The clouds shrouded the sun's rays as a lone knight cried atop a hill.
Surrounded by bodies, both friend and foe, the King of Knights surveyed her eternal battlefield. One where allies and former subjects all killed one another in a senseless battle for the sole reason of unifying a fragile kingdom.
Although saying that… that it would fall to a single rebellion started by her upstart of a knight...that all the hard work, the blood, sweat, and toil she and her loyal companions put in… would shatter at the machinations of her conniving sister… It spoke volumes of just how much a predestined tragedy her rule really was… Of how fragile anything she did was… in the face of betrayal.
'Why… did it have to fall…?' she asked, not expecting an answer after an eternity of searching. 'Why… did I have to fail…?'
'Why… did they betray me…?'
'Why… am I not allowed… to fulfil my ideals…?'
'Why…?'
Why… why… why… Why… WHY?!
The cold breeze drifting through the wasteland didn't respond. As the clouds rolled on, their shadows got thicker and thicker. A storm seemed to be brewing upon the horizon. Although, no storm had ever once drifted over this melancholic landscape. Not once in the past few cycles, nor ever in recorded history of the future.
But… so lost in thought was she that such an abnormality went by unnoticed.
'Why…' Tears welled up in her eyes as her palms balled up. Mud and dirt and grime and blood, all the impurities found in a battlefield, was squashed beneath her palm in anger. "WHY?!"
Arturia's face shot up to glance at the corpse of her killer. Mordred lay peacefully not a meter away from her.
Here, forever frozen in time, the child that was her sister Morgan's spawn could only lie face down into the mud. A face not too dissimilar to hers yet stained with not just mud, but the expression of anger, of fury, of hate.
Even in death, only animosity could be seen of the Knight of Rebellion. Even in death, so dissatisfied was she that her very legend was immortalized alongside the downfall of Camelot.
Why did she refuse Arturia's rule? Why did she, like those who rebelled alongside her, refute the peace she worked so hard for?
In her moment of internal torment, she reminisced about the past… or rather, the dream of a distant future. One where she had a chance to fix everything, to save her people, to redo the crime she committed by taking on an impossible burden.
Then… she remembered the moment such a dream turned into a nightmare… all due to the commands of a single man… enforced upon her by powers beyond her control.
"By my final Command Seal, Saber—"
She tried to block it out. She tried to hold her rage back. There had to be a good reason for the man to use all three seals on one order.
"—I order you. Destroy the Grail."
But upon recalling his dull, almost bored expression… upon reminiscing that man's face… her blood boiled. As did her anger. Her frustration. Her grief.
Time and time again, she believed in Irisviel. Taking the woman's word for it, she trusted that he would understand her desire for an ideal world the most. That he too desired the same…
But now…
Now, the King of Knights… could only lament.
Lament at the fate that befell her old friend.
Lament for the fated end of her 'Master', her last and truest friend.
Lament in her weakness, her failure as a king… to deliver the salvation she wanted for her people.
But more than that… she could only lament… at being betrayed once more… by a man she tried to trust. A man whose ideals she tried to believe in… tried… and failed.
Betrayed by another who'd sworn to fulfil her ideals… it was her nephew all over again…
To that thought, she only had curses.
"Damn you, Kiritsugu! DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!"
The once-chivalrous of all knights cursed the man who gave up their chance at victory. She cursed his name, his lineage, his very existence. All the while weeping at her misfortune at having had him as her Master.
As the tears fell, Arturia failed to notice the darkness which encroached on her core.
Under her clenched eyelids, the girl's beautiful emerald orbs turned into a hostile golden light.
***
The fire consumed all.
Buildings, concrete, glass, even human flesh.
None could escape the flames born from hell itself.
At least, that's what the boy trekking through said hell believed.
Amidst the fires, he saw horror. Black mud that melted solid stone. Raging pyres that cremated people where they stood. All the while, the child tried to survive. It was all he could do.
Forward, lost yet still moving. Even as the last of his family turned to ash, he continued to march on, pushed only by the yearning desire within his chest to live.
So the child trudged onward. Skin singed by the heat, he pressed on, looking for an out. He walked and walked even as his legs wanted to give up. Desperation drove him to march even until he tripped and fell on his back atop a pile of rubble. Exhausted yet still driven, he tried to reach out to the dreary storm clouds above in an attempt to escape the searing heat.
It was then that he felt a different kind of heat as a warmth clasped his hand.
"Hey! Are you alive?! Are you—?!" The face of a man that seemed far older than he really came into view. Amidst the firelight, the shadows of his hollowed eyes seemed to widen with surprise before relaxing with relief. "Thank god! Thank… At least someone's… someone's alive…"
Tears fell on the child's face, though he didn't understand why.
'Why… does he look so happy?' the boy thought. 'How can he… smile… in this situation?'
"Thank god…" he heard the smiling old man mutter weakly. "I… I managed to save… at least one…"
Unbeknownst to the boy, that joyous expression was burned into his mind. Alongside the trauma of being one of few to survive this calamity, he would remember that face. The face of his saviour is so desperate, so wanting, to find someone… anyone… alive in this hell.
But until he received medical treatment and rehabilitation, for now, the boy named Shirou could only silently stare off into space. That is until he was able to finally relax in the calming and reassuring arms of his saviour.
'That smile,' Shirou thought as he drifted off into dreams. 'I wonder… could I be able… to smile like that too…'
***
—DUMP BADUMP
The resounding beating of a heart trying to cling to life was all that could be heard in the depths.
Cracking open one of its many eyes, the entity breathed a sigh of relief. Though, the shame of being brought so low still ached.
'Damn… them…!' the entity seethed. 'Daaaaamn theeeem aaaaall!'
The last surviving fragment of Angra Mainyu screeched with much hate and loathing. But at the same time, it shivered in fear.
The creature known as All the World's Evil trembled and shrunk. A mere shadow of its former self after it did its best to flee. Hidden in its new hiding spot, it could do nothing but shy away from the world, resting, recuperating.
'The next time… I will destroy them…' fanning the flames of vengeance, as was its original nature, the being swore. 'In the name of Avenger, I shall destroy them and everything they stand for!'
But until then, the Evil God will hide inside the depths of its new host. Awaiting the opportunity to be reborn, until the Grail reforms and the war is called once more, the fragmented creature will sleep. Then, when the time was right, it would reclaim the Grail and use it to be incarnated once more.
All it needed was someone to make a wish again.
Fortunately, the container it managed to stow away in yearned deeply, did it not? Unlike the other despicable and selfless fool, this one wouldn't deny him.
***
Author's note:
And it is done! The final chapter...of Fourth Grail War! Get baited! You thought this was the last chapter of this fanfic? Life is gacha and you just got spooked! Be salty! :3
Now, to explain some things:
1. Justeaze in this chapter isn't the same as in Fgo. In Fgo she is basically Irisviel, here she is based on Justeaze from movies and materials we have on her. She is the magus first and foremost.
2. Arturia now likes hamburgers and her wife appeared in the story. She doesn't even need to see him fail his high jump ;3
3. The story will continue all the way to Fifth Grail War with the stuff in-between to show Lulu and Nobu normal lives. Stuff like going on dates, visiting rock concerts, toppling world governments and conquering the nations, committing war crimes, making the world biggest pizza and just enjoying their life together. Didn't decide which servants to use in the next war. Namely not sure about the position of Rider and Assassin.
4. Now about the reveal of Lelouch's true nature. He is part of human history. He is in the Throne. Originally I wanted to write this as a mystery plot, but it didn't work out the way I hoped. Both Alaya and Gaia transported him to Fate world and made Lelouch part of normal history. He is related to Arturia only because of myth. Idk if Lelouch can count as Foreigner, maybe make Geass some kind of entity from Mars? People who know Lovecraft might have a better idea of what to write about.
And now on the reason, this fanfic was created. In the last chapter, I said it is my catalyst for Avenger Nobu, which is true and it worked! (Also, I got Zerk Musashi NP3 and all summer SRs during Summer 4 with 400 sq :3, be salty)
This fanfic exists because I was rewatching Code Geass season 2 and saw the moment Lelouch wanted to use refrain on himself. That moment felt powerful to me because Lelouch was lost and didn't know what to do. So, I thought about how he will feel about being alive again after his death. Will he feel happy? Angry? Confused? What will he want to do in a new life where he doesn't have the same responsibilities? How will Lelouch live his life without regrets and concerns about Nunnally and others? How will Lelouch go on in his life? And will be he happy to be with someone like him? I think the main idea of this fanfic is about living on after you accomplished your life goal and when you don't know what to do next. When you feel lost, this isn't the end of your life. I hope the message was conveyed well, even though I made mistakes.
Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the fanfic! And it isn't over yet :3
So yeah, special thanks to ReavesTheReader for making this two-part finale amazing!
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I have a gift for you