After a good meal, he returned to the hotel room and slept immediately. It was a long and exhausting day.
When he woke up in the morning, Shirou felt refreshed and full of energy.
The hotel room was clean and cozy, making him comfortable during his stay here.
After waking up and freshening himself, he left the hotel room and took a bus to go to Glastonbury, the land of King Arthur. He decided to refrain from flying after witnessing the real dragon.
A disaster would strike if a dragon suddenly appeared near his plane.
If he somehow encountered one on land, he could act accordingly and protect the surrounding with his Noble Phantasms, but it would be impossible in the air.
There were too many variables to take into account even with Hirenkyaku.
So the bus was a good alternative. He could relax in his seat, look out at the scenery passing by outside and enjoy the journey without any worry.
It took a few hours for the bus to reach Glastonbury. He could see the town of Glastonbury from afar. The area around it looked rural and peaceful.
Grassland spread out in all directions around the town, with Glastonbury Tor standing tall on the hilltop overlooking everything else.
The Glastonbury Abbey ruins and Chalice well stood in their place. It looked majestic, and Shirou felt like he was transported back to a different era. But he also noticed there was a feeling of loneliness coming from those structures.
It made him feel a little sad.
Stepping out of the bus, he looked up at the clear blue sky above.
It was still morning and the weather was good.
"Where should I go first?"
After thinking for a minute, he decided to start from the most famous landmark in the town before visiting the grave. He started to walk toward the Glastonbury Tor, following a path that led him there.
On the way there, Shirou saw some people walking around near the Tor's base. They took pictures and enjoyed the view.
The atmosphere was serene and calm. He liked this place.
He could see the whole Glastonbury from this place.
And then he noticed something strange.
A large white tower was visible far away in the sky. It wasn't something that should exist here and yet Shirou was sure it was a tower. Not a mountain or cloud.
'What is that?'
He narrowed his eyes to get a better view of the object in question.
It looked like a giant building, but it was impossible to tell from such a distance.
However, it suddenly disappeared and Shirou couldn't spot the tower again.
Did he imagine that?
'No, there's no way.'
That was definitely real. Something was there and then it was gone, as if it vanished into thin air. He had seen something like this before.
But where?
Shirou couldn't remember. His head started hurting and he felt dizzy.
He shook his head and tried to focus on the present, not letting his mind wander elsewhere.
Maybe it was just his imagination after all. When he looked around again, he could only see farmland and forests.
Some buildings stood far away in the city area, and the sun shone brightly overhead.
"Is this what they mean by Arthurian romance?" Shirou wondered out loud to no one in particular.
A beautiful scenery accompanied with a sense of longing for something that he couldn't grasp yet felt familiar.
A place where the past meet present, where dreams become reality and vice versa.
Was this place truly real or merely an illusion? It was hard to tell sometimes. Especially when one's senses were being fooled.
Shirou took a deep breath and looked up once again. This time, he saw nothing unusual in the distance. He could only see the ruin of Glastonbury Abbey with his exceptional sight.
While the Tor was indeed a beautiful building, his goal was to visit King Arthur's grave in the end. He stopped by a flower shop on the way and bought a flower for the grave before making his way toward it.
***
As expected from the place that held such a historic value, Glastonbury Abbey was a tourist spot and had a lot of people. Some of them took photos, others talked with friends and family, while others simply enjoyed the scenery around them.
It was quite busy, and there were many stalls selling souvenirs.
Vacation had arrived in full swing so there were more people than usual, Shirou guessed. The crowd made it hard for him to walk freely without bumping into anyone else.
There were a few tourists who came here for the aesthetic of this place, not because they wanted to see the grave of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere or to see the Glastonbury Tor.
However, there was also a tour group consisting of young adults. They seemed excited as if they were on their first vacation together, and Shirou noticed the woman leading them looked pretty young herself.
The blonde girl was dressed neatly in white blouse and blue skirt, and her hair reached below her shoulder. She looked beautiful, yet there was a strange feeling when he stared at her back.
As if he should recognize that back...
But he didn't. Shirou couldn't recall seeing the girl anywhere before. She was probably just an average person.
The tour group passed by him as the woman told the visitors about the history of this place. Shirou listened to them from a distance as he walked toward the grave.
Apparently the tour group also planned to visit it.
"King Arthur's Grave is right here." The woman with long white hair, the tour guide, pointed in the direction. "This is the grave of King Arthur, the once and future king who ruled Britain."
She explained to the visitors how the tombstone was made and what the inscriptions on the tombstone meant.
It wasn't much different from the story Shirou had learned as he researched the location.
What he didn't learn was how beautiful this place was when he saw it with his own eyes. It was located inside the ruins of the church, but the area was still well maintained despite being exposed to the elements.
Shirou smiled a little. This place was full of history and had a peaceful atmosphere.
The tour guide then continued her story, explaining that this was where King Arthur rested in peace. She proceeded to explain the Battle of Callan where King Arthur was slain, and the aftermath.
It was quite an interesting tale.
Finally, the white-haired tour guide finished the explanation about the grave before leading the visitors to another part of the ruin.
Shirou followed them and listened to their story until the end. After that, he decided to leave the tour group alone and focus on his original purpose.
"I am here." He whispered quietly to himself, staring down at the simple tomb in front of him.
For a King, it was a really simple and unassuming tomb. It didn't stand out and was rather modest in size.
This was the grave of King Arthur.
And the grave was also a sign that his story had come to an end.
"..." He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering the girl who fought in the Holy Grail Wars.
The fight that he could vividly remember even though it happened more than a decade ago.
At first he was only dragged into it due to some circumstances. However, he learned many things and began to join in earnest with a clear goal in mind.
His last battle against the King of Heroes was intense and memorable, but what came after was more unforgettable.
He couldn't forget how he lost his life when he pushed himself to use Excalibur against the Golden King.
His memories were blurry and his consciousness slowly fading, but he could recall that his last action was the only thing that could protect everyone.
Shirou did it because it was the right thing.
Maybe because the sight of her crying face was unbearable for him and he couldn't stand seeing her in such a state.
It was an instinctual reaction.
"I am sorry, Saber." He said to the grave as he held the white lilies he bought on the way here.
Shirou knelt down beside the tombstone and placed the flower on top of it. His hand brushed against the cold stone as he prayed for her soul to rest in peace.
No matter what his excuse was, he lost the Holy Grail War and was unable to grant her wish, and he also died.
"I hope I can see you again." His voice came out soft and quiet.
Saber, Arturia Pendragon has become someone who he couldn't meet anymore. She was an irreplaceable presence that shaped his life. And she would forever be his most important person.
And he didn't even have the chance to say his farewell to her. Instead, he was the one who was sent off by her.
A regret he had even until now.
But no matter how much he wished, Arturia was no longer here.
She had returned to her time. A time where her battle against Vortigern, Mordred, and Morgana happened. Time when she would return Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake and fell into an eternal slumber.
And he knelt in front of the tomb, knowing that the person whose remains were resting in the grave was her.
"You shouldn't put that flower there."
A voice interrupted him.
Surprised, he opened his eyes and turned his head toward the source. A familiar face greeted him.
A girl stood beside him. Her long white hair swayed slightly in the wind. Her eyes were purple, like the abyss that could see and engulf everything.
And her voice was soft and gentle, yet mischievous.
She was the tour guide that he followed earlier.
The white-haired tour guide, a young woman in her early 20's, stared at him.
"What?" Shirou asked in confusion. She felt pretty familiar for some reason.
Like he had met her before somewhere, but he didn't know where or when. He didn't even know what her name was or anything about her. She just looked familiar.
"The white lilies, that's a pretty suitable flower for her. But you can't put it on top of that tombstone." She repeated herself with a smile. "It's not hers."
Her...
The tour guide clearly was referring to King Arthur as her.
"What are yo-"
"What a complicated story we have here." The tour guide continued her story while smiling at him, not minding the question he wanted to ask. "A dream should just stay as a dream."
Her words felt strange to him. There were too many implications behind it.
Was it a dream for King Arthur? Was she talking about how the King Arthur in legend was different from the real history? Or was it something more?
Or was she just pulling a prank?
He couldn't tell. There were too many possibilities and none of them made sense to him. But still, the white-haired woman seemed to know something more than what she let on.
"I now understand how that stubborn girl lost!" The tour guide smiled a little and walked closer. Her eyes were fixed on his face as she continued talking.
Shirou could feel his body freeze at her next words.
"Then again, you're both pretty stupid and annoying. You should learn from her mistake."
She stepped closer, her expression unchanged, but there was a glint in her eyes.
"Who are you?" He asked carefully, his body tensed and ready to fight. There was something about the woman that set off alarms inside him, like an enemy was approaching.
The woman giggled as she saw his reaction. Her laugh echoed through the ruins and made others look at them. She then stepped away, giving him a bit of space.
"I usually don't give names, but you can call me sister of flower."
Sister of Flower? That was an unusual name.
"Anyway, we should stop talking about the past. There's nothing you can do about it, and it's pointless." She continued with an amused look on her face. "It's not the time yet so you should return and take that flower with you. Next time, bring white orchid or camellia."
When she walked away, Shirou could see a shadow of white tower behind her.
Wind suddenly blew through the ruins and made his eyes shut for a moment. When he opened his eyes, the woman had vanished. There were no traces of her presence, leaving him alone.
The flower in his hand had somehow gone missing.
"What... was that?"