Prelude
Go to my profile page for musical references and cues to enhance the experience.
Alright, with that having been said, enjoy the chapter...
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Chapter 16
"A Divine Liturgy" ("Avalon Blade Works"): An Ode to GOD
The Holy Spirit's Unifying Requiem (The Harmonious Four-Part Melody of Emiya Shirou),
A Elegy (Eulogy), For The Priest Lost in Darkness
...
Caster whistled in appreciation, as he looked upon the scene.
The Beast, This Beast of Retribution, even as a Newborn, was no small threat to The World.
Sakura and Ilya acted as its hosts, and it was using their bodies as conduits to the Greater Grail, leeching mana from the World at an incredible rate. But even cut off the World as it was, it still had natural incredible durability and endurance.
Even if Caster - No, even if both Caster and Archer both detonated all of their reinforced broken Phantasms at the Beast at once, they probably couldn't even begin to scratch it.
Well, Caster, within his own Reality Marble, could make about 3 imperfect and degraded Excaliburs or so, to fire off as Broken Phantasms, but that would be his high limit, and it wouldn't even wound the beast that much.
But it was no surprise that an truly unrestrained Excalibur, the Greatest of Holy Swords, could easily cut through it.
And with that much mana at its disposal? No wonder it was slicing through the beast's limbs like literal butter.
Caster hummed to himself in appreciation, as he watched on, observing the battle, or rather "the hunt" as it continued to progress.
The Beast of Retribution tried to flee, though it had nowhere to go.
Normally, it would bee able to reflect any attacks and any hostility that was directed towards it. Even Counter-Guardians would struggle against it for that reason (though, the World would just replace them with other Counter-Guardians, as disposable and reusable tools).
But for some reason, The Beast of Retribution didn't seem to able to so here.
It might've been an effect of Avalon Blade Works, that Excalibur itself would never harm Shirou. Or perhaps, it was from the love that flowed within Avalon Blade Works, that negated the Beast's ability, born of the negativity and sin of All The World's Evils.
(Even Caster, as he watched on, was reminded of the affection he once held for Saber (Artoria), the first time he had summoned her, even though he had spent the rest of his life faithfully devoted to Rin.)
Or maybe, just maybe, it was just that Saber didn't have any hostility against the beast; taking it down as an act of pity and mercy, putting an end to an existence that could only ever be evil.
Using Good to defeat evil, using Love to defeat hate, Mercy to defeat wrath; Not repaying fire with fire, or evil with evil, but instead repaying evil with Love and Mercy.
Taking it down down as an act of Love, not as act of hostility.
Briefly, Caster wondered if Saber was being merciful towards the incarnated beast, the fully-realized Angra Mainyu, or if this was the mercy that he was showing the priest at its center, Kotomine Kirei.
...
It merited repeating that,
Kotomine Kirei was someone who cursed other humans out of love.
Truly, someone fitting to manifest an evil of humanity within themselves.
Emiya Shirou was someone who saved others, not out of love, but to relieve his own guilt.
Truly, someone fitting to become a Counter Guardian.
In a way, opposites.
But, Saber was the Emiya Shirou that had realized his own mistakes, and corrected them.
One who saved others not out of obligation and compulsion, but truly to save others out of Love.
For Love is the only form of Salvation which is not only spent on others, but which saves and reflects on to the self as well.
The only salvation which is shared and reflected by human hearts.
After all, the story of life was ultimately a story of love and hope, not one of despair.
And "Avalon Blade Works" was the embodiment of that ideal.
Of an eternal waiting Salvation, and an eternally chasing Love.
...
Saber took a deep breath, as he focused.
Excalibur was to unwieldly to handle easily like this and at this rate - the beast actually had a good chance of breaking through his layer, at least.
Saber had to concentrate its light and power.
Saber started another aria, though this one, for a different purpose. This one, instead, was one meant to concentrate Excalibur's power within the blade itself, instead of letting the mana emanate and overflow from it as a gigant extended blade.
Archer perked up, as he knew the chant Saber was using.
How could he not recognize it? After all, it was the one he used for Kanshou and Bakuya, to overload them and bring out their full potential. But here, it was being used for an entirely different purpose.
Saber focused,
"Pendragon's Heart (Spirit and Technique), Without Weakness (Perfect and Unmoving),
Spirit and Technique (Love and Faith), Chasing the Ideal (Moving Mountains)
Spirit and Technique (Holy Sword), Crossing the Strait of Dover (Parting the Seas)
Soul (Heart), Ending in the Same Heaven (Reaching that Everdistant Utopia)
Two Separated Ideals (Lovers), One Reunited Destiny (Embracing the Heavens, Together)!"
As he finished the chant, all of the light of the extended blade shrunk and concentrated itself, as the sword shined incredibly, blindingly, brightly.
It was like a miniature Sun in and of itself, though one that far surpassed the likes of Excalibur Galantine.
It was a white-star that burned impossibly hot, illuminating The World itself.
Archer looked on as Saber chased after the beast, much faster than Archer had known him to be during their clash.
Was he being empowered by being in Avalon (or a facsimile of it, at least)? Or perhaps, in this space, he simply connected to his True Self, and so was being empowered in that sense.
His movements and speed were now much closer to Artoria's than Archer had even seen before. In fact, if it were not for their difference in statures, Archer could've sworn that it was Artoria herself who was hunting the beast down.
Saber cornered it, as it ran, and slowly rejuvenated its limbs. Again, it struggled in vain, trying to break out of the shell of the Avalon Blade Works, but to no avail.
But there was nowhere left to run to now, not even a single place to escape to.
Saber raised Excalibur above him, gripping it tightly with both hands.
"This...is a battle to save the world."
Voice completely calm and unwavering, he called out it's true name.
"Lend me your strength..."
"Excalibur!"
And as Saber did, Archer could've sworn that for an instant, he briefly saw the image of a resolved Artoria, dressed in white, in front of Saber's chest, gripping and swinging the sword alongside Saber.
And he swung it down.
...
The force of the blow was immense, enough to even start breaking apart the 3-Layered Reality Marble.
The Beast was almost completely destroyed in just that one blow.
But what was left it was very tenacious, as the Beast of Humanity still tried to slither away, to escape through the gaps.
Archer tensed up, though Caster put his hand on shoulder,
"Think you could help out? We could always use an extra layer!"
Archer sighed.
"Why am I always fated to work the clean-up duty?" Archer grumbled; but for once, he actually seemed somewhat glad to be able to do his job properly.
Amused at the irony of his situation, being summoned as Servant and not as a Guardian here, but glad to actually finally able to do what he actually signed up for, for once (instead the gruesome clean-up duty that he was normally assigned to), Archer couldn't but give a very slight but sincere grin as he projected out his own Inner World too.
"Sorry, pal, but you aren't getting out of here that easily!"
Archer grunted, as he struggled to keep his Reality Marble up.
"I'll make you stay the whole damn night if I have to!"
Caster also struggled, continually analyzing, reinforcing and stabilizing the whole structure, as he had now another layer to manipulate and coordinate with the other layers. Archer's Unlimited Blade Works acted as an extra layer of rusted skin and ashen hair, to hold it all together as it started to collapse. It was the last layer needed reinforce and reknit the whole structure together.
Despite having the least compatibility with the other Reality Marbles, it still worked very well as a tight outer skin, to hold together the whole body of their own Reality Marble World.
...
From,
Artoria to Tohsaka,
Tohsaka to Sakura,
Sakura to Ilya,
Ilya to Artoria,
These were the threads that tied them all together, the girls that were at the very center off all their souls,
And From the Emiya Shirou's most ingrained memory, burned into his very soul,
His impression of his first meeting with Artoria, acting as the needle with which to stitch and sew them all together.
The Artoria whom EMIYA Shirou so loved but couldn't save,
And the Ilya who loved EMIYA Shirou.
Sakura whom Berserker loved, and Ilya whom loved Berserker
Tohsaka whom Caster loved, and the one whom loved Caster, Sakura
Tohsaka who saved Shirou from going down the wrong path,
And to Artoria, whom Shirou so loved with all his heart and soul.
And finally, back to Saber, to Shirou.
The threads that tied them together,
The girls that were at the very center off all their souls,
And Emiya Shirou's image of his first meeting with Saber,
His Fate, his New Star, that acted as the needle that stitched them all together.
...
A Completed 4-Layer Reality Marble that perfectly completed and encompassed Emiya Shirou and all his possibilities.
The different paths and routes of Fate, each laid out before him, each that would only Stay but no more than two weeks, a single fort-Night, before passing on to a New Dawn and a New Day of Possibilities.
This was Emiya Shirou's Perfect 4-Layered Reality Marble "World":
This was Truly The Purest Embodiment of Emiya Shirou.
This was the True Essence of Emiya Shirou, himself.
This was Emiya Shirou's Fate/Stay Night
...
His Reality Marble now secure and stabilized once again,
Saber impaled Excalibur through what remained of The Beast's forehead, as it roared in pain.
"Now, Excalibur! Unleash your full might!"
The sword beamed with an awesome radiance, light concentrating and surging around it, and its blade extended, piercing through the remains of the Beast's massive head.
The light around the blade was so condensed that it seem ready and eager to explode at a moments notice, waiting only for its cue.
And Saber declared it!
"EXCALIBUR! SING THE SEVEN SONGS OF HEAVEN!"
Excalibur exploded outwards with light, blinding (for the moment) all who witnessed it.
And as Excalibur unleashed its final most intense and concentrated burst of energy, the whole world flashed completely and wholy white.
The power was of such a degree that Archer literally could not even fathom it.
...
And then, the light faded.
The beast was gone, every last bit of its existence completely vaporized from the inside out.
...
The battle was over, and the war was won.
All the Servants, including Saber, sighed a breath of relief.
Their Reality Marble World, as if sensing their decreasing tension, slowly started to shatter and fade away by itself, as well. The last blow and explosion had still managed to cut through and lightly wound the world. But thankfully, an injury of only that level would recover by itself easily enough, and wouldn't leave any sort of permanent scar.
Archer could only laugh, though.
It was truly a ridiculous attack, and this was only with an unrestricted Excalibur at half-power, with Emiya Shirou as its wielder. And unlike Gilgamesh's Ea, Excalibur's true function was not even to tear up the layers and reveal the truth of The World, but simply to amplify magical energy and shoot it out as pure destructive power.
How powerful would it be, then, if it were truly at full power, and wielded by Artoria?
Archer could see now, just why exactly Artoria qualified as a Grand Saber.
Archer found himself shivering again, despite himself, and knowing the danger was gone.
What was left, however, was something that none of them expected.
...
Rin and Sakura lay there, sprawled out on the floor, and even Ilya was there, all of them safe and in tact.
With Ilya, she shouldn't even have had a new body, given what had happened to her.
It was perhaps a bit of long stretch, but maybe this was Kotomine Kirei's last act of kindness, as a Christian?
Nevertheless, all them seemed to be in good condition, as they stirred, albeit naked and without clothes, which they all made to quickly cover up.
Saber grinned, looking back at the two of them, giving them a thumbs up.
Caster also gave him a grin and a thumbs up back.
And Archer, despite himself, returned their thumbs up (and a mild and reluctant, though honest, grin).
Chapter 16 - The Finale,
"A Divine Liturgy" = "A Eulogy (Elegy) For The Hallowed (Hollowed) Priest, Lost in Darkness (Death)"
("Avalon Blade Works")
A Truly Lovely & Harmonious Melody: The 7 Songs of Heaven
The Holy Shirou War - The Climax END
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Author's Notes:
So,
That was the climax of the Holy Shirou War.
What did you think? Was it good?
If you liked it, feel free to like, review, favorite, and share with your friends.
That would be much appreciated.
Thank you.
The More Important Author's Notes (on Symbolism):
Fittingly, Berserker is the only one of them not present (dead), just like he's the only Emiya Shirou missing at the end of his route, while Fate, UBW and Archer's route all had Shirou survive until the very end of their respective routes.
A cooperative 4-Layer made by all the Emiya Shirous of the TRUE ENDs, and by Archer, who helped all them reach it.
Saber - Fate (Realta Nua) TRUE END
Caster - Unlimited Blade Works TRUE END
Berserker - Heaven's Feel TRUE END
Archer - Fate Route (Ilya subvariant) GOOD END (lacking enough Love for Artoria)
Basically, All three TRUE ENDS + Archer's Reality Marble.
The 4-Layered Reality Marble is also extremely symbolic, each layer builds on other, just like each route in the visual novel, each progresses and builds on the other.
Fate leads into Unlimited Blade Works which leads into Heaven's Feel, each growing progressively more complex as a story by building upon the foundations of the former route.
Fate (Heart) leads to UBW (Nerves and Bones) leads to Heaven's Feel (Flesh) - All Supported by Archer's own story and existence (The Skin that Binds Them Together).
Archer's presence is really a constant throughout all their stories, and helps them all out at their crucial points, and is also one the few constants between all their routes.
A linking connection between all of them, in sense. After all, no matter which route you go through, it all starts from the same part, with the same Archer that Rin summons in the prologue. The very beginning of the prologue is even narrated by Archer himself, so it's especially fitting.
He really is the thread (skin) that binds together all the routes and possibilities of Emiya Shirou in Fate/Stay Night.
Fate is really at the heart of it all though, as it's both the starting and the final ending of the Visual Novel, hence it being both the first and innermost Reality Marble, and also it the strongest and most important.
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In terms of Classical Music, The Four-Part Harmonious Melody is composed like this:
Alto = Saber (Shirou and Artoria)
Countertenor = Archer
Tenor = Caster
Bass = Berserker
[]
To be continued, in the epilogues...
Next Chapter is Epilogue Part 1, The 1st part of the True Conclusion to The Holy Shirou War
Saber bids farewell to Shirou, and Shirou looks forward to a new day. And you find out the true title of The Holy Shirou War, the one that's been hidden and masked this whole time.
It'll be good, so look forward to it!
...
After that is Epilogue Part 2, The 2nd part of the True Conclusion to The Holy Shirou War
An explanation (Caster's musing on) the cause of the Holy Grail War (not Zelritch).
Caster's musing on the Structure of The World, The Root, and GOD.
And a brief mention of Type-Earth (Type-World) and Type-Sun.
It'll be cool, so look forward to it!