Noble Phantasm
Avalon
Japanese name:	アヴァロン
Title:	The Everdistant Utopia
Japanese title:	全て遠き理想郷
Transliteration:	Subete Tooki Risoukyou
Owner:	Saber
Type:	Barrier
Rank:	EX
Maximum number of targets:	1 person protected

Avalon: The Everdistant Utopia (全て遠き理想郷アヴァロン, ^?) is the hallowed scabbard of Excalibur, the embodiment of the utopia King Arthur seeks, originally stolen from her shortly before the Battle of Camlann. It is a luxurious piece of equipment made of gold and decorated with blue enamel that seems more like a treasure to show dignity and nobility like a crown or staff than a weapon. No one knows what kind of a divine mystery it is made from, but it was created by fairies along with Excalibur, an inscription written in Fairy Letters engraved on its center to show that it is not the work of man. It bequeaths limited immortality through constant regeneration, as well as preventing physical deterioration caused by aging.

Its abilities are potent enough to heal critical and fatal wounds rapidly and restore the wielder's health. It causes minor injuries to quickly heal, missing portions of the body and destroyed organs, including the heart, to be regenerated. It differs from other Noble Phantasms used by Servants, as it is the genuine artifact that was excavated in Cornwall at the request of the Einzberns shortly before the Fourth Holy Grail War. It is still in pristine condition after one thousand five hundred years, though it no longer functions without a connection to its original owner.

Avalon is used by Kiritsugu Emiya as the catalyst to summon Arturia as a Saber-class Servant, though its existence is kept hidden from her. It is later used to save the life of Shirou Emiya at the end of the Fourth Holy Grail War, and it is once again used as a catalyst to summon Arturia during the Fifth Holy Grail War.

Its function as a Noble Phantasm is an "absolute defense" that completely shields its user in the domain of fairies, Avalon, the unreachable utopia that Arthur dreamed of and was said to have gone to after her death. It is the greatest protection in the world that goes beyond defending or reflecting, completely isolating its user in a world completely separate from the regular world. The scabbard dissipates into countless tiny particles in the air and engulfs the user to become a "portable fortress" that shuts out all interference. It is the Bounded Field of the tranquil domain of fairies that keeps out all filth from the outside world, and allows nothing to harm the tranquil King that stands in the land of Avalon. The individual is shielded from all destructive interference in the physical realm, transliners from parallel worlds, and multidimensional communication as far as the sixth dimension. It is on the level of true magic, an actual true magic in itself, that transcends all magecraft, and not even the Five Magics can overcome the barrier.

Avalon can also be used as a "Master's Noble Phantasm" after Saber is summoned. It can be disassembled and sealed inside Saber's master or someone who will constantly be close to her, such as Irisviel von Einzbern, as a Conceptual Weapon to aid them with its regenerative abilities and allow them to supply more prana to Saber. The contract between Saber and a Master isn't a requirement to use Avalon's abilities, but having one will provide the user the true benefit of limited immortality by allowing it to obtain prana from Saber and fully utilize its effects according to the contract. This allows Kiritsugu to use Innate Time Control, which causes enough damage to shatter bones and tear tendons with brief use, at double his normal level for extended periods of time. However, it only nullifies the damage he receives; he is still burdened by the excessive pain of the injuries.

Avalon's effects are less potent for those without the contract, allowing its regenerative abilities to be used only while Saber is close enough to provide prana to it. It will not function if she is unable to provide it with prana by being near its bearer. It is enough to keep Irisviel functioning as person, while she would normally start to break down and lose functions as a human due to her status as the vessel of the Grail. She needs to be within range of Saber to function normally, while her suffering increases as Saber moves farther away.

Avalon can be removed from its user at any time to be passed on to another. Irisviel is able to manifest it by placing her hand on her chest, concentrating prana within her on to her fingertips, and allowing the form of the scabbard to appear within a silhouette of light before finally manifesting. After she gives it to Kiritsugu, he implants it in a dying Shirou at the end of the war to save his life by using the lingering prana left within it, and it has remained within Shirou ever since that day. It draws him closer to swords, and actually changes his Elemental Affinity and Origin to "Sword" as well.

Once the Fifth Holy Grail War enters the preparation stage, magical energy starts flowing within Avalon due to it being confirmed that Shirou will summon Saber.^[1] After it is used as the catalyst to summon Saber a second time, the connection is fully re-established and it heals him from a number of fatal wounds during the War. It remains merged with him in Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven's Feel, but it is discovered during the Fate, where he and Saber manage to use its barrier function by projecting it. They are able to remove it by allowing Saber to gather its form while Shirou shapes it with Projection in order to return it to her from across time. Even after separating it from him, it has merged with him to the point where he is able to create a perfect projection of it without any degradation that bypasses all of the steps due to having a complete record of it. After the connection to Saber is gone, it can be said his image of Avalon also disappears.^[2]

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ Fate/complete material III World Material - Q: Prior to summoning Sabre, why did Shirou have dreams of Excalibur? Was this the Greater Grail's contact with Shirou because he was chosen as a Master?
   A: As the Holy Grail War entered the preparation stage, because it was confirmed that Shirou would summon Saber (Altria), magical energy began to course through Avalon within him. As a result, the "sword" image in his deep subconscious began to surface.
2. ↑ Fate/complete material III World Material - Q: Archer's greatest defense is "Rho Aias", but if he were the same person as Shirou, shouldn't his greatest protection be "Avalon"? In the Rin route, Archer knew that the holy sword's sheath was inside Shirou, so wouldn't the Heroic Spirit form of the Shirou that "knew" that the sheath was merged with him be Archer?
   A: Avalon’s power won't work if Saber's not connected to it. It's a different story during the Grail War, but all it does when Saber isn't around is make Shirou's magic attribute into "sword". Also, after the Grail War is taken apart, the line between him and her will be gone, so it's best to think that his image of "Avalon" also disappeared.