'Curse'; Closure

"I did not expect the man 'he' was waiting for would be his own younger self. What an irony." Zelretch spoke unhurriedly.

He had once met Archer at one of his world-travelling journeys. After all, he could not stay too long in any worldline, otherwise his continued existence would make that said worldline the 'main branch' among many worldlines.

The Second Magic granted him a path to any possible worldlines, yet it also trapped him to be merely an observer for most of the time.

In fact, while ordinary ones might revere True Magic as a 'miracle', it actually was also a 'curse' for their wielder.

What Ryan was experiencing right now was also the consequence of his 'miracle'.

He could grant others a new chance, a new beginning, and reversing their destiny. Yet, none could grant him the same.

He was on his own. After all, he was already standing on a summit others could not even hope to reach.

Each Magician stood on their own solitude domain.

It was case for him; the Observer of All Possibilities.

And, it was also the case for Ryan; the Magistrate of Life and Death.

"Some may wish desperately for a resurrection to continue their unfulfilled dreams and wishes cut short by destiny.

"While some may wish to rest their weary soul after a long journey, severing the binds of their current life, seeking to live differently through reincarnation.

"This is our nature. And also something 'he' came to realize after seeking numerous chances to meet his family once again."

Zelretch patted Ryan's shoulder as he looked toward Kanade's corporeal body who was left protected by a gentle light. "Don't be too sad, young man. This might be a better end for her."

"…" Ryan was silent, his eyes glimmered with unknown light as his thought calmed down.

From Zelretch's previous words, Ryan realized that he had actually met Archer at some point of time.

"…Old Sir, if 'he' has realized this path himself, why did he wait for another one to claim it? 'He' should have better qualifications already back then."

Ryan suddenly asked Zelretch.

This was the matter that puzzled him.

He felt that Archer should be able to realize the Sixth Magic himself if the process was that simple, which was by sacrificing the Goddess' divinity.

His incarnation in various worldlines should be able to do the job by stealing the divinity from many 'Ryan' out there.

However, Archer instead simply waited for prolonged period of time.

It was as if he had prepared a trial for each candidate, and only the worthy one would be able to claim the throne of Sixth Magic and realized his wish.

Zelretch pondered for a while before he replied, "I only remember that 'he' said that he couldn't enter that path."

"Why?"

"He once said, [My path is the way of destruction. If I were the one who step through that gateway, only unimaginable apocalypse would await this universe.] That's what he said then."

Ryan was silent.

He roughly understood the reason why. Kind of.

It was related to one's path.

The reason why Archer severed his Frost Dragon King Arcane Art, and left him with only Demon King Solomon Arcane Art; it should be because Archer had realized the essence of Demon King Solomon Arcane Art that Ryan had not seen through.

He wanted Ryan to only have the pure essence of Demon King Solomon Arcane Art in his vessel. As impurity would only lead to consequence he did not want to see.

Six Seals of Samsara. Path of Reincarnation. Six-Paths of Samsara.

All would be finished in cycle.

There was no Beginning without End. There was no End without Beginning.

Since the destiny of his wife and daughter had met their end early, he only had to grant them a new destiny, one without beginning.

That was the core of miracle he sought for.

However, the fact that Archer gave Ryan his mutated Dragon King Arcane Art also raised another question:

Did it mean he could practice Dragon King Arcane Art again after he acquired the Sixth Magic? Or, did Archer also have another intention?

There was also something else he noticed, which was that once someone had stepped on their own path, it would be harder to change their path afterwards. Even Archer could not do it, despite his extreme strength.

Perhaps, there was a way to change one's path. However, the price would not be light, or one had to have reached a certain threshold that surpassed even Archer's...

Ryan walked toward Kanade's corporeal body. As he raised his hand, a gentle flame cremated her body in a flash. Even if her body had lost all signals from its sensory receptors, he did not want to cause her any more pain.

'As of now, you're free, Kanade... Life may get tough sometimes in your next life, but as long as you endure and strive for it, you'd eventually get the [Good End] you deserve...I hope, you can finally be granted happiness.' 

When Ryan saw her ashes were scattered freely on the wind, he smiled. His heart had accepted her choice at the end.

If he insisted for every single thing to go his way, what would be the difference between him and the unreasonable fate which dictated anyone's life?

He could grant them a choice. Though, they needed to decide it for themselves.

No matter how good or bad their decision might come to him, that would not matter.

After all, they were the one who would be living their own next life. It would not be him.

Ryan felt like he had an inkling to his own path at this moment. He seemed to have grasped a certain truth, yet it also felt like he had not truly grasped that elusive truth.

"What do you want to do next, young man?" Zelretch asked from the side.

When he saw that Ryan had seemingly found his own meaning, he nodded in appreciation.

It would be better if this new Magician could come to terms with his own 'curse', rather than running amuck, wantonly realizing one miracle after another.

It couldn't be helped. Since Ryan acquired the Sixth Magic, his existence had become one of the founding pillars of this world. Moreover, he was the breaker of balance between life and death.

In the case Ryan ever strayed off, even Zelretch would be hard pressed to deal with the consequence.

Seeing that 'he' had allowed Ryan to step through the gateway of the Sixth, it seemed like that man also held a certain expectation from Ryan. It wouldn't be strange if 'he' would intervene in case Ryan fell to a truly fatal danger.

Even then, Zelretch laughed instead.

After all, the one who would be having the most headache right now would not be him, it would be those two higher existences: Gaia and Alaya.

The birth of Sixth Magic was a true major event that shook the very foundation of the universe.

The moment the Sixth Magic came to existence, the rules of the world had been rewritten.

One of the effect of Sixth Magic was that the souls of the dead would enter its Path of Reincarnation upon their predetermined death, instead of directly returning to the [Root]. Then, they would be reborn according to the Sixth's own rules. 

However, what Zelretch saw was not only limited to it.

If what he theorized was proven true, the Sixth Magic's authority was not 'merely' limited to that aspect.

Its scope could perhaps also affect those worldlines deemed to have no future – those 'failed' worldlines destined to be culled.

Through the Sixth's authority, those 'failed' worldlines could also be redeemed through a new beginning, as though gaining a rebirth from the ashes of their severed future.

That was the most terrifying aspect of the Sixth. It had the ability to rewrite the most basic rules of the entire world!

Although, it seemed like its own wielder had not realized the Sixth's terrifying potential...

"Some things need to be settled. After that, well, I don't really have any things I wish to achieve particularly. Ah, perhaps I'd just go touring the world."

Ryan replied off-handedly as he walked away. He wanted to return to his workshop first.

Like what Yu had said, they really needed a rest honestly. Both for their body and mind.

Zelretch pondered for a bit. He then took out a crystal sword from out of nowhere, throwing it toward Ryan.

When Ryan caught that particular crystal sword, he couldn't help become stunned.

"Jeweled Sword Kaleidoscope? Why?"

Ryan asked, feeling surprised at Zelretch's unexpected gift. 

"You may not need it in the future, but it will prove useful for you currently. That is the True Jeweled Sword, it holds more authority of my Second Magic than the design I left for Tohsaka family."

Zelretch smiled.

One of them became the ■■■■■ End, while the other became the New Beginning. Two great chapters of the World would be closed and opened by the same 'individual'.

'Fate truly has the strangest sense some times.'

"You will need to see the sight of various worlds to hone your heart. Use your experience to refine your Mystery and realize its true potential."

After all, you may also be the one who can grant this universe a new beginning…

Zelretch left his last thought unsaid as he disappeared. He had returned to his own true 'space', returning to oversee the various possibilities happening in whole universe.

. . .

At same time, at the faraway space on extreme border of the world.

A gorgeous woman with ethereal beauty and a petite, cute, young 'girl' were slamming the table at a certain someone's residence. 

"What the hell?! We're not told of this deal, Ryan!"

At this moment, both Alaya and Gaia were looking furiously at 'Ryan'. They were clearly angry, as if they would mince the shit out of him given the chance.

"Do you know what you were just doing? Now, the future of various worlds is uncertain!"

If stares could kill, 'Ryan' would have died many times over from their looks.

The birth of Sixth Magic was breaking the balance Alaya had been guarding for all these times, and it was also the greatest sacrilege against natural order of Gaia.

Such blasphemy!

Rin was trembling as she saw these two great existences were glaring daggers at Archer. She stayed beside the older Rin, looking like she was ready to fight if necessary.

"Don't worry. They are merely throwing a tantrum. Their relationship is actually quite close… hm, perhaps the word "intimate" would be more appropriate."

The older Rin whispered to Rin, she looked a little bit nostalgic when she saw these two women.

Rin was a little dumbfounded when she heard her older counterpart.

'Huh? What did she mean??'

Meanwhile, 'Ryan' was still sipping his tea calmly as he then looked at the two furious women.

"Then, are you saying I should not revive Rin and my daughter?" Cold light flashed inside his eyes as he looked straight to both of them.

"…well…It's not entirely like that…"

"Then what's the problem? The Sixth merely completes the great cause and effect. You two should know better than anyone else about its significance."

"Even so, isn't this too early?!" Alaya was annoyed at his nonchalant look. Her chest heaved up and down violently, her expression had become even more lively as opposed to her previous lofty appearance.

"And? It's not like he will stay long in this universe."

"Then, what about the time when he's still staying here?"

Ryan was silent when Gaia stared at him with her usual impassive look. The contrast between her supposedly cute look and her aloof gaze was quite… interesting, if he might say.

"Aiyo… You two really have a lot of complaints.

"Besides, don't think I didn't know what you two were planning when you arranged for both Artoria and Yu to his side. Even if you can't get away from this universe, at least your 'children' would be able to leave alongside him later on, right?"

Hearing 'Ryan' mentioned that matter, both Gaia and Alaya had changed their look.

They appeared to be, a little bit, awkward? As if they were caught red-handed when they did something inappropriate…

"Good thing you two already cut your connection with them, otherwise I would have to kill them in case you try to control him through them." He shook his head helplessly seeing their current look.

"Well, if he creates trouble, just let him deals with it. In any case, I will intervene if it's absolutely necessary."

"You better be!" X2

Alaya and Gaia shouted firmly in unison.

"Now that we have cleared that up,…"

'Ryan' smiled coldly as he walked toward both Alaya and Gaia.

They seemed to understand his meaning as they unconsciously trembled. They looked toward 'Rin' with slightly pleading eyes.

"Hey, I'm here for official business. I have no intention for doing that kind of matter! Stop, don't touch me there...!"

"Give it up. You know I won't stop even if you say no."

"Sis! Help us!"

'Rin' merely laughed lightly when she saw their pleading look. She looked to her younger counterpart, smiling mischievously as she grabbed her hand,

"This is why I need your help, Rin. Look at them; they may be saying no, but their body say otherwise.

"To deal with these two sly foxes, I need another helping hand. Come, let's join them, Rin. We can't let them hog him for themselves."

'Rin' let their homunculus maid to take care of her daughter for a while as she went with the younger Rin toward the largest room in the residence.

"..."

Rin was dumbfounded. She finally understood why her older counterpart asked her to follow them back then...

Soon after, cries of pleasure filled with intense primal desire could be heard from within that room.

At the extreme border of the world, undisturbed by worldly affairs, they had all the time to fulfill their wildest desire.

For the four of them, this was quite a long, and fiery night.

. . .

That morning, a certain shady church in Fuyuki City had lost its priest. The said priest mysteriously disappeared, leaving nothing but black ashes behind.

At Emiya Residence.

Thanks to a certain kind and considerate brother, Shirou was almost stunned silly when he woke up in the morning.

A girl who looked just like Sakura, with her outward difference was merely her black-brown hair, was sleeping soundly beside him.

His startled rustling awakened that girl. In her grogginess, she slowly found herself waking up on her beloved senpai's bed.

Her face turned beet red from shyness when she realized her clothes were in a mess, in which her current look revealed most of her pearly white skin to Shirou. 

Meanwhile, at that moment, the said kind-hearted brother was still sleeping like a log in his own residence...