After settling down in the village, she really tried to live a normal life and find a partner.
But she just kept failing to meet anyone who could match her, to the point she stopped caring if they were male or female.
Nobody could beat her in a fight, and nobody truly understood her, so she gave up on romance and ended up just living alone.
Even without a family, she still got the peaceful life she always wanted growing up, because she was free from the heavy responsibility of shouldering a kingdom.
She became a regular villager and grew close to her neighbors as the quiet years went by.
But that peace didn't last forever, because one day she went to the market and overheard some travelers gossiping in a panic.
"Did you hear the news? Vortigern the Vile King is gathering his dragons and starting another war" a merchant whispered in terror.
Hearing that made Artoria freeze up, but she immediately turned around and hurried away from the crowd.
She didn't want to hear anything about war, or anything related to the supposed destiny Merlin had told her about, so she just shut herself in her house and pretended the outside world was fine.
Years later, that denial caught up to her, and everything was destroyed.
Her quiet village turned into a nightmare, and the whole country became a paradise of darkness no human could endure.
Her neighbors were dead, and the kind villagers who always helped her were slaughtered until everyone she knew was just gone.
The land was ruined, and the skies burned black.
It was the brutal reality of her choice, because since she refused to pull Caliburn, there was no true king and no one strong enough to stop Vortigern from destroying Britain and rejecting the Age of Man.
Artoria fell to her knees in the middle of the burning village, as thick ash rained down on her shoulders.
She stared at the charred bodies of the neighbors she had spent years laughing with, and a suffocating despair gripped her chest.
She finally realized her selfish choice doomed everyone in Britain, and the overwhelming guilt shattered her spirit.
But right as she let out a broken sob, the roaring sound of the flames suddenly went dead.
The oppressive heat vanished instantly, and the falling ash froze mid-air, like time itself had stopped.
Artoria slowly looked up and saw a figure calmly stepping out from the frozen wall of fire.
It was Void, looking perfectly untouched and serene amidst the apocalyptic hellscape.
"This is the exact reality of a world where you never picked up Caliburn, Artoria. Because you rejected the sword, the Age of Man failed to start, and Britain was allowed to become a Singularity" Void stated simply with a flat and factual tone.
The moment Void spoke, the burning ruins around them began to crack like fragile glass.
The destroyed village peeled away into empty space, and the dark sky shattered into pieces until the illusion was entirely erased.
The hellish landscape vanished, and Artoria found herself kneeling on an endless floor of nothingness with only Void standing in front of her.
"That's... That's impossible. Why... Just from me not picking up Caliburn, how can Britain get destroyed?" Artoria said, still kneeling on the ground from the horror of what she saw.
She couldn't shake the image of the ruined village out of her mind, her hands trembling against the floor as the weight of the destruction sank in.
"Do you not understand? No, you definitely know the reason already, right" Void said, crouching down right in front of her while tilting her head.
Looking up, Artoria stared at Void's face, which showed absolutely no emotion at all. "What do you mean? What do I know..." Her voice trailed off, and her eyes suddenly widened as she remembered what Merlin used to say to her.
During her childhood, when she was being trained by Merlin in her dreams every single day, that dick wizard was always telling her that becoming king was her destiny.
He brought it up constantly, hammering the idea into her head during their lessons until she was completely sick of hearing it.
He repeated it so often that she finally decided to ask him why it had to be her, but all Merlin did was just smile that annoying smile of his, saying it was because she was the only one who could do it.
The real question was why he always insisted it was only her.
Now, after she had made the choice to walk away and not pick up the holy sword, she realized the truth.
Throughout her five years on her journey, she had never heard a single rumor about anyone else managing to pull Caliburn out of the stone.
Not a single knight or noble had even budged it.
The reason for that finally clicked in her head, making her stomach drop.
"It's rigged?" Artoria whispered.
Caliburn could only be pulled by her and herself only, the whole thing was a setup from the start no one else in Britain could pull the Caliburn.
"MEEEERRRLLLIIINN!!" Artoria roared, so furious after realizing everything was
just a sham that she gritted her teeth and clenched her fists until her knuckles
turned white.
The legend of the sword was just a fake prophecy that Merlin had fabricated.
He set it up so that when the day came for her to pull the blade, her path to the
throne would be much easier, practically guaranteeing her the support of the
nobles because everyone already believed in the myth.
"Morgan? What about her?!" Artoria asked desperately. "During my journey... I
remember hearing rumors that she was taking over the throne. I thought she would at least defend Britain from the White Dragon!"
"That is impossible, Artoria," Void replied calmly. "Morgan's magecraft is indeed immense, but you know that Vortigern is the literal avatar of the primeval island. He acts as a 'hole in the world' that devours both light and magical energy."
"You should know this because you fought him yourself, right?" Tilting her head, Void asked the question as if simply stating the obvious.
And what Void said was completely true. Even Artoria herself had needed the
combined immense power of Excalibur, Excalibur Galatine, and Rhongomyniad to finally defeat Vortigern.
How could she possibly expect Morgan to beat a monster like that all by herself?
Artoria remained kneeling on the ground for a while.
A heavy silence filled the space, and Void simply stood in front of her without
saying a single word, quietly waiting for her to decide.
Then, suddenly, Artoria tightly gripped her hands. "One... One more!" she said
as she looked up again toward Void.
"One more?"
"Yes. Send me back again to the moment before I pull Caliburn," Artoria declared, her voice filled with resolve. "This time is going to be different!"
Void did not seem surprised at all hearing what Artoria said. She merely looked at her and asked, "What you choose is going to be more of a nightmare than what you just went through, Artoria Pendragon. Are you sure about this?"
"I am," Artoria answered without hesitation. "And this time, I am going to bring Merlin with me. If he rigged this entire Prophecy, I will make sure he pays
for his lies by overworking him until he died."
Void's expression remained entirely flat as she warned her. "You must understand that this is all just an illusion. If you spend too much time in there, your mind will blur. You will eventually forget about this space and start thinking that your life inside the simulation is your real life."
But Artoria was incredibly stubborn. "I can handle it," she insisted firmly. "I
will use this opportunity to carefully figure out my plan before I finally make
my true wish to the Holy Grail."
"If you say so, then I will send you back." Raising her right palm toward the knight, Void added, "I hope your mind can handle this, Artoria Pendragon."
A warm, golden light bloomed from her palm, rushing toward Artoria until it entirely enveloped her body. In a flash of brilliance, she disappeared from the empty space.
After Artoria vanished, Void remained standing in the endless nothingness, her calm gaze lingering on the exact spot where the king had just been.
"So you choose this path..." Void murmured softly to the silence.
It was, without a doubt, the absolute worst route Artoria could have taken.
By choosing to dive back into the illusion instead of waking up, she was doomed to suffer the agonizing weight of her own choices all over again.
Had she simply stopped and returned to reality, her mind and soul would have remained whole.
But because she stubbornly chose to go back, her future was now entirely diverted down a path of inevitable, devastating nightmares.
And without saying another word, Void disappeared from the empty space.
***
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***
"Huh, why is she still sleeping?" I muttered, looking at Saber as she remained fast asleep while leaning back against the bench.
Usually, illusion magecraft like this only lasts for a minute or two in the real world. But don't get me wrong-even if the duration is that short, the person trapped inside experiences it for a very long amount of time.
Take Berserker, for example. When he was hit by my illusion, he was completely paralyzed and ended up being killed by Gilgamesh in just a couple of seconds. I still have no idea how long he actually spent inside his head before he died, though.
I have also been trapped by Lady Avalon in her illusions for my training quite often. Even when I was stuck inside her illusion for several hours, only a few seconds actually passed in real life.
Because of that, I figured Saber was going to wake up in a minute or so. But it has already been five minutes, and she still hasn't woken up.
"If Irisviel sees Saber sleeping like this, she is going to be suspicious of me!" I panicked quietly. "Well, not really her... but Kiritsugu is definitely gonna shoot me!"
For now, I should probably go find Irisviel before she comes back. Maybe I can buy some time until Saber wakes up.
I'm not too worried about leaving Saber sleeping here alone since there are a ton of people walking around the mall. So, deciding on my plan, I stand up from the bench.
"You shouldn't leave her alone, Rikka."
Void's voice suddenly echoes, making me stop dead in my tracks. Right in front of me, she materializes out of thin air, wearing her usual elegant kimono.
"Void?? How are you here?" I whisper in shock. But as I glance around, I quickly notice that the passing shoppers are completely ignoring her.
It's like she doesn't exist at all, even though she just appeared out of nowhere right in the middle of the walkway.
"I did not actually appear in the real world," Void explains calmly. "I am simply using your eyes and brain into thinking I am standing in front of you. I am not physically here."
"I see... so why shouldn't I leave her? Is she gonna get kidnapped?" I turn back toward Saber, but that's when I notice something is wrong. It looks like she's having a terrible nightmare. She keeps groaning softly, and her expression is twisted in genuine pain.
"Saber!? What's wrong??" I panic and hurriedly approach her. I swear she wasn't looking like this a minute ago!
But right before I can reach out and shake her awake to cancel the illusion, my body completely freezes. Void is preventing me from moving another muscle.
"What are you doing, Void? Let me go! I need to help Saber! I didn't expect my illusion to do this to her!"
"For now, you should not wake her up," Void says, her voice remaining perfectly flat. "In fact, even if you tried, it would be impossible. Currently, this is her own choice."
"Her own choice? What do you mean?" I ask, totally confused.
"A divergence of paths is happening right now," Void states mysteriously, her empty eyes locking onto mine. "This is also where you must choose what you do, Rikka."
"Wait, what?" I don't understand what she means by that. I know what a divergence is, but what is that supposed to do with me?
"This place is no longer a part of the world. It is merely a dream within the boundary, a fleeting shadow that leaves no footprint on reality," Void says.
But instead of answering my question, she just says something completely random. Then, right before my eyes, the people walking around us start slowly disappearing.
"Until I allow it, nothing here shall touch the outside, and nothing outside shall witness our existence."
I look around, totally freaked out as I notice the massive shift in our surroundings. The loud, crowded mall suddenly becomes dead silent. I can't see a single person anymore-the entire building is just completely, terrifyingly empty.
Then, without any warning my right hand suddenly burns with an icy, agonizing heat. I gasp and grab my wrist as the sudden pain hits me. Right there on the smooth back of my hand, a strange mark begins to carve itself into my skin, and a blinding crimson light pours out of it.
"A Command Spell!?" I gasp, staring at the glowing crimson lines burning into the back of my hand.
"Is this your doing, Void? How can it still be here? I killed it a year ago!" I trace my trembling fingers over the mark.
I always assume my Mystic Eyes of Death Perception can't be undone once I sever a concept, so how can this Command Spell possibly return? Is this a completely new one?
"That is a new Command Spell I placed upon you," Void explains, her calm voice cutting through the eerie silence of the empty mall.
"Because this Command Spell comes from me, it isn't connected to the Grail. It connects directly to the Root and your own Od."
"What for?" I frown, dropping my hand to my side as I glare at her. "You know I have absolutely no intention of joining this war, right?"
"Come here," Void says softly, her perfectly still posture breaking as she gently gestures for me to approach her.
"Hmm?" I tilt my head in confusion but follow her instructions anyway. My footsteps echo loudly in the vacant space as I step closer, stopping until I am standing right in front of her.
But instead of explaining herself or giving me some grand revelation, she simply reaches out and starts gently patting my head for some reason.
"What are you doing?" I mumble, blinking up at her emotionless face. She often does this in our inner world, so I am already used to the comforting feeling of her hand stroking my hair. I just wonder why she is doing it right now of all times.
"I am sorry," she suddenly whispers, her tone so rare and quiet that it makes me even more confused.
Before I can ask her what she is apologizing for, she locks her deep, infinite eyes with mine. "Do you want to save everyone?" Void asks me.
Save everyone? Who is the 'everyone' she is talking about? As far as I can remember, the only person I have actually gone out of my way to save is Sakura.
"Irisviel von Einzbern... it seems like you really like her, Rikka," Void continues, her hand still resting softly on my head. "You feel a motherly warmth from her. I understand. Even if you are reincarnated, our physical body is basically eight years old. It naturally demands someone to treat us like their child."
Hah...? I mean, yeah, I do love being pampered by her, but bluntly saying I want to have a mother is like...
Somehow, I can't even finish that thought in my own head. My chest suddenly starts thumping heavily. Remembering this morning and last night with Irisviel, the way she smiled at me and held my hand... it really does feel like I am desperately longing for that kind of warmth.
But that's impossible! I am practically thirty years old on the inside. Plus, I had parents in my previous life too, even though they were taken from me so early...
*Thump. Thump. Thump.*
My heartbeat pounds in my ears, and my chest just won't calm down. I grip the fabric of my shirt, genuinely struggling to understand why I am reacting this way.
"We can continue this later when your heart is ready to accept it," Void says, finally pulling her hand away from my head. "Unfortunately, we have no time right now."
"No time?" I repeat.
Before I can even ask Void what she means, a sudden, suffocating pressure slams into my chest.
It's prana-magical energy-but it feels completely wrong. Saber's magical energy is normally bright, warm, and overwhelmingly powerful.
But this? This is freezing cold, heavy, and pitch-black. It feels like pure malice. Like sensation of corrupted prana.
I quickly spin around to look at the bench, and my eyes widen in absolute horror.
Thick, black energy is violently surging out of Saber's sleeping body like a chaotic storm.
The sheer density of her inverted magic is so absurdly heavy that the wood bench beneath her instantly groans, snaps, and splinters into pieces.
"Lie... lie... lie..."
A chilling, raspy whisper slips from her lips. At first, it is so quiet I barely catch it, but then she starts repeating it, her voice trembling with a terrifying mix of grief and fury.
"Lie... lie... LIE...!"
Her voice escalates into a furious shout, and the dark prana explodes outward like a massive bomb.
I have to cross my arms and brace my feet just to stop myself from being blown away by the shockwave.
The concrete ground completely caves in beneath her, cracking and shattering into a wide crater from the crushing weight of her magical energy alone.
Right before my eyes, the holy light of her existence completely shatters. Her physical form is instantly swallowed by dark flames as her Saint Graph forcibly rewrites itself.
When the dark storm finally clears, she is standing perfectly straight in the center of the crater.
The familiar bright blue and silver of her clothes are gone, replaced by a heavy, jagged dress and jet-black armor lined with glowing crimson streaks.
Her pale skin has turned almost deathly white, and her bright golden hair has faded into a dull, ashen blonde. Even that signature little cowlick on top of her head is gone.
And when she slowly lifts her head, the proud emerald green of her eyes has been completely erased. Instead, she glares at me with cold, glowing, and merciless golden eyes.
[IMAGE]