They stood upon a graveyard of swords, filled with countless masterless blades.
When the flame that sliced through the horizon leapt, reality seemed to be corroded by an inner vision, replaced by an endless red wasteland.
The setting sun was like blood, iron gears meshed.
Sajyou Manaka's Sanctuary Blaze sank from the sky.
The furnace in the shape of fire surrounded the entire world.
Clang!
When Kanshou and Bakuya flew out again after being repelled for the second time, Artoria's gaze became solemn and she asked, "Archer, who exactly are you? Why do you have a world like this?"
"As you see, Saber," Archer's tone was indifferent, black twin swords appearing again in his hands, "I am merely a nameless Heroic Spirit."
"Liar!", Artoria held her twin swords, angrily said, "How could a nameless Heroic Spirit possess a Reality Marble?"
Reality Marble: A grand magecraft that rewrites reality based on the caster's internal mental landscape, closest to "True Magic."
Artoria had seen it before, which was why she questioned it.
Ordinary people couldn't possibly possess such a Noble Phantasm.
"Who knows," Archer shrugged, "In the end, as a Heroic Spirit, this is the only kind of Noble Phantasm I have."
"So," Archer extended his hand and questioned, "how do you view this world filled with blades, King Arthur?"
Artoria gripped her swords tightly and earnestly answered, "A grave."
"Exactly," Archer made a diving motion, "To me, such a world is nothing more than a graveyard belonging to swords."
"Apologies, King Arthur."
Several swords rose from the ground and floated in midair.
"What you're about to face, is the supreme realm of swordsmanship: Unlimited Blade Works!"
"Is that so," From closing her eyes to opening them, Artoria used only an instant.
She completely abandoned emotions related to the outside world, even ignoring Sajyou Manaka behind her. In her eyes, there remained only her former desire for victory and the honor-filled duel between knights.
At the very least, this battle must not be tainted again!
"Come at me, Archer!", The King of Knights made her preparations.
"Let's go, Saber!"
Archer shouted and charged toward the already predestined conclusion.
———
Dense smoke accompanied the blazing fire.
The hero's figure collapsed in tragedy.
This wasn't the first time seeing such a scene.
Rin had already learned knowledge regarding this aspect.
After a Master summons a Servant, there's a chance they'll dream of the Servant's past experiences.
Until Archer exited the stage, she still didn't know his name.
That guy, his conduct wasn't usually like this, yet at the critical moment, unlike her, he didn't mess up, but instead properly completed the mission.
'So, who exactly are you?'
Like a ruin after war. What appeared before her eyes was an extremely tragic wasteland.
Rin hadn't seen this scene before, but she still recognized the place from the familiar collapsed buildings.
Ten years ago, the Great Fire of New Town that shocked Fuyuki City.
'It is said many people died.'
'Then… why have I come here?'
Rin, filled with doubt, wandered forward aimlessly.
She didn't even know why she was doing this, just that a voice inside told her to.
As long as she kept walking forward, she would learn the answer she sought.
Walking through a great fire was a very difficult thing to do.
Especially when the feeling of scorched skin transmitted through the nerves. Being burned hot was already unbearable, and she also had to endure the suffocating effect of thick smoke depriving her of oxygen.
Her lungs, like having inhaled poison gas, couldn't stop coughing.
Her mind and body were suffering unimaginable torment at every moment.
Even if she could endure all that, the people charred into cinders and lying on the ground around her would still deliver a brutal blow to her young heart.
There was no mistake, this was a disaster caused by the fight over the Holy Grail.
This was the nature of war.
Magicians with their own goals, willing to sacrifice strangers without hesitation.
Or rather, if just sacrificing one, two, or even hundreds of unrelated people could grant their wishes, that, to them, would be a joyous matter.
As a magician, Rin had long accepted this reality.
Yet, as expected, she still hated it.
She didn't know how long she had walked. Perhaps a short while, perhaps a long time.
Eventually, the flames weakened.
The great fire that once soared above the high walls gradually came under control.
A trace of moisture, mixed with the smell of soil, entered Rin's nostrils.
She looked up, seeing a sky covered by dark clouds.
There was not much emotion, only a thought.
'Everyone is already dead, what can a belated rainfall even do?'
Then, she thought of Archer, thought of Berserker. Both were different from the famous Heroic Spirits of history. They seemed to lack their own legends and honor. They simply advanced toward a certain goal.
Even so, Rin still thought they were amazing.
'To walk one's path to the end, even if ending with nothing, is that not a hero of one's own?'
Drip! Drip!
Her steps stopped at this moment, and Rin raised her hand.
Rainwater flowed from the corner of her eye, down her cheek, over her smooth chin, and slipped from her outstretched palm.
At first it was just a light drizzle, but soon, unknowingly, it became heavy rain.
The flames of disaster were thoroughly extinguished.
Yet she remained unmoved by this, only staring dazedly at the figure struggling forward in the downpour.
Lying on train tracks, the blinding lights and the high-speed train traveling over 200 km/h would pierce through your body before your nerves even had time to react.
But a prepared person would, during the wait, infinitely amplify the sound and stretch time endlessly.
Their heart would beat wildly, far beyond normal, pounding in the eardrums.
Naturally, knowing one is about to die, how could one remain calm?
Rin wasn't going to die, but her current state of mind could only be described with that kind of analogy.
What kind of absurd world would let her encounter something so ridiculous?
'If I remember correctly, this place should be Archer's memory.'
'Then why, why did Berserker's figure appear in his memory?'
'Is he not the protagonist of the memory?'
Though he was still so young, so ignorant, with eyes full of confusion, and his body so frail, yet the red hair stuck together by the rain, those once eye-to-eye gazes, all told Rin unmistakably: He was Berserker.
He was also her Servant, Archer.
"How could there… be such a thing!", She almost lost the ability to speak.
Suddenly, the protagonist fell to the ground.
Rin instinctively wanted to run over.
Was it worry, or something else?
In any case, she couldn't just watch and do nothing.
Someone else was faster than her.
What kind of person was it?
Rin forgot, the only thing clearly emerging was that expression, like one being saved, despite being the one who saved someone else.
Tears and rainwater blended together.
Only the look of being redeemed remained vivid in her mind.
'What kind of despair have they experienced to show such an expression?'
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