieved over the loss of Mordred and Lancer Artoria made the King of Knights think twice about simply vanishing. Hopefully, Morgan would visit her descendant as well. It was a shame that Lancer Artoria could not live in this era, but Artoria knew that the time loop needed to be completed sooner or later.

Amid the cheering and the camaraderie, Saber Artoria's thoughts were interrupted when she felt a sudden surge of wrongness in her being. Her memories became muddled, her thoughts chaotic. The eyes of the King of Knights widened and she promptly drew Shirou's attention when she clumsily tried to stand from her seat.

"Saber? What's wrong?" The child asked, his voice almost unrecognizable amid the assault on her senses.

"S...Shirou?" Artoria uttered before the intrusion upon her being became too much.

There, at the moment of their promised victory, Artoria Pendragon lost consciousness.


Author's Note: I initially did not intend to bring Hercules back so soon. To be honest, I wanted Illya to go on a journey to become strong enough to shoulder Hercules' magic power unaided, then summon him in a future conflict. I realized, however, that a pseudo-Clairvoyant Artemis would take full advantage of the curse that Ishtar cooked up to return a deity to the world and use it to restore her younger brother. Artemis is now acting as the secondary Master and energy source for Iskandar, Hercules, and Atalanta now that the Grail War has ended, allowing them to exist in the world without crippling Waver, Illya, or Rin. The other Masters are Enkidu, Shirou, and Sakura—all of whom are strong enough to sustain their Servants independently of a Grail by themselves.

As for Ishtar's curse, it is something acknowledged as canon in the Fate/strange fake manga. Archer Hercules also makes a brief appearance in that series. I have not seen the anime, and the fact it was released not long before this chapter was is an interesting coincidence. Please note that Archer Hercules' Noble Phantasm is mainly speculation on canon Rin Tohsaka's part and not something yet shown as part of Archer Hercules' arsenal. I'm taking that and running with it.

As far as how the War ended...well, not every War can end with a grand battle once the enemy has been bled dry of soldiers. It's not like the situation is as cleanly resolved as everyone will believe, though.

Here is the final list of surviving Servants and who has what Command Seals, in case anyone had trouble keeping track. The Edelfelts having at least one is from El Melloi-II Case Files. Risei having at least seven is because he had at least ten on his arm in Fate/Zero, three of which have since been handed out in this version of the Fourth Holy Grail War.

Survivors/Revived Servants and their Masters:

Second Saber Artoria Pendragon: Shirou Emiya

First Archer Gilgamesh: Enkidu

Second Archer EMIYA: Shirou Emiya/Rin Tohsaka

Third Archer Atalanta: Rin Tohsaka

Fourth Archer Hercules (Formerly Second Berserker): Artemis/Illyasviel von Einzbern

First Rider Iskandar: Artemis/Waver Velvet

Second Rider Medusa: Sakura Tohsaka

Caster Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern Alter/Dark Irisviel (Summoned March 23, 1954): Jubstacheit von Einzbern

Saber Gao Changgong (Summoned December 24, 1990): Yu Mei-ren/Hinako Akuta

Command Seals:

Enkidu: 1

Artemis: 1

Shirou Emiya: 4

Rin Tohsaka: 3

Sakura Tohsaka: 3

Illyasviel von Einzbern: 5

Waver Velvet: 2

Jubstacheit von Einzbern: 1 (Subcategory Holy Grail Summoning, 1954)

Yu Mei-ren/Hinako Akuta: 3 (First Tokyo Holy Grail War, 1990)

Edelfelt Family: 1 minimum (Third Fuyuki Holy Grail War, 1939)

Risei Kotomine: 7 minimum (2nd/3rd Holy Grail Wars, 1868 and 1939)


WEAPON DATA:

Name: Marmyadose

Owner: Hercules(Saber)

Type: Anti-Unit/Anti-Army

Rank: A+ (EX against a single target)

Range: 0-4

Maximum number of targets: 1-100 people

A massive white and gold sword crafted with an explicit purpose of defying prophecy and saving the world, Marmyadose was essentially the god Hephaestus' effort to create something akin to Excalibur. It was such a daunting task that he needed help to complete the weapon. Marmyadose ultimately turned out to be so great a blade that even the Atlantean/Greek gods could not use it. Many lesser gods who grasped its black handle could not draw the sword at all. Had this weapon found a wielder during the descent of the White Titan in 12000 BC, history may have unfolded differently. Only when Hercules's turn to try drawing the blade came about was the proper owner found, with the greatest of the Greek heroes claiming that the sword was light as he held it in one hand. While this is a similar tale to Swords of Selection like Merodach or Caliburn, Marmyadose is not explicitly a blade representing Kingship and is thus not considered the source of their legends.

After Hercules' death and ascension to godhood, the blade survived through a line of descendants all the way through the Greek and Roman eras into the Artorian era. King Artoria Pendragon claimed the blade as a war prize for defeating King Ryence of Gore and added the weapon to the Armory of Camelot. It rested there until 1994 when it was returned to Hercules at the very end of the Fourth Holy Grail War. Though he was an Archer-class Servant with some Berserker-class boosts to his stats, Hercules retained his skills with his Nine Lives school of combat and is fully capable of employing the weapon at full strength just as if he were a Saber.


Name: Bow of the Hydra

Owner: Hercules(Archer)

Type: Anti-Unit/Anti-Army

Rank: A (A+ against a single target)

Range: 20-99

Maximum number of targets: 1-500 people

The Bow of the Hydra is Hercules' primary ranged weapon, given to him by Apollo and famous for being used heavily during his Twelve Labors and his time with the Argonauts. It became far more lethal after having its arrowheads dipped in the venom of the Lernaean Hydra. These poisoned arrows were ultimately used to kill the centaur Nessus. Nessus' tainted blood would eventually kill Hercules, meaning that Hercules was indirectly killed by his own weapon. The arrows also killed many centaurs intentionally and unintentionally, tortured Chiron with pain to the point of surrendering his immortality, killed an eagle that previously tortured Prometheus and Chiron, slew many Stymphalian Birds, and so much more.

The bow could be considered a sibling bow to Atalanta's Tauropolos: Bow of Heaven, and is bolstered by even more fame. Of course, it is said that much of that power comes from the poison and the simple fact that Hercules is one of the best bowmen in history. With his Nine Lives school, he can use the bow beyond the limits of human capacity. Of particular fame is the technique Nine Lives: Shooting the Hundred Heads. This training allows him to hit a massive number of targets with his bow at what is described as 'godspeed', striking so fast that all the blows may as well have struck at once for most intents and purposes. The very fact the bow can take such punishment and keep operating is because it is a Divine Construct.

It should be noted that Artemis granted him access to the Noble Phantasm Phoebus Catastrophe after the Fourth Holy Grail War, adding further to its versatility.