A long time ago...
"I love my brother. Although he's often scared of every small sound in the forest, or of chopping wood, or of lightning, I love him. We were born together, but I often act like the eldest. Whenever he has a problem, he runs to me for help. I don't mind helping him, he's my brother after all. We were born in this world together, nothing can break us apart, we're destined to live together, rule together and, when the time comes to join Father in the Realm above, we'll go together! Isn't that right, Romulus?"
Not long after, on a fateful day and on a fateful hill...
"What? What does this mean? Why are they saying Romulus should be king? Because he saw more vultures? But... but I saw them first... why does it matter how many there are? Romulus, brother... say something... Father sent vultures to us both... it's a sign, a sign we should rule together, at least... Why aren't you saying anything, Brother? You hate ruling, don't you, Brother? You told me yourself when we were younger and I suggested we should rule together. Why aren't you saying anything? Can't you see I'm calling you? Answer me, Brother, answer m- Ow! W-what is this? Did you... did you stab me, Brother? Why? Why did you stab me, Brother? I always... protected you... why... why did you... kill me... Brother... I... I...
I HATE YOU, BROTHER!"
***
"ROMULUS!!! YOU WEAKLING! HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE?!?!?!"
"You... you're not actually Romulus, are you?"
"I am, and I am not. I'm his divinised form, Quirinus. However, in this case, I am here as Romulus."
"DON'T YOU DARE IGNORE ME, YOU BASTARD!!!"
Remus immediately launched his spear with all his might, generating a mountain-shattering impact.
"I'm not ignoring you, brother. If that's what you crave so much, you have my full attention."
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!!!"
Remus summoned a hundred spears and unleashed them as Broken Phantasms against Romulus.
"How is it my power when you don't attack me treacherously?! Overwhelming, isn't it?!"
"Indeed, you always were strong, brother."
"Huh? How are you still alive? How? How? HOW?!"
"King of Heroes, I require your assistance. Open your treasury to its complete extent and just keep on firing. There's no need to think about direction or power. Just keep on firing at full strength and capacity. My Saint Graph is similar enough to my brother's that the World itself has partially imparted me with a Grand Servant-like status. I should be able to contend with my brother. You just keep attacking, understood?"
"... Yeah."
With that, Romulus-Quirinus lunged forward at the same time as Remus, their clash shaking the very ground beneath them. Even in the eyes of Gilgamesh and the others, they were nothing more than trails of light moving at incomprehensible speed.
"You always... always do that! Stealing and taking what's rightfully mine. YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN A THIEF!"
Remus screamed as he attempted multiple times to stab and slash his sibling, though Romulus was able to defend himself.
Without hesitation, Gilgamesh opened once again his Gate of Babylon to its full extent and simply let loose of the entirety of his treasury, continuously recycling the weapons he unleashed. Though he couldn't completely pinpoint them and could barely perceive them, he had no need to.
"STAY OUT OF THE WAY, WEAKLING!"
Before Remus could charge at the King of Heroes, Romulus blocked his way.
"Don't concern yourself with him, brother. I'm your opponent, am I not?"
"STOP CALLING ME THAT!!!"
Manifesting several lances, Remus launched them at Romulus.
"NINE LIVES - ROMA!"
Using his arm as a spear, Romulus managed to pierce through all weapons at ones. Then, manifesting his own weapon, he called forward his Noble Phantasm of when he was human.
"Absolutely everything leads to my lance!
MAGNA VOLUISSE MAGNUM - All Things Lead to My Spear"
A giant tree sprouted from the ground, created by the spear of the beginning, the very symbol of nation building. Seeing the representation of his brother's legacy only served to enrage Remus even more, and using his "Imperial Privilege" (Fake) he applied Mana Burst to his crimson spear, launching it in an attack akin to a Noble Phantasm, a fiery attack capable of tearing down nations and rebuild them in his image.
"MAGNA VOLUISSE REMUM - All Things Lead to Me"
A golden weapon slashed Remus's shoulder while he was unharmed, a reminder that Gilgamesh was still involved. Matter of fact, his attacks were what made the battle close, obliging the two fighters to battle in a predictable path lest they wanted to be hit by the rain of weapons.
Before other weapons could attack him, Remus lifted his arms.
"NINE LIVES - REMORA!"
Imitating his brother's previous Noble Phantasm, he destroyed the weapons hurled at him. Calling back his spear in his hands he looked down at Romulus.
"Is that all you can do? To think you could ever consider to stand up to me."
"Brother, you are still in time to stop this nonsense."
"ENOUGH! YOU'RE NOT MY BROTHER! YOU'RE SIMPLY HIS GHOST WHO ASCENDED TO GODHOOD, SO STOP CALLING ME THAT WORD! DIE NOW! WITNESS MY POWER!
ROMA INVERSA!!!"
Charging up his spear and his own being to the maximum power, Remus didn't throw it, but threw himself at his opponent, the distortion of reality growing all around him.
Salter looked in shock.
"Crap, he's going for real this time! What the hell is that gold idiot doing? Can't he use his red sword already?"
"He's waiting."
"Waiting for what?"
"For the perfect opportunity to use it."
Gilgamesh concentrated the beam of weapons towards Remus, as Romulus lifted his arms.
"Our arm reaches anything, tears everything, and clears all paths.
Eventually it will reach even beyond the stars in the sky!
PER ASPERA AD ASTRA!!!"
Calling forth his own Authority, he applied all of his power in one single move, manifesting the full glory of Roma, while at the same time using Moles Necessarie to create a Bounded Field to defend and strengthen his very being. The two omnidirectional and reality-building moves clashed one against each other, a battle of cities, of histories, of nations, of worlds, of realities. Nothing could have gotten between them in that moment and in that place.
Galter saw that.
"... he can't hit him."
"What?"
"He can't hit him like this. He needs a path... I need, I need some Mana now."
"Right now? What are you gonna do, idiot?"
"No time to explain."
"Well, if you really need to... just... come here already."
"Mm? What for?"
"W-what do you mean what for? You need mana, no?"
"Yeah, that's why I'm using a spell to suck mana out of our surroundings."
"Oh, ok..."
"Yeah, my Caster me taught me this and I asked King Louis for some pointers."
As the battle of worlds raged one, Galter finally gathered enough energy to act. He summoned a bow and then took out his projectile. Not just any arrow: Ea itself.
"What are you trying to do? Finish him yourself?"
"No, I don't have enough strength left. However, even at just 10% of its power, this should be enough to allow him to strike... you can see it, can't you, Big Bro?"
Looking from a distance, Galter could barely distinguish a golden spot that might have been Gilgamesh, but still, something inside him told him that indeed, Gilgamesh had understood him.
"Sing of creation and destruction.
Sing of Man and his King.
Sing of the End and of a New Beginning.
Sing of Life! Sing and bring Hope
ENUMA ELISH - The Star that freed Man from Death"
The arrow Ea rippled through spacetime, erasing reality in its trajectory and passing right in between the clashing realities. Normally, it would just disappear and reappear once it reached its target. However, in this case, what it did was temporarily leave behind a trail of void, a passage, like someone had unzipped a part of reality, allowing nothingness to exist for the splitest of seconds.
It was only for a fleeting moment, but it was more than enough to serve its purpose. Not to strike their opponent, but to enable his ally to strike at him with his most powerful attack in a way that guaranteed it to land.
Gilgamesh had already foreseen this. And he was ready. His weapon was ready, raised up like his arm. The moment was there.
"Ea! Sing praise as you like!
I will tell you of the beginning.
Heaven and Earth split.
Nothingness congratulated Creation... and my sword cleaved the world.
Mortar of the stars...heaven's hell is the eve of creation's celebration!
ENUMA ELISH - The Star of Creation That Split Heaven and Earth"
A red light appeared, overshadowing even the unrepeatable spectacle that was unfolding in that moment. Everything remembered nothingness. Creation experienced its origin once more. Genesis occurred. Then everything was black for just the blink of an eye. Finally, a blood red column of pure power and destruction was unleashed, dwarfing any and all Noble Phantasms.
Through the pathway opened up by another version of itself, it cleaved through the layers of several realities, reducing the very quarks to less than ash. Rome, Remora, Real Earth, Fake Earth, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered in the face of the absolute power of the Sword of Rapture turned Star of Creation. Nothing could escape its judgement. Not even the flesh of a Grand Servant.
The attack pierced and destroyed Remus's heart along with a great part of his chest. When the crimson light finally subsided, Remus looked down as he could see his feet now touching the ground, which was covered in blood. Looking up, he could see his brother's face, smiling remorsefully despite the spear lodged in his chest.
"That was truly a magnificent attack, brother."
"Romulus... why... why did you... why..."
"Just... Just once, I wanted to be the strong one, brother, and protect you, and not let you worry. You always worried so much about me, and it always made me feel guilty. I figured, if I showed you I could handle being king, you'd stop worrying so much... but you never saw it. And yet, everything I built, everything I achieved, everything I did... it was all for you, brother."
"Brother... I..."
"I'm sorry for everything. I love you, Brother."
"I... I forgive you... I love you too, Brother."
Both of their forms began to lose solidity as tears streaked their faces.
"Brother..."
"Yes, Remus?"
"Will you hold my hand? It's getting cold... and scary..."
"There's no need to be afraid... whatever happens, we'll face it... together..."
"Yes... together... my brother..."
Their remnants mingled and tangled in the air.
Gilgamesh collapsed on the ground, weapons clattering all around him. He no longer had the strength to even return them to the Gate of Babylon. As he breathed heavily, fighting to stay conscious, his priority shifted as a new thought flooded his brain. Walking, or more accurately crawling, he reached Nero's body.
Her breathing, if there was any, was so weak to be imperceptible, and her muscles were by now fully relaxed, no longer putting up any resistance to the call for rest. Every small spark of life that still inhabited her body was fading away.
"Nero... Nero! NERO! Answer me, answer me right now! Wake up, come on, wake up! I order you! I command you! I... I..."
As words failed him, the King of Heroes remembered when he had witnessed this the last time, and when he had last felt this way.
"After I pass away, who will understand you?"
"No..."
"Who will walk by your side?"
"No no no no no no no no no... not..."
"My friend, when I think of the loneliness to come for you, I can't help but cry..."
"Not... again... never... again... never... never... stop... please..."
Just then, Nero's body slowly started floating, as if elevated by an unseen force, as a gold glow gently enveloped her.
"N-Nero?"
Above her, from what appeared to be a ripple in the air, something came out. A small pouch containing what looked like sand. Gilgamesh recognised it immediately: it was Sandman's gift.
"Please accept this offering of dreamdust... something that will answer your heart and turn into whatever it desires."
As dreamdust encircled and moved Nero's body, making her glow even more, her wounds began closing up, her face regained the lively hue it usually had, and life seemed to seep back into her very being. Finally, she was slowly lowered back to the ground as the golden glow faded away along with the pouch and the remaining dreamdust. Nero was still unconscious, but now it seemed more like she was asleep rather than dead. Gilgamesh, still in disbelief, slowly lifted his hand and touched her cheek.
"Nero... you... you are..."
Suddenly, he felt something hitting hard the back of his head, just a moment before everything went black and he passed out.