In turn, Gryre-Lāc conjured from his own body "Fragmentation," and within a radius of ten miles everything was fragmented as his body became countless tiny particles that pierced through all.
Thus, Īsern-clomm ceased to exist, and not even his shadow remained.
For ten miles above and below the earth, "Fragmentation" consumed everything.
It would have been an unquestionable victory for the legendary octopus-orc-gargoyle, were it not for the infinite presence of "Nullification."
So, even though he had ten other prepared corpses, since Gryre-Lāc feigned fatigue to test his enemies, it was not enough.
He kept being reborn in the same place, where his original body had died, that body pierced by the black lightning that would never extinguish.
Thus died Gryre-Lāc, with tears in his eyes, in a continuous, unstoppable cycle of rebirth, seeing he would not survive, unable to stop the magic he had cultivated for eight hundred and ninety years.
I AM NUMBER SIX
The trio dove into the Salina of Astarne, scrubbing their hair and whole bodies for days.
Æthelflæd's alchemies served for cleaning, making foam, and bringing floral scents.
Thus, the three rid themselves of the stinking nightmare that had impregnated them.
They bought garments from goblins still arriving for the festival and changed.
Around the salt pan, they lit a bonfire, and even Godwyna rejoined the group, licking Cwenburg, who slept peacefully.
Leofwynn and Æthelflæd lay side by side, watching the shooting stars, which were smaller rocks from the asteroid belt, burning up as they entered the atmosphere.
That's when she arrived.
— Hlāford was number ten. Līeget, nine. Īsern-clomm, eight. And Gryre-Lāc was seven. I am number six, Ǣg-berend, pleased to meet you.
— Pleased. — Æthelflæd didn't remember the names of the Leviathan or the Kraken, and didn't perceive the danger, making room for the centaur beside her. — Make yourself comfortable, we're not from here either. Did you come for the feast?
Blushing, Ǣg-berend didn't know how to react, and trotted to the spot pointed out by the human, folding her legs and lying down, within the possibilities for a centaur to lie.
— Æthelflæd! She's with the Leviathan and the Kraken! — Leofwynn drew her sword.
Snuggled with the serpent-keeper, Cwenburg complained about the noise with a loud exhale. She was exhausted from the festivities and a bit sulky about having left before the end.
— Wow, you caught us off guard, there's nothing left to do. — Æthelflæd, sprawled out, had her veins bulging from using many, many! Alchemies.
— Actually, you could run. How did you kill the four? Well, you seem strong. — Leofwynn was stared at by the centauro. — You and the other one, I'm not sure. Are you level one?
— I am.
— Æthelflæd! Don't answer so directly! She is our mortal enemy.
— I suspected something strangers. — Ǣg-berend was thinking something unexpected. — This makes things easier for me. We, from the Monster Continent, cannot come to the Demon King's Continent…
— Monster Continent. Is there a continent just for monsters? Did you hear that, Leofwynn? — Æthelflæd only understood alchemies; she was ignorant of any other form of study.
On the other hand, knowledge about the continents was sparse for the volcano-woman and the unicorn-girl, now awake, noting this was an important conversation, ready to act if necessary.
— What I mean is, I have my own goals.
— And what is your goal? — Leofwynn questioned, with Æthelflæd and Cwenburg attentive, sweating, knowing that centaur could start an unprecedented fight at any moment.
— Conquest! Of the…
— Of the?
— Procreator…— Ǣg-berend, flushed, couldn't continue. She had the torso of a woman and the body of a mare. She was blonde, with wavy hair, golden like her mane and the fur from her back down to her four legs.
— Who is that? — Æthelflæd inquired of the volcano-woman, who closed her eyes trying to remember, recognizing the name from somewhere, until Cwenburg recalled the name from the war against the Demon King, from the newspapers when they were imprisoned:
— Alípio, the Breeder! The last male centaur!