One of the elementals frowned at the witch as they all weaved together magic circles.
"In the name of the Primordial Spirit, Terra, we shall lay waste to the opposers of nature!"
"Litrunta!"
Powerful lightning magic discharged from one of their magic circles.
"Frulma!"
Fire magic had also launched in unison with the lightning spell.
Hundreds of spells were fired at once, exploding the witch with an array of colors.
Grimhild didn't bother moving an inch, as if she waited for their attacks to hit her, but none of them questioned it.
"Foolish mage, she must've been in shock seeing that she was outnumbered."
"Outnumbered?"
"What?!"
The smoke below cleared, revealing not only one Grimhild Yorgana but hundreds.
Each one of them wore the same expressionless face, and they were all constructed by magic.
"This spell... it can't be!" Muttered one of the elementals.
"S-She used Dulgariaz! The cloning magic that comes from the Dalaketnon race, how is that possible? They were wiped out by the Kingdom of Camelot thousands of years ago!"
"This isn't any ordinary mage!" Shouted another elemental.
"I believe we're all even now, wouldn't you say?" Smug as ever, Grimhild and her clones prepared their spells. "Using magic like that is of no use; they're simple spells I have mastered throughout my life."
"...It's her!" Muttered an elemental.
"Who?!"
"Grimhild Yorgana, the witch who conquered all magic. She's mastered the arts of magic to the point it cannot even affect her anymore. She's truly unbeatable."
"That's not possible!" Shouted the panicked elemental. "No one in Yggdrasil has mastered all of magic!"
"But it's true..." the elemental bowed his head as if he accepted his fate. "This battle was over before it even began."
"Halt!!"
A powerful, demanding voice reached the town of Brundil from afar. It rooted everyone in place, paralyzing them to their core.
"Can't... move!"
The elementals were frozen with fear and paralysis.
Everyone who heard the voice knew of this presence.
Grimhild turned around, gazing upon the figure who approached the town.
He was a short, fat elemental, wielding a staff.
With a long beard and swirling tattoos patterning his face, he smiled.
"So it is you, Grimhild Yorgana."
The witch grinned, unaffected by his demanding voice.
"Hmph. Who's to say?"
The chubby elemental descended to the ground, standing at the same height of 5'0, just like Grimhild.
Approaching her, he laughed like an old geezer.
"Pwa haha! I can't believe it. After all these years, you haven't got old, not a single bit!" You look young as ever!"
Grimhild grinned, saying, "I get old, I just don't get wrinkly like humans. How have you been, Mordelius?"
Mordelius extended his arms, approaching his old friend to hug her, but Grimhild shoved him by the head, stopping him from coming any closer
"Ah! You're just as I remember. I'm glad to see that you're still alive." Muttered the elemental.
The Earth elementals watched everything in shock, unable to believe their eyes.
"She managed to resist Father Mordelius' Commandment of Venzulia (Authority), just what sort of monster is she?"
"Grimhild, come with me, I'll invite you into the Elemental Realm! Let's catch up, for old time's sake."
"Of course." She nodded. "Only if my friend joins me."
"Hm? Your friend?"
The witch snapped her fingers, alerting the four horses of the apocalypse.
Galloping into town, they came to a stop, neighing in command.
"Good boys." She patted them, slowly approaching the back of the carriage. Mordelius followed her until they could see a young man, sleeping in the back.
"A... human?"
"Is that a surprise?"
"Most certainly." The elemental brushed his beard with his hand, in thought. "I expected someone like the Elf King, Fhiron."
"I wouldn't dare travel alongside that idiot." Grimhild lowered her brows, annoyed by the thought. "I'd rather die."
"Pwa haha! Yes, he is a hassle, but also a great king!"
Grimhild was holding back violent thoughts... but she kept them to herself.
"Anyways, yes, he shall come. A friend of yours is a friend of mine." Nodded the elemental.
"Thank you, Mordelius..."
+
Grimhild used her magic to repair the town of Brundil. The elementals were still angry, but understood not to attack the townspeople and cause any more damage, unless for good reason; and chopping down trees isn't one of them.
Traveling alongside the Elemental High Priest of Terra, Mordelius, Grimhild informed him of unraveled news she acquired from Wyvernwood.
"The Northern Empire will fall if Lancelot stays in control."
"Are you certain? Lancelot is one of the Five Legendary Heroes, it's hard to believe he would do such a thing."
Grimhild nodded her head, saying, "Yes, power has corrupted him, just as I feared. He is a king whose gotten bored with his everyday life and seeks something exhilarating. The poor are even suffering, while the rich are living in peace and prosperity, financing Lancelot and his army."
"I see." The Elderly Elemental sighed, lowering his head in disappointment. "If Lancelot, the merciful king, can become evil, then imagine King Arthur himself..."
"Arthur Pendragon is different." Muttered the witch. "If there was good in human form, it would be Arthur himself; he is a promising man who's willing to risk his life for lowly servants, and people he doesn't even know. He's selfless, and shows compassion to everyone, even the gods who seek to destroy the mortal realms."
Mordelius nodded and huffed a sigh of relief.
"That is good to hear, if there's anyone we can rely on, it is Arthur Pendragon."
"Indeed, after all, he was the one who beat The Three Witches of Calamity in the past."
Mordelius chuckled out loud.
"Kuhahaha! Ah yes, I remember those days before you sought my help, asking me to hide you within Nazar, the Earth Elemental realm."
Grimhild smiled.
"Yes, King Arthur nearly killed me, and I was afraid I might die, so I needed a place to conceal myself, thus, I found you."
Mordelius nodded.
"Indeed you did. You owe a great debt to that man, he's the one who changed you from a sadistic witch, into one who defines justice."
Grimhild became expressionless, muttering, "I still have my old traits, don't push it, Mordelius."
"I suppose some things can never change."
The elementals followed behind them until they stopped in the middle of the forest, alongside Grimhild, and Mordelius.
"We're here." Said the elderly elemental.
"Is this where the gateway to Nazar lies?" Asked the witch.
"Indeed. We have been hiding in this forest for ten years, behind the town of Brundil. The Forest of Dreams is no longer our gateway."
"Why did you move locations? The Forest of Dreams had no visitors, it was dangerous to mortal life."
The elementals behind Grimhild frowned, and gazed upon the ground, disheartened.
"The Forest of Dreams was conquered by Vrunemir and his people..." Said one of the elementals.
"Yeah, Vrunemir is working alongside Dracula, and they're planning to overthrow the entire Northern Empire to kill King Lancelot. They've been taking over everything these past ten years." Said a disheartened elemental.
"Does Lancelot know of this?" Asked Grimhild.
"He does." Proclaimed Mordelius.
"Then why hasn't he stopped it?
"Because he wants them to become stronger to challenge him."
"..."
Grimhild was baffled by Mordelius' words, and could only stare in disbelief.
"It makes sense now. At first, we believed Lancelot had some grand plan and was hiding it, but that's not the case; from what you told us, Grimhild, Lancelot has lost his way in life and seeks exhilaration. He wants this to happen, so he can have the joy of battle, which he has long lost."
"Mm." The witch nodded, saying, "He has even challenged me to a duel."
"What??"
The elementals widened their eyes in unison.
"What did you say?" Asked one of the elementals.
"I haven't responded to his message, but later on, I will send my delivery owl to transport my agreement to the duel, under one condition; the commoners, the poor, the weak, and the starved must be fed, and sheltered until I arrive in three days. If he doesn't agree to this, the fight will not happen."
The elementals gasped in awe, joyous at Grimhild and her kind heart.
"What makes you so certain that Lancelot will agree to these conditions?" Asked Mordelius.
"I'm the only one who has the power to challenge Lancelot and give him a thrilling battle. He craves thrill and exhilaration. He won't deny my conditions."
Mordelius brushed his beard in thought and gazed upon the ground.
"Lancelot has always been kind, and merciful. Things don't add up. It reminds me of the gods, who were once loving, and compassionate, just to one day do evil, for no particular reason. Could Lancelot actually be... Lancelot?"
Grimhild faced Mordelius, stoic in her expression.
"I know what you're thinking, Mordelius, and I feel the same."
The elderly elemental glanced at Grimhild, nodding his head.
"Yes, the Crawling Chaos, Nyarlathotep. Everything up to now could be done by their hands."
"It's just an assumption, let's not jump to conclusions, yet."
Mordelius nodded.
"Of course. Now, let us be off to Nazar. There are other important things we must discuss."