Ch. 21Red Tears
Key Plot Points and Events
- The Servants and Masters are transported to a peaceful, paradise-like land called Avalon.
- They discover that the peaceful scene is surrounded by a hellish landscape of volcanoes, rivers of blood, and devastation.
- A sorrowful voice reveals that the paradise is a prison, and the Heroic Spirits are unable to move forward into it.
- The scene shifts to a log cabin in a sacred forest, where Xia, a black-haired youth, guards a sleeping golden-haired girl, Artoria.
- Xia discovers that Artoria has imposed a Self-Imposed Memory Seal on herself, erasing her memories of him.
- Xia vows to atone for his mistakes and present the perfect Holy Grail to Artoria.
- The chapter ends with a flashback to Artoria's past, showing her willingly sealing her memories of Xia in a cage of iron chains.
Character Developments
- Kiritsugu: Briefly appears, softens his expression upon seeing the peaceful scene, and experiences the peace and serenity of Avalon.
- Alice: Observes her surroundings with curiosity, experiencing the paradise for the first time.
- Artoria (Saber): Sleeps peacefully in the log cabin, with Xia guarding her. She has sealed her memories of Xia, causing her to forget him.
- Xia (Assassin): Struggles with Artoria's memory seal, vows to atone for his mistakes, and shows determination to reach Artoria's will.
Significant Themes
- The contrast between paradise and hell, representing the duality of reality and the human experience.
- The struggle between memory and forgetting, as seen in Artoria's decision to seal her memories of Xia.
- The theme of atonement and redemption, as Xia vows to make amends for his past actions.
Character Interactions
- The Heroic Spirits briefly interact, sharing their awe and peace upon seeing the paradise of Avalon.
- Xia interacts with the birds outside the cabin, showing a playful and bashful side.
- Xia interacts with Artoria's sleeping form, expressing his love and determination to reach her will.
- Artoria interacts with the ancient voice in her memory, expressing her pain and desire to forget Xia.