I continued my steps, Sir Wiggles watched in my arm, not fretting over the situation. He was a strong rabbit; he would easily recover from this little setback and be stronger for it later.
My Staff glowed bright, the accumulated Magical Energy a constant outpour onto the surroundings. Behind me were dozens of Spell Circles on the ground, each spot I had passed by briefly until coming to a stop a little bit away from the others.
"What's going on!" A voice shouted, coming from a large entrance deeper into the castle. He held himself upright, a cane in his hand as he swept his gaze around the area. Flanked by his sides were people in some-what matching uniforms and behind him was the familiar figure of Siegfried's master.
Vlad shot him a look. "We have agreed to a cease fire while we retrieve the Grail." He said plainly, though the way they looked at each other, I could guess a mental link, meaning this man was Lancer's master. Vlad was no doubt giving him a more in depth explanation.
"You're Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, head of the Yggdmillennia family." I met his eyes.
"You are Wilhelm 'Schweinorg'." He emphasized my name, perhaps even witha tone of respect.
"You don't have to look so afraid, my Grandfather isn't going to interfere in this war." The pensive look on his face when he spoke could easily be understood if I placed myself in his shoes.
The Yggdmillennia family broke away from the Mages Association, and if Zelretch wanted to move on them, there was frankly nothing they could realistically do.
"Now." I raised my Staff up, beginning the important bits of the spell sequence. "I need to concentrate." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Raikou look more alert. Despite being a Berserker and having some weird version of Mad Enhancement, she was undoubtedly a warrior. Funnily enough, even Mordred appeared to be keeping an eye on the others while also watching me intently.
Well, if my Son was watching, I had to show off a bit.
I swiped the Staff against the ground, creating many more Magic Circles, dozens upon dozens began to cover the ground all around me.
Stabbing the Staff of Magnus into the ground, I let go and withdrew a handful of Talismans from my ring. "Metal Enriches Water. Water Nurtures Wood. Wood Feeds Fire. Fire Dries Earth. Earth Refines Metal." They shot out, forming a pentagram that covered the entire courtyard.
The Five Elements Mutual Generation. It was the creation cycle from most Eastern Cosmologies. Usually, this spell had the effect of doubling the output of most other spells, but in this particular instance, it went even further.
I began the next step, Runes all began to form around me with a flick of my wrist. They shot out and formed a large Runic Circle using the Pentagram as the base. The sequence was reminiscent of the Skyrim Runic spells I had come across and thus repurposed for my own use.
I wasn't done.
Holding my hand up, I steadily began to draw more Runes – Primordial Runes.
The very air around the castle shuddered at the actualization of these spells that were created during the Age of Gods. This system of symbols that could reach the truth of the world with their hidden meanings.
Overlapped, my Primordial Runes that represented the Elements overlaid with my Five Elements Mutual Generation.
Putting my hand over the Orb on my Staff of Magnus I continued. "One gives birth to Nine." The ground around the castle shook, as if an earthquake overtook the area. The Magical Energy in the air stirred, and the stars above began to glow just a little bit brighter.
My Spell Circles lit up immediately, all encompassed by the larger one that began to shine brighter and brighter.
Two different systems of world creation, two different cosmologies. The Eastern creation cycle bolstered the Norse's version of origins, the beginnings of their Nine Realms.
I felt a swelling in my chest, and I couldn't help but smile. This was the first time I attempted to cast this spell, and now, the Blessing of Odin burned within me, as if reacting to my intent.
I was pulling massively on concepts connected to the Norse Cosmology, and who better defined that than the All-Father himself? Who hung himself upon the branches of Yggdrasil to gain wisdom? The Blessing synchronized with the casting, adding 'weight' to my spell, pulling further upon the concepts.
"And Nine embraces One." I held my hands out, something began to grow out of the ground. At a visible speed, they came together, merged and expanded.
A tree.
The World Tree.
It grew, shooting up towards the sky, immediately eclipsing the height of the Castle, towering above everything within a hundred miles.
I finished and the final pieces of the Tree sprouted, its form taking a solidified shape unto the world. Something not seen in millennia, not born of this age. It was fake, a broken image of the past, but for a moment, it would exist again.
"Blessings of the World Tree – Yggdrasil."
Still, the flying fortress sat above the clouds, continuing to look down upon us.
"W-what is that!?" It was Saber's master who spoke, pointing at the new addition to the landscape.
"The air…." Archer spoke. "It's nostalgic."
"I feel good." Mordred said idly, holding her hands up.
The Tree just existing is a boon to those who I choose to shelter beneath it.
"That is impressive Magecraft, to call upon the Sacred Tree in this era like so." Siegfried spoke with praise, I and forgotten that he grew up in a time where the Norse were still adhered to, their teachings followed.
{Master, I feel energized, and my wounds are healing rapidly.} Raikou spoke through the link. {I feel stronger as well.}
I wanted to respond, but something caught my attention up into the sky. The flying fortress shifted, and I saw colorful symbols alight around its exterior. Even with Reinforcing my eyesight, I could just barely make out massive Spell Circles charging up.
"You! Do something." Saber's master shouted, pointing towards the sky. "Can this stupid Tree stop that!?"
"Did you think I cast this spell just for aesthetic purposes?" I scoffed, withdrawing Gae Bolg from my ring and stabbing it into the ground. "I call upon the Realm of Gods. The Halls of Immortals, and the All-Father."
The Tree shuddered and Nine figures appeared around it, located at the same places they existed along with the Tree. These symbols, each representing their realm, glowed bright, but the one up top glowed the brightest.
A floating city of gold – the Symbol of the Godly Realm.
"Asgard." I commanded, tossing Gae Bolg up into it.
Gae Bolg, it was a spear crafted by Scathach, who was taught her Runic prowess by Odin himself. But that wasn't all. Gae Bolg could be said to be descended from a certain spear, one wielded by the All-Father, a symbol of his Authority as the King of Gods in this particular world-view.
Gae Bolg that always strikes the heart, it made for a wonderful Anchor to call upon the image of another spear, supported by my fake Yggdrasil.
"The Spear which strikes anywhere within the Nine-Realms. Reveal yourself."
My Gae Bolg filled with power, overlapping its existence with another phantasm, another memory and legend. Odin's blessing thrummed within my body, the spear solidified, a golden sheen now adorning the night sky, scaled up several fold from its normal size.
The power of Asgard upon my spell, it gave everything to form this spear. This was the final form of Asgard as represented in my Nine-Realms.
I looked up, completely unafraid as I watched the flying fortress gather power. It was clear it thought my spell was a threat, perhaps unknowing of what it does, but the absolute amount of power it radiated probably causes them to worry.
And I'm sure whoever sat upon the throne within that fortress assumed they held the advantage, that they didn't even consider themselves in danger.
I smiled while running a hand through Sir Wiggles fur.
The Spell Circles reached their peak above the clouds, and a handful of Beams of destruction fired down upon us. Each one would be enough to vaporize the castle in full. I heard shouts behind me to bring back up the shield, to use what spells they could to defend.
Mordred cast a glance at me, I could tell she was a bit hesitant, but I just winked her way, earning a scoff, but she settled down.
Raikou did not fret one iota, her faith in me was a warm welcome.
"Strike with Absolution -- Gungnir." I commanded.
It moved, faster than one would perceive normally. A golden line ascended to the sky, jutting out in directions and moving in ways that should be impossible under the normal laws of the world.
My Spear and the fired magical beams collided with an explosion of Magical Energy. There was no epic stalemate, no fighting between spells, a Golden Spear returned to my side without resistance, the night sky becoming serene once again.
My Nine-Realms spells, they take an aspect of the corresponding realm I imbued them with. I chose Asgard for defense, to have a shield to defend with in using the basic application. But here, Asgard takes on its true principal – The best Defense, is a good offense.
What better defense was there then Odin's spear that strikes anywhere and never misses? I could use the spear to strike at them, but it perhaps would not do much, it was not something for wide-speared destruction.
No, I had something else in mind.
While I called this my final form of my Nine-Realms, the truth was, there was still much left to do to complete it. At the moment, I was comfortable calling upon two of the Realms within.
Asgard was the first – the Manifestation of Odin's spear using Gae Bolg as an anchor and Odin's blessing to help facilitate the Fake Phantasm.
"The Fires of Destruction – Muspelheim" I called out, the second Symbol ignited, quite literally. I didn't require anything to bring forth my concept of Muspelheim, I could do so with everything I had provided into this spell. But at the same time, I was a bit worried because this next one would be a bit…..aggressive.
I withdrew the Sword of Destruction, and tossed it into the raging fires.
My sword that held the concept of destruction synergized with my spell that practically shouted with joy. My original application, the lesser version, the Fire Of Muspelheim. It was meant as a purely destructive force, and this completed form would not be much different
The flames swirled around my sword, changing shape, overlaying it like Gae Bolg and Gungnir. It took a moment for them to solidify into the shape I desired, the False Phantasm that I would be drawing upon.
"Sun-like Sword that Becomes a Calamity." I called upon the new sword, the bane of all Norse Gods. The Sword which seared away the textures that was the Norse Cosmology from the layers of the World – the Sword which brought about Ragnarök. Wielded by the Fire Giant – Surtr.
Fake as it was, a mere image of a Phantasm that no longer exists, it still held much weight in this state. The Concepts that brought it together are some that have thoroughly disappeared from the world.
This ridiculous sword that could match the Pillar that fastens together the layers of reality.
Distance did not matter.
An absolute authority over life – well this version was significantly weaker, but certain concepts still applied to it. And with my Sword of Destruction acting was a wonderful container for the spell to bring about the true sword's effects, even severely diminished as they were.
The space around the sword was burned away. The flame that threatened to spew out was forcibly contained at the swords edge, but still, everything in the vicinity became significantly hotter. If I lapsed in focus for even a moment, this spell would run rampant in all directions.
It floated high up, my arm raising along with it.
This one is for you, Sir Wiggles.
"Twilight of the Gods – Laevatein." I swiped my hand through the air.
The space between the sword and the flying fortress was immaterial, it was all burned away in an instant. A white streak extended from the point of the slash, all the way up to the sky, colliding with the defensive capabilities of the Noble Phantasm
They lasted only for a moment before a chunk of the Fortress was incinerated, and the rest of it began falling from the sky.
***
Omake – Dracula is only a second-rate vampire.
"You are one tough bastard." I grit my teeth, meeting each of Vlad's strikes head on.
He had blood running out the corners of his mouth, but that smile on his face revealed how much he was enjoying this. "To survive against my enhance abilities while in my territory, you are praiseworthy." He swung his spear out.
"Well, I just need to stall for time, while you're here, my Servant can take out your companions." I began pushing back, my blade flashing out with increased speed.
Vlad's brow furrowed. "No, I simply have to deal with you quickly and go assist in retaking the Grail."
"Ha, like I'll let you leave me like that!" My other sword shot out, flying at him from all angles. He was forced to back off, the pressure of his attacks lessing.
"Annoyinng pest!" He growled, jerking his hand up and summoning hundreds of stakes to pierce towards me. They did nothing infront of my many sword, all of which shot out to defend me.
The attack abruptly stooped, Vlad looking dazed. "NO!" He shouted, spear planting in the ground. "Darnic, don't you dare!" His voice filled with rage.
He clutched his head, gritting his teeth. "I forbid you from making me use this Noble Phantasm! Darnic you back stabbing fool!"
"What the hell is going on?" I blurted out.
"I'm not him! I can't be, this isn't true." Vlad shouted out with increasing frenzy.
"No…" I whispered in horror, realizing what was happening. "The legend that attached itself to Vlad the Impaler, that carried itself over to modern times. I didn't think it was possible..."
Vlad growled, his features shifting visibly on what appeared to be a Noble Phantasm centered on himself.
He changed, eyes bloodshot, fangs visible in his simile, and three words that brought sheer horror to every fiber of my being. "It's Morbin Time."
***
Couldn't resist the Morbin Omake, I'm sorry.
So, Mc reveals the completed form of his Nine-Realms, and Semiramis's day takes a turn for the worse.
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