The crater on top of Mount Etna was a lake of molten rocks, at least 100 meters in diameter. Fire, lava, burning rocks, and ashes spewed out from the Earth's bowels, reaching the sky before falling down again to the lake and disappearing below the surface.
Hovering above it was a portal. One that was as large as a small house and grew larger for each passing second. A day before, it was smaller, and the day before it, even smaller.
On the other side of the portal was another world. A world of fire and destruction that made even the lake of bubbling molten rock looked like a cool bath. From it, fire elemental marched and flooded out. Their number was simply, countless.
Standing before the portal on the Fire Realm side was a special Fire Elemental. She was small compared to others of her kind, yet her bearing and the power she radiated was second to none.
A colossal power resided within her small body. Any material no matter how hard or fire resistant, would melt and vaporize if she demanded. Comparing her power to the Lava Gargoyle's is like comparing an erupting volcano to a torch.
Six wings of fire sprouted from her back, each as big as her main body. Translucent veil covered her face and a royal dress of holy golden fire protected her body from anything that tried to harm her. The dress was long and dragged behind her when she walked.
Behind her was a rank of Fire Elementals, Flame-Born Knights. 50 of them, all kneeling in the presence of their mistress. Their form was perfect and they mirrored each other without any flaw.
Though they appear like a human knight in a full plate armor, there was nothing inside. To be more precise, they were the armor itself. Living fire in the form of armor with executing the will of their lords and mistress being their sole purpose of life.
When a Fire Elemental reached level 50, they have a few choices. They could retain their form, they could transform into a Flame or Lava monster, like the Lava Gargoyle, or they could become a Flame-Born Knight and served their master with all their life. They were the elite of the elites of the Fire Realm's army. Each was strong enough to decimate an entire army. And there were 50 of them.
"So Gir is dead?" Calamity asked.
She didn't point the question at someone in particular, but her retainer knew who she was asking that question to. One of the flame-born knight on the front line raised its head.
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"Yes, my Lady."
"Useless." She turned to face her retainer. "Do you know how much time and magic it takes to transport him to that wretched world?"
"I'm sorry my Lady for my lack of knowledge."
"I don't expect you to know. Simply put, half as much as one of you." Her pupil moved to one particular Knight. It was a small movement, impossible to be noticed, but not for them.
The Knight she eyed, stood and the Knight before kneeled once more. "Yes, My Lady."
"Remind me to revive Gir once we win this war. I'm going to kill him myself."
"I will not forget it, my lady."
"Good." She turned and faced the portal.
On the other side of the portal was a wretched world filled with green, blue, and the occasional red and brown. A world filled with wretched worms who can't even bathe in flame. But that fact will soon become history. When she stepped her foot there, she will burn all the green and blue to red. And when everything was set ablaze, when every stalk, every leaf, every blade of grass has turned to ashes, she will give it to her father, the King.
Then she will finally be recognized by him. He will congratulate her for her success. He will give her all the recognition and respect that was due.
She clenched her palm tight, fighting the wave of excitement as she imagined what the future holds. She reminded herself not to rush.
"Summoner." She said to the summoner on the other side of the portal.
"Yes, My Lady?" The golden robed Fire Elemental replied.
The summoner was a special breed of Fire Elemental with six arms and numerous extra limbs. Even among millions of Fire Elemental, there were only a few capable of being a summoner. And she was the only one under Calamity, failure was not an option.
"Summon three Flame-Born Knights."
The summoner was surprised. "B-but why?"
When summoning normal Fire Elementals, she could widen the portal at the same time, which in turn would make the summoning process faster. But when she tried to summon a powerful Elemental like a Lava Gargoyle or a Flame Born-Knight, she has to use all of her focus on the summoning, meaning that during the process, she could neither widen the portal nor summon any other Elemental.
"Assign all currently summoned Elementals to fortify our defense and hold the attack until one Knight is summoned." Calamity continued.
"Yes... My lady." The summoner bowed. The summoner trusted her mistress. She surely has a plan that would win them the war easily.
"I will leave the rest to you, Tars. I have to rest."
Calamity walked away from the portal, and in her place, two Flame-Born Knight stepped up. One substitute for her as the commander, and one preparing himself to be summoned.
"Begin." Tars, the Flame-born Knight who took Calamity's place as the commander, spoke.
The summoner moved all her six arms in a dance-like movement. Elegant, erratic, and mystical, leaving a faint trail of smoke behind. The moment she did that, the portal stopped growing and the army of Fire Elemental stopped pouring out.
The body of Flame-Born Knight began to dissipate slowly, reforming on the other side of the portal. It would be a long and arduous process, requiring at least 12 hours of continuous chanting and casting. Not that the summoner needed any rest at all.