7
The climb to Ryudou Temple was a physical penance. Every step up those stone stairs felt like a battle against gravity and the suffocating pressure of the corrupted Grail.
"Cu's got his hands full with Archer," Ritsuka panted, his lungs burning. "Which leaves us with one shield-girl, one angry Director, one anchor—me—and the literal Son of God. If we survive this, I'm never complaining about the walk to church again."
As they ascended, the air grew colder, but the heat of the black sun above intensified. To distract from the exhaustion, Ritsuka pulled out his Rosary. He took Mash's hand, guiding her fingers to the small silver crucifix.
"Follow me, Mash-malow," he whispered. "It helps the rhythm of the breath. We start with the Sign of the Cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit..."
Mash mimicked his movements, her voice soft but steady. Together, they began the Apostles' Creed. The Latin and English phrases mingled with the crackle of distant fires. The Christ-Servant walked just a few steps ahead, His presence acting as a spiritual windbreaker. He didn't stop them or carry them; He allowed the struggle.
"Iron sharpens iron, Ritsuka," the Lord said, His voice echoing off the temple gates. "To save a King, you must first find the strength to stand before one. The trials ahead will be fire, and you must be tempered."
The Summit: The Shadow of the Throne
They reached the top. The courtyard of Ryudou Temple was gone, replaced by a swirling vortex of black mud. In the center stood Saber Alter. She didn't look human; she looked like a statue carved from obsidian and regret.
"So," she spoke, her voice a cold rasp. "The sheep has brought the Shepherd to the slaughterhouse."
She raised Excalibur Morgan. The blade didn't shine; it drank the light. The sheer weight of her killing intent made Olga Marie stumble and Mash's knees buckle.
"Senpai... the pressure... I can't..." Mash gasped.
"Yes, you can!" Ritsuka yelled, the 'Apostles' Creed' still ringing in his ears. He stepped forward, placing his hand on Mash's shoulder. "The Lord allows the challenge because He knows we can conquer it! Mash, don't look at her sword. Look at the one standing beside us! Defend the path! Awaken!"
The Birth of a Shield
In the original timeline, the shield was a nameless wall. But here, fueled by the faith of a boy who refused to let his 'stray' fall, the mystery shifted.
"That which heals all wounds! That which stands against the storm!" Ritsuka shouted. He didn't know the name 'Camelot' yet, and in his heart, he reached for something higher. "Give us a sign! Lord Chaldeas!"
A brilliant white light erupted from Mash's shield. It wasn't the blue mana of a Servant; it was a warm, golden radiance that smelled of incense and ancient stone. A ghostly rampart materialized—not a castle of knights, but a sanctuary of souls.
Saber Alter's eyes widened. "That light... it isn't from this world."
"Neither is the Man standing behind it," Ritsuka retorted, his face fierce.
The Duel of Kings
Saber Alter roared, a sound of pure agony, and brought Excalibur Morgan down.
"Vortigern... Hammer of the Vile King!"
The black beam of light, capable of leveling cities, slammed into the golden rampart of Lord Chaldeas. The ground beneath Ritsuka cracked, but he didn't move. He clutched his Rosary, the beads glowing white-hot.
"Lord!" Ritsuka cried out.
The Christ-Servant stepped through the golden light of the shield. He walked into the black spray of Saber's Noble Phantasm as if it were a light summer rain. He reached the center of the vortex, standing inches away from the corrupted King of Knights.
"Artoria," the Lord said, his voice a calm center in the hurricane. "You have sought a Grail to undo the past. But the past is a teacher, not a prison. You do not need to be a 'Perfect King.' You only need to be a child of the Light."
"Silence!" Saber Alter swung the black sword in a horizontal arc meant to cleave the world in two.
The Christ-Servant didn't dodge. He raised His hand, and for a split second, the image of a wooden beam seemed to flicker behind Him—the shadow of a Cross. The black blade struck His palm and stopped.
The sound was like a mountain shattering.
"The sword is broken, Artoria," the Lord whispered. "Because the heart that wields it is screaming for a Father."
The Verdict
The black mud began to flake away from Saber's armor. The cold, golden eyes of the Altered King met the infinite depth of the Counselor's gaze. The "Lord Chaldeas" shield intensified, the light of the Apostles' Creed literally burning away the Singularity's corruption.
"Master!" Mash called out, her strength returning. "The core! The Grail is exposed!"
Ritsuka looked at the swirling black hole behind the throne. This was it. The moment to end the nightmare of Fuyuki.
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