Sakura hoped that they still had a bit of time. Better yet, she hoped that with a fortunate turn of Hector finally joining them, Iskandar and Gilgamesh would be able to bring down Romulus with ease. This hope, however, was shattered the moment she heard the dark explosion.
The fiend annihilated the outer gates of Waver's estate, making his presence known to everyone inside.
"Damn it…" Rin uttered under her breath. "Couldn't have picked a 'better' time, could he?"
"This magic…" Waver added. "I only sensed it once, on the day I almost reached the Grail twenty years ago."
"Get ready!" Shirou commanded. "Running is not an option, so we stand our ground! Hector, you wanted to prove yourself to us, now is your chance!"
Finally, the group witnessed their opponent in the flesh. A tall and muscular warrior clad in dark armor made of Angra Mainyu's rot, the same that enhanced his spear. Romulus, Marianne's loyal servant, has now been tarnished and corrupted by Angela, all while having his powers enhanced. His eyes were completely empty and lifeless; a noble warrior turned into an obedient puppet.
Sakura expected him to charge forward and fight with his spear, but instead, he chose to channel the dark energy in his hands, forming a dark orb that grew closer to explosion with each passing second. Sakura could feel the corruption within it. The woman hated realizing just how familiar it was. Still, the mages would not give up without a fight. Sakura saw Shirou, Waver, and Rin unleashing their mana, trying to create a cage around the orb and nullify the coming explosion. Hector was quick to join them, but even so, their strength was only enough to slow Lancer down for a few seconds. Sakura focused, eager to add her magic into the mix, but she was too late.
They could not prevent another blast.
It was in this very instant, the second Lancer unleashed his blast, that Sakura felt this grotesque sensation to its fullest. This was the same force that Zouken was nurturing within her. The vile blood of the Avenger spread in Sakura's veins along with the crest worms. They nearly turned her into an obedient monster, and she even tried to kill Illya, Souichirou, and Sasaki in this dark form. She defeated them with ease, and the only reason Sakura backed down was the small remnant of conscience that Illya reached out to. Romulus did not have any left. He was the perfect weapon that could only be overpowered.
The dark shards pierced Sakura's skin, causing the young woman to wail in agony and fall to the floor. This was too much to take. No matter what kind of protection she was to put around her frail body, none of it would be enough. To halt the darkness. The same was true of the other four mages; Lancer wounded all of them at once, immediately forcing the valiant magi to their knees. If this magic was to be allowed to spread across Fuyuki...It will be a cataclysm that the city will not survive. Thankfully, the mages did not have to fight alone.
"Hah, is that the extent of your power, or are you merely holding back?" Gilgamesh said with prideful glee as he stood between Romulus and the mages. He created a golden shield around his allies, granting them protection and healing magic for their wounds. "Silent, are you? Of course..." Gilgamesh said with disgust as he unleashed an array of magical arrows. They made Lancer shake for a few seconds, but anything more, for his powerful body absorbed the charged bolts. "You have been made a mere puppet, broken by that witch...In that case, I shall grant you my mercy and send you back to the soul of our world!"
With those proud words, Gilgamesh channeled magic of pure light in both of his hands, quickly unleashing a golden ray at Romulus. The Lancer couldn't evade in time, instead bearing the brunt of the hit. Sakura saw him groan in pain as golden wounds began to emerge all around his body like cracks in a glass window.
"A…An…" Lancer growled, making Gilgamesh chuckle.
"Do you feel it, you miserable wretch? The fire of purification that will annihilate your corruption and free your soul? The more you resist, the more it will hurt!"
"A…An…" Lancer growled again, despite his defenses being weakened, Gilgamesh still couldn't deal the final blow. Lancer continued to walk forth, gradually restoring his dark aura.
"You're stronger than I expected…Perhaps I might even have to start trying!"
Before Romulus could approach too close, three still swords materialized up in the air and pierced some of Lancer's weak spots, forcing the servant to take a few steps back. For a moment, Sakura felt shivers spreading through her body, as those blades were very similar to the ones Archer used, but she quickly noticed Shirou. The hero stood up and used advanced projection magic to help Gilgamesh break through the fiend's defenses. It was a powerful blow, yet still not enough…
How much more could this beast take?
"You'll go no further!" At last, Rider charged into the battle, summoning an image of his chariot that ran into Lancer, disorienting the servant and making him vulnerable to Caster's magic. Lancer screamed as the golden ray broke through his armor, burning his skin. Romulus attempted to jump away from the epicenter but was quickly intercepted by Rider. The King of Conquerors slashed Romulus's rib, causing a flow of black blood to emerge from the fresh wound. Restless Lancer attempted to attack again, but Iskandar dealt another blow, forcing the fiend to retreat and fall on his knees.
"Pathetic." Gilgamesh scoffed. "I hope your next incarnation will be more fortunate, Romulus, as for now…"
"Wait, Caster," Iskandar spoke up, all while focusing on the wounded opponent. "Something isn't right; he is still gathering power…" He took on a defensive stance, while Gilgamesh ignored Iskandar's advice and prepared to deal a devastating blow. However, before he could act, Romulus let out a cry of fury.
"ANGRA MAINYU!"
His spear turned into a dark arrow with a mind of its own, reaching a speed so fast that it bypassed even the standards of heroic spirits. The spear charged towards Gilgamesh, and while the King of Heroes began to form a defensive aura, he stood too close to finish his defensive spell. The arrow shattered his field into pieces, and while those defenses softened the blow, Gilgamesh's chest was pierced by the dark spear.
"No!" Sakura screamed and reached out as she saw a heavily wounded Caster fall to the ground. She wanted to run to her servant, but Romulus unleashed another spell, the one that released Angra Mainyu's field into the estate. Sakura felt invisible chains overtaking her and other mages, rendering all of them powerless.
For a moment, she felt as if everything was lost.
…
Waver hoped he could forget the darkness that consumed Fuyuki twenty years ago, but it was impossible.
Even though the mage did not reach the Grail in the fourth war, he came close enough to feel its taint. It was a similar feeling that overtook him but far more concentrated. Even though Romulus remained a capable fighter, the lance was far from his greatest asset.
It was the void. The void overtook Waver and four other mages in an instant. Before this moment, Waver allowed himself to feel safe and even untouchable, all because Iskandar was here. Even though Waver realized that his idol was not omnipotent, he still felt tremendous relief from knowing that the two of them fought on the same side again. Now, this hope was shattered.
"Stay away from me! Stay away!" Waver screamed as he felt the enemy approaching. Heavy steps echoed in the all-consuming darkness as if there was nothing that could halt him. A force of nature that would tear him apart and burn his soul to embers. However, there was still light within this darkness, an unmistakable, powerful presence.
His King.
"You will not drown me in darkness, wretch!" Iskandar struggled in the dark, slashing the energy in front of him with a blade. "Where are you, boy? I'm coming for you!"
Boy...El-Melloi knew he was referring to Hector, his new master, but the mere sound of that word brought back countless sweet memories, the ones that he wanted to cherish. Even though Rider did not remember the war, he was still the King Waver knew. A proud conqueror, a ruthless tyrant to some, and a loyal ally to others.
"Rider!" Waver shouted. "I'm here!"
"El-Melloi?" Iskandar turned towards the trapped mage. "Is that you?"
"Yes... I'm trying to resist, but I need your help!"
"Have you seen my master?"
"No...He is somewhere in this field where this monster was created! We have to find him and others!"
"That we do... Let's hope King of Heroes did not faint from that strike; otherwise, our predicament will become even more desperate."
Iskandar charged towards Waver and slashed through the dark matter. The mage breathed in relief as he felt the aura of rot retreating, but this was the least of his problems. Steps in the shadow became louder and quicker as the corrupted warrior approached. In a matter of seconds, Lancer teleported behind Waver's back, bringing his spear within inches of the mage's back.
Once again, it was Rider who saved him. Iskandar pushed Romulus away, robbing him of the opportunity. Waver aided the servant and set up a healing shield around the two of them. They fought side by side in pursuit of a common goal, just like twenty years ago...Was this a continuation of Waver's dream? The prize at the end of his journey, a representation of his deepest desires...His Okeanos?
Lancer retreated into the darkness, but Waver immediately sensed another presence.
"Rider, there!" He pointed at the dark ebon, and a familiar voice echoed from there.
"I recognize him, that's..."
"Wait, don't strike!" Much to Waver's surprise, Hector emerged from the veil. "It's me."
"Here you are!" Rider said with relief. "I knew you would not succumb to this shadow so easily."
"How did you free yourself?" Waver wondered.
"Angela taught me how to deal with this kind of magic...I can't fully remove it, but I can go along with its flow. If we want to free ourselves, we should kill Lancer, but we need others to stand a chance."
"We need Gilgamesh," Waver said sternly. "Did you see him?"
"I could feel his presence ever since falling into this darkness, but no, I have not seen him..."
Suddenly, Waver felt the veil grow thicker. Romulus was gathering his power, becoming an even stronger vessel for Angra Mainyu's will. He was coming closer, savoring the coming moment of triumph like a sadistic predator...Wherever the three of them went, they could not leave the veil, and thus were always in his sight.
"We have to run…" Hector said in a trembling voice.
"We can't escape him in his domain, we are likely to be walking into another trap."
"Better than staying here and trying to fight back!"
"El-Melloi is correct." Rider said with a heavy voice. "We cannot escape him nor defeat him in his domain…Unless I counter it with another reality marble."
"You want to use your noble phantasm." Hector realized. "But wouldn't it be dangerous to unveil it here? The darkness will drain the reality marble and not give us much time at all."
"If that is so, then I will have to be quick."
"We'll come with you and your army," Waver said confidently.
"No, you will not." Rider shook his head, much to the surprise of both Waver and Hector. "We all feel the sense of rot and decay coming from him; he is destruction personified…And it is not your fate to sacrifice yourself in vain."
Waver couldn't believe his words…His heart skipped a beat at the mention of sacrifice. No, it couldn't happen…Not again! He remembered standing by Iskandar's side as he attacked the King of Heroes, only to be left behind and forced to watch powerlessly as Rider galloped towards his demise.
"Rider, what are you talking about?" Hector said with caution. "It will be dangerous, sure, but if your noble phantasm works… We've seen how it decimated Berserker. It will do the same here!"
"It's riskier this time, this dark power…When I was summoned, I believed that I might have a chance to reincarnate and resume my conquest or perhaps even learn to live in this new world, but there would be no world left if we allowed Angra Mainyu to prevail. Both Romulus and I are simply incarnations of spirits…One day, one way or another, we shall walk on this earth again, and when this happens, I want to see the darkness purged!" Iskandar raised his sword as it began to glow in dazzling silver light. "For it seeks to annihilate the dreamers and pioneers of this world, the ones I am proud to count myself among. To preserve their existence, I will gladly give everything, even if it means this shall be my last charge! Ionioi Hetairoi!"
"Wait, you don't have to do it!" Hector shouted. "We need you in the coming battle, I need you…"
"I helped you break the cycle." Iskandar smiled. "And it is my sincerest belief that from now on, you will have people that you can rely on."
Waver put his hand on Hector's shoulder, sharing his warmth. He tried to remain stoic, even though he could not hold back his tears.
"Let the King go…This will be his victory to claim."
The reality around them changed, turning into a familiar desert with the King's army standing proud behind him. Dozens of men on their horses with a proud king leading them into the clash of light and darkness. There was but one source of darkness, a shadowed Lancer standing on the other side of this desert, now perfectly visible and unveiled. Waver could still feel his incredible power. He did not grow weaker even in Iskandar's reality marble, as most of its energy must have been consumed by Romulus's domain.
"Heed me, my men!" Iskandar shouted, but he had to pause and clench his shoulder. Maintaining a marble surrounded by Angra Mainyu's corruption took its toil…But the King would not allow this to make him surrender. "Today, we march into a battle of unmatched glory! For today, our enemy is death itself! We fight a noble warrior whose essence was consumed by the vilest creature in this world. Only we stand between it and the annihilation it will bring to this world…So let us show it the might of this world's mightiest warriors! Let us show that we will not go down without a fight, that our fire will burn bright even in the darkest pit of darkness! Charge!"
The army galloped forth, each of the soldiers ready to fight and sacrifice his life for the cause. Once again, the Hero of Waver's past emerged on the battlefield, and the Magus was still unable to look away. His marble spread wide, turning the dark abyss into a battlefield where there could only be one Conqueror. In this moment, Waver could feel all his doubts dissipating, for no one could withstand such might…
However, Romulus was quick to disprove that. The mighty Lancer rushed towards his enemies, not demonstrating any fear in his withered eyes. He launched his spear, once again using it as a dark and deadly arrow, and in less than a second, Waver saw three of the saddled warriors lose their heads. Only two from the front row managed to reach Lancer's position. They tried to fight but only had time to inflict a few small wounds before the ruthless servant mutilated them and their horses.
"No…" Hector said in a fearful voice as he and Waver watched the unfolding carnage.
Romulus was unstoppable; every time a small group of soldiers approached him, the most they could do was inflict one or two hits. Even when six of them circled around Lancer, preparing to strike at the same time, the dark servant used his spear to cut off their horses' legs and leave the group defenseless. They fought valiantly, but it was not enough. Their mutilated bodies turned to dust in front of Waver's eyes, and Iskandar's army became smaller every few seconds.
Still, it was not for nothing.
One quick hit meant nothing to Lancer, but a dozen of them in a span of a minute? And what about a few such minutes in a row? His movements became sluggish, his counterattacks slowed down, and each man sacrificed himself to weaken Romulus. He was still powerful, but he also became vulnerable. It was the perfect time for the mighty Iskandar to strike.
"Onward!" He shouted as he finally reached the foe. Lancer howled in rage and cut off the legs of the horse Alexander rode, but this did not slow the King down. Rider jumped as he clenched his sword and unleashed a powerful strike, empowered by the souls of the fallen. He managed to slash Lancer's spear into two, as well as piercing his armor. Romulus shook and screamed in pain.
"A…Angra…Mainyu!"
He held on to both parts of his spears and fought back. Lancer used the opportunity to pierce Iskandar's chest while he was weakened from the strike.
"Aaargh!" Rider shouted as his hands shook. Waver knew that he would not give up so easily…Never. He was the mighty King of Conquerors, Waver's hero, and he would rise.
The wounded servants continued, Iskandar attacked and cut off Romulus's hand, but Lancer avoided death. He rushed behind Iskandar and pierced his back. The King's blood-drenched the golden sand, blood corrupted by the violet poison of darkness.
"You…" Iskandar attempted to resist, but Lancer attacked, this time forcing the spear to go through Alexander's heart. The King growled and fell, desperately coughing and looking into Romulus's eyes. A worn out, one-handed dark servant…Yet he still stood tall and victorious.
"No, not like this!" Hector shouted and ran towards Iskandar.
"Wait!" Waver tried to calm him down, but he was just as mortified. The mage followed Hector, knowing that this spelled certain death, but he couldn't stay away.
"Enuma Eilish!"
Gilgamesh's loud voice echoed from the sky, and the sun quickly morphed into a golden gate, piercing both reality marbles with the King of Heroes at the helm. The proud King raised his hand, creating a golden chain made out of pure magic, and tossed it at Lancer. It entangled him in a matter of seconds, scorching his body and soul. Romulus resisted and tried to scream, but his life was ended by a golden arrow going through his neck. His body fell on the sand, motionless, and finally began to transform into dust. Upon looking at Iskandar, Waver realized that the same was happening to him. His wounds were too severe and precise.
"You…Bastard…" Rider coughed as he looked up at Caster. "Couldn't have… Picked a better…Time…Could…You?"
"I came as soon as I was freed," Gilgamesh said confidently. "You should thank me, King of Conquerors…And rejoice, for I have seen enough to judge you. Today, you have earned your right to witness the Gates of Babylon."
There were no words, no time for goodbyes, yet Waver looked at Iskandar's smile, which said everything he needed to hear.
The proud hero died in peace.