I took everyone to the back of the café where there was a pair of gates that revealed a long flight of stairs. As we went down, there was nothing but blackness around, but it wasn't dark by any means.
After walking the stairs for a while, we came into another pair of gates that opened up. When they were opened, the area of battle was revealed.
"What the Heck!?" Shirou, Rin, and Shinji cried out.
The entire field looked an arena made of cubic stone with six pillars going around it in a circle. That alone wouldn't have been surprising if not for the fact the arena was surrounded by mountains covered in empty houses that half were Mesopotomian and Greek.
"This is where the Servants are gonna fight?!" Shirou asked, looking shocked.
"Well, the first fight at least. The other ones have different areas. Sorry if its not much. I only had yesterday to work with and I felt lazy," I stated, some smugness slipping into my voice.
"This is you being lazy?!" Shinji cried out.
"We must have passed at least a dozen barriers on the way here, and each one of them is a high grade Bounded Field," Caster commented, looking around.
"Hmm, not bad, Tree. I remember you had trouble creating a simple house," Gilgamesh commented, looking pleased. Probably because I made the place resemble Uruk a bit.
"Why did you say that each fight will have it's own area?" Artoria asked, noticing that bit from what I said.
"Two reasons," I raised a couple of fingers. "One, because the first fight was decided, and frankly, I don't believe this place will survive that fight, so I made the other places in reserve. The other reason is fairness. Not all of you are meant for a head on fight, as such each area is made to give an equally fair chance to both sides."
I can see Assassin sighing in relief and some tension leaving Caster's shoulders as I said the second reason.
"Okay, so who's fighting first?" Asked Rin.
"Gilgamesh and Berserker," I stated, causing the mentioned two to look at each other. "Frankley, Berserker is the only here who can give Gil a genuine good fight. They're both great heroes with both reputation and personal prowess to back them up. However, I will state something important, so listen carefully," everyone turned to me as I gave them a firm stare. "I want you all to know that the fight we're about to see is by no means the standards or average for Servants. Gilgamesh and Berserker are especially strong even amongst the countless names in the Throne of Heroes. So, don't think they speak for Servants in general. That would be like comparing an nuclear bomb to a hand gun and saying they're the same because they're both weapons. That's exactly why I made it so this place is expandable. I have, without exaggeration, no faith whatsoever that there's gonna be much of this place left."
I saw many of the kids gulp or go pale, while the adults began looking nervous. Illya, however, looked rather proud of herself as she pat Berserker's arm.
"Alright, let's back off and beginning this mess."
Third POV:
Zack guided the other observers away and created a Rune barrier in front of them while the two contestants stood in the middle of the arena. Both Berserker and Gilgamesh stared at each other, completely unmoving.
"So, the Tree believes you can offer a good fight," Gilgamesh smirked, crossing his arms. "How amusing. Let's see if his belief has any merit to it."
Berserker growled, raising his large slap-blade. He brought it down swiftly, only for a sword to appear from the side and stop the strike from reaching Gilgamesh, who was looking smugly at Berserker.
"Hm?" Gilgamesh then hummed as he noticed the sword from his treasury actually being pushed down and out of the portal from Berserker's strength.
Berserker's blade knocked out the sword and continued on to Gilgamesh. The blade struck, causing a crash that sent dust everywhere. Looking down, Berserker didn't see a sign of Gilgamesh being under his blade.
There was a flash of gold as several weapons burst from the smoke, heading straight at near point blank range. Berserker, however, swiftly let go of the handle of his weapon and immediately moved his entire upper body backwards, dodging the blades by a hair's width.
Jumping back to a hand stand, Berserker used his arms to jump away from another rain of weapons that destroyed the ground he was standing on.
"Hoh, so there's some intelligence in your madness?" Gilgamesh commented, coming out of smoke unharmed. "This might be worthwhile after all."
Berserker growled. Reaching down, he tore out a part of the ground and threw it at Gilgamesh. The King of Heroes sent several weapons that easily tore through the rock.
However, that proved to be a distraction as Berserker brust from the smoke in order to retrieve his weapon. Taking hold of it, Berserker swung upwards at Gilgamesh witn such strength that it blew away all the dust around.
Gilgamesh was faster, however, and immediately dodged by jumping and floating away. Looking at his opponent as he flew in the air, Berserker knelt down before jumping with enough strength that it cracked the ground.
Seeing his opponent approach with speed that didn't leave him enough room to dodge, Gilgamesh pulled out a golden shield from his treasury and used it to protect himself as Berserker swung his slap-blade at his side.
The strike was enough to send Gilgamesh towards one of the pillars and crash into it, nearly breaking it in half. As dust covered his form, Gilgamesh summoned several portals and started shooting weapons at Berserker.
Being midair, Berserker couldn't dodge, and compensated with using his weapon to deflect the projectiles. Berserker managed to stop all of them but one that buried itself in his shoulder before he managed to land on the ground.
When the dust cleared from the pillar, it revealed Gilgamesh completely unharmed. Instead, he looked almost amused at Berserker.
Berserker glared at Gilgamesh as dozens of portals appeared besides the King of Heroes. Taking out the weapon in his shoulder, Berserker merely moved his neck around and, bobbin the bones in it.
As golden weapons began raining down on him, Berserker began jumping back to avoid being struck. A trail of rubble and destruction followed him as he backed off until he reached the pillar at the end of the arena, opposite of the one Gilgamesh was on.
Instead of being cornered, Berserker jumped up high in the air and, when he was in the same level as Gilgamesh, used the pillar as foothold to shoot forward with such strength that he actually broke the pillar in half.
Gilgamesh moved away, floating in the air, as Berserker crashed through the pillar and came out the other side. Berserker crashed head first into the buildings carved into the mountainside.
Without a moment of rest, Gilgamesh began sending volleys of weapons at where Berserker landed. A shadow broke through the building and began maneuvering between them, dodging golden weapons that were faster than most can even see.
Deciding to go on the offensive, Berserker threw his slap-blade at Gilgamesh like a boomerang. A blade appeared from the side to block the weapon, causing it to recoil into the air.
That's when Berserker made a powerful jump towards Gilgamesh. Taking hold of his slap-blade midair, Berserker swung down at Gilgamesh, who used a sword in each hand to block. The strike was still strong enough to send both of them crashing back into the arena and create cracks all around it.
A portal appeared above Gilgamesh's head and, at light-like speed, a sword flew directly to Berserker's head, causing him to bend back from the strike. Several other weapons shot forward, all striking Berserker's body and sending him flying back.
Gilgamesh, however, didn't drop his guard. Just as he suspected, Berserker burst from the smoke of his crash site. The weapons on his body were seemingly pushed out and the wounds began healing in a cloud of steam.
The weapon sent to his head, however, apparently never struck as it was caught between Berserker's teeth. Spitting away the weapon, Berserker growled and charged forward, weapon in hand.
"I tire of this," Gilgamesh dropped his weapons and they vanished in a golden glow.
As soon as Berserker got closer, several portals appeared around them. However, unlike before, what came out was not weapons, but golden chains that stabbed through Berserker's body and wrapped around him, completely restraining his movement.
Berserker growled and attempted to move, unable to do so despite how much he pulled on the restraints.
"The match is over!" Zack suddenly called out, dropping down the shield and veil protecting the spectators.
"What!?" Illya, obviously, wasn't pleased. "It's not done! Berserker can still break free! Just give him a second!"
While Illya threw a tantrum, most the other spectators were watching the results of the battle with nervous sweat. The fight didn't last long, but it was still as destructive as some the mightiest battles they saw.
"Hate to break it to you, but there's no way for Berserker to actually break those chains. Especially since they're extremely restrictive for anything Divine, and if you haven't noticed, Berserker has Divine Blood," Zack replied nonchalantly.
"Zack," Artoria turned to him with a somber look. "This fight... Berserker was never meant to win, was he?"
Zack shook his head. "No, I honestly just wanted humour Gilgamesh. I knew Berserker would put up a good fight, but I had no expectations for him to win."
"Aha! So you rigged the fight! I knew it!" Illya accused, pointing her finger at Zack.
Zack sighed and shook his head. "Let me make myself clear, all Servants in this Holy Grail War can gang up on Gilgamesh, and you would all still lose if he actually went all out," Zack's gaze turned firm. "I know the capabilities of every Servant in this Holy Grail War. If Berserker had been Summoned as a Saber or Archer, he would have stood a chance, but just a CHANCE. Gilgamesh is the King of All Heroes, and that title is not without merit. Only other 'All Kings', like the King of All Mage-craft, or the King of All Assassins, can say they're his equals."
"Normally, I'd have your head presented to all of Uruk for daring to say there are those who are my equals, Tree," Gilgamesh stated, walking up to them with his hands in his pockets. "However, I suppose that foolish Mage and that old man aren't unworthy of praise."
"Wait! Does that mean I get the Grail!" Rin exclaimed.
"Do not get ahead of yourself, girl," Gilgamesh, however, dashed whatever hopes she was having. "I had only said that I would humour one fight. I have no reason to remain here or fulfill your wish."
"Alright, everyone, go back upstairs for now," Zack suddenly clapped his hands, drawing their attention. "Gil, let Berserker go so he can leave with everyone else. Everyone else, wait upstairs for a while. I have some personal business with Gilgamesh and am gonna need to bring up the next battle arena," his look turned to a glare. "No, this is not up for debate, before any of you say anything, and you are not permitted to come down until I say so."
They all nodded, wondering about the change in attitude. After Berserker was dropped from the chains, they all began leaving before the gates closed. The gates were immediately covered with Runes.
"Hmph, so the fun finally begins? Gilgamesh was no longer wearing his casual clothes. With flash of light, he was covered in a golden armor.
"Yeah, one sec, let me put this-" Zack motioned to his puppet body "-somewhere safe."
Immediately, Zack went to the same location they used to watch the match from. Just as he raised another wall completely covered in Runes, the puppet body dropped like a puppet with its strings cut.
Gilgamesh's smile widened as he turned around and saw the other end of the arena change. Trees began appearing, a blue sky filled with light but no sun showed up, and in the distance, an ocean can be seen.
In the middle of it all was Zack, in his true body, with the mark of the Planet Earth floating behind his back.
"Man, I can't tell you how good it feels to be out of that thing," Zack said, rolling his shoulders around, causing the wood to creak.
"It seems as if you have reached interesting heights, Tree," Gilgamesh began floating in the air, raising himself high in the air.
"You could say that," Zack said back.
Gilgamesh didn't say anymore, instead, he took out a large, golden key from his treasury. Placing the key forward, he twisted it and cased a circuit of energy to cover the entire sky.
The circuit then all gathered and compressed into a single orb of energy, looking similar to a miniature sun, in front of Gilgamesh. The orb began slowly moving down, revealing Gilgamesh's greatest treasure.
The sword of Rapture, Ea.
Taking hold of his weapon, Gilgamesh raised it into the air, causing crimson energy to swirl and spread around. Red lightning cracked through air as the King of Heroes held the Star of Genesis.
"Let us see if you're heights are a mere facade, Zack!" Gilgamesh cried out.
"Bring it!" Zack's body turned crimson.
The world around Zack's body immediately began breaking apart, as if it was a class painting. Similarly to the King of Heroes, red lightning cracked around him.
Type Earth charged forward as the King of Heroes swung down his sword.
Two, massive, red, cracks in the reality clashed together, not unlike two black holes colliding. As the contact was made, the world inverted on itself and then... whiteness.
Nothing but pure whiteness. No sound, no sight, nothing but pure white could only be perceived.
When the whiteness began to fade, it revealed the area to be no more. What was left was the ground from Zack's reality marble, which Gilgamesh was standing on.
Gilgamesh's body was completely covered in wounds, his armor completely destroyed. His right arm, which he used to swing Ea, and his right shoulder were entirely gone.
Gilgamesh's breathing was harsh. He bent forward, nearly falling down... only to stop and slowly pull himself back to standing straight.
The King of Uruk will never allow his knees to touch the floor for any reason.
"Hehe...," Wind began collecting in the area, reforming Zack in his wind element. "HeheHAHAHAHA! YOU DID IT! YOU ACTUALLY DID IT, YOU GOLDEN FREAK!" Zack cheered, raising his hands. "You actually managed to destroy my body! No one has managed to do that since my fight with the Moon's Mirror! Oh, the King of Heroes is definitely the only title worthy to be yours, Gil!"
"But of course," Gilgamesh, despite his status, gave his usual superior smile. "Who do you think you're speaking too."
"... It was really great to see you again, Gil," Zack said as Gilgamesh's body began turning to golden particles. "Bring Enkidu with you if you show up again, okay?"
"Hmph, I have no control over that one," Gilgamesh huffed. "And I am no messenger. If you wish for him to visit, ask him yourself, Tree."
With that, Gilgamesh's body completely vanished into golden sparks.