In the year 2017, the history of humanity was altered by an alien god. Every single thing on Earth was wiped out. To recover the lost human history, Chaldea, the organization that safeguards human order, continues to fight. Summoning the heroes who have made their mark in human history as Servants, Chaldea has defeated the 5 Lostbelts, an impossible 'what if' history of humanity created by the alien god.
And now, they had arrived in Britain, which had become the sixth Lostbelt. Fairyland, the country of fairies built on Britain, was on the verge of destruction due to three calamities foretold in a prophecy. Chaldea managed to fend off two of the calamities and finally faced the last one, the Cursed Calamity, and the betrayed deity Cernunnos, in the skies above Fairyland's capital, Camelot. The battle, which unfolded aboard the Storm Border, Chaldea's pride and joy—a dimensional boundary-piercing ship—was extremely fierce. After an intense struggle, Chaldea was able to pin down the Cursed Calamity, and it was time for one final move.
"Mash! Sage! I'm counting on you here! I'll pursue Artoria!"
"Yes, Senpai! Leave the rest to me! We will hold him back."
"Yes, Ritsuka. We'll hold him off. You go quickly!"
In the middle of the decisive battle, Ritsuka Fujimaru, the only Master of Chaldea, shouted this and turned his back on the cursed calamity. Ritsuka's First Servant, Mash Kyrielight, and the Servant summoned as reinforcements from Pan-Human History, Sage Grimm, responded to him and confronted the crumbling cursed calamity.
Glancing over his shoulder, Ritsuka ran as fast as he could across the silver deck, overcome with irritation. There was only one reason for him to turn his back on the enemy: his comrade, Artoria Caster, had disappeared from the battlefield. Out of the corner of his eye, Ritsuka saw Artoria descend to the palace below, Camelot. Chaldea fought bravely, but they were missing that decisive push to completely destroy the cursed calamity.
Artoria was about to give that final push.
All alone.
The foreign magician gritted his teeth as he thought of the Child of Prophecy's determination. He put strength into his feet as he remembered the trump card that had been equipped to protect Camelot, the twelve-gated holy spear, Rhongomyniad. Then, he heard a familiar girl's voice.
"Ritsuka-kun! Judging from energy reaction, it's probably the throne. Artoria is on Morgan's throne!"
Leonardo da Vinci's voice came calling from the bridge of Storm Border, her usual reliable voice.
Leonardo da Vinci's voice came calling from the bridge of Storm Border, his usual reliable voice.
"Understood! Da Vinci-chan, but why don't you stop me?"
"I don't have the time to say useless things to stop you now, you are going to do it anyway. Goff will be mad at you later. Leave this to me and go quickly!"
Nodding silently to the voice, Ritsuka raised his right hand and summoned the shadow of a Servant who was waiting in the Wandering Sea, Chaldea's base. The one who appeared was one of the Old Men of the Mountain, an assassin clad in a worn cloak, Hassan of the Cursed Arm.
"Hasan! I'll jump off the Border! Drop me as close to the throne of Camelot as possible! I'll leave the landing up to you!"
"Understood, Master!"
Cursed Arm Hasan grabbed Ritsuka, who jumped off the Storm Border without hesitation, and descended towards the walls of Camelot. Hasan threw his knife to pierce the dilapidated wall, but it did not collapse completely. Hasan protected Ritsuka with his body and slammed into the wall of Camelot. The wall collapsed, and the two of them tumbled into Camelot Castle.
"I've come this far. Master... please be safe--"
Having exhausted his power from the charge, Cursed Arm Hasan was enveloped in a golden light and retreated into the Wandering Sea. Gritting his teeth, with no time to rest, Ritsuka summoned more Heroic Spirits.
"Achilles, carry me to the upper floors! Lakshmi, protect us!"
"Yes, Master! Hold on tight!"
"Yes, Master. Count on me."
With lightning speed, the great Greek hero Achilles ran up the collapsed floor. Lakshmi, a leader of the Indian uprisings against the British Empire, used her skills to shield them from misfortune and curses along the way. Achilles took his master into his arms and started moving.
However, the curses were too much for Lakshmi, and she disappeared like Hasan into golden light.
"Master, this opportunity... must not be squandered... Keep moving forward," she said her last words to them. Even with his Master in his arms, Achilles was faster than anyone else in this world. He took on the curses and magical powers that were overflowing, and pushed Ritsuka up to the throne floor. When they reached the place, Achilles lowered Ritsuka to the floor and was enveloped in light.
"Sorry, Master... Please win..."
Nodding to Achilles' voice as he retreated, Ritsuka rushed into the throne room. Instantly, a ferocious curse and magical power was about to hit Ritsuka's whole body.
Beside the throne stood Artoria, with the cursed disaster closing in behind her. However, the pressure was too great for Ritsuka to approach alone. For the third time, Ritsuka called upon the Heroic Spirits.
"King Leonidas! Deploy your Noble Phantasm and open the way to the throne!"
"Acknowledged! Guardian of the Gate of Flames (Thermopylae Enomotia)!"
The Spartan king, Leonidas, manifested, and his 300 retainers created a Noble Phantasm—a defensive flame circle—that created a path to Artoria.
"Come on! Forward! Please proceed to the throne, Master!"
"Thank you!"
Under the protection of the Guardians of the Flame Gate, Ritsuka Fujimaru sprinted with all his might. Leonidas and the 300 Spartan soldiers retreated to the Wandering Sea, fading like a raging storm. Relying on their support, Ritsuka's right hand finally reached Artoria's back.
"Artoria!"
"Huh?! R-Ritsuka?! Why?!"
Hearing a voice calling her name and feeling a hand on her shoulder, Artoria looked over her shoulder to find Ritsuka and called out. The boy no longer had time to urge caution because it was dangerous. Instead, he called out to the crest engraved on his right hand, pouring his feelings into it.
"Command Spell!! Grant A Miracle to Artoria Caster!!!"
Ritsuka's greatest magical resource, three fractions of the Command Spell, were poured into Artoria. Artoria's eyes widened in surprise at the magical power overflowing from within her body. In front of the fairy's gaze, the boy continued to support her back, even though he was close to falling.
Seeing this, tears welled up in Artoria's eyes. Ritsuka had risked his life to come to her aid for her sake.
'If I give up now, Ritsuka will be in danger.' thought Artoria caster with tears in her eyes.
She couldn't let Ritsuka die, having come all the way here without any regard for her own safety. A much stronger will and sparkle than before dwelt in Artoria's eyes. The feeling to protect her loved one made her go beyond her limits.
"Holy sword! Draw it!"
The twelve units, transformed from Rhongomyniad into Excalibur, roared. It wasn't just the power of the Command Spells. Ritsuka's feelings and devotion supported Artoria's heart, drawing out even more power.
"Oh deity, forgive us our sins!!"
Twelve flashes of brilliant gold were fired, more powerful than Artoria had anticipated. Without missing their target, the twelve holy swords pierced Cernunnos. With an incredible destructive power that exceeded even the expectations of Morgan, the Queen of Fairyland who had created Rhongomyniad, the cursed deity was blown away into the distance. A moment of silence flowed over Camelot.
Then, the scepter softly rolled onto the throne with a dry sound, and Artoria closed her eyes as if she had lost consciousness, collapsing powerlessly.
"Artoria!"
Ritsuka swiftly reached her, supporting her head and body, and gently lowered himself to one knee. The fairy was wounded all over and breathed shallowly in pain. Blood flowed from her body and eyes, a distressing sight for Ritsuka.
"Ceremony activation, purification, recovery... Artoria, open your eyes, Artoria!"
Thanks to the effect of the magical garment Ritsuka wore, which healed the wounds of its target, Artoria's external injuries were slightly mitigated. Feeling some relief from the pain, the girl slowly opened her eyes and gazed into the boy's.
"Ritsuka... Cernunnos?"
"He's dispersing... That was truly amazing. You did a great job, Artoria."
In response to the husky question, Ritsuka forced a smile and answed to her. Hearing this, Artoria let out a sigh of relief and gave a melancholic smile.
"I see... I'm amazing.. he.. he ...Thank you, Ritsuka... It looks like I've fulfilled my role..."
As Artoria muttered this, her body began to be enveloped in a pale golden light, similar to when a summoned Servant returns to the Throne of Heroic Spirits.
"Artoria? Th-That can't be... Wait, no! Don't disappear!"
Ritsuka pleaded with a trembling voice, but Artoria slowly shook her head.
"I'm glad... that I got to see you... one last time..."
Artoria closed her eyes and rested her forehead on Ritsuka's chest, her expression calm. The light grew stronger, and the fairy's figure began to fade.
"Get a grip, Artoria! I'll give you this, and this too!"
Ritsuka took out the compressed magical resources, the Holy Grail he had obtained in Fairyland. It was against the rules to give such a precious resource to anyone else, but Ritsuka did it anyway, as always. When he placed it in Artoria's hand, it began to shine, and magical power poured into the Paradise Fairy. However, her figure gradually faded away. Ritsuka no longer had any resources left. There was nothing he could do for her. Just like during the selection in Avalon, his own powerlessness filled him with sadness, pain, and emptiness.
"Artoria, live! Come with me to Chaldea! I want to talk to you more! There are so many sights I want to show you! Artoria!"
Ritsuka continued to call out to Artoria, tears streaming down his face. He was frustrated with himself for being unable to do anything more. As if sensing his thoughts, Artoria smiled faintly and placed her right hand on Ritsuka's tear-streaked cheek.
'There are people who cry for me. There are people who mourn for me, it is my loved one'
Although it pained her to see Ritsuka crying, Artoria also felt a sense of happiness.
"Thank you... I'm so happy, Ritsuka... Your feelings, your thoughts mean so much... But... it feels like it's time to say goodbye after all."
"Don't say such sad things! I want to travel more with you!!"
The boy hugged the girl tightly, preventing her from disappearing. His words brought happiness to Artoria, and his warmth brought both laughter and tears.
"Ritsuka... I'm happy right now... I was happy to meet you... to go on this journey... Thank you, Ritsuka... Ritsu...I.. lo..v."
Calling the boy's name until the very end, the girl turned into golden light and returned to paradise.
And so, in Camelot, Artoria Caster transformed into light, entrusting the rest to her other self, Artoria Avalon. To continue the fight against the remaining enemy, the Insects of the Abyss, even after defeating the cursed calamity, Artoria Avalon headed towards Ritsuka. However, she found that she was now a different being from Artoria Caster, yet still the same in essence. Artoria Caster, who had journeyed with Ritsuka Fujimaru in the fairyland of Britain, vanished, and her tale concluded, with only memories supposed to remain within Artoria Avalon.
Yet unexpectedly, Artoria Caster awoke from her slumber.
She had never imagined such a thing was possible, but the fact that she found herself thinking about it was the best proof that Artoria Caster's consciousness still endured in her other version, Artoria Avalon.
The girl wondered why, and when she squinted her eyes, she saw Fujimaru Ritsuka standing before her. The figure of the boy she was never supposed to meet again. Seeing this, Artoria's ego was instantly awakened. Joy, surprise, happiness, and sadness all mixed together in the girl's heart.
'Ritsuka... Ritsuka, it's Ritsuka! I've met Ritsuka again!'
Overcome with emotion, the Fairy of Paradise tried to shout his name with all her might.
But no sound came out. She tried to call his name over and over again, but not even a whisper could be heard. Wondering why, Artoria Caster gradually came to the realization that she was a bubble-like fragment floating inside Artoria Avalon. Perhaps there was still a little bit of Ritsuka's POWER, entrusted to her at the end of Camelot.
Now, it was Artoria Avalon who could speak to him. As hope turned to disappointment, she was able to get a better view of her surroundings. There was no hostility around, and it seemed the battle with the insects of the abyss had already ended. The ceiling of the abyss cracked slightly, revealing the blue sky.
"Thank you, Caster. Thanks to you, we won. You saved us."
"No, it was all thanks to your courage and dedication. A million thanks, Ritsuka."
Ritsuka was saying goodbye to Artoria Avalon. Soon Chaldea would return to the outside world, and Artoria would return to Paradise. In her last chance to be in touch with Ritsuka, the fairy lamented that she couldn't speak to him. She couldn't take his hand, nor could she have him look at her. She thought that it would have been better if she had never woken up.
"...Ritsuka, one last thing, if I may?"
Ritsuka nodded in response to Artoria Avalon's question. Artoria Caster listened with a sad and empty feeling, as if it were someone else's problem. She wanted to cover her ears, but she couldn't, because she wanted to hear Ritsuka's voice.
Avalon Artoria suddenly embraced Ritsuka tightly, her presence comforting and reassuring amidst the lingering uncertainties, causing Artoria Caster to feel a surge of anger. And Ritsuka surprised but hugged her back.
"I have all the memories within me. The me who traveled through Britain alongside you... I want to ask you! Do you want to see me again, the girl who traveled with you?"
"I want to see her! I want to meet her and talk to her!"
The boy's answer was immediate and without a moment's hesitation.
The other half of Artoria Caster broke down into tears at the boy's answer.
'I want to see you too. Once again.'
Her voice never reached Ritsuka. But her other self heard it clearly. Artoria Avalon closed her eyes and nodded slowly and vigorously.
"I understand. I will now excuse myself. I am the Caster of the foreign magician, Master of Chaldea, Fujimaru Ritsuka. I will always come when you need my help. Please take good care of the other me."
After saying that, Artoria Avalon left with a big smile on her face. In her place, Artoria Caster appeared in Ritsuka's arms.
"...Art?"
Ritsuka was stunned, looking up at her in amazement as he uttered the words. Meanwhile, Artoria, who had suddenly returned to her world in the midst of sobbing, blinked repeatedly with tears in her eyes and, also stunned, descended towards Ritsuka.
"Uh, Artoria?!"
"Huh? Rits, uh, kuo?!"
Without even understanding what was going on, Artoria Caster was held in Ritsuka's arms. Artoria was completely shocked, but slowly, she began to realize what was happening.
'This warmth is the real Ritsuka. I have returned to Ritsuka.'
Thinking that, the fairy's green eyes began to spill tears.
"Artoria... you're Artoria, right?"
In response to Ritsuka's question, Artoria nodded slightly. The boy embraced the fairy with even more strength, but gently.
"You're the one who traveled with me, walked with me, and fought with me, right, Artoria?"
Ritsuka asked in a trembling voice, trying to confirm, and Artoria nodded yes, yes, over and over again. Ritsuka's voice and Artoria's tears filled both their hearts with joy.
"...Welcome back, Artoria. I'm really happy to see you again."
"I'm home, I'm home, Ritsuka... I'm home."
The two of them, tears in their eyes, embraced each other tenderly and smiled. A faint light shone in from the ceiling of the abyss, which seemed to have cracked even more, illuminating the foreign magician and the paradise fairy as if blessing them.
Thus ended the battle in the sixth Lostbelt, and Storm Border left the Fairy Kingdom of Britain behind. Chaldea returned to the Wandering Sea with the new fairies of Paradise and the Child of Prophecy as its new members.
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