Fate: Abyss of the Heart

Against the Darkness

Artoria felt the warmth of determination igniting in her chest, the memories of her fallen comrades fueling her resolve. She took a deep breath, steadying her grip on Excalibur, the Sword of Promised Victory. With a fierce glint in her eye, she raised the blade high, ready to confront the embodiment of darkness standing before her.

"Shirou," she called, her voice unwavering despite the turmoil within her. "I won't let you be consumed by this darkness. I will save you!"

Vanitas merely chuckled, a sound devoid of humor. It echoed ominously through the wasteland, sending a shiver down her spine. "Oh, Pendragon, how naive," he replied, amusement lacing his voice. "But very well, let's see what you've got."

With a flick of his wrist, a portal of swirling darkness opened beside him, and from it, he summoned a spear. Artoria's heart sank as she beheld the weapon that emerged. It was a grotesque and terrifying sight. The spear's long, black shaft shimmered with an eerie silver sheen, casting unsettling shadows around them. The spearhead was jagged and sharp, resembling teeth ready to devour anything in its path.

The very aura of the spear radiated malevolence, chilling her to the bone. It felt like a living entity, hungry for blood, and Artoria's heart raced at the realization of the monstrous power it wielded.

"Prepare yourself, Vanitas!" she shouted, channeling all her strength into her stance. She focused on the blade of Excalibur, its radiant light contrasting starkly against the encroaching darkness that surrounded them. "I will put an end to this madness!"

But instead of preparing for her attack, Vanitas merely lowered his spear, nonchalantly looking away as if dismissing her entirely. Confusion washed over Artoria. Was he underestimating her?

With a surge of adrenaline, she charged forward, her heart pounding as she closed the distance between them. The world blurred around her as she aimed for the opening she believed she had. "This is it!" she thought, her resolve solidifying. She was mere centimeters from striking him down, the tip of Excalibur gleaming with promise.

But in an instant, everything changed. As she lunged forward, her sword aimed at Vanitas's heart, he turned to her with blinding speed. The spear, once lowered, shot forward with terrifying precision. Artoria's eyes widened in shock as the tip pierced through her chest, the cold metal biting into her flesh with an unforgiving brutality.

A gasp escaped her lips, but the sound was swallowed by the vast emptiness around them. She felt the surge of pain explode within her, a hot flash that spread through her body, mingling with disbelief. How could this happen?

In that moment, she lost her balance, the weight of the spear driving her back with a force that felt like a tidal wave. Artoria was thrown several meters away, her body spiraling through the air. She landed harshly against the ground, the world spinning around her as she gasped for breath.

Looking down, she saw the large hole in her chest, blood oozing from the wound as her grip on Excalibur faltered. No, no... not like this! The realization that she had failed to protect him crushed her spirit, mixing with the pain that radiated through her entire being.

As she lay there, struggling to regain her strength, Vanitas stood over her, the spear still glimmering with that sinister sheen. "You really thought you could defeat me, didn't you, Pendragon?" he said, his tone mocking, devoid of any semblance of the warmth she once knew. "Your efforts are in vain."

Artoria's vision blurred as despair threatened to overwhelm her, but a flicker of determination still burned deep within. With every ounce of willpower she could muster, she refused to let darkness claim her. "I won't give up," she whispered, clutching Excalibur tightly. "I will fight... for you, Shirou."

As she tried to rise, her heart heavy with a mix of fear and hope, she knew this battle was far from over. The flickering flame of her knightly resolve would not extinguish so easily, even in the face of this twisted version of the one she loved.