Part 397: Last Episode
Although this only unlocks after finishing Heaven's Feel, you'll enjoy it much more if you know ahead of time that it has nothing at all to do with Heaven's Feel. Just like Drinking, Dreaming Moon was a story about Shiki, this is a story about Shirou, or perhaps even Archer - I prefer the latter interpretation. This is the last of what the game has to offer, and the last update of the thread, so enjoy the appropriately named "Last Episode".Video: Last Episode (mirror)
Music: Sword of Promised Victory
"I, Servant Saber, have come forth in response to your summons.
From this time forth, my sword shall be with you and your fate shall be with me.
Now, our contract is complete."
Yes, the contract is complete.
She chose him to become her Master.
And he swore to help her with all his might.
Music: Stop
This is already something in the past.
Meeting the Grail, there were only fifteen days that belonged to his and her story.
Music: Emiya
That man said this.
Who to fight, who to kill, who not to kill.
Never thinking he himself is wrong; judging beforehand what is right, and who is wrong.
Resting her body in the wind under the indigo blue sky, she just gazed into the distance.
Sigh. It turns out there is something like this.
Fortunately, the sky was very high, and the wind was very cool.
Even now these clear, blue memories live inside my heart.
"I cannot forsake my oath as a king. There is a duty I must fulfill as the king.
King Arthur's goal is to obtain the Holy Grail. Even if I achieve that goal, I will not return to being Arturia.
I have only ever had one wish.This wish has never changed since I pulled out the sword."
"You should think things through before you grab that."
"No"
She nodded firmly, even when shown her future.
Are you really ok with that? The magus asked.
Even so, she still chose to fight.
Even if there was inevitable, solitary ruin waiting at the end.
"EX"
"SABER!!!!!"
"CALIBUR!"
Music: Stop
" What is it?"
I reply like always with my best bluff.
She is facing me.
She looks straight at me and in a voice without regret
"ShirouI love you."
She says those words.
"Yeahit really is just like you."
There are no regrets in my voice.
I squint at the rising sun, keeping everything close to my heart.
I stare at the horizon, wishing never to forget, and for it to never fade away.
Music: Stop
Video: End of the Dream (mirror)
His journey has never contained a finish line, and has never yielded any results.
Actually the reason is very simple.
Where should he go, what should he do, in order to stop his footsteps?
This answer was set to be the finish line since the start. Anyways, you must be filled with scars.
Music: Demon Carving (Realta Nua)
Machines, bodies, and spirits are all alike in this manner.
Everything will be damaged with time.
Everything will fade away with time.
That's why, the heart that has never recognized these things as painful, after many years, has finally noticed it.
But, he's not correct to go on like this.
Carefully locking away the things that are painful.
The heart of steel is the proof of the Command Mantra.
The long journey must continue.
No matter how small the happiness received in return is, she still wishes for him to be happy, energetic, and being happy when looking back occasionally.
Music: Stop
Music: Ever-present Feeling
In order to fulfill his prophecy, even if the life of the King ended, that sword cannot return back to how it was before.
Time passes, countries rise and fall, and people change.
Even if she prayed to the great King, this oath would still continue.
Because.
She assumed these obligations without recompensation, and because of that many lives can survive.
Fading away like a human, and repeating the same things over and over like a machine.
Even if nobody could notice that kind of pain.
I am here, I know your strength.
"If you want to meet again as normal people, two miracles must occur.
One must wait continuously, one must pursue endlessly.
They must realize that it is impossible to succeed yet at the same time be capable of enduring patiently. Is that the story of a dream that shouldn't be waited upon?"
The magus asked.
Is that sort of thing impossible? It's unrelated to the duty of the King, it's as simple as whether or not it can come true and whether or not you can keep waiting for it.
A meaningless response.
That is merely the hope of the girl before she took up the sword.
No matter what, if she doesn't have the power to make it come true;
How is that any different than wishing to the stars?
"But, whether this thing is right or wrong is another topic altogether.
Arturia. The era is changing alongside the people, the only one who's still like that time is you.
A dream is only beautiful because it's dream-like. But for you, you would probably be happier slumbering as if dead
Even so"
No response.
Even if it's unsaid, only that wish will not disappear.
In other words, that is probably best.
Not finding anyone, not being pursued by anyone.
Up until the day when the posture of the King disappeared from the imagination of people.
With that warm, dream-like wish; her future eternity can only be endured in this slumber.
Music: Stop
Music: The End of the Dream (Realta Nua)
""
Raising her head to look at the sky, harbouring a wish.
Noticing the change in the wind's direction, the tears that were forced back fell at last.
She's praying, desperately awaiting that familiar shadow.
But even if they meet again.
Up until now it's merely a hope; she's grateful for this small, insignificant hope
No.
Enough, this deceit should end here.
That thing that's only sensitive to words woke up brightly.
That thing that had stopped once again started to move.
", Ah."
A nostalgic blood runs through the heart of tin.
Golden earth.
In her long lost hometown, she could finally pursue her heart.
How much she wanted to see him, how long he made her wait, at this moment it's no longer important.
Yes.
In the end, his way of life has not changed.
Similarly, it's impossible to repay her with anything.
But.
That smile seems to have been this all along, a youthful simplicity.
The words coming out of his mouth really seemed like back then.
As if, what's beginning here is only the continuation of that day.
""
Her footsteps on the ground were light.
The girl with a slightly quivering body was smiling.
"Yeswelcome back, Shirou."
The dream, finally announced its end here.
Music: Stop
It's been a long journey. I set out to share a story with all of you; hopefully one that many of you wouldn't have seen otherwise. On the way, I encountered nearly every kind of setback imaginable - my videos were deleted, my screenshots stopped working (several times), my computer broke down, and my web host cut me off - but somehow, in the end, I've finished it. This game and the software I've used to make this LP have followed me across three different computers now, and years from now I'll probably still be finding copies of my work that I squirreled away in some unknown hole to make sure, even should the worst happen, I'd always have a backup.
Requiring a year and a half to post its nearly 400 updates, this has been my biggest and longest LP by far. That's a bit of an understatement; this thread is an absolute monster. My Fate/Stay LP directory alone is over 40,000 files, and the bare minimum to host the LP still breaks 10,000. Despite that, I went back and updated old posts when necessary - to fix broken images, to update poor quality videos, and to add the amazing Realta Nua scenes when those became available partway through. I feel confidant that I've done everything I possibly could to share this story with all of you at its very best, and I only hope that all of you enjoyed it as much as I do. It's a story filled with heroism, chivalry, sacrifice, and sadness. That story is finally at its end, but I'm sure that someday I'll find another worth sharing. Let's all get together again when that time comes.