How long?
How long has she searched?
How long has her journey been?
It was impossible for her to tell.
She couldn't recall how many times she fought, how many times she came close, how many times she returned to this hill. The only sign of her continued existence was that she began to lose bits and pieces of herself along the way.
Every summoning, every war, she lost a bit more each time. People grew hazy, names took longer and longer to remember each time. The first time she couldn't remember her foster brother's name, terror turned her veins cold, and she began to panic. It was, thankfully, a momentary scare as she soon remembered Kay after calming down.
However, it was a sign of her inevitable future. The longer she took, the more she would forget, even one day forgetting the purpose of her journey. That could not happen. To combat the gradual loss of her memories, she forced herself to relive Camelot's fall repeatedly to remind herself of the reason for this journey. A magecraft she learned from someone at some point during one of the many Holy Grail Wars…
She thinks someone in her past would've called her an idiot for her actions, though their name and their form were lost to her…
The spell did slow the decay but could not halt it. Nor did it halt the decay of other memories. She couldn't remember her time in the wars, the servants she fought, or the masters she served. All of it meshed into a static that she didn't have the will to untangle. They didn't matter. All that mattered was that her continued existence on this hill meant she failed every time…
Until she didn't.
She couldn't remember how she won or who her master was. All she could recall was that she was on the hill, then she wasn't. Opening her eyes into an empty void lightened up by distant stars.
Confusion was the first thing she felt, then an overwhelming sense of relief. Something in her, still whole despite the long journey, understood instinctually that it was over. She had achieved her goal. She let out a long sigh, all her muscles releasing eons of tension. She couldn't remember the last time she relaxed. The thought made her lips twitch; it wasn't enough to be called a smile, but it soothed her either way.
Only after relaxing did she recognize that she did not hold Excalibur in her hands. She panicked for a brief moment before realizing that Excalibur was simply dematerialized. Confirming her existence as no longer a living person but a Servant. Shame entered her for panicking so quickly, for forgetting the presence of Excalibur, her one constant companion throughout her journey. Her thoughts about Excalibur brought another object to the mind.
She wondered if she could materialize…
What was it called…
Avalon!
She wondered if she could materialize Avalon now after her death. Searching within her, she tried to feel the presence of her sheath, only to be saddened by the fact that Avalon did not join her after her journey. She only had Excalibur and Invisible Air to her name now.
She felt the space on her back solidify, interrupting her thoughts as it created a platform for her to stand on. Rising from her lying position, she watched as a swirl of energy slowly condensed itself to a form in front of her.
The sight caused her brain to go hazy with confusion. Something within her refused to recognize the look of whatever was in front of her despite how much she tried. She watched patiently for the figure in front of her to speak, yet ready to strike in case she was met with violence.
"Artoria Pendragon."
Her attention was immediately raised. Hearing it speak felt odd to her, but what mattered more was that it knew her true name. She vaguely recognized the voice as one she heard before but was unable to point it down. Her guard was both raised and lowered as it continued without pause.
"You have obtained the Holy Grail. I have picked a new King, Camelot will now reach a peaceful end. Our contract is fulfilled."
The sudden barrage of information left her bewildered. She had questions to ask the figure in front of her, assuming it was Alaya, given its knowledge of her contract. However, Alaya gave no pause for her to interrupt and continued to speak without hesitation.
"You are now Counter Guardian PENDRAGON. Another Counter Guardian will teach you."
Ending with that, Alaya faded.
She looked on in stunned silence, still freshly shocked at what had transpired. An overload of information was just dumped on her. But one thing with that mountain of new knowledge brought her immediate comfort: the confirmation that Camelot would reach a more peaceful end to its life.
Letting out a deep breath, she refocused herself. Her journey as king may have been complete, but now she must go on a new journey as per her contract. Her new name was, thankfully, easy to remember and she would obtain a new teacher. Irritation came when the thought of a teacher brought up the memories of her old mentor, Merlin.
His name was one she could never forget, and that fact alone brought both immense dread and a small amount of solace in her. No mentor could be worse than Merlin. That was the optimistic view she took about her new situation and teacher.
In her pondering, something tugged at her to turn her head. She let it guide her eyes toward a singular white door within the space. Most likely where her new mentor was waiting. She began walking on the empty space towards the white door. The world around her slowly morphing as the ground beneath her boots began turning into a white marble, her steps now echoing, and she soon found herself walking in a white corridor.
Something within her hummed with joy the closer she got to the door, and her heart sped up ever so slightly the longer she took. She laid a hand over her chest and furrowed her brow, examining it. Joy was not something to normally worry about, and at one point in time, she normally wouldn't notice, but eons of suffering numbed her to the feeling, even knowing her journey as king was over brought only relief. So why did this bring her joy? Bring her anticipation?
It was a question that would only be answered by continuing. So she continued moving forward, letting the questions stay in the back of her mind. Soon, she reached the white door. Gripping the handle, she paused for a moment before pushing in and opening the door with a faint sense of excitement. The sight that greeted her was one she didn't expect.
The back of a white-haired man clothed in red and black fabric, standing alone within a white room similar to the hallway she was in. She was surprised at the man's height, which towered over her, but part of the image felt off to her. She assumed he was supposed to be shorter.
What grabbed her attention the most about the scene was nothing of the man himself but the odd sense of happiness and sadness staring at the unmoving figure. Something about him caused her mind to buzz around as if trying to remind her of something important. Yet he did not seem similar to her knights or anyone in her memories, he should be a stranger to her. The more she looked, the more she tried to remember, the more the sight intensified her sorrow.
It felt uncomfortable, she felt uncomfortable. This feeling was foreign to her. She felt despair, regret, and unending sadness before. Yet never sorrow such as this, like calm ocean waves rhythmically pushing back and forth, drowning her heart in slow misery.
A hand entered her peripheral vision, taking her gaze off the man to the appendage. She was surprised when she realized it was hers. She quickly pulled it back to her side. The fact that this man could bring something instinctual out of her only heightened her confusion. A deep urge to understand who he was entered her mind. She needed to know why she was feeling this way about a stranger.
"Pardon me."
Blinking at the sudden voice, she wondered for a brief instant who spoke before realizing it was hers. This was twice now that her body moved on its own. Moving itself as if impatient with her inaction. She was growing more and more confused.
Before she could ponder in her thoughts. He finally moved,
He turned, and steel met green.
An odd sense of nostalgia washed over her as she looked at the man before her. At the same time, the sorrow within her only grew, twisting itself into regret for a reason she could not understand. Her heart tearing itself over the foreign man. A deep desire to comfort him washed over her. To bring him into her arms, hold him, and never let him go.
Something within her cared deeply for this person, and she could not explain why. His eyes, his face, his presence, everything about him caused her heart to tighten.
She failed him.
The intruding thought surprised her. He was one she had never seen before…right? So why did the thought even occur? Why does she feel so guilty about the man in front of her?
Something began pounding at the back of her head the more she looked, trying to pull out a memory she couldn't comprehend. Everything in her was in turmoil; the edge of something important, someone important to her, was the edge of her mind, yet unable to make the final leap.
One thing was certain that all parts of her agreed on: she needed to know more about this man. With the best facade of calmness she could muster, she greeted the silent man before her. The words spilled out her mouth naturally, almost knowing subconsciously what to say.
"I am Counter Guardian PENDRAGON. From this time forth, please guide my sword."
AN: The other side of a miraculous reunion. This was a fun two-shot I made to shake off the rust. I may continue this with sporadic updates once or twice when a new scenario pops into my head.