IBHJ 1001

"What's so funny, Wedge of Heaven?" she demanded, glaring at him.

Gilgamesh's laughter died instantly, replaced by a scowl. "I told you not to call me that!"

Tethys looked confused. "What's wrong with it?" Seeing his anger, she quickly added, "Alright, alright, I won't. But why get so upset? You were much sweeter as a child. Always 'Lady Thetis' this and 'Lady Thetis' that."

Gilgamesh nearly choked. "That was—" he started, then stopped himself, fuming silently. Back then, he had been just a kid. Sure, the gods had blessed him with wisdom, but he had still been naive. When he had seen his mother treating this fairy with such respect, he had naturally done the same. Now, it was just so embarrassing, and the memory made him want to crawl into a hole.

Still, a part of him grudgingly acknowledged her help over the years. After Enkidu had died, when he had been consumed with grief, it was Tethys who had pointed him towards Utnapishtim, the survivor of the Great Flood.

It was this fairy who'd convinced Utnapishtim to show him the way to the Herb of Immortality. And when he lost it, she'd helped Enkidu break free from the underworld to see him. So, despite his annoyance, Gilgamesh couldn't really stay mad at Tethys. He just glared at her.

Sensing the tension, the young man quickly explained what he knew about Demonic Bodhisattva and Shirou. He kept it brief, though, given the awkward atmosphere.

"The past was intercepted?" Tethys frowned. "Could it be... but that's not possible. It should have ended eight years ago."

"What ended?" the young man asked, confused.

She looked at him intently. "Eight years ago, a Holy Grail War took place here."

"I know," the young man nodded. "I was in Kobe. I saw the black sky. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything," she said in a low voice. "Sixteen years ago, that thing created a vessel to manifest itself. Eight years later, that vessel entered the Holy Grail War, trying to use the Grail to destroy the Human Order Foundation. It would have freed its power."

The young man stared at her, completely bewildered. "What are you talking about? Vessel? Destroying the Human Order Foundation? Eight years ago... are you talking about Manaka? Are you saying someone created her on purpose? Tethys, what's going on?"

"Quiet, Shirou," Gilgamesh interrupted, glancing at the young man. "That's your blind spot."

He glanced at Gilgamesh and fell silent, reluctantly acknowledging his own ignorance on the matter.

Gilgamesh turned back to Tethys. "You're referring to the calamity Utnapishtim spoke of, aren't you? The one that triggered the great flood?"

"Exactly," she nodded. "Utnapishtim was a descendant of the Gandharans who traveled to Mesopotamia. That's why he was able to help the Sumerians survive the flood. He helped them build a new civilization, which is how he became so legendary. But before that, this...thing...destroyed the Gandharan continent. I had to fight hard to push back its influence."

"Okay, now you're just speaking in riddles again." Fujimaru interjected, looking completely lost. "Can someone please explain what this 'thing' is that you keep dancing around?"

Tethys sighed. "It's... something that comes from the same source as I do, but it's my polar opposite." She paused, searching for words. "Think of it like this: for the collective, for the grand unity of all things, it represents ultimate good. But for living beings, especially individuals? It's nothing short of absolute evil."

He was even more confused. What was she talking about?

"Lord of Salvation..." a weak voice suddenly whispered.

Tethys froze. Everyone turned to see Kiara standing unsteadily in the corner, her expression dejected.

Tethys recoiled. "The Beast?" she gasped, her voice tight with alarm.

"No," Fujimaru said. "She's with my future self."

As he briefly explained Kiara's situation to Tethys, she thought to herself, Just as I suspected.

"I see..." she then turned to study him intently.

He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "What do you mean, 'I see'?"

"Nothing."

Tethys, being a primordial fairy, possessed the extraordinary ability to perceive past and future with a single glance. Even alien entities couldn't escape her sight. Yet, this power had its limitations—she could only see her own living past and future.

If she were to exist eternally on the timeline, beings like Kiara, Demonic Bodhisattva, Manaka, or any of the Beasts would be as transparent as glass to her, with no secrets and privacy.

But now, Kiara was a blank spot. This could only mean one thing: Kiara's future had been... devoured. She shook her head, pushing aside that unsettling thought and focusing on the present. Fujimaru Shirou had somehow arrived from the future, and Kiara had even spoken that forbidden name. Tethys had a chillingly good idea of what had happened in the future.

"Lord of Salvation?" The young man's eyes lit up with curiosity as he turned to Kiara. "What's that?"

"That's..." Kiara hesitated, her lips parting to speak, but before she could answer, Tethys clapped her hands sharply, interrupting her.

"Enough questions!" she declared with a bright smile. "Shouldn't you be more concerned with saving your future self from that vessel?"

The young man's eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to change the subject?"

Tethys blinked innocently. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Right," he drawled, his glare making it clear he wasn't buying it.

She let out a tinkling laugh, but her doll-like eyes carefully measured him.

Entrusting the future to him— The thought nagged at her. Is it truly the right choice?

For the first time in ages, Tethys felt the unfamiliar weight of doubt settling in her heart.

It wasn't that she doubted his potential. After all, Shirou's very presence proved he would eventually shoulder the burden of the future. But she knew the path ahead would be dangerous, filled with danger. Entrusting the future to him meant sending him on a journey of immense risk.

Eight years ago, she wouldn't have hesitated. But now, things were different. She couldn't be so reckless.

'We are ghosts of the past, forever clashing with the present, robbing it of its future...' she mused sadly. Outwardly, she maintained a carefree smile, but inside, she sighed. 'We wronged you, that's undeniable. But we paid the price with our own destruction. When will your resentment towards life disappear?'

...

Fujimaru's eyes narrowed, frustration showing on his forehead. Tethys was clearly hiding something, and her refusal to explain more about the "Lord of Salvation" only increased his curiosity.

Meanwhile, Tethys used her power to awaken Mordred and Misaya.

"Lady Tethys?" Mordred's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at the fairy standing beside Shirou. "Is that really you?"

"You're Mordred, from another reality, yes?" Tethys said. "But to think you're Fujimaru Shirou's daughter... how curious indeed."

Her gaze then fell on the Grail in Mordred's hand. Her eyes narrowed. "I see... Your Noble Phantasm is quite unusual. It would be best not to use it."

Mordred's heart tightened. She knew about the Grail's true nature.

As they talked, they couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Despite Demonic Bodhisattva's ambush, their losses were minimal. Only Cu Chulainn had fallen.

"Kiara? What are you doing here?" a surprised voice suddenly exclaimed.

Kiara turned towards the voice. It was a girl who looked just like Ayaka, except with long, glossy black hair. Her eyes were wide with surprise.

"Are you...Ayaka?" Kiara asked hesitantly.

Ayaka's brow furrowed in confusion. "Huh...?"

"Ayaka, what's wrong?" A golden-haired knight in silver armor stepped beside her, his voice gentle with concern.

"Saber, this..." Ayaka glanced between Saber and Kiara, her mind racing. "Could this be a Connection Point?"

Kiara looked completely puzzled, not understanding what Ayaka was trying to say.

Mordred let out an exasperated sigh. "You fool, don't tell me you think you've traveled back in time? We're still at the South American connection point."

Ayaka froze. After the Lord of Salvation's attack, she had woken up to a school from her forgotten memories, with Tethys and Saber Arthur alive. She was convinced she'd been sent back in time and was determined to defeat her sister, the mastermind behind everything. She would save herself, this reality, and even Fujimaru Shirou from endless resets.

But now, seeing Kiara and Mordred, and hearing Mordred's blunt revelation, her hopes came crashing down. It wasn't time travel after all. Just a bubble of the past, an illusion.

Ayaka's face crumpled, disappointment clear in her expression.

"Ayaka, why are you here?" Kiara asked.

"I... I don't know. I just woke up here."

"No, that's not what I meant," Kiara shook her head. "Why are you in Mr. Shirou's past?"

Ayaka hesitated, unsure how to answer.

"If I may," Arthur stepped forward. "Ayaka originally belongs to this time period. However, due to an unusual phenomenon, her future self has been... superimposed on her past self. This caused her past self to vanish from this fragment of time."

Kiara stared at him blankly.

Arthur's cheeks reddened slightly as he realized explaining things wasn't his strong suit.

Seeing Arthur's struggle, the young man beside Ayaka cleared his throat. "Think of it like this," he said, addressing Kiara. "It's like they swapped the actress in the middle of a movie with an older version of herself."

Kiara's face lit up with understanding. "Ah, I see now."

"Well said, Shirou," Arthur praised him with some admiration in his voice. It was clear that when it came to cultural references and explaining complex concepts, the well-read young man was better than him.