It was no mistake and with every step she had to struggle to breathe. It was like she was drowning and she could feel the same numbness in her hands that she had when Shirou had died, when she'd almost thrown Excalibur across the room because it had his blood on it.

Archer's voice took a few moments to reach her and she paused at the steps as he spoke. Her hand was so tight on the rail that if it weren't for her gloves she'd be able to see how white her knuckles were. It was true, wasn't it? If she saved the worlds then those other iterations of herself would keep saving him. As far as she could tell, she was the only version of Arturia Pendragon who had slain him.

"....You know, Saber and I thought it was funny how she succeeded where you failed," she said, glancing at him over her shoulder. The pain of the corrupted Excalibur being sliced through her chest was a memory she would never forget. It was almost comical the relatively good terms she and Saber were on now.

She looked away again and just barely managed to keep herself from running from his approaching figure. He wanted to speak to her and Archer--Shirou--Archer deserved anything he asked of her.

If he asked her to cut open her own guts with Caliburn, she would do it gladly.

"I apologize. I should not have asked you to fight by my side when I've betrayed even myself. You're right about those ideals being foolish."

And yet he was the one who had not betrayed them in his life, as far as she knew. That was why she felt he could walk that path just as well as she.