Inheritance of Glory

Fate/Apocrypha: Inheritance of Glory refers to an event, part of a collaboration between Fate/Grand Order and Fate/Apocrypha, which Ritsuka Fujimaru was involved in, having being summoned in a dream by Sieg. It involves a recreation of the Great Holy Grail War in Trifas, within the Greater Grail.^[1]

Setting

Even after being absorbed into the Greater Grail following their death by Shirou Kotomine, Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia and Vlad III's souls remained fused together. Many years after Sieg brought the Greater Grail to the Reverse Side of the World, Darnic manifested within its inner world. Still clinging to his dream to acquire the Grail, he sought to take control of it.^[2] He recreated Trifas and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and rematerialized the Servants who participated in the Great Holy Grail War with the exception of the Rulers.^[2][3] However these Servants are merely mindless husks, programmed to fight each other endlessly. The recreated Holy Grail War also resets whenever the sun rises.^[3] Eventually Sieg, fearing the Grail would go out his control, he summoned Ritsuka Fujimaru to the Reverse Side with the Grail's power.^[1]

History

Prologue

A narration speaks about how two sets of seven have gathered at last. No Ruler has summoned nor will this Great Holy Grail War have an effect on the world. The other Ruler isn’t here either, for he is already dead, thus he will not be sent here as a new Ruler.^[1]

The narrator therefore claims this tiny insignificant world which miraculously managed to maintain itself as their own. As such, they will repeat the cycle as many times it takes. They will recreate the miracle and this time, they will ascend to glory. It is all they can do in the end.^[1]

Ritsuka finds themselves in what they presume is a dream. A dragon confirms their suspicions, yet the dream is also quite real. He summoned them here using the Holy Grail’s power while they were asleep. Their current self is a mental projection of themselves while their body remains asleep on the Shadow Border. He needs their help to save this world.^[1]

Introducing himself as Fafnir, he explains they’re in the Reverse Side of the World, which is in danger thanks to the Greater Grail he brought. In his world, though, he had no other choice but to bring it here, otherwise it would have caused a myriad of other issues. A certain Noble Phantasm had partially destroyed the Grail, but until recently, there had been no problems.^[1]

Fafnir reveals a Holy Grail War is occurring inside the damaged Grail. While he hasn’t actually seen the battles himself, he knows they number over 10,000.^[1]

At the start, there were only two Servants. By the 567th Grail War, there were four Servants, and by the 2313th, there were seven. It was then when Fafnir’s control of the Grail began to waver, meaning someone is trying to usurp it and use it for themselves.^[1]

Fafnir warns if nothing is done, the Grail will continue to go out of control until it’s destroyed. That would be a problem because he merely holding on to it so he can’t let himself nor anyone else use it. The worst-case scenario is that a piece of the world’s Texture could tear off, which will cause the Age of Gods to mix into modern times.^[1]

Ritsuka agrees to help, so Fafnir flies them into the Grail’s inner domain.^[1]

Dive, Inner World

Upon arriving, Fafnir sees like he suspected Trifas has been recreated along with Assassin of Red’s Hanging Gardens with incredible accuracy. He explains Trifas is a small city in Romania where the Great Holy Grail War took place.^[4]

Wiping out a group of golems and Dragon Tooth Warriors with a single breath of his fire, Fafnir prepares to land when Servants attacks and he is struck down Vasavi Shakti. He crash lands into the forest below, his wings too damaged to fly for now.^[4]

He explains the Servants in the recreation are more akin to robots, sharing the same strength of their originals but lacking emotions and the ability to think for themselves. Still, he never thought they could reproduce their Noble Phantasms.^[4]

Ritsuka warns him the Servants have found them so they need to escape. But Fafnir tells them his body is too slow for them to escape together. He instead implores to get to the fortress where they’ll be safe and tries to say more when he is struck by Balmung.^[4]

A friendly Servant fortunately arrives, recognizing Ritsuka as a real Master. He offers to take them to safety for Fafnir, to whom he refers to as Custodian. Fafnir leaves Ritsuka to him, promising to catch up later.^[4]

Upon escaping the forest, though, the pair are beset by Dragon Tooth Warriors. The Servant introduces himself as Chiron before fighting the warriors.^[4]

With the enemy gone, Chiron urges they continue to escape, but Ritsuka is concerned about Fafnir. Chiron leaves it to Rider and continues to escape with Ritsuka promising to explain their current predicament once they’re safe.^[4]

Defense: Millenia Fortress

Inside the fortress, dawn soon breaks, and with it, the Servants all disappear. Chiron confirms they disappear each morning precisely at six o’clock. They only realized this around the 734th Grail War, though.^[3]

Chiron then explains what the Great Holy Grail War was to Ritsuka, revealing Fafnir was the victor, which is how he came to possess the Grail. The Servants here are reproductions of the Servants summoned during said Grail War. This world is a recreation of the Great Holy Grail War, so only Trifas and the Hanging Gardens exist.^[3]

Originally, the reproduced Servants were just imitations that fought endlessly without thought or emotion. However, as the war repeated itself, they developed intelligence, reason, and even regained their memories as Servants. But they remember nothing about the Great Holy Grail War.^[3]

Chiron then explains the enemy are reproduced Servants like him and Rider. Unlike them, though, they have no intelligence or reason, but they do have sheer numbers. Of the fourteen Servants originally summoned for the Great Holy Grail War, the enemy numbers twelve. Chiron doesn’t know any of their True Names besides Rider, but he suspects Fafnir may know.^[3]

He explains Fafnir is the Grail’s Custodian being the original war’s victor, though he doesn’t know he secured victory nor what he is doing inside the Grail. As the Custodian, though, Fafnir would probably like the Grail to stop simulating the war. They should be helping him, but their enemies are too strong. Worse is that the other Servants have earned how to use their Noble Phantasms despite still lacking consciousness. They have no choice but to repeatedly fight them, yet the more they do, the worse the situation gets.^[3]

Ritsuka asks Chiron how he and Rider become conscious. Chiron admits they do not know, though it is their belief Fafnir altered the simulation’s parameters to turn them into proper Servants. It should be well within his capabilities as the Grail’s Custodian to recreate them in this world, though it seems he hesitated to do so until the very last moment. If he hadn’t, they would have more allies.^[3]

In response to Ritsuka’s suggestion not to fight, Chiron says that would be difficult as there is no refuge in this world nor is it guaranteed Ritsuka will survive tomorrow. The other Servants didn’t attack the fortress only because Ritsuka and Fafnir are new and unexpected elements. That decision of theirs was likely a function of the battle simulation program rather than one made on their own. Next time, they will probably account for Fafnir and attack the fortress.^[3]

Rider then enters and introduces himself as Achilles. He informs both Chiron and Ritsuka that Fafnir is resting in the courtyard.^[3]

Ritsuka checks on Fafnir like Achilles suggested. He is badly injured thanks to being hit by the Noble Phantasm of Siegfried the Dragon-Slayer. As a dragon, he is more vulnerable to that attack than most.^[3]

He confirms he turned Chiron and Achilles into proper Servants. His idea was to turn all fourteen reproductions into proper Servants and have them investigate the recreation’s mastermind. He thought such a method would be too cruel, though, which is why he hesitated. However, his hesitation only worsened the situation as he never thought the reproduced Servants could use their Noble Phantasm despite lacking capacity for thought. Thus, in a spur-of-the moment decision, he only turned two reproductions into proper Servants.^[3]

Too injured to move in this form for now, but still wanting to help, Fafnir then creates a terminal for himself. The terminal is a young man who introduces himself as Sieg. Since he can’t split his consciousness, his dragon body will sleep in the courtyard for the time being. He goes with Ritsuka to meet with Chiron, hoping the latter can devise a strategy to defeat the other Servants.^[3]

Back inside, Chiron concludes they can’t win with their current numbers. He asks Achilles if he knows anything from the Great Holy Grail War. Achilles only recalls seeing someone who looked like Vlad III and someone who might be Atalanta based on his father’s description of her. Chiron asks Sieg the same question.^[3]

Sieg recounts the fourteen Servants were split into two factions: Black and Red. The Black Faction includes Siegfried, Vlad, Astolfo, Avicebron, Frankenstein, and Jack the Ripper. The Red Faction includes Mordred, Atalanta, Karna, William Shakespeare, Spartacus, and Semiramis.^[3]

With all this information, Chiron starts a discussion on how to defeat the twelve Servants. Ritsuka suggests defeating three at a time. Chiron says he and Achilles can fight nine, while Ritsuka and Sieg defeat the remaining three.^[3]

Achilles thinks his teacher’s plan is absurd, asking him if he forgot the reproduced Servants can use their Noble Phantasms. Chiron explains a Noble Phantasm is a weakness as much as a trump card, but the reproduced Servants deploy them whenever possible. Sieg realizes Chiron wants them to anticipate when the Noble Phantasms are about to deploy and dodge them. Chiron confirms as much, saying he will have trained Sieg to do so by nightfall.^[3]

At Chiron’s suggestion, Ritsuka goes to get some rest. They dream about the Servants repeatedly fighting at the behest of someone. They quickly wake up and go into the courtyard to see Chiron training Sieg.^[3]

Chiron allows Sieg to take a short break. In the meantime, he and Achilles will prepare their trap——a Bounded Field to cut off the nine Servants he and Achilles will defeat from the three Ritsuka and Sieg will defeat. He then has Achilles go help him set it up.^[3]

Sieg is pleased by the rapport Chiron and Achilles have, recalling they were enemies during the Great Holy Grail War, with Chiron having been the only Servant in the Black faction who could penetrate his divine protection. He wasn’t able to witness their battle himself, but he was told it was quite fearsome.^[3]

Ritsuka is astonished by Sieg’s knowledge. Sieg says it’s because he survived the Great Holy Grail War, though it wasn’t because he was particularly strong. He wasn’t even a Master and only had his luck going for him, lacking the skill and charisma to command a Servant.^[3]

At Ritsuka’s request to know more, Sieg confesses he is a homunculus, one of many created by a Yggmillenia mage and housed at this very fortress to provide magical energy for Servants. Over half of them died from being exhausted of their magical energy, but he ran away because he wanted to live. He feels guilty he abandoned them and that he is still alive, but he cannot allow the Grail to fall into the wrong hands.^[3]

Night comes and the enemy Servants approach the fortress. Chiron jumps down from the battlement with Achilles and activates the Bounded Field the two of them had set up earlier to separate the Servants. They fight nine while Ritsuka and Sieg fight three: Avicebron, Shakespeare, and Jack.^[3]

Are You Are Our Mommy?

Avicebron, Shakespeare, and Jack are defeated and disappear along with the other nine Servants when the sun rises. The heroes return to the fortress.^[5]

Sieg leaves RItsuka to rest while he checks on his real body. Ritsuka quickly falls asleep and dreams about Jack, Avicebron, and Shakespeare. All three of their Spirit Origins are established and added to ■■■.^[5]

Ritsuka is woken up by Jack, calling them mommy much to the former’s surprise. Sieg then barges in yelling that they got trouble when he sees Jack. Jack seems uneasy about Sieg, asking if he is a friend or a foe. Sieg says he is her friend, so Jack calms down. He then has Ritsuka come with him, as the other two from last night also arrived with Jack.^[5]

In the courtyard, Shakespeare, Avicebron, and Jack learn they were the only Servants from last night who were revived being the ones Ritsuka and Sieg had fought. Sieg asks them if they remember why they were summoned, but they do not.^[5]

At Avicebron’s request, Chiron then explains the situation to them. He concludes the other Servants will return to their side once Ritsuka and Sieg defeat them, thereby increasing their odds against the remaining Servants. He leaves it to Ritsuka and Sieg to guide Avicebron, Shakespeare, and Jack. Both Ritsuka and Sieg decide to keep an eye on Shakespeare, with Sieg in particular not wanting him to do anything that could complicate the situation further.^[5]

Later Jack asks Sieg if he is avoiding her. Sieg admits that he is, confessing he had seen her past. He thought it was horrible, but Jack asks him why would the pasts and memories of other people matter to him. He answers it is because he wanted to save her, even though she is here now because he couldn’t save her.^[5]

He wasn’t the one who defeated her, but he was there when it happened. Jack accepts she was defeated seeing everybody tries to kill each other in a Holy Grail War. But she asks Sieg why they fought each other if they were both in the Black Faction, according to Chiron. Sieg offers to tell her, saying it’s a long story, but Jack doesn’t want to hear, so the two of them talk about something else. They talk for so long it is nearly time for the next battle when Ritsuka informs them.^[5]

That night on the battlement, Chiron says the plan is nearly the same as last night. But this time he wants Achilles to help Ritsuka and Sieg. He also wants Avicebron to support him with his golems and Shakespeare to cast Enchant on whatever party he finds the most entertaining. Shakespeare decides to go with Ritsuka’s party finding it the most entertaining.^[5]

Jack wants to fight with Ritsuka, but Chiron tells her that would leave them vulnerable. She agrees to not help them at their own request. With that settled, tonight’s battle then proceeds with Ritsuka’s party fighting Spartacus, Atalanta, and Frankenstein.^[5]

Confrontation: Dual Swords and Cavalry

Atalanta, Spartacus, and Frankenstein are defeated and disappear with the other Servants when the sun rises. Achilles is annoyed the enemy can harm him even though normally they would need to possess Divinity to do so. Sieg thinks there might be more to Atalanta and Spartacus’ legends than known, but it is impossible for Frankenstein to secretly have Divinity since her origin is too modern and the circumstances of her creation rule it entirely.^[6]

Chiron then urges everyone to quickly return to the fortress, revealing they had only faced eight Servants. Those Servants had somehow included Avicebron and Jack, but Shakespeare wasn’t present. Fearing the enemy Shakespeare may have gone after their Shakespeare, the heroes hurry back into the fortress.

Fortunately, they find safe and sound. He was attacked, but being so weak, he easily defeated his other self. However, wary he could be an evil doppelgänger, Chiron has Shakespeare stay close to him until the new Servants arrive.^[6]

He and Sieg both agree the enemy will become more aggressive to negate their newfound advantage. Achilles is concerned the enemy Servants have gained Divinity somehow. Jack worries about how strong they were and fears they may not win if they’re even strong next time. Even so, fighting is the only viable strategy they have.^[6]

Ritsuka later dreams about Atalanta, Spartacus, and Frankenstein. All three of their Spirit Origins are established, with someone refusing to let it end. Ritsuka wakes up to see Sieg has brought food for the both of them.^[6]

As they eat, Ritsuka tells Sieg about the Shadow Border, and how their world is bleached white. Sieg promises no matter what happens here he will use his powers as the Grail’s Custodian to return them home. He then senses something attacking him in the courtyard, so he and Ritsuka rush over there.^[6]

They arrive to see it is Frankenstein who is attacking Fafnir. Ritsuka deduces she doesn’t want Fafnir on her flowers, but Sieg states his real body cannot move right now. He suggests to Frankenstein that she shove it into a corner instead as a compromise.^[6]

As Frankenstein pushes Fafnir away from her flowers, Spartacus concludes the dragon is an oppressor. Ritsuka convinces Fafnir isn’t an oppressor, so Spartacus falls asleep until an oppressor appears.^[6]

Achilles is concerned that the enemy Servants all seem to have divinity in them for some reason. After getting some rest, Ritsuka wakes up to see Sieg has brought food for them both. Sieg then senses something attacking the garden, so he and Ritsuka rush there to see.^[6]

Meanwhile, inside the fortress, Chiron asks Atalanta to help him build the trap for tonight’s battle. Atalanta agrees, but questions why she was resummoned and what she is meant to do if they’re inside the Grail now. Chiron believes they are meant to fight to keep the Grail safe, even if they were enemies in the original war. Atatlanta says she is used to former enemies becoming allies.^[6]

Achilles tells her they were both in the Red Faction so they were always allies. Atalanta admits she would normally find it encouraging to have him as an ally, but it isn’t much of an advantage if all their enemies have Divnity. Chiron reassures her even without his invincibility. Achilles is still far more powerful than enemies and it is fortunate he isn’t on the enemy side.^[6]

Atalanta jokes about Achilles dragging her corpse around the fortress, which Achilles swears he would never do unless he was a Berserker. She imagines they had similar exchanges back when they were both in the Red Faction, even if she has no recollection of it since her current self is based on data from before the Great Holy Grail War. Achilles concurs, confessing he always hoped to meet her someday, considering his father talked about her all the time.^[6]

Avicebron tells Chiron his concerns about an enemy Servant infiltrating the fortress again, fearing they might be eradicated if it’s anyone other than Shakespeare. Chiron shares his concerns and decides to speak with Ritsuka to see they can stay one step ahead.^[6]

Later that night, the heroes prepare for tonight’s battle. Atalanta starts off by deploying Phoebus Catastrophe. The enemy Astolfo uses Hippogriff to avoid it, however. In response, Atalanta, Chiron and Achilles go to engage the enemy. The enemy, however, deploys a Bounded Field to cut them off from the others once they’re outside the fortress.^[6]

Understanding Chiron was right about the enemy infiltrating the fortress, Sieg asks Jack if she saw what the enemy looked like. Jack recalls seeing two Sabers with heavy armor and Astolfo, along with Shadow Servants. At Sieg’s behest, the heroes fight the enemy while protecting the Casters.^[6]

Chiron the Sage's Combat Exercise

Mordred, Siegfriend, and Astolfo are defeated and disappear with the other Servants when the sun rises. Sieg briefly collapses, which he attributes to his control of the Grail wavering. He finds it odd, though, considering all the Servants they’ve defeated, and makes him wonder if his control of the Grail wavering is unrelated to this war.^[7]

Jack asks him what happens when his control of the Grail wavers. Sieg answers it means someone other than him will take possession of the Grail. Jack suggests letting this other person have it if they want it so badly, asking Sieg why he is killing himself over this when he isn’t even a Servant. Sieg recounts he had stopped a Servant who once tried to use the Grail to make his wish come true, so he considers it his responsibility to ensure it is never misused.^[7]

Astolfo, Mordred, and Siegfried later meet everyone in the courtyard. Sieg gives them a quick summary of the situation.^[7]

He confesses like Mordred surmised that he is steadily losing control of the Grail. Mordred concludes it is pointless to keep fighting the enemy Servants then and suggests attacking the Hanging Gardens.^[7]

While agreeing with a direct assault, Chiron warns their chances of of victory are slim. Atalanta proposes attacking now before nightfall then. Avicebron, however, advises against that as a flying he sent into the Gardens yesterday at Chiron’s behest was teleported outside the moment night fell.^[7]

Chiron asks Sieg if his true body has recovered enough to move now. Sieg answers he can fly at minimum, but warns he’ll fall if hit by from a Noble Phantasm, especially Balmung. Chiron promises he will have everyone’s support.^[7]

Achilles and Astolfo agree to fly alongside him and support him. Shakespeare decides to write a sonnet singing everyone’s praises to boost their luck. Avicebron decides he will send flying golems act as a frontal shield for Fafnir.^[7]

Atalanta at first decides to pick off any attackers with her bow until Sieg informers her she had used the Calydonian Boar’s pelt to fly during the Great Holy Grail War.^[7]

Jack decides she’ll direct The Mist against the enemy while riding on Fafnir alongside Ritsuka. Chiron tells Shakespeare and Avicebron to ride on Fafnir as well.^[7]

Mordred decides she and Frankenstein will team up, claiming to have a brilliant plan on how they reach the Gardens from the ground.^[7]

Chiron decides he will ride with Achilles in his chariot. Siegfried agrees to ride with Astolfo after the latter offers.^[7]

Spartacus refuses to ride with anyone claiming they smell of oppressors and decides to find his own way up. He has no abilities that allow flight, but proclaiming nothing in this world, he believes humans can fly just the same as birds. He therefore decides to become a bird himself to reach the Gardens and then, ironically, crows like a rooster. Fortunately, Atalanta convinces to just climb up a rope they’ll send down.^[7]

With a plan to reach the Gardens made, Chiron then has Siegfried, Mordred, and Astolfo train on teamwork using Avicebron’s golems. Afterward, he recommends everyone take care of whatever unfinished business they may have at the fortress before they leave for the Gardens.^[7]

Siegfried speaks alone with Sieg, expressing how none of the Servants remember participating in the Great Holy Grail War. Sieg believes they were all summoned from the records leading up to it. Usually, their memories would be engraved in the Throne of Heroes, but their current selves are incomplete. Alternatively, someone, perhaps the mastermind, sealed them away on purpose.

Recalling Sieg still retains memories of the war, Siegfried asks him if he stayed true to himself. Sieg, after some hesitation, tells him he cannot answer that. Siegfried accepts that, deciding whatever grudges he had in the past are of no importance and promises to fight to the best of his ability.^[7]

However, he still finds it hard to believe Sieg is the Fafnir before him. Ritsuka recalls he had once bathed in Fafnir’s blood. Siegfried confirms he did, but he hopes to never fight such a battle again. It is too terrible for him to recall, but that feeling is forever etched into his soul. Ritsuka apologizes, though Siegfried assures there is nothing to worry about.^[7]

Later, on the battlement, Sieg learns from Ritsuka that Siegfried fought a different Fafnir in Orleans. He believes Siegfried meant it when he said he never wanted to fight Fafnir again, but he doubts a hero like him would never let that stop him from stepping up when needed. He is certain he’ll do whatever has to, especially with the fate of all humanity at stake. After all, he sacrificed himself to save his life.^[7]

But while he is grateful to Siegfried, he still feels guilty about what happened. After he became the Grail’s Custodian, he learned a great many things he wished he didn’t, including events he wasn’t present for. He learned Atalanta had fought Achilles, that Frankenstein was forced to use her Noble Phantasm’s full power against Mordred even though it meant suicide, and that Siegfried gave up his heart to save his life.^[7]

Each of them fought long and hard to acquire the Grail. Sieg believes their wishes were pure and righteous, but in the end, he was the one who ended up with the Grail. Ever since then, he has been wondering if he did the right thing or not. He asks Ritsuka what they would have done in his place.^[7]

Ritsuka cannot answer that since they weren’t there. Sieg feels oddly better even though his problem hasn’t been resolved. Ritsuka thinks he only needed to talk about it. Sieg somewhat agrees.

Since they still have some time before they leave for the Gardens, Ritsuka and Sieg talk some more. At Sieg’s request, Ritsuka tells him about all the Servants they know. Sieg thanks them for sharing and concludes Chaldea is an amazing place. He, however, declines Ritsuka’s invitation to visit, for he is obligated stay and care for the Grail. He is waiting for someone to appear and that is one decision he cannot change.^[7]

A Dreamlike Moment

The heroes later have a picnic together in the courtyard at Astolfo’s insistence.^[8]

Chiron tells Ritsuka and Sieg he considers both of them to be his pupils. He only wishes they had more time together, as there is so much more he wants to teach them. Ritsuka invites him to Chaldea, saying Mash would love to learn from him too. Chiron looks forward to be summoned to Chaldea, believing he’ll have learned more subjects to teach by then.^[8]

Mordred doesn’t see the point in continuing to learn once you’re a Servant. Sieg says he knows someone who kept learning even after becoming a Servant. He can’t divulge their identity though, since he wasn’t actually there, but he is absolutely certain they never stopped moving forward. Then, as night will fall soon, he brings the picnic to a close.^[8]

Later that night, the heroes fly toward the Gardens. They soon enter within its firing range, so Avicebron activates his golem shield――Gevurah Armadura――while Astolfo has Hippogriff dimension shift.^[8]

But then one of Achilles’ horses, Xanthus, theorizes why Achilles and Chiron are the only ones not the enemy side. He alleges using strategy games as an analogy that the enemy previously lacked the resources to reproduce the two of them until now. Thus, if the enemy is in the Gardens now, they’ll be waiting for the right moment to release them.^[8]

Chiron agrees there is a strong possibility, so he tells Achilles to neutralize his other self while he does the same with his own. Achilles is at first skeptical about Xanthus’ theory until the enemy Achilles attacks. Chiron warns everyone his Noble Phantasm has no telegraph, so if the enemy Chiron uses it they’ll have to rely on their luck. The battle between the heroes and the enemy Servants commences.^[8]

Meanwhile, on the ground Mordred uses Mana Burst amplified with Frankenstein’s help to launch both of them into the air. But he is suddenly hit by the recently launched Mordred and Frankenstein and sent flying. They land in the Gardens and Frankenstein begins rampaging while Mordred starts deploying Clarent Blood Arthur. With Karna gone now, the heroes prepares to land in the Gardens.^[8]

Upon landing, Fafnir switches back to Sieg. He states since they already have the other Servants on their side, they will need to defeat Semiramis, Karna, and Vlad no matter what. He thinks it’s possible all of them, except Karna, desire the Grail. But if anyone wanted the Grail more than anyone, it would be that man.^[8]

Then, rendezvousing Mordred and Frankenstein, the heroes head inside and fight Karna, Vlad, and Semiramis.^[8]

Decisive Battle: Hanging Gardens

After they’re defeated, Spartacus finally arrives in the Gardens.^[2]

With her defeat and the coming dawn, the heroes gain Semiramis as an ally. She knows the situation and blames Sieg’s negligence for it. Sieg thinks she’s right, calling the last remaining wish in the Grail one that should never granted but also more noble than any wish ever had been. He never thought about touching it himself, nor could he even if wanted to.^[2]

Semiramis concludes that is how a mere human, a mere mage, a mere Master made it so far. She confirms she knows the enemy’s identity, being already familiar with him. She may not have any memory of the Great Holy Grail War, but thanks to her Gardens, she has already learned of him.^[2]

After Karna revives, Semiramis takes everyone to the Grail’s chamber where they’ll meet only other Master besides Ritsuka.^[2]

At the Grail’s chamber, the heroes meet the recreation’s mastermind. He states his control over the Grail has reached eighty-seven percent, which is more than enough to grant his wish. Even so, the Grail still resists him.^[2]

Semiramis tells him under normal circumstances the Grail would never grant the likes of him an audience. It doesn’t matter how many years it was in his possession, for it was another far greater mage who did the work, not him. She tells him enough is enough, calling a cheap imitation of Vlad. He is not a Servant, though, yet he is also Vlad.^[2]

Sieg explain the man was the Master who desired the Grail more than anyone save for himself and a certain priest. He was the leader of the Black faction and the Yggdmillenia family and the mage who hid the Grail and studied it for 60 years. His desire for the Grail was so great he betrayed Vlad his own Servant. He is Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia.

Darnic is amused every Heroic Spirit from the war expect for the Extra Class has assembled in the Grail’s chamber along with the homunculus who stole the Grail from him, from humanity itself. He feels his psyche slipping away, but that doesn’t matter to him anymore, as the reproduction is perfect.^[2]

Sieg realizes Darnic still desires the Grail even though his soul practically falling apart. Darnic argues neither Sieg nor the Heroic Spirits could never understand. Unlike them, he had no power to fall back and nearly killed himself studying magecraft. He isn’t like the three families who, in their indulgence, lost sight of the original goal. It is he who desired the Grail most of all.^[2]

But Sieg states Darnic has been dead for a long time and calls the Darnic before them his lingering desires left after his death. He explains how Darnic, right before his death, used a Command Spell to force Vlad to transform into a vampire and fuse him, resulting in a monster that was neither human nor vampire. But even then, he couldn’t obtain the Grail for a priest who was a Master of the Red faction defeated him.

It should have ended there since a Servant dissolves into pure magical energy and absorbed into the Grail when they die. However, that never happened with Darnic because he was still human and because he consumed the souls of infants to extend his life. Now he is neither human nor a Servant but a being driven by the desire to win the Grail.^[2]

Sieg implores Darnic to stop for the Grail is too damaged to activate the Third Magic or reach the Root, saying his dream ended long ago. Darnic refuses, reminding Sieg he controls 87% of the Grail. He proclaims he will make better use of it than him who’s done nothing with its power but wait for someone who will never come.^[2]

He then proposes to the Servants to use the Grail to incarnate in the real world if they agree to join him. They all refuse his proposal, however, because of their principles as Heroic Spirits. He expected that to be their answer, so he will fight them until they change their minds and connects to the Pseudo-Greater Grail.^[2]

Sieg is shocked Darnic would reproduce the Grail inside the Grail. Semiramis compares it to creating a parallel mirror world with brute force, but Darnic is fine with that. Sieg refuses to let Darnic grant his wish and swears as the Grail’s Custodian he will defeat him. The heroes battle the Pseudo-Grail and its reproduced Servants.^[2]

Yggdmillennia

Unfortunately, the reproduced Servants keep coming, which no matter how many the heroes kill, which is made worse by the fact the enemy classes keep changing. Chiron deduces the Pseudo-Grail emulating their combat data and chooses classes and tactics based on the situation. He therefore decides they should fight together and overwhelm it with their combat data until it collapses on itself. The final battle between the heroes and Darnic commences.^[9]

Returning to Tranquil Slumber

The Pseudo-Grail is destroyed, but Darnic still refuses to give up when he is suddenly impaled by Kazikli Bey. He questions how Vlad could have been reproduced when he made sure he never would be and should have remained a mindless puppet based on combat data. Vlad tells him it was inevitable after tens of thousands of battles and congratulates the heroes, for it was thanks to their efforts he was summoned, a Servant capable of defeating Darnic.^[10]

He tells the infuriated Darnic that his anger is long gone and his ambitions have long since been squashed. He believes it is the same for Darnic and implores him to accept his fate, calling him his Master and his sworn enemy.^[10]

Darnic is shocked that Vlad has his memories. Vlad confirms he is the only Servant who retains memories of the war, which he presumes is possibly thanks to Darnic fusing with him. It is not, however, out of anger or revenge he wishes to defeat him, rather it is his duty as a hero and the mercy he feels for him as his Servant.^[10]

But Darnic refuses to believe Vlad still thinking he hates him for trampling on his pride as a hero. Vlad, however, tells Darnic if he were to kill him now, he would not despise him forever. Both of them pursue their dreams relentlessly, even though deep down they have long since given up on them. It is not out of respect, but because their dreams are the one thing they will always be loyal to. He hopes Sieg will come to understand this in time.^[10]

He tells Darnic he understands him all too well, which is why his scheme must end, otherwise he will have betrayed even his own dreams and compromised dreams will even shine again. Darnic finally accepts his end and disappears.^[10]

Vlad declares the Great Holy Grail War is now truly over. He then tells Sieg that humans will discover magic with or without the Grail, but regardless, he should take solace that an excellent ending awaits him. With that said, Vlad disappears. Afterward, Semiramis teleports everyone else back to the ground while she remains behind.^[10]

Now by herself, Semiramis asks herself if she had a wish during the Great Holy Grail War, one worth creating the Gardens for, and if she did, she wonders what it was and if it was for someone in particular. But she concludes none of that matters now.^[10]

Meanwhile, on the ground, the Servants say their goodbyes and disappear, with some expect see each other and Ritsuka again.^[10]

With the Grail stable again, the recreated Trifas will soon disappear, so Sieg changes back to Fafnir and takes Ritsuka back to the Reverse Side of the World.^[10]

There Ritsuka asks Fafnir who it is they’re waiting for, but he declines to answer as it’s a secret. Ritsuka decides to pry any further, but in exchange, he asks Fafnir to be their friend. Fafnir is taken aback since he had thought their relationship was closer to oppressor and victim more than anything. He nonetheless accepts Ritsuka’s friendship and gives them his Sieg terminal to aid them on their journey.^[10]

With that done, Fafnir returns to waiting for that person, content to do so even if it takes thousands of years because he knows they will eventually come. He bids Ritsuka farewell and thanks, saying their short time together will always remain a cherished memory for him. Ritsuka is returned to the waking world.^[10]

Alone, Fafnir thinks about how the few days he spent with Ritsuka gave him boundless hope for humanity. Still, even though the battle was short, he is sure Ritsuka had no choice but to fight no matter how much brought them.^[10]

He can no longer track his terminal. He predicts the Sieg terminal will soon be summoned as a Servant and aid Ritsuka in their battle. The Sieg terminal will make his own memories from now on and, in time, become a Servant totally separate from the original. Fafnir only hopes he can be at least of some small help to Ritsuka in the struggles ahead.^[10]

Participants

Servants

Non-Servants

References