Flames consumed everything in their path, scorching the world like the sun itself. Whether human or Servant, all were reduced to ash before this fire.
That was how it should have been...
"Why...?"
Darnic stood frozen, staring at Vlad III, who stood before him with arms outstretched, his body charred black. Dark mist and shadows swirled around them like a protective shield, leaving Darnic untouched amidst the blackened earth.
Vlad staggered, as if his strength had left him, and began to collapse. Darnic's eyes widened as he rushed to catch him.
Hot!
Vlad's body, now in his vampiric form, should have been cold, yet his skin burned to the touch. It stung Darnic's hands, but he stubbornly held on, refusing to let the proud king fall.
The King wouldn't allow himself to show weakness before his enemies. If Vlad couldn't stand on his own, then Darnic would support him.
"You'll be fine, my King. I still have two Command Seals left. You haven't lost yet!" Darnic raised his hand, the last two Command Seals glowing before fading away. "Please, my King, recover!"
Karna watched quietly from a distance. He could see the truth of the situation but chose not to speak. His bluntness often made things worse, and this was something Darnic needed to realize on his own.
"Why? Why isn't it working?" Darnic's voice trembled as Vlad's body remained unchanged, starting to fade, becoming translucent.
It was the sign of a Servant's departure from the world.
But this wasn't supposed to happen!
"Wake up, my King! You still have unfinished business!" Darnic screamed in desperation.
Vlad shouldn't be dying. As a vampire, his only weakness should be sunlight! So why was this happening?
"It's no use," Karna finally said softly. "Your Command Seals can't help him anymore."
"This is my fault... I'm the one who forced him into this... If I hadn't asked him..." Darnic clutched his forehead in agony.
"No, you did nothing wrong." Vlad's voice, weak but clear, interrupted. He opened his eyes, the fangs gone from his mouth. The powerful Vlad who had fought Karna to a standstill was no more. The bloodline of the vampire had come to an end. Vlad knew his time was up.
As a vampire, he had stepped beyond the bounds of a Heroic Spirit, becoming an immortal creature. With enough blood, he could have withstood even Karna's Noble Phantasm and reached him. But he had chosen to give that up.
To protect his people, Vlad had become a demon. And to protect them, he had now sacrificed his life.
The regenerative powers of a vampire weren't infinite. Without fresh blood, he would die. Darnic had been right there, within reach, but Vlad refused to take his life. Instead, he had used the last of his strength to shield Darnic from the flames.
For reasons unknown to him, the ravenous hunger that had once driven him to despair had vanished.
Do I regret it?
Yes, I regret it. If only I had been stronger, if only I had done better.
Am I satisfied?
Yes, I am. Even with this twisted body, my will never wavered. I protected my people until the very end.
Do I have any regrets?
Yes, I do. I couldn't fulfill my people's wish.
"It's not your fault, Darnic," Vlad smiled bitterly. "I couldn't keep my promise. As both your master and servant, I'm glad we could talk one last time. If only you had been there sooner, I might not have ended up like this."
"King..." Darnic closed his eyes, holding back tears.
"Come now, Darnic," Vlad said, his voice soft but firm. "Help me stand. I will not fall before my enemies, even in death. And as my servant, neither should you. No matter how hopeless things seem, if you haven't given up, you can still change them."
Darnic nodded, helping Vlad to his feet.
"That's better. Look forward, Darnic. Don't turn back. Life will be hard from now on, but you must keep moving," Vlad said as he straightened his back, standing tall once more. "Remember, you are my Master and my subject. Even if I die, I will protect this land. I will protect you."
A soft light, like rain, gently fell over Darnic. "You must create the future of this land in my place. I will always be watching over you."
Darnic clenched his fist, pressing it to his forehead, his body trembling. For the first time in over sixty years, tears welled up in his eyes.
"Then, I leave everything to you, my Master, my subject," Vlad whispered, reaching out to touch Darnic's head. But before his fingers could make contact, they crumbled into dust.
"Darnic..."
Lancer Vlad III. Spirit Origin dispersed. Dead.
"I understand, my King," Darnic murmured as he lowered his fist, bathed in the light of Vlad's final moments. He turned to face Karna with calm determination.
"Your King truly was an incredible being," Karna said, crossing his arms. "He changed people. He guided them, inspired them."
"—"
The walls collapsed with a thunderous crash, and Cyd stepped through, carrying a box on his back. Jeanne and Atalanta followed close behind.
"They save, protect, and conquer. Kings are paradoxes, yet they're the most reasonable beings of all," Cyd remarked.
"Ruler?" Karna asked without moving.
"Yes. Darnic, Lancer has fallen. You're no longer qualified. You should leave." Cyd glanced at Darnic, who stood motionless. "There's a tunnel behind me. You can use it to escape."
Will he leave? Jeanne wondered. She had seen Darnic's intense obsession with the Grail. He desired it more than anyone, and even without a Servant, she doubted he'd give it up so easily.
"I know," Darnic exhaled, his expression calm, but a weight of responsibility pressed on him. "I give up on the Grail."
"Really? Congratulations," Cyd smiled and clapped. "Wishing for your people's future isn't something you should entrust to a cup full of desires. You should shape it with your own hands. As long as you don't give up, it's not something you need the Grail for."
"If it were the old me, I'd have probably argued, saying you have no idea what I've been through. But now..." Darnic brushed past Cyd, heading toward the tunnel.
"I realize I need to keep going. Because..."
He paused and smiled.
"My King entrusted me with it."
Even if he was reborn, the name Darnic would never fade. The memories of this Holy Grail War would not disappear. Not until he fulfilled his King's wish, until he carved out their future.
He would not go to meet his King until then.