Special thanks to:
-CrazyLich -Xenophos24 -ZafkielRagnarov -Ken Law -SomeWritingGuy. -Tim

I do not own Arknights or the Fate series and type moon content.

London, England / 11:30 AM / Rainy.

It was a rainy day in London, clouds obscuring the sun's light, an endless rain pouring down onto the cityscape.

In one of the city's hospitals, a young man laid on his bed, eyes fixed on the window of his room, looking on out into the dreary scene, seemingly lost in thought.

The door to his room suddenly opened, revealing an old man who looked in his late sixties and a stoic looking young man, both clad in suits.

The ill man turned his dark eyes towards them, a small smile appearing on his face.

"Father, brother, welcome."

Both men smiled at their bed ridden relative, although it wouldn't take any real observation to notice the sadness present in their expressions.

The old man approached the bed and sat next to it, both his hands grasping at the weak and thin hand with a surprisingly gentle grasp.

The stoic man's expression softened, and he leaned on the wall near the bed, his eyes on his sibling.

"How are you holding out, Edward?"

Edward's smile faltered for a brief moment, before he sighed.

"I can't say I'm doing good, my body's state has been going downhill for a while now, and it doesn't seem to be stopping."

The expressions of both visitors took a turn for the worse, as the elderly man glanced at his companion, the other man nodding without a word.

Blue lines appeared on the old man's right hand for a moment, thrumming with unnatural power, and when they disappeared his face turned ashen, his shoulders sagging.

"The spell that we used to keep you alive is not working anymore, your circuits can no longer support it. You... I don't think you'll live to see tomorrow..."

Looking at his father and brother, Edward could only muster a goofy, albeit fake smile in response to the news.

"Hey now, what's up with the long faces? We're magi, aren't we? Death is something we're accustomed to, and besides, you don't want me to worry about you when I'm gone, do you?"

His poor attempt at consolation failed as expected, his brother's resigned expression, his father's downcast eyes, and his shaking grip, were proof enough of such.

"I'm sorry, brother."

Edward blinked in confusion. His questioning stare was noticed by his father, who smiled wryly.

"He's been trying to contact Touko Aozaki as well as some Alchemists from Atlas to help, but came up empty, even offering a sizable portion of his research material as compensation, but alas, no one came forward."

Edward's eyes widened at the news, before looking to his brother again, seeing him, fists clenched and eyes averted in shame.

Edward chuckled weakly, a small wry smile on his face.

"Arthur, come closer."

Arthur obeyed, moving to the other side of the bed and sitting next to the bed…

…before his forehead got flicked.

"What was that for?!"

"For being a reckless idiot, as always."

Arthur sighed as he rubbed his forehead, a wry smile on his face when he saw his brother's trademark grin.

"Even knee-deep in the grave, you still find a way to do that."

"Of course I do."

He paused as a cough forced its way out, his face turning slightly pale.

"No one but me has the right to do that to our family's little prodigy."

The brothers shared a few chuckles, as Edward had another coughing fit, before they turned to their father, who just looked at them with mild amusement.

"Well then, I'm afraid that as much as we want to stay with you to the end, there are many things we need to prepare and take care of…so, it would seem this is goodbye."

The two visitors were obviously reluctant to leave their relative's side, his father especially.

But reality demanded they tend to their duties, and deep down, Edward felt a small bit of relief, knowing that they wouldn't have to see his death, sparing them the grief.

"I guess it is, father, although I deeply wish to continue on, will alone is not enough."

Edward coughed hard once again, pain springing from his chest each time.

"But there's no helping it, is there?"

Both men sighed at Edward's words, in equal parts exasperation and slight pride.

"Even now, you still want to chase after that dream of yours, hah, that's just like you."

Their father laughed weakly, pride present on his sad, wrinkled face as he exited out of the room, Arthur right behind him.

Although the latter stopped at the doorstep, looking behind him at his big brother one final time.

"She would have been proud of you, brother, I know she must be puffing her chest to the Root itself, probably bragging about her hero."

With those parting words, the door was closed.

A longing look took over as Edward's gaze returned to the window once again.

Edward continued to gaze at the rain pouring outside, he could feel his end coming soon, a feeling of stubborn indignation bubbling up slowly.

I still haven't done enough…

Hearing a knock on the door, the magus turned his attention to it.

"Who is it?"

"Mister Miles, I apologize for the disturbance, but a man named Farran wants to see you, he claims to be a close friend of yours."

A glint of recognition flashed in Edward's eyes, before a serene smile appeared on his face.

'He really came after all.'

"Let him in."

"Of course."

The door opened, and a tanned, white haired man of Edward's age, clad in casual attire, came through, a grim expression on his face.

Their gazes never left each other, until the man sat down next to Edward, the magus finally letting a playful grin show on his face.

"Well, well, well, look at what the cat dragged in! A hero of justice graces me with his presence in my final moments."

"Oh? I apologize, last time I checked, this room ordered a helpless idiotic bastard, such as yourself."

"It's possible you're mistaken, good sir, those are in the cemetery a block or so away, a charismatic and handsome man such as I still has life and a sense of humor left in him."

A small grin plastered itself on Farran's face, despite his best efforts to hold it in.

Meanwhile, Edward maintained his own proud smile.

"That's the best you got, Shirou? You're not in your A game today."

"Well, I figured that since you're on death's doorstep, I should take it easy on you."

"Hah! As if! You're just acknowledging my superior skills in sarcasm."

Shirou remained silent as Edward coughed for a bit, his expression growing grim.

"How much time do you have left?"

As he settled a bit, Edward rolled his eyes, and smiled wryly.

"Considering I can't feel anything? I'd say about a few more minutes."

Shirou looked surprised for a moment, before he averted his gaze, lost in thought as he looked towards the rain outside.

Edward's gaze never left his friend, he knew him long enough to figure that he had something to get off his chest.

"Out with it, what's on your mind?"

Shirou sighed before he turned his eyes back to Edward.

"I…came here to say, thank you."

Edward's eyes widened and he blinked several times, his mind failing to compute what he just heard.

"You've always been there for me, ever since we met, and for as long as I can remember, you were the only person who understood me, and encouraged me, without you, I would've been-"

"Killed? Framed? Thrown in a ditch somewhere? Still stupidly dense?"

Shirou's eyebrow twitched at Edward's blunt and rude interruption, and judging by his condescending smile, the bastard did it on purpose.

...Not that he was wrong, if Shirou was honest about it.

"….Yeah, that, but thanks to you, I've managed to continue onward, chasing my dream, I managed to understand a lot, and we both achieved a lot of things together."

Edward just looked on as his best friend, and practically brother in all but blood and name, fumbled a bit as he tried to go on. Shirou was always awkward with his feelings, but his sincerity was something that Edward only found in one other, barring his family.

Sighing slightly, Edward tilted his head at the ceiling.

"Hey Shirou, you know what I'm thinking right now?"

"Wishing for ear plugs or the sweet release of death?"

Edward snorted at the jab, he guessed he walked right into that one.

"No, although there is that, I think that you're already a great hero."

Shirou appeared shocked by the sudden declaration, his eyes widened slightly, and he felt lost for words.

Edward would've laughed, if he had the energy for that, instead he just continued on.

"You might not be celebrated or seen as one by others, and you might not believe it yourself, but you are a hero in my book."

Edward coughed once again, a coppery taste in his throat, but he swallowed and continued.

"Never forget that, you hear? Keep moving forward."

Shirou sat there, just looking on with stupefied eyes at Edward's serious face.

"Come on, say something. I'm starting to feel awkward here you know? Help a partner out."

Raising his arm with the last remnants of his waning strength, Edward weakly extended his fist towards Shirou, with a wide grin on his face.

Shirou woke up from his stupor, he chuckled and fist pumped him.

"Yeah, now and always."

With that done, Edward's arm fell on the bed, and he felt shadows slowly engulf his vision.

"I'm glad…"

The man closed his eyes, a fake smile on his face, his last effort to comfort his friend beside him.

'This is not enough, I still didn't achieve my promise to her…'

'Do you wish to continue?'

Alarmed by the sudden voice, but unable to do anything, Edward took a few moments to calm himself.

'Who are you?'

'Do you wish to continue?'

The same question was asked once again, monotonous and almost mechanical.

Weighing his options, a memory flashed in his mind, a memory of a promise, of a vow he would uphold at all times, no matter what.

'I wish to continue.'

'Your wish shall be granted.'

At that moment, Edward Miles breathed his last.

Thank you for reading.

Have a nice day and stay safe.