Omake: Back Home Again X

We saw much Sadness/I saw much rejoicing

We saw many betrayals/I saw much Loyalty

We have seen enough/I want to see more.

Absolute silence followed the declaration. Ritsuka was barely paying attention to the sound of his own breathing, his eyes unwilling to remove themselves from the back of Caster-

No...He was Goetia. Caster had been Goetia all along, the same Goetia which was currently their enemy.

But that was wrong, Caster had helped them throughout their entire journey. He had even fought Solomon, Goetia, whatever they were in London! So what was even-

"Wh-at…" The Beast's voice had never sounded so dumbfounded before, it had always held an almightiness to it, but now it was baffled. It sounded baffled, as if it was so caught off guard by this development that it had no idea how to react.

Ritsuka could sympathise.

"It is no deception." Caster called out "I am Goetia. I am neither an illusion nor a construct of Fodlan. King of Demon Gods, shame of Solomon's years, perversion of our role...It is I who shall administer your final rites."

Ritsuka found himself slowly turning his head to stare at the Beast, its central eye was still locked onto Caster. Dilated so far that it took up half the orb.

"Why?" The Beast called out, the genuine confusion in its voice was jarring "Why? Why!? How dare you! How dare!"

It was a blink and you would have missed it moment, the Beast shot forwards, clearing the distance between the two of them in a blur of movement, a giant fist slammed into a shield put up by Caster. Even though the shield had prevented any damage, Ritsuka still felt the ground shake from the sheer force behind Goetia's punch.

Goetia cocked their other fist back, their eyes glowing with rage "If what you state is true, you are beneath even Solomon! How dare!" he slammed it into the shield again, followed by another punch, then another, then another, the speed of his blows gradually began to pick up, all the while his rant continued to intensify "You, more so than any other, even Mash Kyrielight! You would have understood my plan! You would have understood what it meant!"

His arms were a blur now, the impacts of his fist slamming into Casters defences echoed across the throne "You should have understood! So why!? Why!? WHY!?"

Caster jumped back, grabbing Ritsuka by the collar and teleporting away just as Goetia broke through the barrier, his fist smashing into the ground where they had stood moments before. The second they rematerialised, Goetia wasted no time in chasing after them.

"Return to the Servant!" Caster commanded Ritsuka, dropping him on the ground and levitating into the air, facing down towards Goetia as the Beast shot towards him "I will deal with this...and...I am sorry, about Mash…" he quietly muttered, so quietly that Ritsuka could scarcely hear him. Before he could even respond, Goetia slammed into Caster, his fist gripped around his torso before throwing him away with enough force to shatter the sound barrier.

Goetia did not even acknowledge Ritsuka's existence before he shot off after Caster, Ritsuka staring dumbfounded at the whirlwind of events of the last minute.

"-ujimaru-kun! Fujimaru-kun!" Romani's voice came over the radio "Come on Fujiamru-kun! Please answer me!"

"R-Romani?" Ritsuka looked down at the screen, the Doctors face popped up, looking equal parts relieved and anxious.

"Thank goodness we got through! Listen, Fujimaru-kun, you've got servant inbound to your position so just-"

"M-Mash…" Ritsuka choked out, his eyes falling to the shield still in his hands "D-Doctor...Mash is…"

"I...We know…" Romani looked away, a pained expression on his face.

"C-Caster! H-He's…"

"We heard...his...saint graph signature matches that of the Beast...he is who he says he is…"

"B-but! But why!?" Ritsuka cried out in shock "How!?"

"I don't know...listen, you need to support Caster. I think he might have something, or at the very least I hope he does, but against a Beast, he won't last long."

Caster coughed out blood as he crashed through the rock formation, he slumped forwards then teleported to the side as Goetia slammed his fist where his head had been. One of the gems on Goetia's knuckled glowed and Caster felt his teleportation cut out, rolling to the ground "You...I cannot even bare to look at you! This disgusting shape! How!? How could such a thing have happened!?" Goetia roared, throwing his arms wide, the eyes lining his arms burned bright with power before unleashing a barrage of energy upon the Caster.

The one armed man threw out his arm, projecting a blue shield in front of him to block the attack, wincing as it began to crack under the continued assault of spells.

"How!?" Goetia cried out in anger as the spell died down, shooting forwards until he was virtually on top of the Caster, cocking back his fist for another attack. Caster released a blast of power in Goetia's face, the spell did little more than cause the Beast to flinch in surprise, but it was enough of an opening for him to take off into the air.

"You ask how?" Caster called down "I experienced the one thing that Solomon could not grant me. That my omnipotence could not fabricate."

"What?"

"I experienced a mortal life. An experience which you have not even considered. I lived as one of them, I understand the fear of death...but I accept it. That is what life is, Mash Kyrielight was right, no one should ever desire eternity."

"This...This nonsense!? You dare claim to me that living a short fearful life is worth it!?" Goetia roared "That accepting the ugliness of fear at the end makes it acceptable!? Your mind has been poisoned with your cursed existence! Defeat has obviously driven you insane!"

"No. I can still understand the reasoning behind the incineration of Humanity."

"Then-"

"I understand and reject it. Without having experienced it yourself, you would never understand."

Goetia was silent for a few moments, still glaring up at Caster before he spoke again "Very well, if you wish to experience the life of a mortal and the ugly fear that death brings, then I will grant this to you."

"There you are pal." Ritsuka turned around as Claude jumped down from behind, twirling an arrow in his hand "Heard things getting pretty choppy up here, figured you could use some help."

"Claude." Ritsuka let out a sigh of relief at the help, he turned around and pointed to where the continued explosions and spells from Goetia and Caster could be seen "We have to get back there."

"I'm sure we do." Claude nodded his head "But if you're here, Sparkles wanted you somewhere safe and I'm sure Mash would…" he trailed off when he saw no signs of the girl near him, as well as the cross shaped shield in his hands. The way Ritsuka flinched all but sealed it form him. Claude's expression turned sombre "I see…"

"Did...Did you know…"

"Yeah." Claude nodded his head "He'd told us a little about it. I promise that he'll explain everything when we're done here." he cracked Ritsuka a smirk "Now, lets go kick his ass!"

"Come now Claude…" a voice from behind them interrupted, the pair turned around Claude widening his eyes in shock "That sounds far more violent than I remember you being."

Claude gaped at them "Holy shit…"

Caster slammed into the ground, Goetia speeding towards them as they unleashed another burst of purple energy. A spear of ice slammed into the projectile, detonating it before it had a chance to reach them.

Goetia's central eye widened, then stared off at the left where the blast came fro-

"Failnaught!" A burning arrow slammed into his shoulder from above, harmlessly dissipating off his body but causing enough of a distraction for something to slam into his chest, knocking him back.

Goetia swept an arm out in front of him, blasting away the cloud of debris and revealing his attackers. Byleth lowered her leg from where she had kicked him, narrowing her eyes while Claude smirked, giving a slight wave. Lysithea hovered in the air just behind them, preparing another set of projectiles.

"You-" Something collided with the back of his head, sending him stumbling forwards slightly, he lashed out, grabbing what it was and throwing it away. A fourth figure he did not recognise, a large furry white cloak, dark grey plate armour, messy blonde hair and a black eyepatch on their right side.

They skidded to a halt next to the group "You were right, it appears that was not going to work."

Claude shrugged "Worth a shot, Dimitri."

"What…" Caster coughed out, looking at the group which had assembled, with wide eyes. Claude leaned over the edge, grabbing a hold of something then hefting it up, revealing Ritsuka with Mash's shield still in his hand.

"Come on now Sparkles." Claude smirked at Caster "You didn't think that our summoner here would leave after that little reveal of yours, did you?"

"Honestly." Sothis smirked "You never seem to change, even now. Always making grand gestures and refusing to elaborate." the green haired girl shook her head at him "How childish, for one so old."

"Gets annoying." Byleth shrugged her shoulders, giving Caster a tiny smile "Funny, but annoying."

Caster scoffed "It was to avoid undue pain, but I should have known better." he grunted, pushing himself to his feet and turning around to face Goetia.

"You think mere Heroic Spirits will be enough to stop me?" Goetia scoffed "It matters not whatever led to your defeat in your own timeline. I will ensure ultimate victory."

"No, Goetia." Caster shook his head "Even if you succeed, you fight for a wish desired by none but yourself. Cruel as I might have found it, Solomon was correct to restrain himself."

"...So be it." Goetia growled out, raising his hands above his head "If you wish to emulate Solomon so greatly, then you will perish like he did. I will grant you his Noble Phantasm as your own death requiem!"

Caster inhaled as the magical energy in the air shifted. Goetia intended to use Ars Almadel Salomonis again. However, Caster now had the opportunity.

"Yes, that is my fate. Goetia shall meet his end at the hands of Solomon's Noble Phantasm."

Goetia seemed to jolt, eyes fixing themselves on Caster in obvious confusion "...What?"

"Solomon perceived a time in the future when magecraft would become an evil for humanity. For such an outcome, he prepared a safety device to destroy it." Caster raised his hand "It is the first true Noble Phantasm."

"You...what are you…" Goetia stared at him in confusion, a growing sense of dread stared to course through their body.

"It is not a feat I can materialise. I am not Solomon and thus it is not something I can realise." Caster went on "However...emulating its specific effects against myself. The events which led to my life as a mortal. That is something I can accomplish." his middle finger flashed, a small golden ring now present on it "Especially now."

"The tenth...ring…" Goetia stared at it "The one I, no Solomon, lost...how…"

"Goetia…" Caster's eyes flicked towards the Beast "Allow me to teach you Solomon's final magecraft…"

Romani felt the blood leave his face, his arms slumped in the realisation of what Caster intended to do. Da Vinci cast him an inquisitive look at the growing expression of horror that was creeping onto the Doctor.

Goetia remained confused for the barest of moments, not understand the intentions of the Caster.

Then he did.

"Y-you don't mean...T-that shouldn't be…"

Caster extended his hand into the sky a faint glowing hue surrounding him.

"The Time of Birth Hath Come, I Am the Remedy of Eternity..."

His central eye widened in horror as he flung himself forwards, where once had been a feeling of almightiness, now there was only desperation. He slammed into the familiar shield and immediately began to punch away at it "Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!" the Beast cried out, the punches intensifying in speed as Goetia frantically attempted to breach the barrier.

"The Time of Coronation Hath Come, I Am the Beginning of Eternity…"

"Stop! Those Rings! That Noble Phantasm! If you use it-!" Cracks began to appear in the barrier Goetia slowly but surely breaking through.

Lysithea chanted a combination of runes under her breath, swiping her hand in front of her as the barrier reinforced itself. Goetia's eye swung on her "You fool! You don't realise what he-!"

"The Time of Abdication Hath Come, I Am He who Renounces the Throne…"

"Ars Notoria."

"Father, I reject my role granted, humanity no longer needs my protection. They will advance under their own strength."

The flash of light exploded outwards, soon covering the entire throne in a gently warmth before settling. Revealing Goetia staggering away from the shield, his form beginning to hiss away as steam began to erupt from him "Why!? Why!? Why would you make such a choice!? How could you look upon the actions of Solomon and emulate them in such a way!?"

"Indeed..." Caster staggered slightly "I hated him for it...for so long...but now...I will tell you what he told me when he performed this action...'I didn't have the freedom to get angry'."

"Wha-"

"Caster?" Ritsuka stared at him "Caster what's…" he trailed off when he noticed the golden motes of light flaking away from his body "What?"

"Teacher?" Lysithea gaped at him "What-"

"What did you do!?"

"I rejected my role." Caster turned to him with a blank expression "Goetia is the product of Solomon. I simply...abandoned my claim as his creation. The Demon Pillars are tied to Solomon's temple, I merely severed their link."

"B-but your body-!"

"I rejected everything that refers to 'Ars Goetia' within this temple." Caster shrugged "It has severed away my existence...in that regard it was a suicide attack…"

"Suicide!?" Goetia stumbled to his knees "You refer to it as mere suicide!? You rejected our existence on a fundamental level! You've abandoned our existence in this world entirely!" parts of his body started to crack, yet it did nothing to take away from his sheer bafflement "Everything with reference to Ars Goetia has been rejected! The Demon Pillars will lose their ties to anything Solomon ever created! We will be ousted from the Temple, never to return, and you have used a Noble Phantasm to reject your own soul! The paradox will wipe you out from even the Throne!"

"Indeed…" Caster replied "That was my intention from the beginning."

"W-what…" Lysithea stumbled back, eyes wide "You...you what?"

"My Band of light would have been a mercy compared to this! An experience of true nothingness! And you did it to yourself!?"

"You're...going to die?" Ritsuka stared at Caster with wide eyes "But-...but you…"

"I am." Caster admitted, staring at the shocked faces of those present "It is scary, in its own way...I…" he blinked "Ah...I had thought I had overcome this fear…" he chuckled mirthlessly as the single tear ran down his cheek "I'm...afraid to die…"

"T-then don't!" Lysithea cried out "We'll find another way! If you do this then-"

"No…" Caster shook his head, a small smile on his face as he walked towards Ritsuka "This was the correct decision. Even if it is frightening. That is what you and Mash taught me, Fujimaru Ritsuka." he stared down at the boy "Goetia's seals are broken as well as his immortality. He will dissipate soon enough. Can I trust you all to deal with it?"

"...Yes."

"That...is a good answer." Caster nodded his head, turning to stare at Byleth and Sothis "My final request of you, all of you, ensure that Goetia is defeated…"

"I will."

"Good...Romani?" Caster called out "I know you can hear me, you need not say anything. I...would like to apologise. I imagine until the very end I was a disappointment." he chuckled, looking Ritsuka in the eyes "Good luck, Fujimaru Ritsuka...you carry my hopes for humanity on your shoulders."

"I'll kick your ass…" Ritsuka joked with a sniffle.

"A good, if crude answer." He smiled back, his form already half faded away "Go forth...O grand master of Humanity…" slowly vanished, his golden motes scattering away into space.

A groan had them turn their attention back to the Beast as he pushed himself to his feet "Is that what I was to become if I were mortal? Pathetic like Solomon until the very end." he glared down at the Servants "I will not be swayed by his words. I still have enough time remaining to kill you and activate the bands of light. My great deed will remain unhindered."

Ritsuka slowly turned his eyes away from where Caster vanished and towards the Beast. His expression blank "Fujimaru Ritsuka...entering combat."

Claude gave him a firm pat on the back, a fierce burning look in his eyes "Golden Deers, ready as well."

"Do not forget the Blue Lions." Dimitri slammed the butt of his spear into the ground "There will be nothing left of this Beast when we are finished."

"Ha...So be it!" Goetia threw his arms wide "Then come at me, Chaldea! We the 72 Demon Gods shall grind you into dust!"

I can feel it. This helplessness encroaching on me. My omnipotence slipping away.

I can feel it. This ugly feeling. This distant taste of fear.

How? How could I not foresee this?

The Demon Pillars are rejecting union, then have already stared to be ousted from the Temple.

I was close. I was so close…

So...what is this sense of relief I feel?

'No one should ever desire eternity' He was me, the me that was limited. So why...why was he able to make such a choice?

He rejected everything about us. From the beginning, he could have rendered aid...so why? Why did he do such a thing? Why did he follow in Solomon's footsteps?

And what was that he said about Solomon...I didn't have the freedom to get angry?

Was that all there was separating us?

I can feel it closing in on me, the fear of death. I was omnipotent, immortal, so why is Fujimaru Ritsuka still standing before me!

Even if defeat is close now, even if I am to die here…

I will not allow myself to die alone.

The spells slammed into Goetia, the Beast let out a cry of pain before throwing his arms wide and responding in kind. He was sluggish, his spells slowly losing power as the Throne began to reject his existence.

The Demon pillars across the temple were experiencing similar ailments, making them easy pickings for the Heroic Spirits. In spite of all of this, Goetia fought bitterly.

Rushing forwards, the Beast struck Dimitri in the chest with a giant fist, sending the man shooting away from him before several burning arrows buried themselves into his back, letting out a roar, Goetia swung around releasing a bolt of lightning towards Claude.

The boy let out a gasp of shock as he threw himself out of the way of the attack.

Goetia span around, locking onto Ritsuka with a venomous glare, shooting forwards to clear the distance between the two of the-

A bone sword stabbed itself into his leg, Goetia cried out in pain as it was ripped free, turning to his attacker as Byleth slashed at him again, carving a wound up his central eye. Goetia clasped his hand around the blade, stopping it dead before he delivered a savage kick to her chest, knocking her away from him.

He needed only to-

A burst of green light cracked against his head as something struck him, he was sent reeling before he looked to the source of the attack.

David. The man spinning his sling up again as he prepared a second projectile.

"Therugia!" A beam of purple energy, comparable to an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm, struck him in the chest, blasting him across the ground before he ground to a halt, raising his arm to block the strike as best he could. The beam continued to burn away at his body, the armoured skin on his right arm began to glow brightly under the heat.

The beam died down, Lysithea lowered her stave and instantly began to work on another set of runes to take advantage of his state following the use of her Noble Phantasm.

Goetia could feel it. More so than ever. That fear of death.

Romani sat in his chair, completely silent as the sounds of fighting echoed over the monitor. His expression blank, eyes glazed over.

It explained so much to him. Why Caster had taken his ring, because he knew what Romani would do. He knew, and did it himself.

Caster killed himself in such a way that he could never return…

Just so Romani could live. Suddenly, the time they spend with Caster forcing Romani out of his office to enjoy the day, taking away Romani's work or merely spending time with the Doctor began to make sense.

And he never felt more horrified than right now. No...it was agnoy.

He knew Ritsuka would win now. They would win…

And Caster and Mash were dead.

"Why do you continue to fight!?" Goetia cried out, slamming his fist into Mash's shield "Why do you not submit to me!?" another punch against the shield, this time shattering the remains of his right hand, Goetia continued unimpeded "Why do you struggle so hard!?"

Ritsuka let out a cry of exertion as he bat the follow up punch away, pulling the shield back and thrusting it forwards like a spear. The wound Byleth had caused earlier provided him entrance as the shield skewered the Beast.

"...To live." Ritsuka replied to the Beasts questions, stepping back as the shield began to dissipate into motes of blue light.

"I see…" Goetia gasped, staggering backwards "So from the very beginning, you were not fighting to protect humanity...Then we completely overestimated you...You longed for life while fearing death, and while fearing death defeated us in our quest for eternity...what worthless stubbornness…" the Beast chocked out a laugh as parts of its body began disintegrating "Hahaha...what hopeless foolishness...Is this what I saw in you? He was right...I need not save you…" Goetia let out a broken laugh, even as his form turned to dust.

"The Temple is collapsing!" Da Vinci exclaimed through the communicator "The disappearance of Beast I is confirmed. Fujimaru, you need to get out of there and back to the Rayshift location, we'll pick you up!"

"We'll get him there!" Claude's voice crackled back through, Da Vinci let out a slight sigh of relief, then turned her head to see Romani still slumped over.

She frowned, kicking him in the shin, eliciting barely a reaction from him "Stop doing that. Its embarrassing to behold."

"...He's dead…" Romani muttered back "He's dead Da Vinci...he's dead and he won't come back…"

"He wouldn't want you slumped over your desk like the lazy oaf his Beast self believed you to be." She whispered to him.

"He said he was a disappointment...He died thinking I was disappointed in him…"

"Romani." Da Vinci span him around in his chair "He sacrificed himself so you didn't have to. From the very beginning, if he was to be believed. We can mourn him and Mash later, for now...make sure we get Fujimaru home."

"...R-right…" Romani nodded his head "Right…"

"Come on Master." Claude, Byleth and Lysithea rushed back, carrying Fujimaru as they continued to speed towards their destination "Its just up this last-" Claude cut himself off as they crested the ridge.

Standing on the far side of the island, his form already burning away in black flames with his glowing golden hair fluttering in the wind. His upper right side virtually consumed with the decay.

"Teache-" Lysithea cut herself off in realisation, the cold empty expression in his eyes. The lack of warmth as they stared at them. That wasn't Caster.

"Goetia…" Ritsuka muttered, pushing himself away from Claude's shoulders as he staggered forwards.

The current form of the Beast clearing away any doubt of who Caster had been.

"No matter what I do here, my failure will remain unchanged." Goetia called out to them "My Demon Gods have been ousted from the Temple, my very being is currently in the process of rejection...I can never redeem this failure." his eyes locked onto Ritsuka "This battle will be meaningless, an unthinkable choice before...but now…"

"You have reason to fight…"

"Yes…" Goetia nodded "I have my pride. I can see now, I can see why I made that choice before." his eyes turned to Lysithea "If my fate continues as his did...then I will look forward to meeting you...or perhaps my life will end here. In any event...This final act, this will be my first and possibly final moments of my new life, but with my new experience...my new mentality…" he took a single step forwards "I shall enjoy this life of mine, whatever its outcome."

"Welcome back…" Romani was staring at the pair with an almost broken expression, the bags under his eyes being rather prominent "I know we...lost some people."

Mash and Ritsuka flinched at the subtle mention of Caster. Mash having broken down at one point, although a part of her wasn't surprised in the least that Caster had been Goetia. They had both treated her more or less with the same empathy, although Caster had acted more on the older sibling part.

"But…" He chocked slightly, Da Vinci cringed at him and stepped forwards.

"Congratulations." She smiled at them "With the Singularities over and Beast I defeated, humanity has been saved...And I'm sure Caster would be quiet upset if we were all moping about in here."

She gave them a small smile "The storm outside has cleared up too…I heard there's a nice sky…"

"Senpai…" Mash turned to him, grabbing his hand "Do you want to go outside?"

"...Yeah…" Ritsuka nodded.

"Before that…" Da Vinci pulled out a flash drive, turning to the intercom system "I found this in my quarters with instructions on it...a last request from Caster, I suppose."

She plugged it in, there was silence for a few moments before a voice called out over the audio.

"The assault on the Temple begins tomorrow...If all goes well, I shall be dead by the end of it. Both versions of me. This is a final message to Chaldea, in the event of our...your victory. I suppose I have much to explain, but I lack the time to do so and respect the privacy of others too greatly to clear up any mysteries."

"So...I shall leave you with this."

"It was a long journey, so very long...I existed for three thousand years...But I was alive for barely a fraction of that time. The time I have spent alive and in Chaldea has been...enlightening."

"Joy, sadness, despair...fear...I felt it all. And yearned for more, this life that I experienced. This being that I was. I want you to witness it, even in my final moments as myself and as a Beast. Witness the life of the creature called Goetia. The moment that I ceased being a Beast, lost my immortality and became human. I want you to remember that...The life of Goetia in its entirety."

"I am Goetia. The Demon who protected you and fought against you. The one who lived for you and died to you. It was a short life, so very short and if I were to have one regret...just one…"

"It was that I didn't experience enough of it."

"For you, humans of Chaldea, Fujimaru Ritsuka, Romani Archaman. That is my final gift to you. As the Beast who fought to incinerate humanity, who wanted to grant immortality."

"I gift you a limited, mortal life."