Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Cerberus

Epilogue

"Shirou? Is something wrong?"

A redheaded boy with golden eyes glanced at his mother before shaking his head. "Not…really…" the seven-year old boy – Shirou – hesitantly said. The boy's mother tilted her head, and then walking closer, patted her son on the head.

"Are you not feeling well?" she asked, briefly touching Shirou's forehead. "Does something hurt? Or is it something else?"

Shirou shook his head. "No…" he said. "I just…I don't know…feel like I…forgot…missed something? But I also feel…I don't know…like I want to say thank you…?"

The boy's mother looked lost, as did her son. "…maybe I just forgot to do homework." Shirou eventually said. "Or something else…did I forget something, mom?"

"No, I don't think so."

"You don't think what?" Shirou's father asked as he entered the dining room of their house.

"I don't think Shirou forgot to do anything he needed to do." Shirou's mother answered her husband. "I've checked the list of projects and other schoolwork that needed doing over the weekend, and I don't think Shirou's missed anything else important. Commitments or appointments…unless you remember something?"

"No, I don't think so either." Shirou's father said.

Shirou scratched his head. "I…it's probably nothing." He said.

His parents looked at each other, and then Shirou's father shrugged and gave a laugh. "Maybe you forgot to watch your favorite anime?" he asked while sitting down and preparing to eat his breakfast. "Or is there a new manga issue or video game out?"

"…I don't think I missed anything…or there's anything new…"

"It probably really is nothing." Shirou's mother said with a sigh. "Or…you could be remembering something you dreamed about last night. That's the thing with dreams: you don't always remember after you wake up, apart from maybe some flashes of this and that tugging at your mind."

"That's…probably it." Shirou said with a nod and a smile. "Thanks mom!"

Shirou's mother smiled and patted her son on a cheek. "Go on," she said. "Finish your breakfast. You wouldn't want to be late for school, would you?"

"No, of course not!"

Without any further ado, Shirou turned back to his breakfast and began eating away with childish haste and gusto, his father eating more sedately nearby. As for his mother, she turned back to her other chores in the adjoining kitchen, which really involved just soaking pots and pans and used cooking utensils in the sink before joining her family at the table.

In truth, she too felt somewhat…strange, when she'd woken up earlier that morning. She had been…afraid, feeling as though someone had walked over her grave, and also grateful, for some reason.

She didn't know why or how, she just was. She'd quickly forgotten it though, as she busied herself with her usual morning routine, and would probably never have thought of it again, had not her son brought up something so…similar.

Maybe…maybe there's more to it? A dream…or a premonition?

The golden-eyed woman briefly paused, mulling over the thought while chewing a slice of meat and some rice, and then swallowing, washed it down with tea. And then raising her head, she silently and briefly regarded her family.

Her husband…theirs had been an arranged marriage, and while there hadn't been any real problems between them, there hadn't been any real chemistry between them either. Shirou though…her wonderful son…

If it was a premonition…a premonition that was somehow averted…then to the gods responsible…there are no words to express my thanks…


Snow fell in gentle heaps, adding to the great mounds which covered the land as far as the eye could see. They weighed heavy on the trees, whether bare for the season, or dark with evergreen leaves, and on the slate roofs of the main Edelfelt residence in the Lapland countryside.

The golden light of candles and gas lamps shone through windowpanes set in iron frames, and from exterior lights set in marble-fronted walls, those surrounding the residence topped with elegantly-worked, black-finished ironworks. Figures could be seen coming and going through those windowpanes, from menservants in starched black and whites, to maidservants in starched green and whites, and the Edelfelt clansmen, mostly blondes with a sprinkling of brunettes and the odd redhead every so often, all in variations of warm, winter indoors clothing.

"I think this will be fine." Aoi Zenjou said, tapping at one of several dossiers with attached pictures in front, each showing one of several, unused country residences that could be claimed by or offered to Edelfelt branch members by the main family should it prove necessary.

"Hmm…quite a distance from here…" Anneli Edelfelt mused while tapping her chin. "But it's not a bad choice. We'd still have to refit the gas system and plumbing come springtime, and you'll have to meet with the caretaker and his family, but there shouldn't be any real problems with you and your children moving there once all that is done. Also, the location is quite beautiful. Farm county and pasture all around, and a lake within walking distance. The villagers are quite friendly too, from what I hear."

"Sounds good," Aoi said with a sigh. "Though I imagine it'll take some getting used to. I spent my whole life living in a city."

"Hmm…I daresay it comes with starting over."

"Yes…I suppose it does." Aoi said with another sigh, and then she bowed low. "I know I've already said this, but once again, thank you. To you and your husband, thank you for everything you've done for us. For taking us in…and giving us this chance to start over…"

"Come now," Anneli gently interrupted, and just as gently taking her cousin by marriage's hands and squeezing them reassuringly. "There's no need to humiliate yourself. Your being grateful is only to be expected, but to such an extent? You are family. How could we do anything less?"

"Yes…you're right…" Aoi said, sniffing and dabbing away at her eyes. "Though I still wish my…husband, had not forgotten what that word meant."

Aoi sniffed again. "I'm sorry." She said after a deep breath. "It's just…fresh, right now."

"I understand." Anneli said with a small smile. "And I don't blame you. But, rest assured, no matter what else can be said about us, we have not forgotten what family means, and what responsibilities and expectations it brings. You and your children will be well taken care of, and will receive all you are due as our kin. On that you have my word, my husband's, and the rest of the family's."

"…thank you…truly…thank you very much."


Illyasviel 'Illya' von Einzbern huddled in one corner of her suite, bloody bandages wrapped around her arms, legs, and around her forehead. Ever since word had reached Germany of how the Fourth Holy Grail War had simply fizzled out, and how no contact could be had with her parents, the rest of the family had turned cold to her.

Very much so…though the investigation was still ongoing, Illya's grandfather had already deemed her parents' mission a failure, and confirmed her role as the next Lesser Holy Grail. And that decision brought with it repeated surgeries to further modify her body for the role, stricter training marked by harsh discipline wherein every sign of weakness, every mistake and failure, was punished harshly, mostly with brutal reprimands, and at times with light beatings.

And through it all, her grandfather, Jubstacheit von Einzbern, the Old Magus King of Einzbern Castle, had made it clear that if she was to blame anyone for her hardships, it was her parents. They had failed in their duty to win the war and return the Grail to Einzbern, and so that duty now fell to her. And so she had to be prepared, weaknesses cut out before they could cause her to fail as well in her turn, her mind and body shaped to fully face her task without anything that could possibly detract her from her purpose, her reason for existing at all.

But while Illya had quickly latched onto her grandfather's words, if only to find some measure of…understanding, why her life had taken a turn for the worse…deep down, a small, and constantly-growing smaller part of her still hoped that her parents were still alive. That they still loved her, and were even now trying to get to her. To rescue her…to end the pain and hardness of her life…

Illya blinked as she felt the air shift. She lifted her head, her guards lifting their halberds, made from alchemically-forged rhenium alloy stronger than modern tank armor and in the hands of an Einzbern homunculus enough to fight Servants with. The air shifted, the pressure increasing and causing their ears and heads to resound with pain, their noses picking up the stink of ozone.

And then it appeared. On the far side of the suite, a tear split open in reality itself, a point of absolute darkness that was not merely the absence of light itself, but the absence of existence in full. All around it, reality seemed to twist as though it were a film of oil, distorted by something solid poking through liquid, shining with all the colors of the rainbow.

The tear in reality widened, until it was big enough for multiple people to pass through. And then the air pressure abruptly dropped, causing ears to pop, and the darkness shimmered, giving way to the appearance of a tropical island on the other side.

Blurs swept through the portal, one of blue and silver holding aloft golden light, the other black tinged with violet. Then blood fountained and rhenium alloy flew in sparkling shards, as Saber cut one homunculus down with a two-handed, overhead blow, Excalibur shearing through alchemically-forged metal and Trans-Human flesh as though they were made from paper.

The other homunculus swung twice at Assassin, who dodged and then feinted, before striking a poisoned dagger into the homunculus' belly. And as his strength waned, Assassin holding away his weapon arm with an iron grip, she reached up with her free hand and holding his chin, pressed her lips against his.

The homunculus struggled for a few moments, his movements growing ever weaker and more sluggish, until finally Assassin let him go. She helped him lie down on the ground, and pulling her dagger out of his stomach, took his hands and folded it over his wound before closing his sightless eyes.

None of that mattered much to Illya though, for she was focused on who came next through the portal. And for Kiritsugu and Irisviel, all that mattered was their daughter.

"Mama…papa…!"

"Illya!"

"Illya!"

Father…mother…daughter…all three embraced each other tightly, words failing the whole family, tears and each other's presence saying all that needed to be said. And then Cerberus and Maiya were coming through, carrying automated turrets ready for deployment with them.

"Let's hurry it up!" Cerberus said, kneeling down to set up a crossfire on the balcony.

"I know!" Maiya said, doing likewise only for a crossfire on the door.

The two assassins worked hard and fast, but as they approached completion, Cerberus cursed. "Radar's picking up hostiles…" she snapped. "We have to move, now!"

Automated turrets whined as they came to life, turning off safeties and chambering 7.62x51mm NATO rounds. "Cerberus!" Kiritsugu shouted as he pulled off what he was carrying on his back, and tossed it to her. And then picking up his daughter, hurried to the portal followed by Irisviel.

"We'll cover you!" Maiya said, flipping the safety of her MP5 and chambering a round, Assassin and Saber ready to engage nearby.

Cerberus nodded, and then ran further into the suite, and at its heart put down what Kiritsugu had tossed her. A 200-kilogram bomb, impossible to lift if not for reinforcement, with an attached timer and detonator. Cerberus popped open a panel, and inserting and turning a key, typed in the security code.

Gunfire and the sound of steel striking steel could be heard in the distance, but Cerberus ignored that as she armed the bomb, and then removing the key, sealed the panel. "Let's move!" she shouted as she ran back to the portal.

Maiya cursed as she opened fire on full-auto, spraying the ruined doorway with nine-millimeter rounds, the automated turrets doing likewise with rifle-caliber rounds. As Cerberus ran past, she fired a plasma round from her omni-tool, smirking as she heard a homunculus cry out with pain.

And then she was passing through the portal…

…vastinfinitehugeextensiveexpansivebroadwideboundlessimmesurablelimitlessenormousgiganticgreatgiantmassivecolossalmammothimmensetremendousmightystupendousmonumental…

"Close the portal!" she shouted as she ran down the dais, and Kiritsugu did just that. Behind her, the portal closed with the sound and feel of air rushing to fill a vacuum, and only then did all of them relax.

And in distant Germany, Jubstacheit's rage knew no bounds, from Emiya and his family's apparent betrayal, their trespass on his castle, and even inflicting massive damage to said castle.

There will be a reckoning.


"Hey, Waver…" Rider grumbled as he looked for his Master, the giant Servant simply parting the crowd before him from his sheer bulk. "Where'd you go? Don't tell me you wandered off…honestly, you know I…"

Rider trailed off as his supernatural senses heard Waver's voice, crying out in pain, followed by his nose picking up the scent of blood. Rider quickly followed his senses, down a dark alley and around a corner…

…and there they were. A trio of thugs in scuffed and dirty clothes, kicking and stepping all over Waver, who was curled up on the ground, the better to protect his internal organs.

"We won't ask you again, guvnor." One of the thugs said, stepping down on Waver's head. "Hand over your money and jewelry, or else."

"And your shoes." Another thug said.

"That coat looks real warm too." The third thug said.

"Hey now," Rider said, and all three of them turned to him in surprise. "Is this really necessary? I know life can be hard, but turning to crime isn't the answer, you know?"

"Screw you!" the thugs shouted. "You with this little punk?"

"Yes I am. He's a friend of mine, so I can't really let you just beat him down." Rider said, while walking closer. "That said, I'm not one for avoidable violence, so just walk away and…"

Two of the thugs punched Rider in the belly…

…and the sound of breaking bone was followed by screams as the thugs recoiled, their fists all but literally pulverized from striking something harder than concrete. Their leader screamed in his turn and pulled out a revolver, and fired repeatedly at Rider, ignoring his attempts to calm the leader down.

Bullets just bounced off Rider and ricocheted everywhere…

…and struck the gang leader in a shin. Now it was his turn to fall to the ground screaming, his fellow gangsters grabbing him before turning to run, looking behind them with fearful eyes.

Rider sighed and rubbed his head with disappointment. "That was…not, how I wanted this to end." He said, before turning to Waver. "You alright, Waver?"

"A bit banged up," Waver said, helping himself to stand by climbing against the wall. "But nothing serious…sorry."

Rider looked surprised and confused. "What for?" he asked.

"For getting mugged so easily." Waver said with a sigh. "If I'd been more careful, then…"

Laughing, Rider quickly patted Waver on the back and pulled him close, an arm around the younger man's shoulders. "It's no problem at all." He said. "Just be more careful next time. And you did well, not giving-in to them. That's a victory in itself. Take heart from that, learn from your mistakes today, and be all the stronger and better for it. Alright, Waver?"

Waver was silent for a long moment, and then he nodded. "Yeah," he said, straightening himself up. "I understand. And thanks."

"That's the spirit!"


Magi swarmed all over the Tohsaka mansion. Some stood guard, while others oversaw the securing of materials and their stowing of transit. The stockpiled gems in the workshop, mystic codes and artefacts, books, files, papers, and the like, all were carried away for analysis and archiving at the Clock Tower.

The same went for the books in the library, while others scoured the mansion for secret compartments, hidden rooms, and out-of-way vaults and storage places. Others more gathered artworks and other precious objects, to be further looked into for magical value later on, and if not, to be auctioned off.

The furniture was also left alone, though again depending on if magical value could be found. If not, then they along with the mansion would either be auctioned off later on once all…potential, leaks about the supernatural had been removed. Or, they'd be passed on to the next Second Owner.

The current one was currently…indisposed. Indeed, he had been the first to be taken away, the haggard and unkempt Tokiomi led away wearing a smock and a straitjacket, accompanied by a trio of filthy dolls, one each for his family. The smock had been as much courtesy as much as it was for the comfort of the enforcers. On finding the man, he'd been wallowing in his filth, and stunk to high heaven.

In any case, Tokiomi would have his crest removed, the latter to be archived and the man himself committed to a mental hospital with ties to the Association. Considering he was talking all about magical matters – as though he was teaching, in fact – to the doll representing his older daughter, his life henceforth would be under constant surveillance, every word that came from his mouth to be studied for any further value.

There might be more…in-depth, questioning and the like of the man, but that remained to be seen. For now, that is.

And sitting on a lamppost outside, hidden by a necklace taken from the Gate of Babylon, a little blonde boy with red eyes watched it all, legs lazily waving back and forth. "What a sad end," he said softly to himself. "Even if he wasn't a very good man, this was not a good way to go."

The boy-king sighed as he got up, childishly rocking on his heels as he considered the matter further. "Still," he finally said. "It's not like none of this is his fault. All actions have consequences, and those consequences have to be faced."

Sighing again, Gilgamesh jumped down, landing lithely on the road. "At least his family's in good hands now." He said, before walking away, arms folded behind his head. "Oh well…what to do…what to do…oh, I know! I think I'll go play with Illya, and maybe have some cookies from Missus Emiya!"

Grinning to himself in a way that would have his older self palming his face in embarrassment at the complete lack of royal dignity, Gilgamesh ran down the streets with full intent to cross the city to where the Emiya had dug themselves in. But of course: they had a lonely child who was more than happy to play with him, and her mother was very nice.

And she had cookies and cake and other sweet things.

Life was good.


Lancer sighed as he felt his contract with Sola-Ui break, having touched the tip of Gae Dearg to the command spells of his Master as she slept in bed. Yes…this was the best for all concerned.

He had, after all, answered Kayneth's summons to return to the world. And he had only ever consented to become Sola-Ui's Servant in the hope of claiming the Grail and using its power to restore Kayneth to his full abilities. But with the Holy Grail found tainted and worse than useless, and its subsequent destruction…

…such was no longer possible. And thus, he no longer had any reason to stay.

Shifting to astral form, Lancer phased through the floors above, towards the roof. With his connection with his Master gone, he probably had only until the sunrise before he vanished from the world. But if that was so, then he would die with the sunrise as his last sight.

Shame…Ireland is only an island away. If I could, I'd die on the shores of home, watching the Sun rise over the waters…

…but things never go as I hope they would, do they?

Sitting in silence on the motel's roof, Lancer considered his actions now and in the recent past. As Kayneth's Servant, he had nothing to regret. To be sure, he had unintentionally seduced his lord's wife…nothing willfully done to regret, then…and he'd suffered his lord's displeasure more than once, but for all that, he'd served his lord true and honorably.

Even transferring his allegiance had been done for the sake of his lord's betterment…

…and in that light, even his actions now were not something to be regretted.

His allegiance had always been to Kayneth. And now that Kayneth was dead, there nothing to keep him here.

Vengeance perhaps…but Sola-Ui was clearly uninterested in that. She'd made no attempt to contact her relatives, and indeed, actively sought to avoid them. That was even the reason why they were here, in a dirty, soot-stained, fish-reeking village along the east coast of Britain, hiding out until Sola-Ui could gather what she needed to live comfortably with, and then disappear onto the continent.

And while Lancer could pressure her to seek vengeance…

…it was not meet for a knight to do so to a woman, even as…callous, and self-serving as Sola-Ui was.

No…better to just cut ties with her, and move on. Move on…return to the Throne of Heroes…as he once did at the end of his mortal life…

As the Sun began to climb over the horizon, the velvet of night giving way to the pearl and rose of dawn, and as Lancer's prana waned and began to run out, the Knight of Fianna smiled, and a name came to mind as he faded away.

Grainne…


Cerberus, once known as Sakura Tohsaka but now to most as Sakura Matou and as Kirsikka Edelfelt to others, sat drinking tea in her personal residence in the country about an hour's drive out from Tokyo. Unlike the family residence in Fuyuki to the south, this was her and her house alone, built on top of a wooded hill sloping down to a waterfront on the Pacific below.

Sakura sat unconcerned as a car drove up to the front of her house, and then footsteps were climbing up to the front of the door. There was a knock.

"Come in." Sakura said, and Rin Tohsaka – her Rin Tohsaka – opened the door to get in.

Sakura pointed at Rin's belly, which was starting to show a baby bump. "Have I been gone that long?" she asked.

"I don't know." Rin said, walking over to sit opposite her sister. Full by blood, legally only half. "Where have you been all this time?"

"Eh…you'll figure it out soon enough." Sakura said with a grin, pulling out a USB and tossing it to Rin. "If you don't know how to use it, I'm sure one of your underpaid flunkeys does."

"They are not underpaid and I am not letting them access something of this value. Also…the Kaleidoscopic Buoy is not a toy."

Sakura looked unimpressed. "As I recall," she said. "You didn't hesitate tearing strips off your counterpart's back during that trip of ours back then. And you were in favor of letting my cousin's mirror image to just bleed out too."

"…that's different."

"Oh really?"

"Yes."

For a long moment there was silence, and then both sisters were smiling at each other. "Tea?" Sakura offered.

"Please and thank you."

Sakura shrugged and poured tea for her sister. "I'm sure the experimental data will come in useful for you, one way or another." She said. "If one can travel through time, then one can also travel through space."

Rin took a sip of her tea and nodded in approval. "How far?" she asked.

"Directly from Japan to Germany, and then back again." Sakura answered. "The portal was stable – very much so – for more than two minutes too."

"Oh now that was very well done." Rin said with a grin, and eyeing the USB Sakura had given her with awed eyes. "Yes, this is going to very helpful with some very sensitive work."

Sakura shrugged. "Here's to your success." She said, and raising her teacup in a toast. "Just…don't push yourself too much. It's not just your life on the line, after all. My niece or nephew are counting on you too."

"I know…but thanks for your concern anyway."

Sakura just smiled and drank her tea.


Deep beneath Mt. Enzo, there is a cavern.

There, the ley-lines intersect.

There, the power of the Earth is gathered over a period of decades. It is used to power the summoning of Servants, to reduce the strain on the Masters from bringing incarnated Heroic Spirits back into the World.

And there, should the Grail be completed, the path to the Root would be opened.

And ever since the Einzbern sought to cheat their way to victory during the Third Holy Grail War, there Angra Mainyu has slumbered.

It was a slumber that ended with the Fourth Holy Grail War, an awakening that would lead to a short, relative calm before the storm, before the world was to be blessed with its own evil. But thanks to the intervention of one possessed of mysteries from beyond the world, destiny had been denied. Judgment had been denied. The world continued to endure, ignorant and uncaring of its sins, and continued to add to them.

Or was it?

Statuary that once shone with golden light were dull and lifeless, the great orb of the Greater Grail cracked and shattered. Magical energy no longer flowed into the cavern, the ley-lines broken and their courses shifted following the impromptu ritual crafted by Irisviel von Einzbern.

With the receding shadows of dawn outlining a circle and linking together mystic codes prepared and positioned by the Masters, magical energy which should have fed the Grail were instead used to power a counter-magic ritual. One that aimed not at the mysteries of the Grail, but that which made them possible: Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern's magic circuits.

Each and every last one of them had been reduced to ash, and without them, the Grail was no more.

Shouldn't it?

Angra…Mainyu…

Water dripped down from the cavern's walls, leaking from underground aquifers and into the rock and soil, and thence into unfilled, underground spaces. It pooled at the bottom, ran down the walls, and dripped onto the ruins of the Greater Grail, through its cracked and broken form, and into the pool.

Angra Mainyu…

Inky darkness swirled in the water, so minute as though they were tricks of the eye. They lasted but a fraction of a second, but with every drop of water from the Greater Grail, there they were.

Angra Mainyu…hates you all…

Angra Mainyu…curses you all…

Die…

…agony…

…all…

…die…

…die…

…die…

…die…

…die…

…die…

…die…

…die…

…die…

…die…

…die…

…die…

…die…

…die…

The End (?)


A/N

And that's a wrap. A bit anti-climactic, I know, but that's deliberate. Not everything has to end with flashy explosions, blazing light and power, speeches about the triumph of good over evil, etc.

Besides, nothing is ever truly over. And while the ending seems to be a happy one…

…is it really?