Struck by the surging tide of radiance from Excalibur's True Name Release, the fleshy mass of the Grail seemed to resist for a heartbeat before it was incinerated. It crumbled into ash, vanishing into the void as if it had never been.
Yet the wave of light did not lose its momentum. It ascended further, reaching the rift in the heavens—the hole from which the Grail's corruption spilled.
A thunderous roar echoed through the firmament as the tide of light collided with the celestial aperture. The resulting explosion dyed the night sky in a brilliant, blinding white.
Gradually, the brilliance faded, and the darkness of night returned. However, the remnants of that immense prana did not simply vanish; they descended toward the earth like a gentle flurry of glowing embers, shimmering like a thousand fireflies.
Fascinated by a beauty that seemed to wash away all the night's hardships, Rin Tohsaka gazed upward and whispered unconsciously.
"...It's beautiful."
Watching Rin as she stood dazed by the falling light, I nodded in silent agreement. The sight was undeniably magnificent. I followed her gaze, watching the motes of light drift down from the heavens.
As I watched, a memory from my past life surfaced—of the days I traveled alongside Artoria.
She often used that radiance to carve a direct path into the heart of enemy fortresses back then. Reminiscing about those bygone days, I turned my head toward the King of Knights.
Artoria, too, was lost in thought while looking at the sky, but she soon turned to meet my gaze.
Her smile was brief. The moment she saw my ravaged, blood-soaked form, her expression twisted into horror. She rushed toward me instantly.
"...Eli! Your body—!"
"...I apologize, Artoria. It seems the name 'King of Heroes' was not a light burden to bear," I managed, a bitter smile crossing my lips.
My condition was objectively horrific. My body was riddled with punctures, and blood continued to seep from numerous wounds. Truthfully, it was only through the sheer force of Battle Continuation that I remained standing at all.
A look of profound sorrow clouded Artoria's face. Watching her expression crumble as if she were about to weep, I felt a surge of panic. Oh... what do I do?
But my confusion was short-lived. I felt the breath leave my lungs as she suddenly collapsed into me, burying her face against my chest. My eyes widened in surprise.
I froze for a moment as she pressed herself closer, her voice muffled against me.
"...Forgive me, Elius. If I... if I had only arrived sooner..."
"..."
Snapping back to my senses, I looked down at her. Her signature lock of golden hair—that defiant strand that always represented her spirit—now drooped dejectedly in time with her sorrow.
I reached out and pulled her closer, stroking her hair. She flinched in surprise at the touch, but I continued to pet her gently.
Beneath my hand, that singular golden lock began to twitch and sway once more. I let out a small, soft laugh at the sight, but then I remembered that Rin was still standing nearby.
Lifting my head while still holding Artoria, I saw Rin watching us with an indescribably complex expression. It was the face of someone stuck between asking 'What is happening right now?' and 'Why do I have to witness this?'
Feeling a flicker of pity for her solitary state—but primarily not wanting this moment to be interrupted—I mouthed a message to her.
—Go to Archer. The battle should be over by now. And... tell Illya... that I truly enjoyed our time together. Tell her to live a happy life.
"...!"
A melancholy smile tugged at my lips. I wished I could have said a proper farewell to Illya myself, but circumstances would not permit it.
Rin's eyes went wide, but she quickly regained her composure. She gave a firm nod and began to run toward Ryuudou Temple.
Once she was a sufficient distance away, I turned my attention back down to Artoria. She was still hiding her face against me, her voice low and strained.
"...The time we have left is so short. I simply wish to remain like this."
"..."
I offered a bittersweet smile. Now that the Holy Grail had vanished, we could no longer maintain our existence in this world. Once our internal reserves of prana were depleted, we would simply fade away. In fact, I could already feel our forms beginning to dissolve from the feet up, turning into motes of light.
I did not want to leave. This was an encounter that might never happen again. What were the odds that she and I would ever be summoned into the same Grail War? Even considering that the Throne of Heroes exists outside of time, the probability was infinitesimally low.
To see her again would require nothing less than a miracle.
Still, I wanted to see her face one last time before I went. I leaned down and whispered into her ear.
"—Artoria. I want to see your eyes. Will you look at me?"
"..."
At my whisper, she slowly tilted her head back to look up at me. Her emerald eyes, shimmering with unshed tears, locked onto mine.
"...Elius."
"Yes, Artoria."
"Ever since the Hill of Camlann... I have spent my existence denying my end. I believed that I should never have become King. I joined these Holy Grail Wars solely to erase the fact of my kingship."
"..."
I listened in silence as she continued, her voice gaining strength.
"But after hearing what you told me at the school, I finally realized... the path I walked had meaning."
If my life was one that could bring happiness to the person I love, then that life, at least, was worth living.
My eyes widened at her words. Watching me, she gave a gentle, radiant smile.
Her smile was pure, as beautiful as a star shining in the depths of the night. I reached out and cradled her cheek in my hand.
Stroking her cheek softly, I made my own confession.
"—Artoria. The chance of us meeting again may be staggeringly low. We are essentially wishing for an impossible miracle."
"..."
"But I will not give up. I will struggle and strive, again and again, just for the chance to meet you once more and live a life in this world with only the two of us. It does not matter how long it takes. Years, centuries... even if an unimaginable span of time passes, even if I must die through countless Holy Grail Wars to reach that miracle... I will come for you."
As she listened, tears began to overflow, cascading down her cheeks. I brushed them away with my thumb.
"Smile for me at the end, Artoria. You are beautiful when you weep, but you are far more radiant when you smile."
"...Thank you, Elius... truly..."
"...Usually, in moments like this, one says 'I love you.'"
"—Is that so?"
"...I love you, Elius."
"...And I love you, Artoria."
I lowered my head, closing the distance between us. When I could feel the warmth of her breath against my skin, I paused, looking into her eyes. Guessing my intent, she slowly closed hers.
Finally, our lips met. I felt the heat of her life against mine and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her flush against me.
Driven by instinct, I parted my lips slightly, my tongue brushing against hers. Artoria flinched in brief surprise, her own lips parting in a subconscious reflex. I seized the opening, our tongues tangling in a desperate, final embrace.
We sought each other's breath, greedily consuming the moment. Both of us were inexperienced, our movements clumsy and unrefined, yet neither of us dreamed of stopping. Feeling the resonance through our prana path, I wished with all my heart that this moment could last forever—that this happiness would never end.
Joined as one, we continued to hold each other until our prana was entirely spent, eventually dissolving into a flurry of golden light that scattered into the night.
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This is a bit much...