Originally a combat description exercise that got out of hand after taking too many references from the original VN. The rabbit hole drives me insane.
So, this time travel fic starts off with a looooooooooooooooooooong duel.
Chapter 1:
"Master of Chaldea, I will not apologize for this battle," Goddess Rhongomyniad addressed them, slowly walking up the ruined stairs to her throne while Rikasuka, Mash, and Leonardo Da Vinci stood at attention. "I still think what I did was right. What it takes to protect humanity is different than what an individual requires. That's why…" She turned to face them. "You must follow the path you feel is best."
"Well said."
Everyone turned towards the owner of the voice as a familiar Knight of the Bow materialized before the Lion King's throne room. A tall, tanned man with white hair swept back and gray eyes walked towards Goddess Rhongomyniad with a stoic, unreadable expression while holding a black bow in one hand. His signature red coat was missing, replaced with a pale-colored cloak over his black sleeveless outfit and trousers.
"EMIYA?!" Mash exclaimed in shock, with Rikasuka and Leonardo Da Vinci sharing a surprised look.
"How are you here?" Rikasuka asked.
The Archer known as EMIYA wasn't included in the party assigned to handle the Camelot Singularity. So, how did he end up here?
"Wait! I don't think that's the EMIYA we know!" The static voice of Dr. Roman spoke up through SHEBA, "His Saint Graph signal is staggering higher than what we've ever recorded!"
Da Vinci quickly realized what Dr. Roman is implying. "That means..."
"Oh? A guardian..." Goddess Rhongomyniad confirmed for them, her emerald-colored eyes narrowing at her new guest.
"But how is a guardian here?" Da Vinci tensed up as EMIYA silently stepped past them without sparing them a glance.
A Counter Guardian. The EMIYA before them was not the Archer Servant they knew, but a Counter Guardian summoned by the World to prevent the extinction of humanity. However, due to the nature of the Singularities that had incinerated humanity's history, the Counter Force shouldn't have been able to summon its Counter Guardians, except for one anomalous case involving an assassin who also bore the designation of EMIYA.
It seems that the name EMIYA itself is a catalyst for abnormality upon abnormality.
"Tell me, guardian… why are you here? Are we not too late to be allies in saving humanity, or are you here to bring things to an end for the World's sake?" asked Goddess Rhongomyniad.
"It doesn't matter. You were never meant to decide the fate of humanity," EMIYA answered, meeting the Lion King's stoic gaze. "I'm here because I completed my mission and overheard you complaining that you couldn't use your reclaimed holy sword for a rematch. I thought I'd grant your wish for one last battle before everything disappears."
"How generous of you. Very well, I accept. I am curious to test my blade against a guardian, even if you're inadequately equipped."
"Blame Alaya's desperate gambit for that. The desperation of the condemned humans in this Singularity, the desperation of the remaining humans in worlds not pruned—whatever cosmic loopholes and rules the Counter Force exploited brought me here to ensure your ideals doesn't end this 'grand order' of humanity." EMIYA huffed and closed his eyes. "Seriously, these Singularities are screwing with our performance as Counter Guardians. I wasn't even given enough to eliminate the threat. I had to conserve my mana and make risky moves to take out your grand army in the south." He opened his eyes and glanced at the vanishing Rikasuka and his companions. "But let's talk later. We have time, and you have something important to say to them, don't you?"
"That I do." The Lion King turned her attention to the trio who had thwarted her ambitions and ideals. "Listen carefully. You have reached the point where you can see the King of Magecraft's temple. At the last Grail, and the last Singularity, lies an 'evil' you can't even imagine. A great demon who perhaps surpasses the King of Magecraft himself. The original sin of humankind. Gather the stars. The stars which would not dwindle in the face of darkness, the Evils of Humanity. Heroic Spirits you deem worthy of your trust. Comrades with whom you have fully bonded."
"The forced return is beginning!" Dr. Roman warned them. "Everyone, concentrate on your own form! Focus on getting back to Chaldea more than anything!"
"Farewell. I will vanish along with my ideals. But… something was saved." A small smile graced the Lion King's face. "Sir Bedivere… there was meaning in your mistake. There was meaning in the Lion King."
"And good luck," EMIYA bid the Master of Chaldea farewell with a soft smile. "The Archer known as EMIYA has been forcefully recalled to the Throne of Heroes for his experience and knowledge to compensate for my shortcomings," he explained, making Rikasuka and his two companions' eyes widen. "I entrust my Holy Ground of Chaldea's Kitchen to you." He gave them an amused smirk. "Pray that my absence doesn't destroy Chaldea and doom the world. The Servants of Gluttony care only for their stomachs, after all."
Rikasuka, Mash, and Da Vinci paled as they were recalled to Chaldea, carrying with them the dread of having just lost one of their most important and versatile Servants. Those who loved and valued EMIYA's cooking would be in an uproar once they discovered EMIYA was no longer with them.
The trio's forms flickered out of existence, leaving only EMIYA and Goddess Rhongomyniad in the throne room. The Wrought Iron Hero dropped his smirk and turned to the stone-faced Lion King, both gripping their weapons firmly.
EMIYA observed the Lion King with a cold and indifferent expression that matched hers, but behind that mask was a swirl of emotions he simply didn't know how to express. This woman, this goddess before him... she wore the face of an older Artoria Pendragon, but one who had discarded her humanity by the whims of fate. Yet, he could tell that some of her humanity was being restored after Excalibur had been returned to her.
Still, the woman in front of him held an ideal that disregarded conventional human values and reasoning.
She is Goddess Rhongomyniad, and she saw no value in individual human lives but rather in the collective essence of humanity. Even when she was a king in life, Artoria never lost her humanity, for she valued it despite wearing a mask of indifference.
'Even though I've acted to impose something similar as a Counter Guardian—to do so without considering any human values, even with noble intentions, I cannot accept such ideals... The road to hell is paved with good intentions.'
Across from him, Goddess Rhongomyniad studied the man before her, her emerald eyes meeting his steely gray ones. Of all the individuals she had gained insight into so far, the guardian before her was difficult to read despite her enhanced perspective as a Divine Spirit. Even his True Name, EMIYA, seemed incomplete.
'His eyes and form do not waver even as he stands defiant before me alone. I can see it... This one has overcome countless battlefields all on his own. How intriguing.'
"Let us begin," the Lion King declared, getting into a combat stance with Excalibur's edge gleaming in the light.
"Wait," he dissipated his black bow and raised a hand to stop her. "Before we begin, there's something I need to say."
"What is it? I hope you are not stalling for the Singularity to collapse on us before we can even fight, much less flee from our promised duel."
"Nothing of that sort. I promised one of your knights, Sir Agravain, to give you his dying words." He gestured at the open corridors behind him with a tilt of his head. "Even as he was dying and in no condition to fight me, he was relentless in stopping me. I'm surprised he was willing to open up to me afterward, but I suppose he was that confident in you."
"What are his words?"
"He wished you to be careful, not because you will lose, but because you have the tendency to respect the ideals of your opponents. And... he regrets being unable to complete his duties and build your ideal utopia, lamenting that he could not lessen the burden you've put on yourself in pursuit of your ideals and ambitions."
The Lion King maintained her unwavering gaze on EMIYA, her attention momentarily diverted as she sensed the spirit of Sir Agravain, the final knight of her once-proud order, at peace somewhere in her ruined castle. The struggle of her last loyal knight brought a solemnity to her bearing, and she lowered her stance to pay her respects.
"I see. Sir Agravain… your loyalty and bravery will be remembered. I couldn't have asked for anything more from you." The Lion King stood there in silence for a moment before meeting EMIYA's eyes. "Is there anything else that needs to be said?"
"I have nothing more to say other than that I'd agree with him—you can be a workaholic." He shrugged, closing one eye and keeping the other trained on her. "Other than that, I plan on spending my last moments here with you." A small smirk formed on his lips. "If we somehow make it out of here together, I'll cook up something good for you. Promise."
His words caused an unfamiliar emotion, long forgotten, to flutter within her heart and stomach, though she did well to hide it.
"Very well, then allow me to reward you for your insistence. Let's make a contract," she proposed, holding out her hand to him. "One that would benefit both of us, but primarily you. It wouldn't bode well for my opponent to be in less than favorable conditions."
"A contract? I wasn't summoned as a Servant here... Well, I suppose a Divine Spirit like yourself can force a contract on me given my situation," he mused, cupping his chin thoughtfully.
A Counter Guardian has no master but the Counter Force itself, bound to the physical realm by their mission until it is completed, after which they can wait until the Throne of Heroes recalls them. With Alaya's immediate influence practically nonexistent after punting him into this collapsing timeline, it was possible for him to bind himself temporarily to a powerful master like a Divine Spirit. If he could tether himself to her, give Alaya the middle finger, and beat some sense into the Lion King, he was up for it.
"That is the only request I have of you."
"I'm honored... there won't be any gifts with strings attached to our contract, will there?"
"You wish for a Gift much like the ones I've given to my knights?"
"No, I don't need such things." EMIYA waved dismissively and stepped forward. "I will warn you; I can have a pretty high upkeep cost." He narrowed his eyes at hers. "And I fight to win."
Another win condition had opened up to him. If he could hold out and expend all her mana reserves, he could win. Even if this particular strategy was very unlikely against a Divine Spirit, it was one of many victory conditions he could strive for in their battle.
"You need not concern yourself with fleeting matters. In due time, none of it will be relevant."
"True. Then let's make it memorable." He smirked and gently accepted her hand. "Although, I suspect this contract between us is more about my cooking than our little spar."
"I have no need for such things."
"Was that hesitation I hear? Regardless, my offer still stands."
She didn't bother to respond as she held his hand.
RING!
A blinding blue light burst forth as they established the contract, sending shockwaves of blue energy and swirling clouds across the throne room, clearing the floor for their duel. The air stilled and everything fell silent. Then, with a light breeze, the fog cleared, revealing EMIYA in his signature red coat instead of his pale-colored cloak.
'As expected from a Divine Spirit,' EMIYA noted the immense amount of mana he could now tap into from Goddess Rhongomyniad. It was practically infinite.
RING!
Something else awakened inside him, deep within his soul and inner world, chiming softly at their reestablished connection, though unfelt and unnoticed.
Their newfound connection felt strange to him in a way he couldn't quite describe, almost as if something deep within him was drawing him toward her. It wasn't unpleasant, merely unusual, likely due to being in contract with a Divine Spirit instead of a mortal master.
"The contract is completed. Now, let us begin."
"Someone sure is battle hungry." EMIYA snorted with amusement.
They released their hold on each other and began to silently pace back, their eyes never leaving the other. They stood a short distance apart—the Lion King flourishing her Excalibur, the Wrought Iron Hero tracing his favorite twin swords, Kanshou and Bakuya.
'A magus befitting an archer, yet he plans on crossing blades with me? Very well. Show me what you're capable of, guardian.' Curious, the Lion King decided to let her opponent make the first move.
The tension between them crackled like electricity. EMIYA was the first to move, dashing forward with surprising speed that his Archer self was not capable of. Kanshou and Bakuya glinted in the light as he swung them in a deadly arc towards the Lion King.
Goddess Rhongomyniad met his attack head-on, her Excalibur parrying his strikes with effortless grace. The clash of their blades echoed through the throne room, each strike resonating with the force of their power. Sparks flew as metal met metal, neither giving an inch. EMIYA pressed on, his movements a blur of precision and strength. He aimed for her weak points, testing her defenses with a relentless flurry of attacks.
But the Lion King was unfazed. She countered with swift, powerful strikes, each one forcing EMIYA to adapt and respond in kind.
'She's a bit rusty,' EMIYA noted, observing that 1,500 years without wielding Excalibur had slightly diminished Goddess Rhongomyniad's swordsmanship.
He shifted his strategy, employing the unique properties of Kanshou and Bakuya. With a deft flick of his wrist, he threw one of the blades while striking swiftly with the remaining blade in hand. She deflected the thrown blade and his countless slashes with terrifying dexterity, only for the flying blade to boomerang back, aimed at her exposed flank. The Lion King anticipated the move, sidestepping just in time, but it left her open for a split second.
OVEREDGE!
EMIYA capitalized on the moment, transforming his sword into its Overedge form in an instant, closing the distance. With both hands, he launched a powerful overhead rose to meet his attack, the force of their collision sending shockwaves through the room.
The impact shattered both his blades and drove EMIYA back. The guardian skidded backward, managing to maintain his footing and quickly projected the married blades again.
"My turn," she declared.
The air around her roared as the Lion King surged forward, her movements swift and powerful like a divine storm. Each swing of Excalibur carried the weight of her divine authority, slicing through the air with relentless precision. EMIYA found himself on the defensive, dodging and parrying her strikes with all his skill.
Her swordplay was not just skillful—it was overwhelming.
The sheer force of her attacks drove EMIYA back, forcing him to retreat step by step. He felt like a boat caught in the midst of a tempest, battered by waves that threatened to overwhelm him at any moment. He weaved through her strikes with agility honed through countless battles. Each clash of their weapons sent shockwaves through the throne room, the very foundation trembling under the intensity of their duel.
But here, his defensive swordplay shone brightly, refined over eons across countless battlefields against opponents of greater skill and strength—a style perfectly suited to him. No matter how many times Kanshou and Bakuya were shattered, no matter how often he was disarmed, the married twin swords always reappeared in his hands, guiding him through the flow as he gradually eroded his foe.
Seizing a brief opening in her relentless assault, EMIYA drew upon his inner world of infinite blades—a realm that grants him the ability to manifest whatever he imagines, thinks, and sees. He envisioned himself as the strongest, with no enemies to overcome but his own image.
"I am the bone of my sword."
Sensing a dense surge of mana around him, the Lion King narrowed her eyes, instincts warning her of an impending threat. She attempted to draw back, but EMIYA refused to yield, rushing at her with calculated recklessness that forced her to strike. Swiftly evading her retaliatory strikes, he launched into a flurry of precise slashes aimed at exploiting her defenses.
Around them, Noble Phantasms materialized in a dazzling array—swords, spears, axes—all hurtling towards her like a storm of projectiles.
In a sudden burst of energy, the Lion King summoned a vortex of divine wind, its power sweeping across the throne room with the force of a hurricane, scattering his projected Noble Phantasms. EMIYA was thrown off balance but quickly regained his footing, continuing his barrage of Noble Phantasms to keep the Lion King preoccupied.
Trace On.
Silently, EMIYA traced the famed swords of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne—the yellow sword, Beagalltach, and the red sword, Moralltach.
Beagalltach, a defensive Noble Phantasm, enhanced the wielder's defensive power and overall combat performance when used alongside its partner, Moralltach—a demonic sword that promised death and victory, allowing its wielder to perform a superhuman jump upon invoking its True Name. He then projected a pair of sheaths, strapping Beagalltach and Moralltach at his waist.
In his hand, he traced the demonic scarlet spear, Gae Dearg. A spear that renders magical enhancements and projections useless as long as the blade touches its target. Twirling the spear, he dispersed the violent windstorm in front of him and thrust it at the Lion King.
Sword and spear met, and the spear's anti-magical property muffled the roaring wind, weakening the powerful currents emanating from Excalibur.
The Lion King's eyes narrowed slightly as Gae Dearg connected with Excalibur, disrupting its enchantment and leaving her open to his storm of blades.
'A spear that can disrupt magical energy...' Yet, her divine perception was telling her that the danger she sensed earlier had not yet revealed itself.
A surge of energy flowed throughout her body, pouring out into a dense aura, and she moved with blinding speed. Her counter-offense pushed EMIYA back, flickering windstorms knocking aside his Noble Phantasms while he relentlessly whittled away her defenses, forcing her to defend from all angles whenever her enchanted Strike Air weakened against Gae Dearg.
With great strength, she slammed her sabaton against the ground, sending shockwaves that forced the guardian back, giving her a window to descend upon him. She swung Excalibur in a wide arc, the blade glowing with an otherworldly light. EMIYA had no choice but to meet her attack, narrowly losing his fingers as he released his grip on Gae Dearg and pushed hard to the side, forcing the holy sword's blade to slide down the spear's shaft and onto the ground with enough force to shatter the spearhead in its clash against Excalibur.
But as the anti-magical blade of Gae Dearg shattered, the onslaught of Noble Phantasms continued, a few coming close with enough momentum to bypass her weakened wind barrier, forcing her to deflect the flying weapons.
It was here that EMIYA sprung his intended trap.
"Vulcano Caligorante!" EMIYA roared, calling forth the whip-sword fashioned from the net set up by the giant Caligorant to capture a god. It was not a true Anti-Divine Noble Phantasm, but it held properties that could hinder a Divine Spirit, and that was all that EMIYA needed.
Excalibur instantly met his blade, causing Vulcano Caligorante to disperse into its whip form and snake around her. Goddess Rhongomyniad's instincts sharpened. She countered, refusing to allow herself to be caught. Her Strike Air grated against the encroaching whip, trying to fend off its binding grip.
EMIYA tightened his grip on the handle, commanding the whip to ensnare her with relentless pressure. The whip-sword's net-like structure glowed with a faint light as it tried to wrap around her divine form. The more she struggled, the more it tightened, exploiting any weakness in her barrier.
"You underestimate me!"
With a surge of power, she unleashed a burst of mana, attempting to break free. Her wind barrier clashed with the whip, creating sparks of energy that illuminated the throne room. Undeterred, he summoned another blade from his inner world.
'I've been wanting to try this sword…' In his hand, a new weapon materialized—Balmung, the Noble Phantasm of Kriemhild and Siegfried.
A dragon-slaying weapon that is both a demonic and holy sword depending on who wields it, especially effective against an opponent whose body holds traces of a dragon's essence, such as the Lion King.
EMIYA brought the sword close to his face and whispered softly to activate the Noble Phantasm. "What is so interesting about fighting? What part of killing is beautiful?"
Rippling crimson and black flames emerged violently from Balmung, darkening their battlefield and engulfing the floor between him and Goddess Rhongomyniad, forcing a straight pathway to his opponent. His body began to strain as he drew out all of Balmung's demonic power while maintaining Vulcano Caligorante's abilities.
Tracing the skills and strength of Kriemhild, who wielded this demonic version of Balmung, he took in all the mana he could and poured it into the demonic blade. A killing blow he sought to deliver upon his opponent, despite the pain it caused him to kill someone with a familiar visage. It was a technique that could never be used for defense and even injured those who wielded it, but few blades were better suited for killing one's opponent.
This blow was focused entirely on killing his opponent, with no regard for what may come after.
There was no remaining focus, just the need to slaughter the foe in front of him.
The Lion King's eyes widened briefly, instincts screaming danger. She felt herself restrained further by Balmung as the crimson and black flames intensified around them, feeding into her wind barrier and trying to wrap themselves around her and EMIYA, binding them together. Vulcano Caligorante continued to furl violently around her, trapping her in a series of blades and flames.
"You've forced my hand. Be honored!"
With a sharp draw of Excalibur, she briefly dispersed the area around her, the holy sword converting the Magical Energy of Goddess Rhongomyniad, preparing her own ultimate killing technique.
"BALMUNG -" EMIYA roared, launching himself at her. He dropped the hilt of Vulcano Caligorante, letting it run wild, as he gripped the demonic sword and channeled all his energy into it.
"EX-" the Lion King bellowed, bringing her sword upwards towards the heavens with immense power.
"-KRIEMHIIIILD!" EMIYA swung the demonic blade upward.
"-CALIBUUUUUUR!" She swung her holy sword downward.
The clash of their attacks sent a shockwave reverberating through the entire throne room, shaking the very foundations of the castle. The divine light of Excalibur met the dark, demonic energy of Kriemhild, the two forces colliding in a spectacular explosion of power. For a moment, it seemed as though the very fabric of reality would be torn asunder by the sheer intensity of their duel.
Time seemed to slow as they stood there, locked in a moment of pure, unyielding conflict. A moment that lasted less than a split second, but for the two, it felt infinitely longer.
EMIYA pushed forward, his body quickly racking up injuries, muscles straining as he poured every ounce of his strength and willpower into his futile attack. But he never had any intention of contesting the Lion King's strength directly.
Reinforcing his arms, he released his left grip on Balmung to unsheathe Moralltach, while simultaneously overloading Balmung with mana using his right hand.
"Moralltach!"
With the invocation of the demonic red sword's name, EMIYA released his grip on Balmung and launched himself into the air like a beam of red light.
"You...!" Goddess Rhongomyniad had no choice but to follow through with the momentum of her attack against the now Broken Phantasm.
KRRRAAAAOOOOOO!
The clash between Excalibur and Balmung erupted in a blinding explosion, its shockwave tearing through the entire castle and engulfing the upper portion of the Lion King's stronghold. Despite the devastation wrought by the explosion, the throne room managed to withstand the impact, its divine construction proving resilient against such immense forces.
Soaring through the sky, EMIYA rode the shockwave, feeling the rush of wind against his skin and through his hair, allowing himself a brief moment of respite as he recovered his strength. He sheathed Moralltach once more and conjured his black bow. From his other hand, he traced a twisted black sword, Hrunting.
The divine figure of the Lion King emerged from the smoke, dispersing her aura and clearing the room. Her armor was slightly scorched, but her figure remained undiminished.
"What a cunning and daring man you are," she commended him telepathically. "But it's not enough."
"I haven't gone all out yet," he replied.
Notching the bloodthirsty sword, he began filling it with mana, drawing from his reserves with every passing second. The air around him crackled with energy as he prepared for the decisive strike, his heightened senses guiding his aim with precision.
"HRUNTING!" he roared, releasing the blood seeking sword.
Hrunting shot forward with blinding speed, the mana-infused blade cutting through the air like a dark comet. The twisted sword left a trail of crimson energy in its wake, its bloodthirsty nature seeking out the essence of its target. The Lion King observed the skies above, watching as a streak of swords rained down upon her, with Hrunting leading the way. With a swift motion, she swatted Hrunting aside and deflected the barrage of projectiles aimed at her.
The wind from Excalibur roared to life as she shot upwards towards EMIYA like a bullet, effortlessly brushing aside his arrows as if they were twigs, living up to her title as the King of Storms. As arrows were hurled out of her path, Hrunting trailed behind her like the rabid Hound of the Red Plains it was, tearing through her protective wind barrier and aiming straight for her back.
With a fierce, wind-imbued kick, she sent Hrunting spinning into the distance, her eyes never leaving EMIYA's as he notched another one of his powerful arrows, Caladbolg II. Goddess Rhongomyniad narrowed her eyes, readying her holy sword and intensifying her Strike Air to meet the Fake Spiral Sword.
"I am the bone of my sword... CALADBOLG!"
He let loose the spiraling blade, rupturing the space around it and creating a twisting distortion that hurtled towards her head. From the flank, Hrunting returned with vengeance, screeching through the sky towards her heart.
Anticipating this, the Lion King applied a burst of mana to Excalibur, propelling her towards the incoming Caladbolg. With a mighty swing of her radiant and wind-infused holy sword, she met Caladbolg and its space-distorting force, resulting in another blinding explosion that obliterated the Fake Spiral Sword and Hrunting.
BRRRUOOOHEEEW!
A deafening and warped blast billowed back towards EMIYA, one of the many outcomes he had predicted. Just as he fired Caladbolg II, he had dispelled the sheaths and straps of Moralltach and Beagalltach, fusing the two swords by the hilt and grasping them with his right hand while throwing his left hand out in front of him.
"RHO AIAS!"
The seven-layered barrier of Rho Aias manifested just in time, its translucent petals absorbing the brunt of the explosion. The force of the blast pushed EMIYA back, but the barrier held firm, shimmering with an ethereal glow. EMIYA braced himself, feeling the shockwaves reverberate through his body.
From the explosion, the Lion King emerged, her eyes locked onto EMIYA. With a swift stroke of her sword, she propelled herself forward, effortlessly shattering six layers of Rho Aias in an instant. EMIYA grimaced, feeling the impact of her attack as he dismissed the shield and met her relentless charge with Moralltach and Beagalltach.
He parried her thrust, countered with a quick return blow, and followed up with an upward slash, utilizing both ends of his blades. The combined power of the makeshift double-bladed sword clashed against Excalibur, each collision sending shockwaves through the air, throwing him higher with each of her strikes.
A sharp gleam in her eye heightened EMIYA's battle instincts. In a fluid motion, he detached the swords from their hilt and struck at opposing angles, intercepting the Lion King's powerful crushing strike.
"Kugh!"
The force of their clash sent him flying down towards the throne room below. EMIYA twisted in mid-air, releasing his grip on his swords and tracing his bow. He quickly fired three Mystic Codes that erupted into gusts of wind, slowing his descent. Straining his body, he turned upwards and unleashed a rapid volley of arrows at the Lion King as she descended upon him.
The arrows streaked through the air and Goddess Rhongomyniad deflected each one effortlessly. She closed the distance between them with a speed that defied logic, her eyes never leaving her target.
Mind's Eye kicking into overdrive, EMIYA traced Kanshou and Bakuya once more and landed with a roll, immediately springing back to his feet. The Lion King was relentless, her strikes coming in quick succession. He dodged and parried, his movements a blur of agility and strength. Despite the overwhelming force of her attacks, EMIYA maintained his composure, their blades clashing with a resounding clang. Sparks flew as they exchanged blows, neither giving an inch.
'He's familiar with my swordplay,' Goddess Rhongomyniad realized, impressed by her opponent's ability to keep up despite his inferior close combat skills. 'Although... it irks me that he's holding back on me!'
The Lion King pressed her advantage, her strikes growing more aggressive and powerful. EMIYA responded in kind, his movements fluid and precise. He anticipated her attacks, using his swords to deflect and counter with calculated efficiency. Each clash of their blades sent shockwaves through the throne room, the sheer force of their battle threatening to bring the castle down around them.
EMIYA could feel himself being pushed to his limits. The Lion King's divine strength was unmatched, and her relentless assault was beginning to take its toll. Yet, he refused to back down. Drawing on every ounce of his willpower, he pushed himself harder, determined to see the battle through to the end.
In a daring move, he closed the distance between them, locking blades with her mid-swing, their faces mere inches apart.
"Is that all you've got?" he taunted, a smirk playing on his lips despite the strain.
The Lion King responded with a glare. "You insult me by holding back your true strength."
With a burst of energy, they broke apart, momentarily pausing their deadly dance. Around them, the collapsing timeline spread, encroaching ever closer. Yet, neither warrior was willing to concede.
"I suppose you're worthy enough." EMIYA smirked, gripping his swords tightly. "You've forced my hand. Be honored." He echoed her words with a defiant glint in his eyes and entered into his combat stance. "Let's do this for real this time... I am the bone of my sword."
As EMIYA recited his incantation, the atmosphere shifted. The air crackled with energy, and a sense of foreboding filled the room. Goddess Rhongomyniad narrowed her eyes, sensing the immense power gathering within him. She raised Excalibur, ready to face whatever he unleashed.
"Show me what you are truly capable of," murmured the Lion King, her divine perception heightened as she watched EMIYA with renewed curiosity and anticipation, her grip tightening on Excalibur.
'Steel is my body, and fire is my blood.'
His mind was set. There was no need to waste his breath on his incantation. Chanting was merely a form of self-suggestion, a method to concentrate his internal magic circuits and transform himself into a conduit for the spell.
"I hope you'll be entertained," he said with a grin, launching himself at the Lion King.
Their deadly dance resumed…
'I have created over a thousand blades.'
… and the reality around them began to warp.
EMIYA and the Lion King moved with incredible speed. Each strike reverberated through the throne room, shattering the air with the intensity of their battle.
Noble Phantasms materialized in a glittering array, each one unique yet identical in their lethal potential. They filled the space between EMIYA and the Lion King, a swirling storm of steel born from his infinite arsenal. His attacks came from every angle, each blade a calculated strike aimed at exploiting her defenses.
'Unknown to Death,'
Excalibur gleamed with holy light, its power overwhelming the onslaught of EMIYA's Noble Phantasms. Sparks flew as their blades met again and again, neither willing to yield an inch of ground.
'Nor known to Life.'
The Lion King unleashed a powerful blast, scattering the approaching blades with Strike Air and advancing with a flurry of strikes.
'Have withstood pain to create many weapons.'
EMIYA deflected her blows, struggling but steadfast while the world collapsed around them. Cuts and bruises formed on EMIYA's body as Excalibur slipped through his defenses, yet never landed a decisive blow. He endured the pain, his focus unwavering, his resolve unbroken.
'But yet, those hands will never hold anything.'
Again and again, Kanshou and Bakuya shattered or flew out of his hands. Swords from his inner world materialized around him and in his grip, only to be torn away moments later against the might of the Lion King.
'So, as I pray…'
With a final surge of energy, EMIYA channeled his remaining strength, his body a blur as he delivered two devastating strikes that halted the Lion King's assault.
In that brief moment, the collapsing world seemed to freeze, the Singularity threatening to consume them.
Yet, his voice carried an authority that challenged their fate.
"UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS!"
Reality warped as EMIYA's Reality Marble forcefully manifested into the world. Magical energy overflowed the space they inhabited; blinding light ran across the floor, cutting through reality itself. Even the Lion King, with her divine perception, was momentarily blinded by the sight, dragged from her collapsing world into his.
Her vision returned in an instant, and she was greeted by a world where her divine authority held no real sway while the knight in red reigned at the center of this kingdom of rubble.
The throne room had vanished, replaced by an endless expanse of swords under a dawn-lit sky. The air was thick with the scent of metal, and the ground was littered with countless blades. Pale clouds drifted through the clear skies over the steel wasteland, devoid of all life.
"You are full of surprises. To think you've already established an ideal world by yourself," Goddess Rhongomyniad remarked, looking around in blank awe at the sprawling graveyard of swords. "And a rather dreary one."
"Yes, it is a sad and ugly thing, isn't it?" EMIYA admitted, standing atop a hill of swords. "But here, we can continue our little spar for a while until the Singularity collapses this pitiful world of mine." A copy of the Holy Spear Longinus appeared in his hand, its shining spear tip emitting a light that began healing his injuries. "I would rather not show you this, but this world is all that I have. I did not wield any legendary weapons, nor was I a decent magus in life."
"You possess many armaments that others would covet, despite their forgery, and can impose your world upon others at your calling," the Lion King interrupted. "I cannot tell if you're being humble or self-loathing."
"The word you're likely looking for is pride, and I had long discarded it." With his wounds fully healed and energy replenished, he planted Longinus into the ground. "This world might be my life's work, but there's nothing for me to be proud of. I lived and died on a hill of swords. You were betrayed and met your end on a hill of swords. Isn't it poetic that this time, we might give each other a proper send-off?"
The Lion King went silent for a moment, studying him closely. It gnawed at the back of her mind, deep within her, that this Counter Guardian standing before her was someone she once knew. Someone whose name and purpose had long been lost to time.
"You seem to know me, yet I cannot recall someone like you. Are you like Sir Bedivere? One of my knights?"
"No, we've never met."
The Lion King studied him for a brief moment longer, then tightened her grip on Excalibur. "Very well, then," she said, her voice steely. "Let us resume."
She surged forward, each step cracking the earth beneath her. Excalibur gleamed with a radiance that illuminated the desolate world of swords. The wind around her roared, tearing through the air with the ferocity of a divine storm.
EMIYA raised his hand, and with a commanding gesture, the countless blades within his Reality Marble responded.
Mana overflowed through the wasteland, saturating all weapons to their limits and transforming them into Broken Phantasms. A gale of swords swirled into motion, a storm of explosive steel descending upon the Lion King with lethal intent. Through his contract with the Lion King and the container granted by the Counter Force, he planned to expend all his energy, and by extension, hers, to maintain his Reality Marble and barrage the Lion King with everything he had.
But it was not enough.
Her advance did not falter. Excalibur's brilliance sliced through the barrage of explosive blades, each swing triggering deformed explosions and shockwaves that set off others in a chain reaction. The wind under her control tore through the steel storm and eruptions, but the Wrought Iron Hero persisted, channeling even more of his boundless arsenal into the relentless assault.
Still, it was not enough.
A powerful Divine Spirit like her is nearly infinite, quickly replenishing her reserves. Despite his greater abilities compared to his usual Archer Class container, he was deployed with barely enough power to eliminate the Lion King's army, not the Lion King herself. His mana reserves, output, and parameters were heightened in his current form for this deployment, yet they paled in comparison to the Lion King's. Even so, it was enough to hold out against the Lion King and secure a victory if he played his cards right.
Goddess Rhongomyniad pressed on, her divine might cutting through the onslaught of Broken Phantasms as she closed the distance between them.
EMIYA's mind flitted through his world, searching for an Anti-Divine Noble Phantasm he could use.
'There you are.'
The God-Striking Whip, traced from Taigong Wang—a Conceptual Weapon designed to wield unrivaled power against extraordinary supernatural beings, especially those with endless lifespans.
The original Anti-Divine Noble Phantasm is EX rank, while his is horribly degraded, yet remains one of his most powerful weapons in his arsenal. It requires a vast amount of mana, an amount he couldn't muster in time before the Lion King reached him. He needed another source to fuel it, and in a split second, he found the solution.
With a fluid motion, EMIYA traced the Eightfold Blessing of Amaterasu, a Noble Phantasm of Tamamo-no-Mae—a sealed divine mirror capable of revitalizing allies and providing an unlimited supply of magical energy for a brief duration.
"Let this mirror be the proof of your purity, as it becomes your sacred treasure..." He activated the Noble Phantasm, causing the mirror to float and a circle of levitating Ofuda to materialize around him, surrounded by glowing Torii. As he stood in the center, the mirror began to charge with radiant energy. "EIGHTFOLD BLESSING OF AMATERASU!"
He leaped into the air and plunged his hands into the glowing orb of condensed magical energy surrounding the divine mirror. With a resounding slam, he drove it into the ground, engulfing himself and the surrounding area in a torrent of magical energy. The God-Striking Whip flew into EMIYA's hand, absorbing the limitless magical energy from the Eightfold Blessing of Amaterasu.
The Lion King's eyes gleamed fiercely through the explosive barrage. "It will take more than borrowed power to best me!"
Doubling her efforts, she surged forward, her divine aura blazing like a star. EMIYA met her charge head-on, the God-Striking Whip in hand, crackling with immense energy. Their weapons clashed, the impact shaking the very foundations of EMIYA's Reality Marble.
Sparks flew as the God-Striking Whip clashed with Excalibur, the divine and anti-divine forces colliding in a spectacle of raw power. EMIYA poured everything he had into his strikes, the Eightfold Blessing and God-Striking Whip fueling his every move. The Lion King responded with unmatched ferocity, her strikes growing ever more forceful as she sought to overwhelm him.
EMIYA felt his entire body burning up, tearing with each swing of the God-Striking Whip as it reached its minimal threshold to activate.
"Let the sky open up." Each word he uttered seared his entire being, but he would not yield. "Come... DA SHEN BIAN!"
With every ounce of his strength, EMIYA deflected another strike from the Lion King and released the God-Striking Whip, letting the Anti-Divine weapon fall to the ground. The moment it struck, the ground rippled and warped like water, and her divine perception went on full alert. The weapon sank into the earth, sending a powerful surge of pressure that pushed her down and severely restricted her mobility.
'Above! Defend!'
The sky shimmered and undulated like water and fire, the God-Striking Whip descending like a celestial pillar from the heavens themselves.
"Good luck!" EMIYA hollered, a faint smile on his lips as he shrugged and leaped back, holding Longinus in hand, its light slowly healing him.
'That damn smirk...!' Goddess Rhongomyniad suppressed her frustration, her eyes narrowing as she focused on charging Excalibur.
'No time, dammit,' EMIYA thought, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as he halted his retreat, planting his feet firmly on the ground.
He dropped Longinus and traced his black bow along with Caladbolg II. Mana crackled through his hands, pouring into the Fake Spiral Sword. He notched the sword, drew the bowstring back, and took aim.
"CALADBOLG!"
The spiraling sword flew at the speed of sound towards the Lion King, converging with the God-Striking Whip making its celestial descent.
"EXCALIBUUUUUUR!" she roared, swinging Excalibur upward with her full divine might.
Her magical energy transcended space and time, a brilliant arc of light meeting the oncoming threats.
SSHRRRROOOOOOOOOOO!
The clash was cataclysmic. The spiraling energy of Caladbolg II collided with the immense power of Excalibur, creating a massive explosion that lit up the entire Reality Marble. Simultaneously, the God-Striking Whip descended from above, crashing into the tip of the holy sword with the force of a divine retribution.
Then the world went silent.
Unlimited Blade Works shattered, its swords and terrain crumbling under the immense strain. The collapsing Singularity began to pull everything through space and time, dragging the broken fragments of EMIYA's world along with it.
EMIYA lay on the crumbling earth, seconds from falling into the void while facing the broken skies above. His body refused to respond. Yet despite wanting to rest, EMIYA somehow remained restless and clear of mind.
'… Not yet… ' He could still feel his contract with Goddess Rhongomyniad intact.
RING!
His connection with her irritated something deep within him, urging him to keep fighting.
To knock some sense into the Lion King.
EMIYA willed himself to piece his broken world together. Drawing upon the Lion King's reserves, he forced the Reality Marble to persist. The ground reformed and quaked as he fought to maintain his grip on the crumbling landscape, swords rising once more from the ashes.
Elsewhere, the Lion King, buried in the world of infinite blades, began to stir and recover. Her divine aura flared as she pushed herself free, her eyes blazing with life. For the first time since her ascension to godhood, she was heavily injured, igniting the competitive spirit long lost within her. She rose from the ground with Excalibur in hand, her crushed armor breaking apart and falling, becoming part of EMIYA's world.
The attack she took had left her severely weakened. Each step forward made her divine body ache as she fought EMIYA for control of her mana reserves to heal her wounds.
Though her injuries did little to slow her, she couldn't shake the feeling of being diminished yet strangely alive. She strolled through the endless field of swords, numbly reminiscing about her aimless wandering when she became a goddess. She remembered fragments of her mortal life and how they led her here. Here, upon a hill of swords much like this one, with Excalibur in hand, but missing her sheath, Avalon.
Had she possessed her sheath, where would it have taken her? Where would her path have diverged?
The attack she endured wasn't something she could recover from quickly, not with her reserves being drained by EMIYA to maintain his Reality Marble and resist the collapsing timeline. She could fully recover, but by then, they would both disappear along with the Singularity.
'Such thoughts do not suit me...' the Lion King mused.
Step by step, the world of infinite blades began to reform. Blue and golden lights swirled and flickered across the land like a light breeze, piecing the world back together. But very soon, this world would collapse with the Singularity; with each passing moment, Unlimited Blade Works crumbled against the rejection of its existence and the refitting of Pan-Human History.
The wind and lights seemed to guide her, leading her straight to the hill of swords where she knew someone was waiting.
A lone figure in tattered black and red stood atop the hill, battered but unbroken.
In his hand, he held the Holy Spear of Longinus, its healing light slowly restoring him. He watched her approach, his posture relaxed and his expression unreadable. They wordlessly maintained eye contact as she made her way up the hill until she was just meters away from him. Silence stretched between them while the world continued to rebuild and break apart simultaneously.
"You could have ended it there, with both of us disappearing with the Singularity," the Lion King finally spoke.
"Yes, I could."
"… Why?"
"Because I still have unfinished business with you."
She raised an eyebrow. "Really? For someone who claims he doesn't know me, you're very invested in continuing our fight. Not that I mind; you've already given me more than I expected."
"It's a clash of ideals," EMIYA answered, his eyes boring into hers. "I cannot stand your ideals. Even if they disappear with you, I still can't tolerate them. That's why I will continue to fight against you and your ideals."
"Strange. I thought the preservation of humanity was a Counter Guardian's role. Did you not act upon similar ideals as seen here?" She gestured to the countless swords throughout his world. "Many lives claimed and sacrificed for the greater good. The death of a few or many to allow the survival of those deemed worthy... How are you any different from me?"
"I still hold onto my human emotions and values. I want to act upon those human values even when I cannot. Even Alaya factors in human values and emotions. It's why those who act out of despair are sometimes killed, while those who embrace life are allowed to live. Purity or impurity, good or evil—none of that really matters. You wouldn't understand, though; it's almost absurd if you ask me. The world you envisioned was destined to throw people into despair once they learned the truth. Your ideals stood in the way of restoring humanity's proper timeline and only deepened the despair of those who remained. That's why your ideal world had to be erased."
"... But that's not why you vehemently reject me and my ideals, is it?" The Lion King brushed a strand of hair from her face and paused, a sudden thought crossing her mind. "You do not know me, but you knew another version of me. Am I right?"
EMIYA huffed and lowered his head, closing his eyes. "You could say that. But there are countless versions of you out there. If I were to fret over every single one of them, I would go insane. Not to mention the food expense…"
"Explain yourself then," she demanded, irritation coursing through her.
The Wrought Iron Hero held back a smirk, debating whether to provoke her further or give a straight answer. This time, he chose not to toy with her.
"Because this is the first time... I've encountered someone embodying Artoria Pendragon's ideals while dismissing human values and chasing such a brain-dead ideal," he said with a scowl. "Preserving 'purely virtuous' human souls, freezing and storing them to ensure eternal human existence as a means of safeguarding their happiness? What nonsense. You've become too idealized and detached to recognize that your methods don't lead to true happiness, let alone an outcome that could be called living. Your ideals are preventing the restoration of human order! Why else was I summoned here as a Counter Guardian?"
"Oh? Then among the countless versions of me, was there not one who pursued their ideal despite it being perceived as misguided or wrongful?"
"All of them that I've met held onto their humanity, no matter how twisted they've become."
"Is that all?" The Lion King returned his scowl, finding him unreasonable. "Even I have grown in these passing moments since Sir Bedivere returned Excalibur. I have regained some of my humanity up to this point. I've fought for my ideals like any other. What difference do I hold that you find unacceptable?"
Silence hung between them.
"... The King of Knights I knew fought for the future of others above all else, not just for her ideals," EMIYA said slowly and somberly. "Not like me. Not like you. Your ideals only preserve and stagnate humanity. There is no future in that."
The Lion King felt a faint throb in her head and heart as he lowered his head, letting his hair fall naturally, resembling someone she felt she knew.
Releasing his hold on Longinus, he swept his hair back as he stood tall, glaring at her. His entire body glowed brightly, reinforced to its fullest potential that his container could handle. She scowled and raised Excalibur, understanding that their conversation began to break down.
'How unreasonably stubborn,' she thought to herself.
"That's why I cannot accept you or your ideals!"
A dense swirl of mana enveloped them, washing over the wasteland and bleak skies. It dug into the dried soil and surged toward the endless sky. Countless blades reappeared, each one siphoning chunks of mana from her dwindling power. The crumbling world of infinite swords seemed to rebel against her, adding further strain to her reserves.
With an explosive burst, the Lion King charged forward, Excalibur glowing with intense light. She avoided the falling blades, her sword slashing through the sea of swords with the force of a divine storm.
EMIYA held his ground unwaveringly, his gaze fixed on her advancing form. Tracing Kanshou and Bakuya once more, he met her charge with a skillful parry, the clash sending shockwaves reverberating through the ground. Despite the strain on his reinforced body, he gritted his teeth and pushed through the pain, refusing to give way.
The Lion King's assaults grew fiercer with each strike. She moved with the grace and power befitting her status, each blow carrying the weight of her divine authority. Her sword blurred through the air, attacking EMIYA from multiple angles while effortlessly deflecting the storm of blades he summoned with sweeping gusts from Excalibur.
The Wrought Iron Hero responded with agile precision, his movements swift and calculated. Never retreating, he deftly parried and evaded her attacks, braving the overwhelming force of each strike with unwavering composure and dedicated focus. Swords were taken from him, yet more appeared in his hands—Kanshou, Bakuya, and countless Noble Phantasms wielded with the strength and skill of their original owners, all turned against her.
"Your struggles are fruitless," she said in between strikes.
"It always has been," he answered, his voice strained yet calm.
Their figures blurred into streaks of color as they clashed with relentless intensity. The battlefield itself trembled under their clash, fissures spreading through the ground from the sheer intensity of their battle. Above them, the sky churned with swirling mana, the very essence of their struggle reshaping the environment around them, as if the outcome of their battle could indeed the course of history itself.
But like all storms, even the most fearsome dwindled with each passing moment as both warriors expended their energy and reserves. EMIYA's Reality Marble teetered on the brink of collapse, the boundless world of swords closing in around them, seconds from crushing them out of existence.
The Lion King lunged with a ferocious speed, Excalibur glinting in the dim light. EMIYA parried with Kanshou, the impact sending a shockwave through his aching body. He retaliated with Bakuya, aiming for her exposed side, but she deflected it effortlessly. Each exchange drained him further, each blow sapped more of his strength.
EMIYA, on his last legs, barely held on. Cuts and bruises marred his body—Goddess Rhongomyniad seemed destined to win, suffering only minor wounds.
"This will not end in a draw," the Lion King declared.
"G-gugh!" EMIYA grunted, struggling to stay upright.
His arsenal was nearly depleted, his energy low, unable to reliably trace more weapons. He could only summon the remaining Noble Phantasms hidden deep beneath the ground of his collapsing world.
CRACKCRACKCRACK!
One by one, they appeared, only to quickly crumble against the Lion King's might.
260, 141, 86, 23...
CRACKCRACKCRACKCRACKCRACK!
Sheer defiance gnawed at him, pushing him to make one final call, a call that echoed from the depths of his soul and world... and it was answered by something that defined his very existence. The long-awaited conditions of reunion had been met.
RING!
The saber and its sheath, blind and ignorant to each other, but united. Long since forgotten and having sunk to the earth after losing its purpose, strings of light reemerged after eons, piecing together the sheath that was EMIYA's image of Avalon.
The sheath shined brilliantly and merged itself over a traced Caliburn tucked away in the depths of his world. The Sword of Selection and the Everdistant Utopia shot out of the widening fissure towards EMIYA's outstretched hand just as Kanshou and Bakuya shattered against Excalibur. He didn't even realize what he was wielding while the Lion King's eyes widened in bewilderment despite her divine perception.
'What trickery is this?' The Lion King frowned, charging forward with Excalibur raised high, intent on finishing the fight.
EMIYA held his ground, accepting his fate, and swung Caliburn and Avalon with all his might.
RIIING!
The clash between Caliburn, sheathed in Avalon, and Excalibur unleashed a burst of light and energy. The very fabric of their surroundings shivered and transformed as Avalon's power surged, turning the bleak skies into a bright blue adorned with white clouds, and the wasteland blossomed into a sparse meadow.
SHA!
As if reprimanding them both, Avalon unsheathed itself and unfurled its protective golden barrier, enveloping and pushing the combatants apart. The force of the impact pushed them back, EMIYA losing his footing and landing ungracefully on his backside, while the Lion King staggered to regain her balance.
EMIYA pushed himself slightly off the ground, staring dumbfounded at the floating sheath. "Avalon...?"
"That sheath..." Goddess Rhongomyniad faltered, narrowing her eyes and tearing her gaze from Avalon to demand an explanation from EMIYA. "How did you... ugh?!"
Another sharp throb pierced through her mind and heart as she saw a vulnerable-looking EMIYA, his hair down, his visage triggering a long-forgotten memory. The Lion King staggered back, gripping Excalibur over her heart with one hand and clutching her temple with the other.
Faint images flickered through her mind—a boy with short auburn hair and golden-brown eyes, wearing the same dumbfounded and awed expression as when they first met.
"I... How?" EMIYA muttered, still processing the implications.
His mind raced, struggling to grasp the implications. Avalon was lost to him when his Holy Grail War ended, its meaning gone along with his connection to Saber. The only way Avalon could manifest after all these years was if—
Unable to trust his voice or body, he reached out to her through their mental link.
"Saber?"
Goddess Rhongomyniad stiffened at his words. The memories flooded back to her—flashes of battles fought side by side, moments of camaraderie, and the bittersweet farewell. His true and forgotten name echoing in her mind.
"Shirou?" she responded reflexively.
He flinched as the name he had long buried resurfaced.
"… It really is you, isn't it?" No words could express the flood of emotions he was feeling at this surprising reunion.
"I see now, you were my sheath all along." she murmured, lowering her hand slightly and peeking through her fingers, her eyes flickering with a range of emotions. "Someone I parted with a long time ago."
"Well, this sheath did a terrible job back then and even now," EMIYA sighed, feeling a great sense of shame at his perceived failures before his Saber. "I don't deserve to be called that."
"Where did all that motivation and defiance go just a moment ago?"
"Gone. I did my best and failed," he answered with a tired smile. "There's nothing more I can do besides returning your sheath to you before we depart."
"Shirou..." She began.
"No," he stopped her firmly. "I am no longer that person." The name 'Shirou' is a relic of a forgotten past, a life filled with ideals that were both his strength and his burden. "I no longer have a name. I am nameless." he continued. "A distortion of the one you once knew, shaped by countless regrets and the pursuit of an impossible ideal… Still, I never expected to see you again."
Another somber silence passed between them as his Reality Marble collapsed around them.
It drove her mad to suddenly regain lost memories and emotions, leaving her no time to process them, even as a Goddess.
Her mind raced with countless thoughts, questions she longed to ask and words she yearned to speak to him. She parted her lips to speak but hesitated, realizing their time was slipping away. Unlimited Blade Works had lingered too long within the collapsing Singularity, and no amount of mana could defy the relentless pull of natural laws.
The once-blue skies and white clouds faded into the void, the earth crumbling into the abyss. Even with Avalon's imposed image of utopia onto Unlimited Blade Works, it couldn't resist the natural laws of the World. She didn't want their sudden and unexpected reunion to end abruptly, echoing their last departure—unfulfilled and fleeting. Summoning every ounce of her remaining strength, she hurled herself towards EMIYA, clutching the image of Avalon tightly, her other hand outstretched toward him.
"Shirou!"
Seeing her concerned expression, EMIYA instinctively reached out to her. Their hands met, her divine aura shimmering around them their flickering forms, and the collapsing world closed on them.
/-/
They were being undone by the natural order of the World, disassembled and integrated into one of the countless timelines of Pan-Human History.
The sensation defied description—neither pain nor pleasure, discomfort nor comfort.
Her divinity was torn away, like scraping through jagged rocks, memories and experiences intact but forcibly regressing to her mortal form. He too felt himself being torn and pulled back toward the Throne of Heroes, yet his existence held firm by her side, refusing to relinquish their bond.
They descended through the reshaping timeline, passing beyond the shattered Quantum Time-Lock toward the earliest point in time untouched by the World's pruning—into Camelot, in the midst of Artoria Pendragon's reign as king.
/-/
EMIYA was abruptly awakened by a loud crash and the sensation of landing on solid ground, something heavy pressing against his chest. He struggled back to consciousness, disoriented by the rough journey through the fractured timeline. Blinking to clear his vision, he found himself lying on a carpeted floor, staring up at a well-furnished ceiling.
In his arms lay Artoria, unconscious from the transit. He could still feel their bond. Their contract remained intact, held by her existence and the faint remnants of her once-divine essence, even though she no longer possessed any true divinity.
'Saber?'
Her still form stirred faint memories he had long forgotten, buried deep after spending an eternity as a Counter Guardian. He sat there, blinking in confusion, struggling to make sense of this surreal reunion until reality snapped back into focus.
'Right, the Singularity collapsed on us.'
Gently, he picked up his former Servant, her weight familiar yet surreal in his arms. His eyes scanned the room, taking in the lavish yet modest furnishings and decor. Spotting a pristine bed, he carefully laid her down, ensuring she was comfortable.
'Wait a minute.' He froze, looking down at his arms and then toward a nearby mirror. To his horror, he realized he had regressed to his teenage years. 'No, no, no! Why? Just why?'
If he were in Chaldea, others might call him EMIYA Lily without the personality change! At least his skin and hair retained their bleached color…
It was a small mercy, nonetheless.
He could feel that his manifested container was weaker than before, though still superior to his usual Archer Servant container—likely due to the Counter Force ripping a small chunk out of him when the Singularity collapsed in an attempt to reclaim him. That could explain why he was in a younger body now.
'Ugh... where are we anyway?'
The surroundings were unfamiliar, yet there was an air of regality that hinted at a grand setting. The walls were adorned with bookshelves and a few desks with mirrors, and the scent of aged wood and polished stone filled the air. Well, aside from an overturned desk and chair with objects strewn about, likely caused by their sudden appearance in the timeline. He noticed a large window on the far side of the room, its heavy drapes partially drawn. Moving towards it, he pulled the drapes aside and was greeted by a breathtaking view of a sprawling castle courtyard, bustling with activity.
Camelot. He recognized it immediately. The architecture, the people, the unmistakable aura of Arthurian legend—it all confirmed their location.
'Looks like we landed back in Artoria's time...'
EMIYA took a moment to steady himself, pushing aside the disorientation that lingered from their rocky journey.
Something that cost him his usual sharp perception.
He sensed someone approaching the door too late. The door rattled and swung open, startling him, and he instinctively moved in front of the unconscious Artoria with Kanshou and Bakuya in hand.
"Arthur, what was..." A young lady with a beautiful countenance began, then froze upon seeing EMIYA.
EMIYA paid no mind to the young lady, his attention fully on the knight accompanying her. A tall, robust man, fully clad in armor with light purple hair and eyes.
A knight who just so happened to be called Lancelot.
The Knight of the Lake locked eyes with EMIYA, and the world seemed to still for a moment while EMIYA's mind kicked into overdrive, hammering away his disorientation.
'This gives the wrong impression...'
"ASSASSIN!"
The young lady screamed, and everything descended into chaos as Lancelot lunged at EMIYA with an expression that would give even Berserker Lancelot a run for his money. EMIYA could only curse his luck as he crashed through the walls, landing in the courtyard below.
'This shitty luck of mine!'
OMAKE: How Counter Guardian EMIYA was Summoned
"Holy shit, EMIYA! Your ex-girlfriend is about to wipe out humanity!" Alaya burst into his room, frantic. "Do something, you clueless idiot!"
"What ex-girlfriend? And who's your husband?!"
"Shut up!" Alaya grabbed him, yanking him out of his world and into her office. "Damn it! Damn you, Solomon! I don't have the resources to fix this mess!" She paced furiously, tossing him around as she mulled over a plan. "Ah, that's it!"
Alaya reached through dimensions into Chaldea's kitchen, where an Archer copy of EMIYA was cooking peacefully.
"Hm? Whoa!"
A swirling blue orb appeared, pulling the Archer into it and transforming him into a book. The book materialized in Alaya's hand, which she then slammed onto EMIYA's face.
"Here! All your combat experience condensed into this book! You'll need it!"
"Guh! Hey! Wait!"
Ignoring his protests, Alaya shoved him onto an oversized scanner and began creating his Counter Guardian container.
"Come on, hurry up you stupid machine!"
The scanner whirred and finally spat EMIYA out.
"Damn it, Alaya! I told you to be gentle with that thing!"
"No time for niceties! Get going and save humanity, my eternal husband—I mean, Counter Guardian!" Alaya shoved him toward a glowing blue portal leading to the Camelot Singularity. "Go! Save the world or something!"
"I hate yooooooou!" he yelled as he was flung through the portal.
"I love you too!" Alaya shouted back with a wave.
I can't find any official sources of what a Counter Guardian is capable of. If the Counter Force can grant Grand Servants powerful Saint Graphs or empower people, then the Counter Guardians certainly would need it if the threat of humanity being game ended is in, let's say the Age of Gods.
But Singularity and wacky things kinda mess with the Counter Force, so there's that...