XII.

Madoka stood over the dead Kanys, her breathing ragged and her head woozy from the reveal. She had left those adventurers in the room with the statues. Whatever magical attack this was, she knew that the black, smoking creature before her was not the real Kanys. Like Lord Leopride's shadow she fought before, her heart was not moved when she slew it.

She checked herself. No blood on her hands, only the fast pounding of adrenaline fading in her head. The body completely vanished, seeping into the ground but only leaving the pathway untouched. She wondered if Kanys could employ such shadow magic, but remembered she was supposed to retrieve Audrey so she hurried quickly to the Temple's entrance.

It was dark outside, and Madoka could see campfires set up downhill. For a moment, as the wind caressed her face, she could see this place being peaceful. Footsteps approached her, though she was unafraid and simply sat down on the soft grass to enjoy the view.

"Hey," someone called her. The voice was Audrey's. Her footsteps softened and then she slowed to a halt next to the maid. Madoka saw the girl in the hood for what felt like the first time in a long time. Conflicting feelings filled her, though. She sat in silence, until Audrey spoke up again. "It's pretty. Like those whisks of smoke curlin' up from their fires, good news travels slowly."

"And bad news races like a shooting star," Madoka sighed. "Why do I feel like you have both?"

"Aw, that was poetic," Audrey leaned back. "You know me, though, I have lots to talk about. Specifically, on magic."

"Bad news," Madoka growled. "I don't care."

She had just fought off a magical illusion, and the last thing she wanted to do is talk about magic learned from a girl she was jealous of. Audrey looked confused, seemingly unaware of that fact.

"Don't be so cold," Audrey sighed. The portal manifested and the tent fell out. "Was the temple at least cool to explore in?"

"Not really," Madoka kept herself aloof, although she could not help herself from being rude. Audrey was setting a stake up when she stopped.

"What's up with you?" Audrey asked. How could she be unaware of her treatment? "Look, I know how much you hate magic, but I asked Arudite—"

Madoka scoffed at the very mention of the name.

"O-Oh," Audrey understood something, but Madoka simply sighed. "I see now."

"It hurts," she kicked a rock down the hill. "Being left alone like that."

"I'm sorry," Audrey finally broke the silence, and sat back down next to her. She was looking up at the night sky again. Madoka was reminded of the many freezing nights they spent huddled beneath the stars, and how she used to stare up there even back then. "Even if we're apart, we're still under the same sky. The same moons."

"It doesn't make it better," Madoka stated blankly, but she found herself looking up at the sky with her princess. In that moment, they were one viewing the stars twinkling ceaselessly above.

"I don't know how to explain this to you," Audrey bit her lip. A nervous habit she has had since they were children. "But you remember those things I said to you in the grotto?"

How could I forget? Madoka thought silently, but nodded.

"I think it's okay to be jealous," Audrey's words pierced right through her.

She saw her intentions the whole time. Secretly, her emotions played at her again and she did not want to admit that she was jealous. If she could groan, she would for being like this.

"Heh, I... I think I'm messed up, but, it makes me happy that you like me like that," Audrey chuckled to herself. "One day, you'll realize you're still standing and sitting next to me, staring up at the big ol' sky. One day, you'll feel like I do. Like, extremely nervous and jumpy because I am lucky enough to be chosen by you. How no one else compares to you. How—"

"Okay, okay," Madoka snapped. The words her princess weaved for her covered her face in warmth. She hoped the moonlight did not show how red her cheeks must be, but the jealousy did not seem to soften. "So what is it you two were talking about?"

"Well!" Audrey perked up. Madoka was impressed at how she switched to becoming completely happy from the tense and almost seductive mood a moment before. "Kept the details smaller, but I asked about Knotting magic."

Oh, great, Madoka suddenly became filled with exasperation.

"How you do that whole, 'rising to your full height' thing," Audrey recalled. "Knotting magic is interesting. I originally thought it was like earth magic, or alchemy, but it goes beyond that. It changes things on a fundamental scale, makes you literally grow bigger, changes the sound waves and language, and even metals to liquids or the other way around. I kept your hidden weapon a secret, because I don't even know how to describe such a thing..."

"It's good that you did," Madoka sighed, and omitted that she used it against the shadowy figure posing as Kanys.

She now felt embarrassed over the lengths the princess went through to discover her own source of power. When she went over the things she went through to become stronger, she realized she owed Audrey a lot, though neither one would admit it for different reasons.

"Then there was that... thing living below that saved us," Audrey whispered. "They call it the Cuckoo, but in my world, the cuckoo bird is an invasive bird that lays its eggs in other birds' nests. Perhaps, it does that with ideas, or thoughts in other people's minds to survive."

"Survive?" Madoka scoffed. "It's a God, Audrey."

"I know, I know, you don't like me diss tracking gods here," Audrey sighed. "There's a lot of things I would lore-dump upon you in terms of how these gods function, but I'm starting to believe that's why Arudite and I get along in heresy together. Who else but a witch princess and a scholar seeking the forbidden Truth would dabble in heretical shit, huh?"

"If it helps, Audrey," Madoka reassured her. "I know you mean well, but I'm afraid they are listening to us. In our conversations, they might get angry at your heresy. The Cuckoo goes by the God of Tomorrows, according to the goblins and those trolls..."

She trailed off, realizing that their corpses were in Audrey's portal. The princess grunted. What were they to do about any of this information anyways?

"Speaking of this divine... weapon," Madoka plunged her hand in her heart and withdrew it as a brush. "It's bath time now."

"Wha—" Audrey protested. "Bath time here? In front of a church?"

"Yes, now sit and do your magic," Madoka dragged a broken stone pillar over and commanded her princess. Audrey sheepishly stripped and sat down.

"Who's the actual heretic here?" She muttered.

Luckily for them, no one seemed to be around them while Madoka worked, feeling everything on the girl's body. Her skin was perfect as all Royals were, and warm to the touch from the kind God Ares.

The portal still had fresh clothes from Lady Saze so she was happy they could bathe now, patting her shoulders down. Afterwards, Audrey was like a new person. The girl smiled mischievously.

"Your turn!" She cheered. Madoka felt ashamed of her own body, but stripped down and allowed Audrey's eager hands to clean her unworthiness. "Yep, God, you are beautiful."

Madoka said nothing in return, but shivered as she felt Audrey's warm fingers rub the dirt off of her with the mysterious and miraculous soap water. The crystal brush shattered into golden dust, then withdrew into her core. Her hair was too short to brush anyways. The fingers traced her burn scars and other imperfections, causing a tingling sensation to dance along her skin.

She clasped a hand when it got too close to places she did not want touched, and surprisingly the princess did not pursue those spots again. Audrey had to stand on her toes to reach her shoulders. And still, in the moonlight, the princess's nose and eyes were as cute as ever. She was the beautiful one, Madoka thought. Her jealousy was a sin to demand such things for herself. At last, the miracle water ceased and bathtime was over.

"Whew," Audrey sat back with the maid.

Despite the awkwardness, Madoka felt refreshed. Cleaning a hallway was one type of euphoric experience, but the cleansing of the self was heavenly. She had forgotten the feeling after their hellish adventuring.

"What do you think we'll have to do tomorrow, anyways?"

"We're going to see Guild Master Luxgor about promotions to iron rank," Madoka sighed. "Then travel to a place called Gladeban."

"Gladeban, eh?" Audrey yawned. "I suppose that guy said something about a lyre..."

She drifted off into sleep, slumping on Madoka's shoulder. Luckily for the maid, she was wide awake and the princess was light enough to place in the tent. She did not want to sleep after all, her dreams were usually filled with annoying visitors. Just this once, Madoka figured she could finally enter her idle mode without a care in the world.

Footsteps crunched in the gravel, dashing her plans of idling. An attack? Madoka drew her axe and prepared for the worst.

"Y-You!"

It was Kanys, holding her blade, slowly approaching Madoka. She looked ghastly, like she had faced a monster all alone as she trudged closer. Madoka readied herself and prepared to grab Knotting strands for a magical shield.

"You think you can get away with what you've done?" Her tone was accusatory and full of anger.

"If you want to live," Madoka threatened her. She was not prepared to kill anyone, let alone an ally that could be useful for Audrey later. "Back away. Now."

"How dare you say that! You attacked me first!" Kanys shrieked, but suddenly a dark cloudy mist cloaked her face. "Gah!"

Madoka quickly realized that the Sovos girl must have been attacked by a shadow creature as well, and moved to assist her with the ominous mist that veiled her face.

"Where's Shadow?" Madoka asked Kanys. "Can't he help you? Shadow?"

She asked Kanys's shadow, but she waved her dagger at her. The Night Operator was either asleep in there or not possessing her shadow at the time. How inconvenient! Madoka silently fumed, and easily dodged Kanys's pathetic swipes as she approached her.

"Stay back! You monster!" She was too preoccupied with the mist that blinded her to attack competently. Golden chains formed along Kanys's green hair, wrapping the mist like a bird cage. As soon as they formed that cage, Madoka knew what to do.

"My apologies, Kanys," Madoka asked for forgiveness as she ducked under the Sovos's swing and disarmed her.

The maid swiftly caught the girl in an iron grasp, built by years of experience from wrangling and successfully catching Audrey in the past. Kanys struggled within Madoka's grip, but could not even loosen a single finger. The weight of her knee on the Sovos's chest helped subdue her. The maid traced the magic strands that glided down to Kanys's face and shattered them. The golden magic that followed swirled, copying her movements and collided with the other strands in a small burst of sparks, like glass crashing against glass.

Hopefully that was enough to remove the shadowy infliction on Kanys.

The Sovos gasped as if she was drowning, but her eyes widened as she realized her situation. Madoka loosened her grip, but kept her knee on Kanys.

"Are you alright, now?" Madoka growled. "Or do you need some more jogging?"

"M-My head," Kanys seemed like she was subdued. "You! What happened?"

Madoka sensed her meager killing intent fade so she let her go and helped her up. She was amazed and thankful that Audrey slept through that small fight. Kanys felt her face and glared at the maid.

"You seemed to be attacked by one of those... shadow things," she informed her, finding the words she spoke unbelievable herself. "I was attacked by one heading out."

"Kind Gods," Kanys breathed, but narrowed her eyes as she found Madoka's words convincing. "It must be a test from the Twin Sisters. We fought off one that looked just like you, but here you are outside! They're resting in there... But I..."

"Well, I was outside taking a bath," Madoka dusted herself off. So much for keeping clean. Kanys inspected her with scrutiny, but her eyes eventually turned to jealousy.

"You aren't lying," she sighed as she scooped up the dagger she had. "It looks like the shadows here are tainted by evil. Though I wonder if it's because of the legendary beast's doing, I now wonder how you got yourself so clean! The river's too far from here near the border of the Circle."

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Madoka shrugged and Kanys groaned.

"A legendary beast?" Madoka decided to ask instead.

"Yeah," Kanys sighed. "The beast is known as the Uracksheegul. Its tendrils haunt places of death. We don't know what it is or much about it, except that it lives within the Ruined Forest. Deep within it. The Night Agents will be here, searching this temple and purifying its darkness. I pray that we never find it."

The Uracksheegul, Madoka mused. The dark monster apparently must have been watching her for some time, if it was responsible for Lord Leopride's shadow creature that went after her. Perhaps it was one of the Underground Gods, or something worse. The idea of a large, unknown monster seemed to make something within Madoka to stir.

She recalled her very first fight with the monstrous bear covered in that parasite's tentacles, and her stomach moved with an odd sensation of hunger. Perhaps if they destroyed the Uracksheegul she could eat it, too. She scolded herself for letting her mind wander to that conclusion.

"What are you thinking?" Kanys eyed her with suspicion.

"None of your business," Madoka scoffed. "Now, if you don't mind, you can keep watch or sleep here if you want."

Kanys shivered, but she did not want to go back into the temple.

"Deal," she sighed, and rested against a fallen pillar. "I'm sleeping. Don't wake me."

As expected of an adventurer, Madoka observed. She could fall asleep anywhere possibly due to the peril they faced each day outside. She did not notice it at first, but suddenly she felt herself jerk as she lifted her head. Kanys was gone already, or maybe she was a part of her dreams.

Madoka felt like she merely blinked, but the sun was suddenly rising already. She cracked an eye open, feeling the onset of grogginess overwhelm her for a moment. It was too late now — she fell asleep again on guard duty. Now to check on the princess, she yawned and rose to grab Audrey from the tent when she heard shuffling inside of it.

"Audrey?" She lifted the canvas and groaned. The girl had wrapped herself in six layers of blankets that Madoka did not know existed inside the portal. She also was clutching the goblin's staff, without the ears attached to it. "Audrey."

"Knotting magic... Knotting... Why... Instead of three dimensions, in general relativity, the idea of Knotting magic is that it vibrates in five, no, SEVEN different dimensions."

"What are you even saying—"

The girl was slowly twisting herself tighter in her blanket while mumbling strange things, while Madoka worked on unraveling her out of the tent.

"Like notes on a music scale, I can get how the magic operates, how you operate the magic... The frequencies can overlap but still are quite inaccessive," Audrey tugged the blankets back over her when Madoka attempted to get the final pull out of her grip. "We humans must be so small to gods... The Strings can see further above it? It can see the magic as a point in its existence... But it can't tell its shape, what you do with it... what it can..."

She heard humming, as the princess's magic began to stir. Madoka immediately moved to shake the girl awake. The staff's head snapped, releasing a gust of erratic red strands in many whip-like tendrils lashing out. Audrey jolted awake, apparently from the sudden pain she inflicted upon herself.

"Ow!" She clutched her hand. The staff seemed to go inactive, but Audrey paid it no mind. "Wha— Who did that? Oh, good morning, my lovely lady of my dreams."

"Audrey," Madoka could tell this new day was not going to go easy on her already. "It's time to get up."

"Are you sure you don't wanna climb in this tight space with me?"

With that, Madoka yanked her blankets away and pulled the girl out of the tent.

"You were mumbling strange things in your sleep again," Madoka grumbled. "It's time to see Luxgor, now come."

"Me? Mumbling?" Audrey surprised her by not resisting her pull. "That doesn't sound like me."

"Yeah, yeah," Madoka sighed. "You also broke the goblin's staff."

Audrey grunted, while rubbing the sleep in her eyes. The two took the tent down and began their way downhill towards an important pavillion that seemed to be the Guild Master's temporary base, standing taller than the rest of them. Madoka wanted to mention the encounter with Kanys, but the Sovos girl was missing and the view of the town below had many sights to behold. The cliffside Tritorjan sat upon overlooked the Circle of the Labyrinth, but beyond the seemingly endless forest lay the peculiar ruins of many fallen statues. Madoka remembered seeing statues and ruins as tall as castles atop of the Wind King's mountain and realized they were a lot closer to them than she thought.

They walked by wagons and more bustling activity, the smell of the dead had seemed to be lessened since the night before. Madoka noticed the Knotting magic mingling with the air's currents. They seemed to be affecting the scent. There were many people other than just adventurers walking the streets, cleaning the walls and clearing ruined debris out. The house where the Night Operators were working on was completely sealed off by stone and the rundown town was abuzz with adventurers getting ready for other commissions. She wondered if this place truly was going to be retaken, and was amazed at how efficient the Sovos were. The pavilion loomed above them like a dark cloud as they approached it, although Madoka did not know why she felt that way.

The Spring's cold escaped out of the tent as the flaps closed. Luxgor was awaiting them behind his desk, with stacks of paper piled on top of it. Several Guild Ladies were in there with him, including Brown Hair, standing silently and respectfully as the girls entered. Madoka wondered how long they were sleeping, since these new arrangements seemed to be made rapidly.

"Ah, you two," Luxgor looked away from them at the young adventurers, evidently working on them for quite some time. "Just the people I've been looking for."

"U-Us?" Audrey stammered. "What for, mister?"

"Your tags, Audrey and Madoka," he growled. "Hand them over."

Madoka quickly withdrew hers from her neck, and Audrey did the same. The Guild Master snatched them and she noticed Knotting magic strands were quickly wrapping around them. Audrey gasped as they floated in midair, apparently able to see the magic. They burst with golden light, while Luxgor made a series of quick hand movements around them, eventually forming into iron tags.

He snatched them out the air and threw them at the girls.

"Well, so much for the special occasion," Audrey caught the gleaming tag. The golden strands raced off Madoka's, a residue of magic born from its transformed state. "Will this magic wear off? How does Knotting magic even work?"

"Congratulations!" Brown Hair clapped, but her voice remained soft despite the cheerfulness.

Luxgor chuckled, but did not answer her question. Instead, he moved the stacks of paper out the way and revealed a map sprawled out beneath the messy contents. Audrey immediately leaned in above it. It was unclear what strategies were going on in the princess's mind, but Madoka remained silent as she put her tag back on.

"Here is Gladeban, your next area of interest," Luxgor pointed at a clearing near what Madoka presumed was a river. While she could not read the symbols and labels on the map, she could easily tell where they were as opposed to Audrey's hastily scrawled out maps. "Livertorjan will welcome you, but there is more work to be done in Gladeban. I suggest you stop by and resupply before heading to Gladeban."

"Why not head over there immediately?" Audrey asked. She was scanning the map meticulously, but Madoka doubted she could memorize it. Luxgor hesitated, while the Guild Ladies looked away nervously.

"Well, to begin with, Lady Saze has a delivery for you," he pointed at Madoka.

"M-Me?" She stammered.

"Yes. Koj also wishes to speak with you, Madoka. As for those four who you shadowed. They have given you recommendations for Iron Rank, which is why I have taken the liberty in promoting you," he referred to Eraziror's party. "They are preparing to resupply in Livertorjan. You best give them your thanks."

Luxgor nodded at Audrey. Madoka could read his true intentions. His suggestion was more of an order to escort the four to Gladeban. The forest was dangerous, especially with the tremors and those black roots now infecting the underground beneath its massive trees. Madoka expected to hear Audrey complain, but instead the girl nodded in agreement.

"Then, we'll do that, sir," Madoka spoke for her. She was more nervous about Lady Saze's request to see them.

"What will we need to do in Gladeban?" Audrey asked.

"Sell your monster parts to them. Also, the Guild Master wishes to meet you," Luxgor spoke. He moved quickly and hid a shudder at the mention of the Guild Master of Gladeban, but Madoka could sense whoever they were made him nervous. "Seek out Drezgor, the Platinum Adventurer, for work if you don't find the Guild Master."

"Okay, sir," Audrey saluted. Her unserious tone elicited a groan from Luxgor , but he dismissed them with a salute. As they moved to leave, Madoka noticed the Guild Ladies began to resume their work quickly.

This Guild truly moved at an efficient pace. The girls back at the Estate did their duties slowly, but at the Palace Madoka recalled moving at breakneck speeds to clean hall after hall. Audrey fidgeted with her tag between her fingers, still testing it to see if the Knotting magic would somehow reverse until the view of Armor's towering presence greeted them at the entrance of Tritorjan.

"Yo," Eraziror snapped her out of her thoughts. "I see that tag! You're our level now, ha! Or would be!"

"C-Congratulations," Kanys looked startled at the sight of Madoka, but looked away from her.

"Eheh, thank you," Audrey tucked the tag in her bag sheepishly. "It's no big deal, really."

"No big deal?" Eraziror laughed. "Kid, Iron Rank is a big deal when you're that young! Y-You are young, right? Not some kind of ancient dragon, right?"

"Dragon?" Audrey spat. "Do I look like one?"

"No, you don't," Kanys sighed. Madoka sighed along with her. "The fact that she's sighing with me makes me nervous. Like you've asked that before."

"So how do we become Silver ranked?" Madoka asked Eraziror.

"Work," he shrugged. "Cooperate with the other Guilds, monster subjugations, get twenty five of those notches and then finally!—" He pulled out his tag, which gleamed with silver and no longer had its many original notches— "There's your silver!"

"Hey, shiny!" Audrey's eyes gleamed with awe and wonder. Eraziror looked proud, while Kanys pulled hers out. They apparently have ascended to Silver rank.

"And before we take off," Eraziror looked at Madoka. "You gave us a run for our copper last night."

"My apologies," Madoka bowed, but knew it was not her fault. Eraziror laughed, while Audrey looked confused. "I hope you all are alright."

"It's all good, the illusionary you gave us a good challenge," he chuckled. "Kanys chased after you in the night, then returned and filled us in on the details."

Madoka wondered how weak the fake illusory clone of her was, but also thanked the kind gods that it was defeated. They found themselves on the trail again, walking beneath those disgusting strings of severed ears. Eraziror hummed along, while Armor's heavy boots pounded rhythmically along the grass. Madoka sensed Kanys's apprehension around the princess and her, but did not blame her. The Sovos girl's shadow shuddered suddenly, making her realize the Night Operator within was about to emerge or speak.

"Have you heard of the Seven Wonders, Madoka?" He asked as they took a short rest, but did not take form outside of Kanys's shadow.

"No," Madoka responded. She realized that Livertorjan must be quite a distance away, as they have hiked for a few hours now.

"Oh, those are a thing in this— I mean I love wonders!" Audrey chirped.

"Well, the Seven Wonders are mysterious, but they are not a part of the prophecy," Shadow explained. Kanys stretched, while Eraziror emptied dirt out of his boots. Armor kept watch, but remained silent as usual.

"Red Strings," Audrey mused. "What are they, Mister Lore Man?"

"They're the pinnacle sights of all Adventurers across the country," Shadow ignored her odd nickname for him. His voice held a hint of excitement as he described the wonders. "Just seeing them is said to fill the beholder with power."

"The First Wonder: The Damned Ocean's Mouth. Kesh'na, the Ocean Goddess is said to wake every one thousand years, yawning as she does. When she does, she swallows the entire ocean whole and makes a massive maelstrom, revealing the abyss and her Godly Home."

"Is the ocean really called that?" Audrey muttered incredulously. "That's seriously metal."

"The Second Wonder: The Labyrinth below our feet is said to be half of the home of the Celestials, that has fallen below the ground. It is said to extend across all of the world but obviously we cannot explore it all because of its untold dangers. We do not know how the half fell long ago, but it explains why the Labyrinth is so dangerous and why many adventurers make their homes exploring the place's abyss."

Shadow awaited Audrey to say something, but she did not. Madoka's head was swimming in the information, but she remained silent.

"The Third Wonder: The Spirit Tree within the Halfring Country. Legends say, the tree is hidden by the Būthos. The ancient race has grown alongside the tree and takes refuge within its shadow in harmony. Now the Būthos show up every half a century, selling things before sailing back to Halfring."

"E-Elves," Audrey whispered. "So they exist..."

"Shh," Madoka scolded her. She was afraid that Audrey might reveal her otherworldly status. Shadow laughed, and continued. He seemed to not draw that conclusion, which eased Madoka's nerves.

"The Fourth Wonder: The Eye of the Celestial. Faraway, north of Fiara, is a continent being ravaged by a massive Celestial being, sent by the Gods themselves. It guards the Eye of the Celestial, a gateway to their holy home."

"The Fifth Wonder: The Fount of Youth. It is a Leyline that affects a small, hidden lake in Crosstella. Its wild magic is closely protected by Fairies, and said to grant immortality."

"It's the treasure we seek!" Eraziror spoke in reverence to the goal, his usual joking voice grave and serious. "The Fairies are the key to our ascension!"

The adventurer sat back in silence for awhile, and even Audrey did not dare to press for further details on the subject of their goal. Perhaps, it surpassed even Kanys's goal of becoming a Night Agent. Madoka shifted awkwardly, but Shadow eventually emerged and sat down on a log with a smile. The gentleness of the man made Madoka take back her suspicion on such a lofty goal. It was not her right to judge such a thing.

"What is a Leyline?" Audrey asked.

"Wild magic, where the strands all interweave and become tangled," Kanys closed her hands in a ball, interlocking her fingers. Madoka supposed the visual image helped, since her Knotting magic did not usually become entangled like that. "It creates... dangerous effects. Don't look like that! You could get killed going into a Leyline! Unless that's what you want!"

She groaned as Audrey shrugged and looked at Madoka in protest.

"Dangerous effects suits her," Madoka sighed, and offered Kanys her own shrug. The Sovos girl gawked. Eraziror clapped.

"Let's roll out!" He shouted at no one in particular. "Livertorjan's a few hours away!"

Madoka wondered how he knew, but they began their march. Shadow sank back into the darkness, making her slightly jealous at his ability to avoid hiking. Audrey broke the silence again by clearing her throat, as if she was testing if the shadow magic worked.

"So what's the last two Wonders?" She asked cheerfully.

"Ah, I forgot while we were wrapped up," Shadow chuckled. "The Sixth Wonder: The Thing Below. Several Star Platinum Adventurers, the ultimate and most powerful ranked adventurers, were traveling in the most dangerous mountain of all. It is known as the Hall of the Frost Queen. They discovered a massive, dangerous creature frozen within its depths. Its presence was so strong, that one of them died by looking at it."

"Really," Madoka glared at her princess. Audrey's jaw was agape, and eventually the disbelief settled upon the pair at the sudden realization that they actually have already seen the Sixth Wonder. She tried to save face by denying it existed. "No way that is such a thing..."

"It's one of many such creatures," Shadow sounded amused at their fake disbelief. Madoka was glad that he believed her acting, or hoped that he did not see through her. "There have been reports of such massive creatures all around the continent. They all have one thing in common: Each seemed to be frozen in ice and are long dead."

Madoka shuddered, but recalled her conversation with Queen Pelé. The kind god Ares sent his warriors out to try and take over this world. The maid clutched her head in frustration. She hated thinking! Why was she doing it? Audrey moved to help her with a talisman, but Madoka stopped her.

"And finally, the Seventh Wonder: The Nexus Gate."

"Nexus gate?" Audrey asked, unable to hide her surprise. It was like she already knew what that was, which in turn, surprised Madoka. Did her world have such a thing?

"No one knows how the translation for the name came upon them, not even those who commune with the God of the Language," Shadow explained. "It is a massive white ring, bigger than a mountain, floating in the sky, said to appear over the Arcadian Valley. The valley is nestled between the base of the Halls of the Wind King and the Frost Queen. It seems to be a myth, since those who have seen it have gone mad. I believe it is real, for even if it disappears all witnesses report the same thing after they saw it: It warps the world itself, like a flickering of candle light before it disappears from the wick of the world."

This time, it was Madoka's jaw that dropped. They have seen it hovering above the world gloriously. However, she remembered Audrey casting that horrible fire magic spell and destroying the mountainside. She glared at Audrey and scoffed.

"What are you mad at me for?" Audrey groaned.

"The Arcadian Valley is full of deadly monsters," Eraziror told them. "Each are covered in darkness, most notably is a massive and fearsome bear named Roōon. It seemed to make its home there, using dangerous magic to send adventurers packin'! Between you and the bear, you'd be its meal in seconds!"

"It had a name?!" Audrey squeaked, but Madoka covered her mouth.

"Ha! Good joke," Eraziror luckily did not suspect Audrey or Madoka to be involved with such a bear. Her stomach growled, from remembering how delicious the bear tasted. "Enough myths and chatter! There!"

He pointed as they came upon the view of a familiar field of flowers. Beyond the rolling beautiful grounds was the familiar walls of the first city they have visited in Rustaze. At least, Madoka sighed. It was not burned down or reeking of death.

"Behold sweet Livertorjan!" Eraziror twirled. Kanys applaused while Armor grunted. "Hark! For our arrival is near!"