The Multiverse of Yggdrasil was administered by the Governing Order; the Alvamon. They ruled over the endless parallel universes, writing the script of all lifeforms, and also deciding their fate.
They were known as the three sisters of fate, Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld.
They held the power to look down upon all of reality as the script of a tale which they could willingly alter, and rewrite, according to their will.
Everyone, and everything, had a destiny, except Hel; she was the end of all things, including fate, and the script of the world, fabricated by the Governing Order.
She represented total annihilation... but that annihilation paled in comparison to Grimhild Yorgana.
She knew she couldn't match the might of the witch—she was outclassed in all areas of prowess.
With Eumen Ziel Fura chasing her down, she stood her ground, extending both of her palms and casting an anti-magical defense.
"Gilfronta!"
The most common defensive spell used among all magicians in Yggdrasil. Gilfronta varied depending on its user; some could withstand attacks stronger than themselves, while others would falter.
The Purple and Black flames slammed into the barrier as Hel ceased its momentum.
"Ghnnnnn… gaaaaahh!" She strained against the spell with all her might.
The impact made it feel as if she was about to boil and evaporate. Hel's limbs convulsed until her capillaries burst, eventually leaking blood from her eyes.
"I won't… lose to you… Grimhild Yorgana!"
The Witch of Destruction extended her hand, applying more of her mana into the Primordial Spell, pushing her backwards even more.
"Your willpower is strong, but most of it comes from Elizabeth."
"Fuck… you!!"
Destruction Magic in nature was a sealed version of the actual Force of Destruction. Grimhild was far too intelligent for her own good; modifying a Primordial Force beyond the theory of forms into an actual magic.
Destruction Magic acted like any other magic within the Halvrendor—running solely off of mana.
Hel was eventually swept off her feet as the wave of black flames hurled her backwards.
She kept her anti-magical barrier up, slamming into tree after tree while the forest around her burned to nothingness.
"Haaaaaaghhh!" She tried resisting the attack until her barrier started cracking like glass. Widening her eyes, she witnessed the cracks spread across Gilfronta like spiderwebs.
She was outmatched.
"No no, Nooooo!"
"You call yourself the End? Then tell me, what comes after you? Nothingness? Emptiness? Silence? Wrong. What comes after the end… is me."
"!!!" Flames started leaking into her barrier, burning her body. "Aaagh!"
"I am the page after the final chapter, the ink that bleeds beyond the margins, and the silence that rewrites the void. While you may end stories, I end endings, Hel."
"Curse you… Grimhild Yorgana!!"
Gilfronta finally shattered as the wave of black flames consumed her body, engulfing her in the conceptual force of destruction.
Grimhild Yorgana was the true end of all things.
Being immune to destruction magic mattered not—as those who are immune will have their immunity destroyed.
Being capable of dealing with destruction magic mattered not—as those who are capable of dealing with it will have their "capability" destroyed.
Dodging or evading destruction magic mattered not—as those who are capable of dodging it will have their "dodging" destroyed; as if it never happened.
It was a magic that would always stand at the end in all circumstances, making attacks in the past, present, and future irrelevant.
It was an inevitable force of nature that made Hel a parody. Such was the Atamon of Destruction.
Grimhild lowered her hand, watching as Hel was washed away in the black flames until nothing was left.
Her story, her history, and her nucleus, all gone.
"…" Grimhild ambled forward as her flames slowly evaporated into particles, holding up her hand to cast magic. "Resulta." A large magic circle manifested into reality with many complex runes and magical symbols. The magical blueprint swirled clockwise, fabricating a brilliant light as the outline of a figure stood before her, covered in its radiance.
The light slowly vanished, revealing the familiar face of… Hel, the Queen of Death.
She stood before Grimhild Yorgana, shocked to see herself back.
"I-I'm… alive?" She looked at her hands in shock, now facing Grimhild. "You… you witch!" Anger consumed her once again as she launched at the Witch of Destruction, only to be met with another spell.
"Eguhalvor." Utilizing destruction magic again, she was consumed in dark flames and removed from creation entirely.
"Resulta." Grimhild brought her back to life again, but this time, Hel stood there in shock.
"…Enough! Enough of your games!"
"Do you submit?"
"Me…? Submit!? Never!!"
"Very well. Eguhalvor." Another wave of flames launched from the witch's palm.
"Gahhhhhhhh!"
Hel was consumed once again and was removed from reality.
"Resulta."
But to her surprise, she was brought back to life.
It was an endless cycle of life and death.
"Do you submit?"
"No… never!"
And thus it happened again.
Over and over, Hel was killed repeatedly by the mercilessness of Grimhild Yorgana.
Screams of pain filled the forest with each death, until it reached the 100th execution; this time Hel was on her hands and knees, bowing her head in submission.
"I-I give… you win! You win!"
The Alufray spirit was panting, visibly exhausted in both body and mind. She couldn't take any more.
"Please… enough!"
"Are you only submitting temporarily, or permanently?"
Hel lowered her head, closing her eyes.
"Permanently, I swear! You win, just spare me…! I can't take it anymore!"
Hel couldn't withstand the pain. Too much force to the nucleus was an agony one thousand times worse than death, and Grimhild wouldn't let her die from constant resurrections.
"Then prove it." Said the witch. "Prove your submission."
Hel widened her eyes as she slowly looked up to face Grimhild, confused.
"If you want me to spare your life, kiss my boot, and then we'll see."
The Queen of Death blinked multiple times, processing this information with a baffled look.
Her eyes fell upon the Witch of Destruction's boot as a look of disgust crossed her face.
"Y-You cannot… be serious… isn't there another way I can prove myself?"
A sadistic smirk crossed Grimhild's face at her question.
"Would you rather kiss my feet, barefoot?"
"N-No… I-I'll do it!" She shook her head and crawled forward, groveling beneath the witch.
Hesitating at Grimhild's order, she puckered her lips and leaned down to kiss her boot in submission.
Hel's pride was completely shattered while the witch only grinned at her display of obedience.
"You called yourself the end, but look at you… groveling at my feet."
Hel kept her lips pressed against her boot as she backed away, lifting her head to stare at the witch.
But to her surprise, Grimhild stomped her head into the ground.
"Aaagh!"
"Did I give you the right to look at me, Hel?"
"N-No… I'm sorry!"
Everything may have seemed cruel and merciless coming from the one who called herself "Witch of Justice", but it was for good reason.
Hel's nature was cruel. She only wanted to bring death upon everyone and everything, and she cared not for the lives of those around her, willingly killing the innocent to satisfy her own lust for blood.
She was being punished for all her crimes, and humiliation was the worst of them all.
"From now on, you will follow my orders, and protect Elizabeth with your life. You will no longer possess her body for evil, and will only serve to aid her in battle. Is that understood?"
"…" Hel was quiet, gritting her teeth beneath Grimhild's boot.
"Hel…" Grimhild applied more force to her head, trampling her face into the ground.
"Is. That. Understood?"
Wincing in pain, the Alufray spirit nodded her head.
"Y-Yes… I understand!"
"Good…" Grimhild closed her eyes, exhaling from her nose in relief. "Now stand on your feet, you look miserable."
Hel slowly rose to her feet, wobbling in her movements. Brushing the leaves and dirt from her face, Grimhild stared her down with a slight frown.
"Now then… It's time you left Elizabeth's body, and returned to your seal."
"Wait… before I go… may I ask why you spared me?"
Grimhild remained stoic as she turned to her side, deep in thought.
"To give you a second chance…"
Hel widened her eyes, showing another side of her usual resting bitchface.
"A second chance? But you told me that killing me would be eradicating your old demons… so why did you give me another chance?"
"Because… I was also given a second chance." Grimhild faced the Alufray Spirit, saying, "You reminded me of myself… all those years ago; cruel, arrogant, and egotistical. I believed I was the strongest in the world, until I was humbled, and learned to do what is right."
Hel was taken aback by her response, standing there in bewilderment.
"And now the same is done for you, Hel." A slight smile crossed the witch's face. "You were given a second chance to do what is right, so don't screw this up… is that understood?"
Hel knew Grimhild was right, but it was hard for her to accept. Averting her gaze, she hid her frustration, knowing she was humbled by the Witch of Justice.
It all felt surreal… but she wouldn't waste this chance by any means.
"I… understand… thank you… Grimhild."
"Humu." Grimhild snickered. "That is Master Grimhild to you."