No words were spoken, no conversation exchanged; there was only the clash of spear and sword under the twilight.
But even without speaking much, both people on the battlefield could truly feel each other's feelings through their conflict.
Because the emotions and feelings between knights had long been fully poured into their blades. Every intersection and clash was conveying something.
Do you see, Lamorak? I am no longer weak and powerless. The sword in my hand will not waver. The light shining upon it is my conviction, like the morning star.
The young girl's lips were tightly shut, her eyes resolute.
As if to respond to its master's feelings, the next moment, the Holy Sword of the Planet in Artoria's hand suddenly radiated a massive amount of light.
Immediately following was a brilliant golden pillar of light shooting into the sky. But she didn't choose to bring the pillar down to attack like a beam of light. Instead, she compressed all of this breath of the stars from the planet into the Holy Sword, and then slashed at Souya with the shining blade.
For the two of them, who now both wielded Divine Constructs, simply releasing magical energy as a beam of light had little meaning.
The shining Rhongomyniad was already the end of light. Only by slashing it with the edge of the Holy Sword could victory be achieved.
And facing Artoria's slashes, every one of which was like a Noble Phantasm, Souya did not choose to unleash the power of the Holy Lance, turning his magical energy into light and storms. Instead, he responded to the young girl's conviction with his most essential ability.
"Spiritual currents take myriad forms, strange waves shift endlessly."
There was no powerful and scorching light, no fierce and violent storm. There was only the spear intent and clarity resembling water.
And this was the inner portrayal of Souya, this knight like flowing water, and also his first and final Noble Phantasm.
Come, before this body completely disappears, let me show my girl the ultimate essence of water one last time.
Flowing water climbed upon the Holy Lance. Beneath the rotating layers of water currents was Souya's increasingly strong offensive.
My dear girl...
I have already understood your feelings, I have already recognized your conviction. But, my time is running out. The words I want to say to you are all within this surging flowing water.
Flowing water splashed, motes of light scattered.
Dragon Cores beat, Instinct fully opened.
The heart of the Red Dragon and the heart of the White Dragon beat like thunder. Feeling that connection between each other's hearts, the weapons in the hands of the two became even firmer.
The Child of the Red Dragon and the second White Dragon, and the cause and effect of severing the King's Sword. Their actions had already added chips to each other's destiny.
But does that matter?
Not necessarily.
Because even without all this, they were destined to meet, simply because he was Lamorak and she was Artoria.
But as time passed, the young man was gradually suppressed by the young girl. The spear intent of flowing water ultimately could not flow endlessly like true flowing water. Or perhaps, this flowing water belonging to Lamorak had reached a stagnant pool about to stop.
"Lamorak! I will definitely defeat you, and then keep you by my side forever!"
After another clash, the young girl finally spoke.
For some reason, the more she clashed with Souya, the thicker the anxiety in her heart became, as if she had a premonition that something was about to leave her.
So Artoria decided not to hesitate anymore. She was going to use her final sword intent to have one last decisive clash with Souya, and then completely claim him.
"Artoria, having broken free from your shackles, you will definitely obtain the happiness that belongs to you."
Souya didn't answer the young girl's words. He merely used a calm, gentle tone to convey his blessing to her.
In those azure eyes, at the end of his life, Artoria's figure was finally completely enveloped within them for once.
Before the young girl could react to his meaning, Rhongomyniad in Souya's hand swept across, the flowing water upon it containing the young man's final resolve.
'Intercepting Flow'.
Gathering the strength of his entire body, expressing all the feelings in his heart.
Accept it, Lily. This is my final, ultimate essence of flowing water.
Instinctively, the young girl's sword also shone brightly, the effect of 'Intercepting Flow' also manifesting upon it.
In an instant, the Holy Sword and the Holy Lance crossed paths.
Only this time, the flowing water and the Holy Lance did not block the brilliance of the Holy Sword.
Bang—
Light flowed, the water curtain shattered.
The golden Holy Sword sliced through the water droplets dispersing in the air, heavily slashing upon Souya's 'Queen's Fortress'.
Watching her sword blade break through the defense of the black armor, deeply slashing across his chest and sending the latter flying, the young girl was instantly stunned.
No, no, how is this possible? How could I possibly hurt Lamorak? Given his strength, this strike should have been an even match at most. How is this possible!
And, why is there no blood appearing on my sword blade or Souya's wound?
Abruptly, the young girl realized something, and panic violently rose in her heart.
"Lamorak!!!"
"Arthur!"
But just as Artoria was panickingly calling the latter's name and wanting to go forward to check, an angry yet boundlessly cold voice shouted her name.
The next moment, dark black flames turned into a roaring giant dragon and violently rushed toward Artoria.
The young girl instinctively raised her sword to block, but was astonished to find that after climbing onto her body, those black flames were like maggots on a bone, unable to be extinguished, and continued to burn.
But at this moment, Artoria was in no mood to care about these flames. Possessing 'Avalon', she wouldn't be harmed at all.
Raising her holy cyan eyes, the young girl looked at the newcomer.
"Royal Sister?!"
The moment she saw the newcomer clearly, Artoria couldn't help but freeze.
"Don't call me sister! I don't have a sister like you!"
Hearing Artoria's words, Morgan—who already harbored resentment towards her because of her previous words and the scene of her injuring Souya just now—became instantly even more furious.
But right now, her heart and eyes were entirely filled with Lamorak, who had been injured and sent flying. So despite having the thought of summoning the Lance of the End to give Artoria a severe strike, she ultimately resisted the urge, flashed to Souya's side, and hurriedly cradled his head in her arms.
"Lady Morgan."
Feeling that familiar gentle touch and the faint body fragrance belonging only to that person lingering at the tip of his nose, despite it being somewhat difficult, Souya propped up his head and looked at that face gradually becoming clear.
Although her eyes held a sorrow and grief unseen in the past, that incredibly charming and beautiful face, and the thin lips he had kissed and tasted countless times, were unmistakable.
This was the one person he had always dreamed of.
Morgan le Fay. His King, his liege, his wife, and his lover.
"How wonderful... Lady Morgan, it is truly wonderful to be able to see you before leaving."
Involuntarily, a trace of a smile appeared on Souya's pale face.
His strength had already completely vanished in the 'Intercepting Flow' and Noble Phantasm release just now.
Now that his body was gradually returning to the Age of Gods, Souya would no longer recover. The current him was like a balloon that could only let air out but not take any in.
Fragile and steadily walking towards death.
"Lamorak! You despicable knight, you bastard! Where are you trying to go this time? Are you trying to leave without saying goodbye again!"
Hearing Souya's words, which were practically identical to final words, Morgan's eyes instantly turned slightly red. She wanted to pick up this guy's body to kiss him, but surprisingly found that he was terrifyingly light.
It was as if he had lost all mass, like a piece of blank paper.
As the Witch of Britain, one of the few top magi on the entire island and even in this world, Morgan only needed to probe her magical energy into Souya's body to understand what had happened.
With trembling hands, she disassembled the already damaged 'Queen's Fortress'. What met Morgan's eyes was Souya's almost translucent body.
"No, no, this is impossible. Your body was created by me, it belongs to me..."
"What's going on... what exactly is going on..."
Involuntarily, Morgan's face turned deadly pale.
She tried to inject her own magical energy into Souya's body to replenish what his body was missing, but was stunned to find that the magical energy fundamentally couldn't be replenished into Souya's increasingly transparent body.
It was as if this body, this person named Lamorak, no longer existed on this earth.
And right at this moment, Artoria had completely taken off her armor stained with shadow flames, and hurriedly arrived by Souya's side.
Without any hesitation or avoidance, under Morgan's nearly murderous glare, the young girl grabbed Souya's hand and instinctively went to touch the wound she had slashed on Souya's chest, from which no blood flowed.
Looking at that nearly transparent body, Artoria's eyes instantly filled with tears.
"I'm sorry... Lamorak... I'm sorry, I didn't think... I didn't want to hurt you..."
"I just wanted you to see my feelings, feel my conviction, and... my love for you..."
Under the twilight sunset, the young girl's crying softly spread out.
"It's fine, Lily. It's not your fault."
Looking at Artoria, who had fallen into sorrow because of crying, Souya smiled softly. He slightly raised his hand, as if wanting to touch her cheek.
Seeing this scene, the young girl hurriedly grabbed his right hand and pressed it against her own face, as if grasping at straws.
But this was of no use.
Under the gazes of Morgan and Artoria, Souya's level of transparency deepened again.
This time, it had even spread to his face.
In the distance, the sunset on the horizon was falling, and the brilliance sprinkled on the three of them was also gradually decreasing.
It was as if that falling sunset was taking away not just the so-called light, but also the life of a knight.
There were only ten minutes left until the sun went down.
As if realizing something, Morgan forcefully pulled Souya a bit further into her embrace, speaking somewhat urgently.
"Let's go, Lamorak. Come with me to the Holy Lake. We still have time. I can forge a new body for you there."
"It's useless, Lady Morgan."
Souya shook his head.
His gaze swept back and forth across these two women before him. These were the two people he loved the most in this era, and also the two who loved him the most.
If possible, how could he not want to survive, to witness and accompany them until the end of their lives?
But things didn't go as planned. On this journey towards death, he ultimately had to take the first step.
"My body is a gift from the Age of Gods. It was only because all the essence of the Age of Gods was blessed upon me that I, a tiny fairy, could successfully incarnate into a human."
"Now, the Age of Gods is returning. It is time for me to return this blessing to this land."
Souya said this, his tone calm and gentle, as if recounting a matter that had nothing to do with him.
But Morgan and Artoria fundamentally couldn't be as indifferent as he was.
"No! I forbid it!"
Almost instantly, after hearing Souya's words, an urgent, even tyrannical expression appeared on Morgan's face.
"I am the Lord of the Isle, the King who rules the entire island and this land! I forbid you from contributing yourself to this island! You are my property, and without my permission, you are not allowed to go anywhere!"
"This is unfair! Lamorak!"
Compared to Morgan's willful, command-like speech, although Artoria was also very agitated, her words clearly carried pleading.
"Lamorak, you said it. You were going to witness me becoming King, you would accompany me to do many things I haven't done, to see many landscapes I haven't seen."
"You are the Lion of Britain, the Knight of Radiance. You would never break your promise, right, Lamorak?"
Having said that, the young girl's eyes turned slightly red again.
She couldn't imagine how she would live after losing Souya. She had clearly just given up that false ideal and found the person she truly wanted to pursue.
Yet she had to face losing him on the day before it began. No matter what, Artoria couldn't accept it.
But facing the words of the two people he loved, Souya merely smiled slowly and gently.
He first forced his body to sit up, then gently pulled Artoria into his embrace. Amidst the young girl's somewhat sluggish expression, he dropped a light kiss on her forehead.
"Lily, I am sorry. But please believe me, believe in yourself. The you who has become human will definitely be happy."
Then Souya looked at Morgan.
This person whose position in his life was the most important, and for whom everything he did was meant.
Without the slightest hesitation, Morgan proactively threw herself into his embrace, kissing his lips heavily, almost greedily sucking in the breath belonging to him.
Amidst the intertwining of their tongues, crystal clear teardrops gently slid down Morgan's face.
No words were needed; their hearts were connected.
The river of time flowed away, the sunset slowly sinking into the horizon.
In the distance, the boundless dark night swept toward them. That was the arrival of the night, and also the impending arrival of the eternal night in the hearts of Morgan and Artoria.
In this final afterglow, the figures of the three of them seemed to blend together.
But, since their tragic destiny could be broken, why couldn't they break the destined death of the knight Lamorak who saved them?
Suddenly, Artoria thought of something, and she hurriedly looked at Morgan.
"Royal Sister! I have a way. I might have a way to let Lamorak survive!"
"What?!"
As if grasping at straws, Morgan abruptly raised her head from Souya's embrace and looked at Artoria.
"Hurry! Quickly take the scabbard 'Avalon' out of my body! As long as we can put it into Lamorak's body, it will definitely be able to fixate his body!"
The young girl shouted to Morgan impatiently. Her gaze looked into the distance at the encroaching shadows, as if staring at the arrival of the Grim Reaper.
Right! The scabbard 'Avalon'!
An artifact far more miraculous than the Holy Sword of the Planet itself!
It is inherently a Noble Phantasm on the level of a 'Realm', possessing the characteristics of stopping time, healing wounds, and immortality. If it is given to Lamorak, then his body definitely won't disappear either!
Thinking this, Morgan's perception of Artoria almost instantly changed, but there was no time for her to think much right now.
Morgan rapidly reached out her hand towards Artoria's chest, and the latter immediately pressed forward.
Just like when she healed Souya back then, Morgan's hand instantly became incorporeal, grabbing that scabbard almost the moment it probed into Artoria's body.
"Hurry! We're running out of time!"
Even as heart-piercing pain came from her body, the young girl endured it and didn't fall, persisting in letting Morgan take it out.
And as that blue-gold scabbard was taken out, both Morgan and Artoria felt a surge of joy.
But when they turned their faces brimming with joy towards Souya, what they saw was the clear young man slowly becoming transparent until he completely disappeared under the final sunset.
And his final words left in the light.
"Morgan, Lily, I will always love you both."