Arthur Pendragon rose from his seat, Excalibur in hand, and set it upon the center of the Table.
The sound of steel against oak echoed, silencing the gathered knights.
"Men." Arthur spoke, his voice steady and solemn. "It has been long since we last sat at this Table, yet the world now demands our counsel once more. Yggdrasil itself is in shambles. We are not here as rulers of our realms, but as their guardians."
Everyone knew this Table.
The Knights of this Round Table were King Arthur's legendary companions and his chivalric order.
Their name comes from the Round Table at which they met—a symbol of equality and fellowship—as the circular shape had no head, meaning every knight had equal status and could have their voice heard.
These knights swore an oath to uphold a code of chivalry, dedicating themselves to defending the weak, serving Arthur's kingdom, and striving for justice and honor.
But now it meant something else; to serve the world and be its protectors.
Wearing Crimson Armor with internal reactor cores was Sir Gawain.
Sir Gawain leaned back in his crimson armor.
His gauntleted fist rested on the hilt of Galatine, which showed its technological light as he placed it across the Table.
"It has been too long indeed." He said with a deep voice. "But make no mistake, if Yggdrasil falls, then all our empires, our people, will fall with it. The Southern Empire will brace its war machines for what's to come."
From beneath his hood, Sir Tristan's calm gaze lingered on the king. His leather armor was worn and unadorned, but his presence filled the room with quiet weight.
He set Failnaught gently on the table, as though even steel must be humbled in this hall.
"If Dracula is behind this chaos, then he is the root of our deliberation. We must not waste time with hesitation. Every moment he walks unchecked, the threads of history unravel further."
With angelic wings folded at his side, a white cloak, and the beauty of a goddess, was Sir Percival.
He placed Longinus on the table as a sign of respect.
"A shame Sir Lancelot is not among us." Percival said softly, his voice audible with regret. "But his heart has strayed from the oath we swore. It is a wound deeper than any blade."
Arthur nodded gravely.
"Lancelot... was my brother as much as either of you. But the path he has chosen leads him away from us, and toward a shadow I fear we cannot yet reach."
Gawain huffed a sigh.
"Then we strike Dracula first. He seeks nothing less than dominion over Yggdrasil itself. We can't wait for him to bring war to our doors."
"Reckless." Tristan interjected sharply. His calm eyes narrowed beneath his hood. "If we storm Dracula's domain, our empire will be ground to ash. Strategy wins wars, not brute strength."
The clash of words between the Sword and the Engine drew silence until Percival spoke.
"Our enemy is no mere tyrant. Dracula has bound himself to Chaos, and now Merlin's betrayal has further blackened the path ahead. We must treat this as more than war, we are walking into prophecy."
Arthur placed his hand on Excalibur's blade. His gaze traveled around the circle, to Gawain, Tristan, Percival, and finally the empty chair where Lancelot once sat.
"Our fellowship once stood unbreakable. Now, cracks form. Yet the world looks to us still." His voice deepened, heavy with conviction. "If we falter here, then Yggdrasil will collapse into nothingness."
The knights sat in silence, their hands resting upon their relics.
"Then say it, Arthur. What is your command?"
Arthur stood tall, Excalibur burning with light as he raised it above the Round Table.
"My command is this—the Knights of the Round Table will march again. We will gather our armies, forge our bonds anew, and strike when the time is right! Dracula must fall. Merlin must be unmasked. And Yggdrasil—our world—must endure."
The chamber trembled with the sound of Gauntlets upon oak.
One by one, the knights struck the Round Table with their fists, echoing their assent.
Sir Gawain smiled.
"Then so be it. The engines of the South will march at your word!"
Sir Tristan lowered his hood slightly, his eyes almost hollow.
"The blades of the West will not falter."
Sir Percival bowed his head.
"And the light of the East shall answer the call."
Arthur lowered Excalibur, his eyes burning with determination.
"Then let this council be remembered as the day the Round Table rose again—not for kingship, nor for glory, but for the world!"
And the Round Table, once known by years of silence, shone with unity once more.
+
Multiple explosions went off across the sky of the Bastion Arena as countless people across Mesnil ran for their lives.
Shown up above was Merlin and Grimhild, battling to the death.
"Elmontora!" Merlin cast a massive magic circle in the sky, summoning a shower of meters to rain from above.
"Wunear!" Grimhild erected a magic circle, launching upward a wave of air that blew away the meteors—scattering them in every direction.
"Egrun!" A jet-black magical stone was shot from Merlin, hurling toward Grimhild.
"Eldmunto Greyas." Grimhild summoned a layer of sand around her, blocking the incoming black stone, but Merlin already planned ahead.
"Nie El Ma."
Grimhild widened her eyes as her magic was nullified, now slammed by the magical stone and hurled across the sky.
She didn't have time to react.
Merlin's Magic Casting was far superior, and without the Yorgana System, she couldn't match up to her speed and precision.
"Nie El Ma." Grimhild used nullification magic on the jet-black stone that was pushing her back, allowing her to recover.
Agnes stood in the arena, smiling.
"Arcanium. Merlin's special technique that allows her to be one step ahead of her opponent." She inhaled her pipe, blowing out a thin layer of smoke. "She can copy all the spells of mages that she lays her eyes upon, regardless of their speed and power."
Arcanium gave Merlin the power to see through spells even if they're Divine or Spiritual.
It's a unique technique born from her unmatched mastery of sorcery. It allowed her to unravel the structure of any spell the moment it entered her sight, no matter how swift, complex, or powerful it may be. Even spells of Divine or Spiritual origin cannot escape her gaze.
By dissecting the flow of magic, Merlin gains not only the foresight to evade attacks with precision but also the capacity to reproduce the spell in its entirety—often using it to strike harder and faster than the caster themselves.
In battle, Arcanium transforms her opponents' greatest weapons into their own undoing.
It was a reflection of Merlin's brilliance as she turned knowledge into supremacy.
No matter what Grimhild did, Merlin would cast faster and even use her spells better than Grimhild.
"You're outclassed, Master Grimhild."
"Even after all this time, you still refer to me as Master." Said the witch, hovering in midair.
Merlin slowly ascended upwards via Flonta, staring her teacher down.
"I suppose it's a bad habit."
"Or perhaps you still respect me."
Merlin frowned.
"Far from it."
"You lied to me, Merlin."
The Great Mage lifted a brow.
"What are you on about?"
"You couldn't learn Destruction Magic by yourself. You allowed Agnes to help you."
Merlin's expression contorted from a look of confidence to shame, albeit barely.
"Agnes gave me freedom. You merely wanted me to walk in your shoes."
"And yet you still served Arthur Pendragon."
Merlin scowled at her claim.
"Only for protection, because I knew you were out to kill me."
Grimhild scoffed at her.
"You attacked Goliath village, and killed countless innocent people for experiments and conquer. You had to be destroyed, you're my responsibility, because I made you into the Great Mage that you are today."
"Yes, indeed. This is your fault! Everything is your fault, Master!"
Grimhild closed her eyes in shame.
"I've done many horrible things in my life, I'm aware of that, but... each day I live to redeem myself, and make this world a better place. If killing you means saving Yggdrasil, then I'll gladly lift my hand and destroy you, Merlin."
Merlin balled her fists.
"You don't have what it takes to destroy me! Even now, without your Yorgana System, you still believe you have a chance?"
"The Yorgana System was merely a part of me crafted from my memories and experiences, nothing more." She opened her eyes. "It did have its uses, but just because you got rid of it doesn't mean I cannot defeat you."
"Is that so? Then go ahead and try! Try to defeat the disciple who surpassed you! Your efforts will be in vain!"
"First. You mentioned a spell you placed on me to eliminate the Yorgana System."
Merlin smiled wickedly.
"Pwa ha ha! That's right! All this time I've watched you, studied you, and learned of its weakness! To reach the core of the Yorgana System, I deciphered Destruction Magic and researched Oblivion until I came to an understanding."
Grimhild's stoic expression remained.
"And what is that?"
"The Yorgana System evolved after the Age of Legends."
Grimhild went quiet.
"That's right, I understand! You made this unique system to always win in battle, and become unbeatable, but after you were defeated by Arthur Pendragon, it responded to your change. You become a righteous witch, wanting to unite this world and eliminate evil, so the Yorgana System evolved into the embodiment of justice itself."
"So it would seem." Said Grimhild, impassive as ever.
"You called yourself justice, so the Yorgana System became justice incarnate."
"You really put your time and effort into this, Merlin."
"In order to beat the Yorgana System, I had to know how Oblivion and Destruction worked to reach its core. And with the help of Excalibur, I could freely reach the center and implement my spell."
"So you breached through Oblivion and my Destruction through years of research, and used Excalibur to reach its center? Why couldn't you simply do that from the beginning?"
Merlin snickered, lowering her head.
"Merely using Excalibur from the start to reach the core of the Yorgana System wouldn't be enough, because it would evolve and overcome. That's why I made the Ultimate Spell, Oblivio Arcanus, to shut down its analysis and evolution! Now with it out of the way, I can claim victory in our bout."
For a moment, Grimhild said nothing.
She hovered in the air, her crimson gaze steady, and her lips pressed in their usual stoic line.
But then, out of nowhere, a sound broke the silence.
"Pfft…"
Merlin blinked.
Grimhild's shoulders shook and her lips curled upward.
And then the Witch of Destruction laughed.
"Pwa ha ha ha!"
It wasn't a mocking laugh, nor joyous, nor cruel—it was low, resonant, and terrifying in its calmness.
It was a laugh not of amusement, but of certainty.
The kind of laugh that belonged to someone standing at the edge of their grave and finding no fear there at all.
Merlin's smirk faltered.
"...You're laughing?"
Even Agnes raised her brows, lowering her pipe.
"My, my. That is not like you at all, sister."
Grimhild's laughter subsided into silence, her expression softening back into unreadable calm.
"If you truly believe that disabling the Yorgana System is enough to defeat me… then you understand nothing."
Merlin's fists clenched, unease showing in her face.
"You said that before, but I know you are merely bluffing!"
"You still cling to the System as if it were my core. My essence. But the Yorgana System was only ever a reflection of me. A tool. A fragment. What made me the powerful Witch of Destruction was never the System."
Grimhild lifted her hand as black and violet fire spread to life across her palm.
"It was my will—my will to destroy any obstacle in my path. But now it's my will to save others."