The Holy Shirou War - Encore Part 1
"The Sunny Horizon Alight With New Hope"
The Long Night was over, and a New Day was beginning to Dawn.
The battle was over, and the war had been won.
It was the Start of A New Day, and with it, countless New Possibilities.
The Greater Grail had been lost, but none of the survivors, Master or Servant, particularly minded. They were all just glad to have survived through the whole ordeal; and for the time they had each spent with their Servants, their own versions of Shirou.
"Y'know..." Caster mused, to Saber, "I think maybe you and I were fated to be summoned into this Holy Grail War."
"Yeah? Why's that?"
"Well, it just struck me, that you were the perfect person to take down that monster. Because if it was anybody else, they certainly would've struggled against it, trying to take it down with hostile intent and having their attacks reflected by it."
"...You might be right..." Saber said, contemplating Caster's opinion, "...And maybe, just maybe, this was the the Grail - no, The World's way of showing mercy, to that priest, lost in darkness..."
Saber's body started fading, as he spoke.
Caster and Archer still had a few days left (and in Caster's case, he could probably stay even longer of he so wished).
But, for Saber, his duty was finished, and he was beginning to fade into motes of light. Though he still had a few minutes left, to say his final goodbyes.
Shirou stood there, a bit tearful, but trying to keep strong.
Ilya was also there, though she wore her heart more her sleeve, her tears flowing freely.
"I'm sorry," she said, "About everything. And about the way I treated Berserker..."
Saber knelt down to her level, to comfort her,
"Do you think..." She said, slowly, hesitantly, "That Berserker would be able to forgive me...?"
Saber smiled, "Yeah. I'm sure Berserker wouldn't have minded."
Caster, off to the side, also agreed, patting Ilya on the head. It was Berserker's last will, after all, to protect Ilya and Sakura.
"Yeah," Archer added, nodding sagefully, "However much I may hate the boy and his ideals, this much, I can say this, at least, for a fact: No version of Emiya Shirou, no matter where might come from, would ever come to hate you, Ilya."
Tohsaka was there as well, though Sakura wasn't.
"Sorry." She said, "Sakura also wanted to see you off, but after the loss of Rider..."
"I understand." Saber said, "It would've been too painful."
"But she wanted to let you know she was thankful, really."
Saber smiled. "Yeah, I got it. I've received it in full."
Tohsaka gave him a grateful parting smile, as well.
Caster and Archer saw off Saber with contented expressions, smiling at him and giving him one last thumbs up, which he returned.
Tohsaka and Ilya saw him off sadly, tears in Ilya's eyes.
But he also patted Ilya's head, and reassured her that she'd always have a home with Emiya Shirou.
"Right?" Saber asked his younger self, no doubt as to what his answer would be.
"Yeah, that's right." Shirou affirmed, "You'll always be welcome to stay with me, Ilya."
Saber nodded, proud, of just how far his younger self had come.
Ilya sniffling, also nodding.
"This'll be good bye, then." Saber said, "It was fun."
"Yeah." Shirou replied, "It was fun."
Shirou wiped his tears, and said his last words to Saber.
"Thank you. Really. I'm really grateful, for everything! And I promise, I won't forget what you've taught me!"
And Shirou really did intend to take Saber's lessons to Heart.
Saber smiled at him.
And in the next instance, he was gone, his memories returning back to Avalon.
Shirou looked on, past the horizon, and smiled in respect to him.
Saber had taught him many things, but most of all, Saber had taught Shirou not to be stuck on or held down by the weight of the past, and to look forward and rise up above all that, towards the hopeful future.
And Emiya Shirou intended to do just that.
Finally,
The Long Night had come to an End,
And all the possible fates that had stayed for over for the night had passed and were beginning to fade away,
And with it, now a New Day was beginning to Dawn.
Emiya Shirou looked forward, to the Sun in the Horizon, and smiled.
It was the Start of a New Day, filled with Countless New Possibilities.
True Name (True Title):
Fate/New Day - An Ode to God (Realta Nua)
"The End of an Old Tune, and The Beginning of a New Melody"
"A New Dawn, A New Day: The Light of Hope and Love"
"An Affectionate Melody of Love"
END
Author's Notes:
Yeah, so Epilogue 2 Next, with Caster's musings, and the cause of this abnormal multi-reality trans-timeline Holy Grail War (not Zelritch)
(Featuring a mention of Type-Earth and Type-Sun)
...
Maybe I'll do an Epilogue Part 3 someday a few years down the line, if I ever feel like it (I probably won't though lmao).
About all the other surviving masters (Ilya, Tohsaka, Sakura) and how they bid farewell, and how they mourn, and reflect on how they've changed because of their servants (Shirous) and recover and move on from the loss. Maybe even a bit more introspection from Shirou himself, too.
...