The Lion that Roars – Chapter 4- Interlude

Sneaks back in. Blows dust and debris of typewriter. Fate and Got still don't belong to me. Enjoy!

Pink and gold was the sunrise that dawn. The tranquillity of the area stood in stark contrast to their surroundings. No doubt Ryuudou temple would have to be closed for refurbishment and repair after the earlier events of the night.

It occurred to him, right there and then, that before him was probably the most beautiful scene he would ever witness in his life. She had let her hair loose, and the cold morning air made him want to shiver even as it played with her strands, sunlight cascading and shimmering as the golden waves fluttered in the breeze.

He wanted to go up to her, to embrace her from behind and hold her tight. They had fought, against insurmountable odds, and triumphed. Victory was theirs. Gilgamesh and Kirei defeated, Illya and Rin both alive and waiting. Logically, he should have been happy, exuberant! No more fighting, no more death!

His frantic ruminations froze as she turned to face him, eyes downcast. A gentle smile graced her lips even as the hollow weight in his stomach seemed to balloon.

"Shirou… I… love… you."

Those words struck him like a hammer, and he had to mentally exert himself to not show a disgraceful reaction. Even now, the distance between them betrayed the bitter ironic reality of their situation. Those three sacred words, which would normally signify the start of a relationship, in their case only made him more aware.

He loved her too. He has said just as much that night, when she had rejected him out of duty. Any other time, he would have been jubilant. His first, in many things. First crush, first lover, first teacher, he was blessed to have summoned her as his servant. And therein lied the problem. The holy grail had been destroyed, and soon she would dematerialise, called back to the throne of heroes, far away from him.

"I..."

He couldn't say them. It seemed like a mockery, a disgraceful formality to say them back to her. Insufficient to carry the weight and complexity, the anguish of his feelings. It felt that if he were to complete the sentence, there would be a sense of finality, and that would be the end of it all. All their memories, the time they had spent together, the trials and tribulations, their hopes and dreams, laughter and joy, was it all for this? Their page, this precious page of feelings, to be turned over and closed- he couldn't bear it.

He looked up at her, eyes anxiously meeting hers, expecting admonishment. Of course, it was nothing of the sort. As expected of her, there was no need for it to be put into words. She had stood by him, protected him, and was probably the one person who understood him the most in this world. She tilted her head and graced him with a sad smile.

The breeze picked up, and he instinctively knew that their time together was coming to a close. This could very much be their last time together, and yet here he was fretting like a child. The Holy Grail war was many things, and Shirou could not help but think that his participation, involuntary or otherwise, had had the benefit of making him grow as a person, both physically and mentally. Seizing the chance, he resolutely closed the distance in several quick strides.

Enjoying the look of surprise on her face, he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. Even now, it surprised him how petite she was, her slender frame perfectly moulded to his form, like two jig saw pieces that fit together. She responded in kind, one un-gloved hand rising to gently ruffle through his matted crimson locks.

"Wait for me." He dimly thought that his voice had sounded weird, but he didn't care. Standing here, in her embrace, he closed his eyes and lost himself to his senses. The smell of blood and metal, and of that peculiar scent unique to her that simultaneously comforted him and electrified his very being. Her tresses tickling his face, and the softness of her skin. Her body tremored beneath him and he realised she was chuckling.

"Of course Shirou. I'll see you again soon."

It was a lie. But a comforting one that went against her normal character as a Knight, and for that Shirou was grateful and touched beyond words. Even as he went to hold her closer, he felt the sudden bloom of light around them.

And with that, she was gone. He fell to his knees, his heart spiralling down in heavy shudders.

The clap that echoed across the clearing came from behind had a dull, fleshy quality to it.

"Now that was certainly touching. I do hope you don't hold it against for interfering earlier, for it just wouldn't seem right."

Shirou whirled around in alarm. How could it be? Kirei was most certainly dead, after all he had not only plunged the Azoth sword into his breast, but also using mana detonated it, shredding both his physical body and also his spiritual prana pathways. There was no way anyone could get up after that.

Even so, his eyes widened in alarm as his worst fears were confirmed- true the priest was in a sorrowful state, his right side trailing behind him as he dragged himself out of the shadows. His face was an ashen shade of grey, and beneath the skin something squirmed disturbingly. A sanguine and black glow seemed to pulse, forming bulging bridges that crawled up his exposed neck.

"Hmm? You seem confused, son of Emiya."

Pitch black eyes bore into his with a sense of wry amusement, and the sudden flash of white teeth that came with a splitting smile made Shirou want to stagger back.

"How can you still be alive? You were dead, I confirmed it!"

"How does it feel Emiya? To know that despite all your struggles and sacrifices, at the end of the game, I have this final card to play! The look of despair and confusion in your eyes, it fills my wretched soul with joy! Still, before you die I guess I could answer your questions. You might not have known this, but during the climax of the last grail war, I was shot through the heart and killed by your father, Kiritsugu Emiya."

"That's absurd. People die when they are killed."

"Normally, that'd be the case, but through the powers of the grail, I was resurrected. My soul was dragged back from beyond the veil of death, and my both rejuvenated through the residual mana of the grail."

"But that doesn't explain now! Saber destroyed this war's grail, I witnessed it's destruction just now! There's no way you would have had the chance to repeat that trick."

"Very astute of you. There is no doubt Shirou Emiya that you are the undisputed winner of the grail war. My body has once again been inflicted with a mortal injury, and this time with the grail destroyed, there are no third chances for me. But with the grails destruction, and the expelling of the curse and of its mana, I can through my familiarity with it absorb the remnants of its energy to empower my failing form."

It was true, already Shirou could see that despite Kotomine's lucidity and mobility, his body seemed to be tearing itself apart, his skin and vestments seeming more and more like a fragile shell, cracking itself apart in an attempt to contain whatever malevolent energies fuelled him still.

"Now, I'm afraid i'm on a tight schedule and have no interest in further trading words with you. I will say this to you at the least Shirou Emiya. At first, when I saw your inexperienced self stumble into my church, I must admit I was sorely disappointed. I may hate Kiritsugu Emiya with all my being, but at the very least I respected the man, as both a master and a magus killer. Yet here we stand, the last two masters of this war! I have sorely underestimated your growth, this I gladly admit. But now the final curtains are drawing to a close. Heed me spawn of Emiya! You may have won the Grail War, but there is still one last battle, right here and right now! With this last clash, you will fall to true despair! ANGRA MAINYU- GO FORTH AND CONSUME MY ENEMY"

Lurching unnaturally, Kirei aimed both arms at Shirou. A torrent of black and crimson energy jetted forth, with an intensity that blew both of his hands physically off his body, before being consumed.

Heart pounding, Shirou realised that the attack, whilst of the same type as the ones he had suffered earlier on that night, was of several magnitudes higher in intensity. Already, he could feel the cold sweat beading on his nape, as the screams and painful wailing that came from the curse started roaring in his ears as it's approach. He instinctively knew that this time, if it were to entrap him like earlier, there would be little hope of survival, especially with Saber no longer here.

"TRACE ON- AVALON!"

Almost immediately he had to bite back a scream as the cost of projecting made itself known through his overtaxed magic circuits. Non the less, the scabbard appeared in a flash in front of him, exuding golden light that acted as a bastion to check the torrent of curses headed for him. His hair blowing back from the clash, he gritted his teeth for what seemed like hours, as Kotomine's attack seemed to pour forth relentlessly. Eventually however, the attack stopped, and Shirou could not help but collapse on one knee, taking advantage of the temporary respite.

"It seems we have ourselves a stale mate. No, that's incorrect, If this were to continue, my body would expire before yours."

It was true, though Shirou was on one knee, there was no doubt that the one who physically suffered more from the exchange was Kotomine. One of his arms ended at the elbow in a ragged stump, and a unhealthy looking black ooze seeped from both his mouth and the cracks in his skin.

"So why don't you just give up? If that's the case, can't you leave me alone and go die somewhere else?"

Kotomine started to laugh, only to be interrupted by a hacking cough. Something red and partially solid was spat from his lips.

"Now now, I still have some measure of pride. Avalon may be an immovable impenetrable defence, but don't think I'm out of ideas. Yes… this may work still. If you can't be moved, than it stands to reason that I just have to move the space around you!"

"What are you talking about?"

Kotomine leaned down, and using his teeth, bit and pulled one of his arms up. If it wasn't for the seriousness of the situation, and the spray of black liquid from one of the veins on his neck, some may have considered the situation absurd. With another yank of teeth, he successfully managed to drag up the ruined sleeves, revealing a line of crimson command seals.

"By the power of my command seals, I call forth my servant, to fight at my side!"

Shirou looked on aghast, as more than half of the seals seemingly exploded in black light. More than that, he was struck speechless as something did materialise behind Kotomine.

"I wasn't sure this would work to be honest. However, it seems like the fact that Archer bathed himself in the mud of the grail as well, as well as my surplus of command seals, worked together for my final move."

There was no doubt that it was Gilgamesh standing behind him. The strongest hero of the war, no possibly the strongest in the entire throne of heroes had made his return. Dull crimson eyes stared blankly ahead, and his skin and armour was covered with squirming black filth, but there was no doubt. Pre-emptively Shirou readied himself to wield Avalon once more, not entirely sure that he would be able to survive the next attack. His only consolation was that Kotomine was not lying about this being his final action. The priest was on his knees, more dead than alive, hacking up more and more spurts of fluid and innards.

"With the rest of my command seals, I command you my servant! OPEN UP THE GATES OF BABYLON AND TAKE THAT BOY WITHIN ITS DEPTHS!"

Purple and flickering with a ghostly quality, one massive gate materialised around Shirou, entrapping him within its centre. With a resounding clang, the gate opened, and Shirou could see inside the legendary armoury of Gilgamesh. Countless swords, weapons, trinkets and goods, brimming across the horizon of his vision. Not only that, however, but the gates were contaminated, perhaps because of the way its master was summoned. More of Angra Mainyu's living curse contaminated within the gate, writhing about and wailing.

"AVALON"

It was no use. Once again the scabbard blazed forth golden light, that formed an impenetrable shield around Shirou, but the face of the gate was too vast, and the doors started to close, with Shirou at the centre. He realised, with the clarity of one too close to their own demise, that there was no escape. Avalon could only be maintained by him whilst stationary, and doing so would mean he would be swallowed up by the gate. Dispelling Avalon would give him the chance to run for it, but that would mean he would immediately be swallowed up by the curse that poured forth.

"Do you see Emiya? It's my victory after all! Even I don't know what will befall you once you're in the gate! No doubt Archer would dispel once I pass, but what then? Trapped within a dematerialised gate, corrupted by the world's hatred! Will you suffocate and succumb to the curses? Or merely remain imprisoned forever, in a gilded prison to starve away? Truly a magnificent demise!"

Shirou wanted to reply, to say something in retort. To make one last verbal outburst, one last sign to the world that he was there, still fighting. But the strain of Avalon was so that his entire body felt like it was fire, and his jaw was clenched closed.

The gate lowered, and the doors swung close with a resounding clang. One last flicker, and the gates blinked out of reality, followed shortly by their master.

Kotomine rolled so that his face was facing the sky. Already, his body was turning gray, cracking away into dust. A satisfied smile on his face, he whispered

"Looks like it's my win, Emiya."

There was no reply.