My vision darkened, and I actually was about to collapse as it turns out... Activating a true divine construct that was a fucking Anti-Planet-tier noble phantasm was beyond exhausting.
"Gotcha there, Jake... Make sure your magic circuits aren't going to boil your blood." Ritsuka said hurriedly with worry as she grabbed me around my waist to make sure I didn't actually fall.
Then Tamamo's glowing form came down from where she was hovering, and Mash stepped forward as Tamamo hurriedly took me from Ritsuka's arms with an almost hiss.
But even as she did so. I was hard focused on what lied before us. As Artoria's form remained standing despite having lost much of her body in the flames as her body began breaking down into spiritron particules.
"That power... A power not far off from an actual Beast's power. Maybe, just maybe you will be able to turn the tide. But its still not likely you will succeed Jake Bariss." Artoria said quietly.
Then her gaze turned to Mash with a frown before she said almost darkly. "You... You have not be accepted by my knight who bore that shield. Earn his approval, or your path to help save humanity will be a very short one. Even shorter then your already short life, homunculus."
Then she took a deep breath before speaking more to herself. "You all. You all will see wonderful and terrible things in the future. The Grand Order. A trial and adventure that will determine Proper Human Histories ability to exist."
Then, as most of Artoria Ater's body faded she whispered. "It is a pity, though... I wish I could have fought alongside that shield once again."
And with that, Artoria fully faded away.
From the final burst of blue spiritron lights came a flash of gold and with some simple wind-based magecraft, I waved my hands with the glowing gold Grail quickly flying over and falling into my hands.
The grail in my hands was the real deal despite its smaller size. Of course fucking Goetia, who was basically also the King of Magecraft itself with god's authority, could make a far more efficient and condensed grail.
"The holy grail... Can we use it to get back home?" Mash asked quietly as she looked at the grail in my hands.
Ritsuka leaned in towards the grail in my hands and asked the real pressing question. "Uhh, even if we could use it to get home. The question is, how do we even use it to begin with? Jake, you went to actual magic school at the Clock Tower. Can you activate the grail and make it take us home???"
Despite the stinging pain in my Six Eyes as I looked at the insane magic running through the grail, as well as how it worked. I forced myself to look up, and my gaze turned dark as I frowned deeply at who was standing atop the rim of the corrupted Greater Grail.
A new figure had silently climbed out of the festering pool of endless curses that filled the grail.
And that figure's form was all too clear, even with it's darkened skill with glowing blue tattoos and black flames surrounding it.
"Angra Mainyu... What are" I spoke quietly as I felt dread climb into my heart. As this wasn't nearly just the Avenger Servant Angra Mainyu itself.
And my dread was the simple fact I couldn't have Tamamo use her noble phantasm again. And the corrupted grail he was standing on was something that only Tamamo could deal with if the 'God of all the Worlds Evil's' decided to use as a weapon.
Angra Mainyu I realized, was also using the corpse of this world's Shirou Emiya as his vessel, and he merely grinned and spoke. "Relax, I ain't here to kill ya... Yet anyway, I am just here to throw some cog's into a bastard and bitches plans."
We all flinched as Angra Mainyu's neck cracked loudly as he threw back his head and laughed madly. "After all hahaha!!! Why would I kill you all when you will face so much suffering in the future that I can watch and slowly absorb? Leaving you here to die in this dying worldline as Chaldea can't bring you back in time will be just too damned boring!"
I stared at Angra Mainyu before I tilted my head said helplessly. "Ahriman... Your Emiya is showing too much. But I, we appreciate the ride back to Chaldea."
The Beast Candidate of Humanity's 'Retribution' Logos grinned evilly before he said. "Don't thank me... Seriously, don't. You will lose people you love, you will face pain and injury uncounting, and there is every chance that no matter your efforts, you WILL fail against the enemies before you."
I stared at Ahriman, and with my arm around Tamamo's waist to hold myself up. I said with finality. "You are wrong. I will not give up, no matter the cost. I will not give up on this adventure and the goal of restoring this world."
Ahriman's gaze was filled now with an inhuman, demonic pity in that swirling gaze. Then the grail behind him flared with cursed power and he said with a heartless chuckle.
"I lived an entire mortal lifetime of endless unimaginable torment, Jake Bariss... And even then, I woudn't trade that for your future. Because I at least didn't have the curse of Hope that will be dashed repeatedly."
With a heavy inhale, I demanded. "Who, who the hell is trying to destroy the world? Is it Goetia? Is that the bastard you mentioned, and who is the other?"
Ahriman gave me a look of amusement, seemingly uncaring for my tone and demand. Then he stared off into the distance before saying thoughtfully. "Meh, yeah, that pile of worms Goetia got brought into the world by that star-covered bitch. But I won't tell ya who she is. I gotta keep up some of my villain energy."
That was clearly the end of our conversation as he waved at us as though telling us to begone before he turned around and fell into the roiling grail.
Rituska also went to say something. But we were then silenced as the cursed grail behind Ahriman exploded with power.
And our vision was met with swirling light as I realized that Ahriman literally punched a fucking hole through the Root using a full grail to send us home!
But as we were being sent off... My mind was filled with possible enemies of humanity that was female and had a star theme. And it hit me all to damned quickly!
It was that 'bitch' Kama/Mara! Who could have even been revived by any number of methods. Hell, the chances of Kiara Sessyoin being responsible were high with that mini-Slaanesh, who could have brought her to the human texture with her antics!