บท 38: 38. Goodbye
-Shirou-
As the Juggernaut lifted him into the air, his Command Seals lit up.
He forced Semiramis, who was fleeing the Hanging Gardens as he commanded a while earlier, to swap places with him.
She wasn't as far as he had hoped, but if he used some tricks up his sleeve, he felt like he could survive.
Immediately after switching places, he used his magic to make a black hole directly behind him, hoping to mitigate some of the damage from the Juggernaut's overwhelming might.
He felt the enormous release of magical energy as everything was eviscerated around him, but the black hole was enough to save his life as he fell through the air, using the shockwave to propel himself farther from the Hanging Gardens, far enough to survive.
His endurance stat, which had been increased to EX due to the grails power, helped him survive the blast, though it left him with burns all over his body, disfiguring him horribly.
He hit the ground hard, crashing through white hot rock, bouncing multiple times before he came to a stop.
"GAAAAHHH!" He screamed at the top of his lungs as he lay on the ground, feeling the pain of his ordeal.
He continued to scream as he got to his hands and knees before he started to try and heal. He could feel his skin growing back at an agonizingly slow speed, but at least it was better than nothing.
He needed to move, knowing that the Juggernaut and Ruler were weak now, the only problem being the Saber that had betrayed them.
He got to his feet unsteadily before starting to walk in the direction of the Juggernauts companions, knowing that's where he would go next. Hate drove him to put one foot in front of the other as he walked, knowing he would end this once and for all.
-Mordred-
Seeing Godricks Command Seals light up, she knew what would happen. She had the strongest urge to pick Jeanne up and run away from here, but she tried to fight it with all her strength.
'No! Not again! I won't leave you to fight alone again!' She shouted in her mind, trying to fight the command with all her might.
The command won the battle of wills, and as she picked Jeanne up in her arms she began to cure her brother.
"Damn you!" She shouted as she ran, quickly reaching the edge of the Hanging Gardens.
She slid to a stop as she looked over its edge, wondering if she would have to jump.
"Jump." Jeanne said weakly. "Astolfo will catch us."
Choosing to trust the Ruler, Mordred backed up a few steps, before running forward, and leaping from the edge.
The Hanging Gardens were high in the air, but she felt she would survive the fall if it were just her. Jeanne however, wouldn't survive the fall.
Air whipped the two women's hair around, Jeanne's hair blinding Mordred for a moment.
A screech filled the air as Mordred looked up, seeing Astolfo and his Hippogriff diving at them with its wings tucked to its sides.
Mordred tightened her hold on Jeanne with one arm as she held her other one up. The Hippogriff extended one of its legs, claws spread to catch the two.
The Hippogriff opened its wings at the last moment, catching the two women in its claws before flying off into the distance.
Getting a safe distance away, the Hippogriff gently set the two women down on the ground before landing itself. Astolfo got off in a rush, quickly going to Jeanne to see her state.
Before anyone could react, a golden sun exploded into existence, knocking them all to the ground. Mordred did what she could to protect Jeanne, pulling the Ruler to her as they fell.
"No-" Jeanne said weakly, seeing the Golden Sun envelope the Hanging Gardens.
"We-" She tried to say, but was cut off by Astolfo.
"We have to get farther away, or we'll be caught in the explosion!" He said frantically, getting back onto his Hippogriff. It flapped its wings before jumping over to Mordred, grabbing her as she grabbed Jeanne, taking to the air a moment later.
Jeanne Looked back at the Hanging Gardens for a moment, seeing the golden flares and amethyst lighting wafting from the sun. A green streak of lighting fell from the sky, denoting Frankenstein's descent downwards before the sun popped like a bubble, giving off a blinding light that forced her to close her eyes. She heard Mordred, Astolfo, and the Hippogriff all let out a cry of pain, while she herself felt her legs and the arm she had wrapped around Mordred's waist be burned. Mordred was covering most of her body, so she took most of the blast, but she still felt the pain as she grit her teeth.
The Hippogriff had been hurt the worst, having all its feathers burned from its body, and the skin underneath cooked. It gave one last shriek as it tried its best to stay in the air, but ultimately failed as it started to fall from the sky.
"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!" Astolfo shouted as he tried to steer his mount to a safe spot where they could crash land. Seeing a nearby lake of water that had almost evaporated, he pulled the reins to the right sharply, causing the Hippogriff to veer towards the water.
The Hippogriff let Mordred and Jeanne go, causing them to fall into the water before crashing in itself.
Mordred gasped for air as she broke the water's surface, followed by Jeanne as she pulled the Ruler up. Mordred wrapped her arm around Jeanne, dragging her to the edge of the water.
A little ways away, the pair saw that Astolfo had done the same with his Hippogriff, and was now kneeling next to it. He was whispering gentle words to it, telling it how it served him well, and that he would be joining it soon.
The Hippogriff's head lay on the rock as Astolfo leaned over it and gently kissed its head before pressing his own on it before it faded into blue motes of energy.
Once it was gone, he sat back on his knees, saying one last goodbye to his faithful companion.
He got back to his feet as he walked over to the two women, the pair seeing his eyes red and tears running freely down his cheeks.
"I'm sorry." Mordred said, not knowing what else to say.
"It was a magnificent beast. And it served me well. I'm lucky to have had the privilege to ride it." He said with a sad smile, tears still coming from his eyes.
"What do we do now?" Mordred asked. She turned to Jeanne to see her pale, looking in the direction of the Hanging Gardens.
"Shirou still lives." She said quietly.
"WHAT!?" Mordred shouted, her alarm evident.
"How the hell did he survive that? We barely survived it, and we were far enough away from it!?" She said, summoning her sword.
They waited for about ten minutes before they saw a figure emerge from the blacked trees, kicking up ash in his wake.
Shirou came from the trees, a vicious snarl on his face as his sword materialized in his hand.
"Time to take care of some thorns in my side." He said before swinging his sword.
-Godrick-
Godrick opened his eyes, feeling weaker than ever before. He was laying on his stomach in the crater his Self-Detonation created.
Pushing himself to his knees, he looked around for any sign of life, only seeing ash and molten lava flowing in thick rivers around him.
He thought back to when he had detonated, knowing Shirou had escaped by the skin of his teeth. He could feel Jeanne, Mordred, and Astolfo to his north, feeling they were alright for the moment.
He took inventory of himself, feeling that all his stats but Strength were at rank E.
His Strength stat was currently at EX, having met the condition to activate the +. His stat was originally at A+, but if he were to sacrifice all his stats to E in his Self-Detonation, it would act as if it had been sacrifice it to E, while evolving it to EX until he returned to the Throne World. Unfortunately, his remaining stats would remain at E until he returned to the Throne World, though the trade off was incredible power that could incinerate anything in existence.
Well… Almost anything. He looked to his right to see the Greater Grail, having fallen to the ground. He Had unconsciously wanted to save the Grail from destruction, and it seemed he did.
'I'll have to test it out more when I can.' He thought to himself as he got to his feet. He started to walk towards Jeannes direction, when he suddenly felt her heart rate skyrocket.
'Shirou!' He thought to himself as he immediately started to sprint in her direction.
-Jeanne-
Jeanne watched as Mordred buried her sword in the ground, heavily breathing as she gripped it with her remaining hand.
"No" She said weakly as she tried to summon her spear to no avail.
Shirou shouted as he lashed out at Mordred once more, driving her to pull her sword out from the ground to fend him off.
His attacks were fast, forcing her to let the smaller ones by so she could focus on the heavier ones. It had been one such attack that had taken her left arm just above the elbow. She used her remaining one to bat his sword to the side, giving her an opening for a lunge, which she took, only for Shirou to sidestep it and bring the handle of his sword down on the back of her neck.
She fell to the ground, pain coursing through her body as she felt his foot ram into her side, flipping her over to her back.
"I'll leave you alive so I can kill you when he gets here." He said walking over to Astolfo who was laying on the ground choking on his own blood.
"But you, I think I'll kill you." He said, driving his sword down through armor, flesh, blood, then finally stone.
Astolfo gasped as his head came up from the ground to see the blade standing erect from his chest. He gave one last shutter before his head fell to the ground, and he faded into blue particles.
"No!" Mordred shouted, trying to sit up.
She held her sword out, pointing it at Shirou point first.
"Clarent Blood Arth-" She began to shout before Shirou appeared before her and stomped down on her head, stopping her incantation mid sentence.
"I don't think so." He said as he ground his heel on her face, causing her to moan in pain.
Jeanne could do nothing as she saw her companions be decimated before her.
She did the only thing she could do, which was to call to her Juggernaut.
"Godrick!"
Suddenly a figure shattered through the trees and tackled Shirou, driving him to the ground.
Godrick was atop Shirou now, fists a blur as he struck downwards. Shirou was able to block some of the strikes, but not all of them as he held his hands up.
Using his blade, he drove the handle into Godricks ribs, causing the briefest moment of reprieve. Shirou took it, driving his left fist into the Juggernauts face, snapping his head to the side.
Using this moment, Shirou got his legs free, slamming them into the Juggernauts chest to throw him away.
Godrick landed on his back before rolling over to get to his feet. Shirou was before him in an instant again, slashing out with his sword once more to catch Godrick on his chest, cutting a deep wound there. Shirou then used his momentum to jump into the air, and drive his knee into Godricks face, snapping his head back.
Landing behind the Juggernaut, Shirou drove his long blade into his back, before cutting to the side, almost bisecting his foe.
Godrick brought a hand to his waist out of pain before he suddenly brought his left hand up to his neck, stopping Shirou's blade dead as he tried to cut off Godricks head.
The force knocked Godrick to his back, but Shirou was on him again, scoring a deep cut on Godricks shoulder as he rolled away, only to be met with Shirous pommel in his face.
A sickening crunch was heard as Godrick fell back to the ground, Shirou standing over him.
"I won't kill you right now. Only when you see your precious sister and Ruler dead will I grant you death." He said walking away from Godrick towards Jeanne.
Godrick used all his strength to sit up, using what little energy he had to heal his side. It was all he could do as he was running on empty, having only enough for one small heal.
He got to his feet as Shirou looked back at him, scorn on his face.
"I didn't hear no bell, bitch." Godrick signed to him, spitting blood from him mouth.
Shirous rage flared once more, as he swung his blade, only for it to be knocked to the side.
Godrick got behind him, wrapping his arms around his torso in a Nelson hold.
"What!?" Shirou shouted as he tried to get free, but the Juggernaut wouldn't budge.
"LET- GO- OF ME!" Shirou shouted as he tried his best to break free.
Blood red symbols formed on Godricks left arm before one faded away.
Mordred felt the familiar urge of a Command Seal being used on her, but she refused with all her might.
"No," She said, shaking her head as she tried to keep her hand from her sword.
Godrick looked over at her with pleading eyes, holding Shirou with all his strength in a stalemate.
"NO!" She shouted as her hand wrapped around the hilt of her sword.
Godricks arm lit up, and his Command Seals started disappearing one after another.
"NOOO!" Mordred screamed as she stood up, brandishing her sword. The vision came back to her, her standing over Godrick and Artoria as she stabbed them with Excalibur. She had told her alter self that she would never hurt her brother, but she was wrong.
She blitzed over to her brother and, using all her strength, buried Clarent in Shirous chest up to the hilt.
She looked up into her brother's eyes to see pain distorting his face as Clarent exited his back.
"CLARENT BLOOD ARTHUR!" Mordred shouted with all her might, as her sword sprang to life. Blood red energy coursed over the blade before exploding outward, throwing Godrick from the end of the blade, back towards Jeanne. He landed next to her, his chest a mess of burns and blood.
Shirou screamed for all he was worth as the Noble Phantasm ripped his body apart.
"NOOOO!" He shouted stabbing forward with his sword, cutting Mordred's Noble Phantasm short as he stabbed his blade into her chest.
"I REFUSE TO DIE UNTIL I FULFILL MY PURPOSE!" He screamed into her face, revealing his burned body. He was unrecognizable as his flesh had melted from his body, staying alive by sheer will.
He threw Mordred from his blade and started approaching Godrick and Jeanne weakly, rasping as he put one foot in front of the other.
"SIXTY YEARS!" He shouted.
"SIXTY GODDAMN YEARS, ALL WASTED BECAUSE OF YOU!" He screamed, his face looking like something out of a nightmare. His skin was shriveled, stretched over his skull leaving his teeth bared to the world. His armor hung from him in ruins, and part of his ribcage was exposed.
"I'LL KILL YOU!" He shouted as he started shuffling towards Godrick faster.
"Godrick," Jeanne's voice cut through everything in Godricks mind. He looked up to see she had crawled to him, gently holding his right hand.
"Win" She said, saying to him what he had said to her.
He felt her transfer the rest of her energy to him, giving away the little energy she was using to sustain herself.
His eyes widened as he saw her eyes go dull, and her head rested limply on her arm.
Godrick used all his strength to get to his knees and grab her body, bringing her into his lap. He stared into her eyes that had gone dull, the world stopping for him in that Instant.
Rage filled his being as he raised his head into the air and let loose his primal roar. A sound filled with grief, pain, and hatred filled the world, as his arm started to glow a deep amethyst.
The cry was so strong it knocked Shirou from his feet, forcing him to the ground and cover his ears.
Godrick felt something inside of him awaken, feeling the little energy Jeanne had given him multiple to double, then triple, then quadruple of what it had been.
He lowered his head and looked down at her as he set Jeanne's body down, turning to Shirou once more.
The man had stood up once more, but Godrick lunged at him, driving his hand through the man's chest.
It took Shirou by surprise, and as he looked up at the Juggernaut, he saw nothing but pure hatred.
"Not yet. Please not yet." Shirou said softly.
His sword dropped from his nerveless fingers as cold started to envelop his body.
Godrick ripped his hand from the man's chest before kicking his body to the ground, finally confirming his death.
Shirou faded into blue particles, leaving nothing of his body behind as Godrick watched emotionless.
His eyes were drawn to a figure who came from the trees. Kairi stood there, out of breath before seeing Mordred. He ran over to her before kneeling down and whispering in a soft voice.
Godrick turned back to Jeanne's body, falling to his knees once more next to her as he pulled her to him.
He held her close, feeling as if he had failed his duty to protect her.
They were supposed to stand together at the end, but here he was, alone.
He thought back on all they had shared. Even though it hadn't been a lot, he felt as if he had lost everything.
What would he do now? Just return to the throne world? Is this really the life he was to live from now on? Fighting others' battles for no other reason than they get a wish? The Grail promises Masters and Servants power to grant a wish, but was that true? Was he now condemned to fight for all eternity for a wish he would never get?
He felt movement in his arms that ripped him from his thoughts, and looked down to see Jeanne staring back up at him.
"Hi." She whispered up to him.
Godricks breath hitched in his throat as he pulled her closer to him.
"Godrick," Jeanne said.
He looked down at her as she used what strength she had to draw herself up to his face, and placed her lips against his.
Fireworks filled Godricks mind as the pair lost themselves in each other's embrace, kissing gently again and again.
Mordred was now standing with her master's help, a tired smile on her lips.
"It's about time.' She said as she began to fade into blue particles.
"Don't you want to say goodbye?" Her master asked.
"There's no need." She replied before looking up to him.
"You were one hell of a master. Best I've ever had." she said, fading completely.
"Thanks kid." He said, walking back into the ruined forest.
Jeanne broke their kiss, holding Godricks face with her right hand, their breath in each other's faces as their foreheads touched together.
"I wish I could have done that with my own lips, but I don't think I'll get the chance." She said sadly, looking into Godricks eyes.
"I don't have much time. The Grail has only given us this small moment together before I must leave." She said quietly.
Godrick made to protest, but a gentle finger on his lips stopped him.
"I know. Believe me, I know." She said as tears came to her eyes.
"I want to spend my time with you as well, but we both know that's possible right now." She said as a tear fell down her face.
"The Grail has seen fit to grant my vessel a wish. You must protect her as she goes to the Grail, then as she goes back home. After that, your job as my Juggernaut will be complete." She said as a sob racked her body.
"I wish we had more time together, Godrick." She said sadly, kissing him once more. The two of them stay like that for a moment more before she pulls away from him and gently rests her head against his bare chest.
"Goodbye, Godrick." She says as Golden particles fill the air, rushing through Godrick as they leave.
Godrick felt a hand on his cheek, raising his head to look to the sky. He saw nothing, but still felt the hand as it gently brushed a stray tear from his face before feeling it leave.
Suddenly he felt the body in his arms move, and looking down, he sees Laeticia looking up at him, sadness on her face.
He gently sets her down on the ground before standing up, offering her a hand to help her stand up. She takes it, and begins walking to the Grail.
The pair walked in silence as they made their way, the only sound being the night wind kicking up ash and dust.
Laeticia stood before the Grail in silence before looking back to Godrick. He gave her a gentle nod of encouragement before she turned back and put her hand onto the Grail.
She spoke no words as she made her wish, and soon after turned to him.
"I'm done." She said in a whisper.
He nodded, and the two walked away from the Grail, Leaving it in the crater.
He saw the plane holding the rest of the Black faction masters flying back to Yggdmillennia castle, giving them a wave as they flew by.
The pair made their way into the city, Godrick drawing eyes as he had yet to heal himself. He saw no point, as after he was done, he would return to the Throne of Heros.
Laeticia was able to find them a ride, but the man asked that Godrick sit in the bed of the truck. Godrick didn't complain as he hopped in the back and sat down. He could travel in spirit form, but had gotten used to walking around with Jeanne. They made their way back to Laeticia's home, driving back past fields of corn and wheat.
Godrick looked out among the fields, feeling like the wheat wasn't as golden as it was before. The corn and plants had also lost some of their color as well, looking duller than usual.
Soon, Laeticia stood in front of her home, Godrick next to her.
She looked up at him, before giving him a quick hug.
"Thank you for everything." She said before looking up at him.
"I want you to know. What you and Jeanne felt for each other… it was real." She said, giving him a smile that lifted his heart. For a moment, he saw Jeanne smiling up at him, but the illusion faded back to Laeticia's face.
His time was up. He could feel his purpose in this world had been fulfilled, as he walked away from Laeticia.
"🎶When somebody loved me,🎶" A woman began singing in one of the houses as Godrick walked by, finding a nearby stone on the edge of the town to sit on.
🎶Everything was beautiful, Every hour we spent together, lives within my heart,🎶
He thought of the times that Jeanne and him shared together. They had only known each other for a week or two, but he felt that they had known each other for lifetimes.
🎶And when she was sad, I was there to dry her tears, and when she was happy, so was I, when she loved me.🎶
🎶Through the summer and the fall, we had each other, that was all. Just she and I together, like it was meant to be. And when she was lonely, I was there to comfort her. And I knew that she loved me. So the years went by, I stayed the same. But she began to drift away, I was left alone. Still, I waited for the day. When she'd say, "I will always love you". Lonely and forgotten, never thought she'd look my way. And she smiled and held me, just like she used to do. Like she loved me, when she loved me. When somebody loved me, everything was beautiful. Every hour we spent together lives within my heart. When she loved me.🎶"
Godrick sat on the stone, tears in his eyes as he thought of never seeing her again. He looked out across the fields of wheat, seeing them blowing gently in the wind, as he bowed his head, and faded from the world to return to the Throne of Heroes.
But fate, and a wish, had different plans.
-ARC ONE END-
(A/N: Hello everyone. This marks the end of Arc one. I can't believe we are actually here! I hope you all have enjoyed this book to this point! Please leave me a review if you haven't! I'm going to start writing the next chapter tomorrow, but it might be a couple days till I post it so I can make sure I get everything right! I appreciate you all, and I'll see you in the next chapter!
Also, I highly recommend listening to the song at the very end.
"when she loved me" by Lyn Lapid (it's the song from toy story if you've seen it!))
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