The King of the Grail's Fate (Fate/Nasuverse)

Chapter LXXXIII: Apocalypse

Harrison heard the sounds of crushing rock in the distance as well as the sounds of a crackling fire as he slowly started to come to. The last thing he could remember was fighting Michikatsu. Half expecting to open his eyes to the familiar ceiling he has awoken to every time he has gone under he did not receive such a blessing. 

The sky was as black as night with clouds a dark grey of a thunderstorm however there was no thunder no lighting. Erry red and orange light was being channeled along with the clouds as if it was the veins of some otherworldly creature. As more and more senses returned to Harrison, he could feel the ground shaking underneath him as if there was a large earthquake happening. The air smelled of soot and smoke, and Harrison's mind was reeling. Slowly sound started to make its way to his ears as well. "... Harrison... Harrison!" Someone was calling out to him. Everything felt almost dreamlike as he slowly pushed himself to sit up, though the sights were unreal.

The arena he was in previously was almost completely destroyed as the Earth cracked and buckled around him. The houses long since burned to ash as flames ate at whatever they could touch. Hellscape was the only accurate word to describe it. Worse yet, the ground Harrison found himself on was slowly slopping downwards soon to swallow him up in what seemed like an abyss of nothing, something he himself couldn't understand. Harrison still used his mystic eyes in a subconscious act. Though with the shooting pain shooting through his skull that quickly became an obsolete strategy to figure out what was going on. To add insult to injury because of that stunt, Harrison lost most of his actual vision leaving him blind. As he tried to call for help he realized how dry his throat was, Where is Jalter, Salter anybody, called out in his mind.

Just as he felt his footing slip and he started to fall towards unknown terror two arms made their way under his own carrying him up and off of the stone. Not being able to see or speak, Harrison tried to thrash around in protest confused and scared to his very core. "Harrison calm down it's me, Angel," the familiar voice cried out over the rushing winds as they flew. Harrison did in fact calm considerably at the voice and words though he still wished he could ask about the others and if they were okay, not even caring about what was going on any longer. "Prepare for landing," Angel said with a grimace as Harrison's feet struck Earth once again sliding to a halt with the momentum from Angel's flight.

Something crashed into Harrison like a bag of bricks, though Harrison recognized the life-threatening embrace that came from it even without being able to see. "Sa-..." he tried to say through his horse voice causing Salter to look Harrison over more closely. "Uriel what happened to his eyes," Salter called out with a sense of urgency Harrison had never heard her take before. Harrison listened to the sound of hurried footsteps of possibly 4 or more people before Angel spoke up. "Oh gosh, Harrison you need these way more than me," she said before he could feel glasses being slid onto his face. Slowly vision began to return to Harrison, as he realized he was wearing sunglasses, Angels to be precise. 

That was the weird thing though Harrison recognized most of the people gathered, Salter who still refused to let him go, Alice, Zerik, and Muramasa, however, there was one he didn't. She looked like Angel but her hair was much longer her skin was as white as marble and her eyes, burned a glowing mass of red and orange, not to mention the large angelic wings that sprouted from her back. Seeing all things Uriel the Arch-Angel spoke up. "I can see that you don't recognize me, just know that I am Uriel Arch Angel of the South and Eyes of God, your friend Angel, I caught Salter up on everything but I don't really have time to explain can you trust me," she said holding out a hand to help Harrison to his feet.

He still couldn't talk but he took the hand. As he was pulled to his feet Salter took the reigns grabbing his other arm as they rushed off to a large flat area in the decaying stone where Jalter stood in the center of a large magic circle. Before Harrison could attempt to ask questions the sounds of shattering Earth pulled his attention to behind him, where a monster the size of a skyscraper slowly pushed its way through the Earth toward them. It was somewhat man-shaped with eyes that pierced the very soul. However, the large amounts of tentacles on its mantle gave it away as potentially Cthulu. Harrison fell backward in fear, quickly Salter and Uriel pulled him up, Uriel taking the time to fill him in a little.

"The one who organized this tournament saw this time as their chance to seize the grail by force and is using Cthulu to do it, so we have made a plan to summon a Grand Servant to end it Jalter having volunteered to serve as a tribute, though we need your mana and me as a Ruler to facilitate the transfer, and my eyes tell me we don't have much time," Uriel called to Harrison. He looked at Jalter's ready position at the middle of the circle then back to the beast, the winds only growing stronger, as now howls of agony could be heard in the distance. That being said Harrison shook his head no. "No?" Uriel said in surprise. With a hand outstretched pointing at Jalter not, "Not... her..." Harrison managed to say.

Both Uriel and Salter were at a loss for words, they didn't expect Harrison to protest. However, Harrison would not let anyone willingly sacrifice themselves like that. "I will do it!" a new voice entered the fray shouting at Harrison. All heads turned to regard the new voice. A man with only black hair and a scar that looked like flames on his head, with long flowing purple and black robes now ripped and blood stained. Harrison knew this was MIchikatsu and he looked badly injured as his spirit form threatened to fade away altogether.

"I will disappear momentarily regardless I only wish to do a swordsman their right," he said looking down at the now-shocked Jalter. No one stopped him as he made his way toward the center of the circle politely moving Jalter out of the way. "You don't have to do th-" Harrison tried to shout coughing up blood. Michikatsu just smiled at him sincerely before shouting "START NOW!" shocking them into action. Harrison didn't know what to do but Salter's generous squeeze on his shoulder helped calm him. Uriel grabbed his arm forcefully and looked at him, "Ready" she mouthed. Harrison nodded in the negative, but it didn't matter. Instantly he felt as if someone was sucking the very blood from his body like a torrent as his knees buckled under the pressure, the magic circle in front of them glowing bright white.

Thankfully the sunglasses Harrison was given seemed to block out all harmful light and so his eyes weren't injured any further. Though as he felt himself fall another person came to help in Jalter who supported him from under his shoulders keeping him upright. The ear-piercing stretch of Cthulu reached his ears at that moment causing him to weakly roll his head back. Somehow the monster was only a couple hundred feet away now as it towered over them completely. Fear was the only emotion in Harrison's heart at the moment it raised its arm back before bringing it forward towards the group, with enough speed it lit ablaze with the friction of the air on its arm. Jalter subconsciously rotated to see the threat.

The ritual reached its climax at that moment the light swelling to life as Harrison instinctually closed his eyes anticipating the pain to come. The only thing he could think of at that moment was all the smiling faces he would be leaving if he died. That one image stole the fear right from him and opening his eyes once again with newfound courage he stared death right in the face once again.