Fate: How About a New Savior?

The desolate wilderness was covered in red soil, dotted with resilient plants that clung to life in the harsh terrain. The land had become a

The desolate wilderness was covered in red soil, dotted with resilient plants that clung to life in the harsh terrain. The land had become a battlefield—littered with fallen soldiers and shattered machines, as if a massive war had just ended.

Shiomi stood at the heart of it all, gazing up at the sky.

There, suspended in the air, was a lone figure—pierced through her chest, arms, and legs by sharp red magical spears like barbed thorns. Her arms were spread wide, and blood streamed from her wounds, soaking her entire body in crimson. She hung in the shape of a cross, like a sacrifice offered to the gods.

This woman had once slain countless deities and had ultimately become a half-human, half-divine immortal.

Shiomi knew her better than anyone. Respected her more than anyone. And—more than anyone—loved her.

Scáthach.

His master.

...

Shiomi snapped awake, staring up at the ceiling of his room.

In the darkness, only the faint glow of the electronic devices on the bedside table remained. A dull headache throbbed in his skull—that familiar sensation of being jolted out of sleep by a nightmare. He lay there, dazed, waiting for the pain to subside, his thoughts slowly clearing. Cold sweat clung to his hair and body, soaking the tight-fitting Chaldea-issued undershirt, making it cling uncomfortably to his skin.

Time for a shower.

He tried to sit up but found his right arm pinned. Turning his head, he saw Morgan sleeping peacefully, using his arm as a pillow.

With a soft smile, he leaned over and gently kissed her forehead, then carefully supported her body as he began sliding his arm out from beneath her neck and the pillow.

Halfway through, the blanket shifted with a rustle. He looked down—right into Morgan's sleepy eyes. She sat up groggily.

Freed from her weight, Shiomi slid his numb arm out, letting his Mana circulate automatically to restore sensation.

"You're soaked... Was it a nightmare?" Morgan brushed his hair aside and wiped the sweat from his face with her palm.

"Yeah. I figured I'd shower, but ended up waking you," Shiomi said with a wry smile.

"In that case, let's go together. I don't mind skipping sleep—it's just about being with you." Morgan sat up, fluidly stripped off her clothes, and walked naked to the corner of the room, opening the bathroom door.

Soon, the sound of running water echoed out.

Shiomi chuckled helplessly. He gathered up Morgan's clothes, tossed them into the washing machine along with his own, and followed her into the bathroom.

After washing away the sweat, the two of them soaked in the tub together, with Morgan lazily resting her head against his chest.

"Tell me about your nightmare," she said. "Was it about me?"

"No," Shiomi replied, lips tightening slightly.

"Then it was about her, wasn't it?"

She didn't need to say the name—Shiomi knew exactly who she meant from her tone.

"Yeah."

"You've got some nerve. Dreaming about another woman while sleeping next to your wife." Morgan sat up slightly, her hips pressing against him. "Have I been too lax with you all these years?"

"You've never really tried to teach me anything," Shiomi said, half-laughing, half-exasperated.

She always let things slide, never prying too deeply—just like she had said in Fuyuki during the Fifth Holy Grail War.

There was no need to forcibly change what already existed.

Morgan leaned sideways, resting against the tub while placing a hand on Shiomi's chest. His heartbeat was steady and strong.

"So, tell me what the nightmare was about." She smiled. "If it were just a normal dream, I wouldn't care. But I'm curious about your nightmares. What did Scáthach look like in it? Or were you reliving the horrors of your training in the Land of Shadows?"

"It's hard to say..." Shiomi sighed.

He then began to recount the dream in careful, vivid detail.

When he finished, Morgan's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Sounds like Jesus nailed to a cross. But she's immortal, isn't she? She's not as strong as you, since you've touched Authority, but still—that shouldn't be enough to kill her."

"Immortality doesn't mean you can't feel pain," Shiomi said, propping his chin on his hand as he leaned on the edge of the tub, watching Morgan's faintly smiling face. "Whoever did it clearly understands my master's condition and used that to torment her."

"In the end, it's just a nightmare. No need to take it too seriously," Morgan said softly, trying to comfort him. "You told me she can never leave the Land of Shadows. She'll remain there until the end of the world."

"Exactly, which is why this dream feels so strange," Shiomi said, deep in thought. "And the place where she was executed—it wasn't the Land of Shadows. It was some kind of bizarre battlefield."

Morgan lifted her hand from his chest and placed it on her cheek. "Red earth... bromeliads and cacti growing stubbornly in the dust... I remember when I took Sakura and Caren on a road trip through the U.S., driving along Highway 50—we saw scenery like that."

"...Huh?" Shiomi's eyes finally widened in realization.

The Fifth Singularity—estimated around the year 1783. The setting: the entire United States.

"Wait, hold on. Sure, the world's been incinerated by the King of Magecraft, but the Land of Shadows—"

"You're going to say it's outside the world, so it shouldn't be affected?" Morgan lowered her gaze. "But there's no proof the Land of Shadows is immune to this kind of disaster."

"We were planning to head to the Fifth Singularity anyway," Shiomi said, rubbing his forehead. "Looks like we have no choice now. Want to come?"

"No thanks. The Sixth Singularity is more of a pain. Supposed to be 13th century, but the Human Foundation value is unstable." Morgan smiled, a hint of menace in her expression, as if she'd found something she couldn't wait to destroy. "I'm curious what makes the Sixth Singularity so special that it gets rated on par with my own kingdom."

"Your competitiveness is seriously weird, Queen of Winter." Shiomi couldn't help but tease.

Morgan smirked and reached out to touch his lips. "No one knows if the King of Magecraft will show up again. What if this time, he can't kill you and decides to abduct you instead? Then I'd be stuck finishing the rest of the Singularities alone with the kids, and heading off to rescue you myself."

"You've been watching way too many soap operas," Shiomi said, half-laughing. He was about to ask which show that plot came from.

Just then, Morgan leaned in close. "Even if it's just a nightmare, you dared dream of another woman while sleeping next to me? I need compensation."

"It's already late..."

"Then let's erase the nightmare with a beautiful dream. Otherwise, the day ahead will be rough."

To the sound of her cool, teasing voice, Shiomi pressed his lips to hers. In the warm bath, the two held each other tightly.