110 Destroyer of Stories

It was loud. Mages laughed, forks clanked against metal, knives were heard cutting through steak, and debates occurred.

The only one who was quiet through the ruckus was none other than Grimhild, the captain of the Golden Mage Division. However, she had no choice but to communicate with Alice out of all people sitting next to her.

She was a loudmouth.

"Say, Grimhild, are you gonna eat that?!" Alice pointed at the cinnamon roll stuck on her tray.

"I'm not in the mood for sweets. I rather have pickled eggs or sausages." (Grimhild)

"Don't mind if I do!" Alice reached forward and took the Cinnamon roll, munching on it in delight, "Shoooo good!"

"…The food here sucks. Even I can cook better than the lunch ladies." The witch crossed her arms, leaning back into her seat, "…And here I thought Gold Mages had more privileges."

"We do, we do! All you need is your Golden License, and you can get any food you ask for!" (Alice)

"…Any food?" (Grimhild)

"Yup. Why do you think I'm eating a few steaks while you're having grits and gravy?" (Alice)

"…I doubt they can make my favorites. It'll be a waste of time." Grimhild stood up from her seat and glanced across the cafeteria, eyeing Kyto.

The Cyrodel was staring back, but he turned around after he noticed that he was caught.

Grimhild smiled, seeing him talk to other people and make friends. It was a relief that his grudges subsided and that he could calm down. If they continued to fight any longer, all the mages in this academy would've been doomed.

"I'm going to the bathroom." She turned around and walked towards the exit, but Alice gripped her arm.

"…What is it?" Grimhild turned around, gazing at Alice.

"Grimhild, I have a question. You said you deciphered my ability, right?" (Alice)

"Yeah. What of it?" (Grimhild)

"W-Well… I've been having some weird things happen to me lately. I wanted to ask you about it if you have time." (Alice)

Grimhild lowered her eyes, nodding her head, "I'm listening."

"It's weird, like… super weird. But I've been hearing these voices in my head talking to me. I thought it was a schizophrenic thing at first, but it's more complex than that." (Alice)

"Go seek help. Talk to a therapist."

"H-Hey! This is no laughing matter, Grimhild!" She flaunted her arms into the air before standing up, "I'm serious! Do you think you can help me?!"

"Hmm." The emotionless mage looked to the side before huffing a sigh, "I might as well. I'm the only hope you got in this situation."

"Yay! Thank you Grimhild, you're the best!" Alice jumped towards the witch, hugging her around the neck.

"…." (Grimhild)

"I can't thank you enough!!" (Alice)

"…I get it already." Placing her palm against her face, she pushed Alice back, "Follow me."

Grimhild approached the exit, having Alice follow directly behind her. They walked some distance away from the cafeteria in the same spot that she and Kyto were fighting at.

"…This should be far enough." (Grimhild)

"What are we doing all the way out here?"

Grimhild lifted her hand into the sky.

"[Savedeba]!" (Grimhild)

Dark particles erupted around Grimhild's hand until they merged together, transforming into a giant sword with demonic flesh filling the blunt side, and a large rune at the base of the hilt.

"That's the blade that took away all my cool abilities!" Alice pouted the moment she saw it summoned, "No fair, give it back!"

"Just a moment..." Grimhild pointed the edge of the weapon towards Alice, grinning, "I need to stab you with it again."

"H-Huh?! No way! I'm not gonna get touched by that gross thing!!" Alice shrieked back in fear, seeing its demonic flesh squirm on the hilt.

"It looks like this because it devours the dreams and powers from those it makes contact with. I need to test something, so hold still. It won't hurt." (Grimhild)

"A-Are you sure?!" (Alice)

"Not really." (Grimhild)

"Ehhh?!?" (Alice)

It was too late. Grimhild plunged the blade through Alice's gut and through her Mana Force.

She looked down in terror, but there wasn't any pain.

Grimhild was suddenly flooded with endless information pouring into her brain.

Every bit of this information would make even the most powerful mage fall to their knees.

The Emotionless Mage could see everything. [Savedesba] gave her access to Alice's true inner potential, and purpose.

Before Alice knew it, Grimhild suddenly vanished, alongside the blade in her gut.

"Wuaaaaaahhh?!! G-Grimhild?! Where did you go?! Grimhild!?!" (Alice)

Standing in a vast void of nothingness, pictures, and screens would suddenly appear. One by one, Grimhild witnessed her entire life, from the Mystic Age, all the way up to the Solidarity Age.

Her eyes opened wide in disbelief. Where was she? How did she get here? So many questions at once, Grimhild didn't understand the logic behind all of this.

Until a voice reached her ears…

"Ahh, so we meet at last, Grimhild Yorgana." (???)

"…Who are you?" (Grimhild)

A voice spoke out through the empty void of memories.

"I am the creator of this world. I created Alice and her special ability, but you managed to take it away with that weapon you're holding." (???)

"I had a feeling that was the case." (Grimhild)

"What are you talking about?" (???)

"Alice's ability defies logic and reasoning within Yggdrasil. Nobody can do what she can. Her ability surpasses even Chronicles with its potency, which is something I find dubious. I knew in the back of my head that there was some creator behind this." (Grimhild)

"You're bluffing. You speak as if you know the entire world, foolish witch." (???)

"Hahahahaha!!" Grimhild laughed at his comment, smiling in delight, "Oh but I do. I know more than enough."

"I was created from the Root World to watch over the Humus. Some call me Yaldaboath, while others refer to me as God. I am but a protector for the spheres in the oceanic abyss, thus, I create powerful adversaries that can protect each one from harm, such as Alice. But you took away her power. Why?" (Yaldaboath)

"Yggdrasil doesn't need your protection. The only thing you're doing is empowering Orcus even more, foolish God." (Grimhild)

"Orcus? The Dream Devourer?! Hahahaha! He is sealed away!" (Yaldaboath)

"You're as naive as you sound." (Grimhild)

"Kukuku… if you won't return Alice her ability, then I'll have to keep you trapped here for all eternity." (Yaldaboath)

"And where exactly is 'here'?" (Grimhild)

"This realm is within the 4th wall, where the readers are. In this world, the Oceanic Abyss is nothing but pure fiction in the palms of our hands. We exist within the Humus, superseding the World Sea, and seeing your worlds like pieces on a chessboard."

"I see." Grimhild seemed unfazed by his world, glancing around her in this void, "So the 4th wall you call it, exists within the humus?"

"Indeed, witch. You're now bound to my story. The Fourth Wall is the barrier between the audience of a work of fiction and the fictional universe itself! There's no hope of you escaping."

"Alice said that there were voices talking to her. Was that from the 'audience' in this world?"

"Of course. She originated from here after all. The Humus is the place that finalizes all concepts before they're implemented into the Oceanic Abyss."

"So the last stage before approval?" (Grimhild)

"Precisely. Whenever the Root World creates something and sends it out into the Oceanic Abyss, we of the Humus must see if it qualifies or not. We're the border patrol of concepts." (Yaldaboath)

"…I see, now I have my answer. I'll just cut off the 4th wall and your control over the narrative of the world." (Grimhild)

"W-What? You're a brazen, young witch, but also foolish if you believe you can do such a thing."

Grimhild smiled smugly, stating, "There's nothing that I can't do. I've already deciphered the 4th wall and your narrative, Yaldaboath."

"?!!"

Yaldaboath went quiet, realizing this witch wasn't bluffing with what she said.

She meant every single word.

But that was impossible. Deciphering the 4th wall, and an entire narrative seemed ludicrous.

But to Grimhild, there was nothing in this world that she couldn't decipher, and understand.

"You should've killed me while you had the chance." (Grimhild)

"…You… die!!!" (Yaldaboath)

A thousand spears of light manifested around Grimhild, launching directly at her.

The pictures and screens around Grimhild started to become static as if her story was no longer in the hands of this entity.

"[Nalguthoth]!" The Witch manifested a glowing white scythe inside her hands, lifting it above her head. "Perish along with your foolish narrative, Yaldaboath."

"Who are you?! Who the hell are you?!! Such a monster… shouldn't exist! I'm leagues above you… I can't… die like this!!"

Grimhild used Nalguthoth to slice the entire void into two, diminishing the spears of light as well.

This scythe brings an end to all stories and predetermined fate. It could slice apart the entire 4th wall and even harm the readers behind the book, preventing them from reading the pages.

No one could resist the end of their story, thus, it was an inevitable outcome.

Acquire resistance to Nalguthoth and it'll only passively evolve to destroy that resistance and force you to your end. Such was the knowledge and capabilities of Grimhild Yorgana.

The void had vanquished, alongside the readers of fiction, destroying the 4th wall and bringing her back to Yggdrasil.

She was no longer inside the Humus.

Grimhild stood there, looking at her scythe with an emotionless gaze.

"That was quicker than I anticipated."