II.

The two watched as the Truth Guild researcher emerge from the wagon. Ilalune simply hopped out after Arudite and upon noticing Madoka, the two servants regarded each other severely.

"Madoka?" Audrey tried to stop Madoka, but the maid did not even realize she was growling at the Cherish woman. More surprisingly, Ilalune was hissing back.

"Ila!"

The growling continued until both sides raised their bare hands and attacked each other; locking in a deadly forceful grip between fists and furious eyes. Madoka held her strength back, and made sure she was careful enough to not hurt the Cherish girl. This was a matter between whose master was superior, and that Audrey was hers. Ilalune had a similar body size, built by whatever trials she has gone through. The slave's grip was considerably weaker than hers, but the intent was stronger than even the metal ball she created. Through the hissing, growling and protests from onlookers, Madoka sensed something from the Cherish girl. Was that approval?

She stopped growling, realizing Audrey was trying to pull her off of Ilalune.

"Bad dog!" Audrey scolded her, but she kept her eyes on Ilalune. The cat girl had cyan narrow eyes that sweeped over her, and Madoka could not help but feel a slight smile tug at the corner of her lips. Coincidentally, Ilalune did not notice her purple haired master pulling at her dress, despite the fact that she let go already and was standing still.

Madoka scoffed and dusted herself off. Eraziror gave Audrey a shrug as the onlookers went back to checking their belongings, while both of the servants returned to their quiet selves much to the confusion of everyone besides them. Later, Armor stoodby while Kanys was packing things for another group.

"Quite the group, huh," Audrey finally let go of Madoka. "What's the occasion? And why are you tagging along?"

"Me?" Arudite squeaked. "Well, worst of the worst things came along and after I submitted my report on you Luxgor told me to go to Gladeban to speak with the Lady there!"

"Lady?"

"Ay," Eraziror stretched. "The Guild Master of Gladeban. Road's quite busy on this side of town, I heard tell of a Nobleman from Esmeralda was supposed to swing by here a few days ago but he must have skipped town. Perhaps something big made him dinner, ha! I'm sorry, I forget you two are Nobles."

Audrey laughed it off, while Arudite looked annoyed.

"Right," Madoka mused. She remembered that wretched and fat noble. House Kieron, she recalled him introducing himself as the Head. Hopefully, that bastard was rotting inside of a beast's stomach.

"O-Oh, yeah, we heard about that guy from the guards," Audrey gulped, but quickly changed the subject before anyone noticed. "What's with the boxes and wagon though?"

"I have to deliver samples to the Guild there, ugh!" Arudite complained. "Me, an actual scholar, level two researcher! Lifting boxes! It's just not—"

"Lady Arudite," Ilalune scolded her. Madoka approved of her actions. The purple haired woman did not seem like a Noble, the aura radiating from her was less pronounced than Audrey's.

"Ugh, I say!" Arudite continued to complain, although with less volume. "You understand, right? Noble to Noble, I am not fit to walk all the time! Y-You two can sit with us!"

"Eheh, I guess," Audrey shrugged, though her eyes were looking at the researcher like she was noticing strange mana. "I'm not much of a Noble now. Not since my House collapsed."

A small pang of sadness still welled up in Madoka, but she swallowed the pain and stood by silently. Arudite looked apologetic, but did not give any judgment. She instead pointed to Madoka.

"You still have her! My heroes!" Arudite exclaimed. "Thank goodness for that! This one's been with me since I was a child. So I get the feeling. You two get along now, yes? Yes?"

Madoka looked at Ilalune, whose sharp eyes no longer scrutinized her.

"I will tolerate her," Ilalune scoffed. The maid stayed quiet. Eraziror clapped, and knocked on Armor's plating to get the group's attention. Kanys clung to him, but he surprisingly did not seem to mind.

"Yo," he clanged a fist on Armor's side again. "Gotta get this show on the road, Gladeban's a day's travel and we're busy standin' around. Move it! You two get in the wagon, Armor and Kanys get to escort. And me? I get to drive, oh yeah! Woo!"

Kanys rolled her eyes, but it was decided.

Later on, they were on the bumpy road that they traveled along back at the end of the river. The wagon had horses pulling it, but they did not seem to be interested in conversation. Audrey and Arudite chattered about nonsense, while Ilalune remained quiet with an astonishing and stoic fortitude. Madoka did not care for this ride, but as the rain started she was grateful for the little cover the wagon provided. It had a roof, but it was no grand carriage. Eraziror hummed along as he drove.

"Road's clearing out, people are moving their separate ways," he waved to a group of adventurers as they marched off the other exit of a fork. The river crashed alongside the huge trees, free of the ice that once lidded its flow. Madoka offered nothing in response but a grunt. Eraziror was persistent, so he noticed her stare at the river. "Midspring, river's nice this time of the year. Leads right to the town."

"How is Gladeban?" Madoka asked.

"It's—" He paused in thought. "How shall I put it?" Eraziror chuckled, though he lowered his voice. "It's special, and quirky. I think you will love the sights. Specifically the places around the town. Lots of places to get a drink, eh? Oh, and by the sights, I mean your lady will love them. Plenty of places to test your mettle in. You'll know exactly what I mean when we arrive."

Madoka gulped at the Sovos adventurer's insinuation. She knew for some time that Eraziror seemingly had kept one eye on Audrey the whole time, as if he was weary of her. Could it be of her Noble status? Commoners do not trust Nobles, she herself knew that. Therefore, Madoka concluded that it must be what he felt around a peculiar Noble like Audrey. Although, the girl was actually a princess, not that she would tell him that.

She peered at the opposite side of the cart. Ilalune scoffed, but remained quiet as usual. The two Noble girls' conversation had died down hours ago. Soon, Audrey was sleeping and resting against Madoka's shoulder. Not even the horses or bumps in the path bothered her slumber. Eraziror peered over his shoulder at the girl, but straightened his gaze upon the path.

"She's been a heavy sleeper for as long as I can remember," Madoka chuckled sheepishly.

"She seems to be in a better mood now. Whatever that girl, no, both of you have gone through, I'm just here to provide distraction. If you want some comfort Night Agents are more suited for that," Eraziror spoke in his cheerful voice again. "I'm just glad she has you to rely on. Ceghinort's hope and all that."

"Ceghinort's blood, Ceghinort's hope," she muttered and shrugged. "He certainly has a lot of things."

Eraziror laughed, unfazed by her rude comment on his kind god.

"That he does," he clapped. "Ceghinort has us adventuring! And he rewards well."

He winked. Suddenly, the horses' thoughts and hair raised in fear. Madoka checked them both, noticing that they had the same reaction as Ciara did back at the Estate. Eraziror pat the beasts' manes and pulled in the reins in for a stop.

"Wa!" Audrey stirred awake. The grogginess clogged her voice, but she still spoke. "Why'd they stop?"

Eraziror remained quiet, as if he was waiting for something. Madoka searched herself. When and where has she found herself in this scenario before? The path was open, yet the beasts refused to budge. Their ears were alert, muscles tense and each strand of their hair raised on their ends. When she focused on her magic, she noticed the Knotting chains veered away from the edge of a clearing within the forest. She nearly lept out of her skin when she felt Audrey grab her wrist, turning and noticing the girl was awake and tense.

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"Speaking of sights," Eraziror spoke slowly, but his attempt at hiding his uneasiness at the situation failed. "We might have to clear off and let the animals get some rest."

"What's in there?" Madoka pretended to be unaware of the situation but she knew that there were ruins of a kind god resting inside there.

Danger!

Run away!

Ominous.

Fear.

Get out of here!

Animals of all shapes and sizes escaped in the opposite direction from the ruins, not even trying to avoid the much larger wagon and horse, scurrying between the legs of both Armor and Kanys. The Sovos girl was also as alert as the horses, the green scales on her skin rattling as she drew her bow.

The ground rumbled, even on the cart Madoka felt the vibrations shake her boots. Arudite put her glasses on, while Ilalune simply looked onward and remained steady. The princess stood up, and so did the maid.

"Earthquakes?" Audrey asked. Eraziror did not answer immediately, but raised a finger as a warning.

"Don't move a muscle," he stressed.

"Wasn't planning on it," Audrey pouted.

"Shhh!" Arudite hissed. She proved herself useful for once, Madoka scoffed. Audrey quieted down, but she felt a rising current of magic filling the air from the princess.

Kanys kept her eyes on the ground, evidently scanning and being on guard from an underground attack. Madoka followed her weary look, sensing for thoughts as well as any movements. She was taken aback at the sudden realization that even the ground was not safe. A massive expansion of thought hit her head in a wave. She gasped and yelped, shielding her face as if that would relieve her of the authoritative conscious she just sensed.

"Madoka?" Audrey whispered sharply. The others kept their weapons drawn but stumbled as the ground rumbled.

"Something large is beneath us," Madoka warned Audrey. Her instincts burned with a desire to scoop her princess up and retreat. Of course, something would show up with horrible timing when they just were about to get away from the alien ruins beyond. The thoughts formed into familiar words, in a strange voice unlike any other person's she has met and yet she could understand them.

Kanys raised a finger to her lips and gestured for silence. Was there even a point for that? Madoka wondered as her boots shifted in the rutted dirt path.

"Child," An unmistakable being of great power greeted her, speaking in a commanding language which translated to Noble. Its size undulated in a state between seemingly infinite and tightly compacted, swirling like roots coiling into themselves. Madoka could not sense how far below the creature was, but with every movement of its coils the ground trembled. "Why do you slither so close to the surface? I smell you near two legs, scurrying along in their infinite meaninglessness."

Madoka trembled. She realized she had not used her ability to commune with anything. Whoever this monster was had a mind powerful enough to connect with hers. She was even more afraid of it finding out that she also a two-legs. Is she forever fated to be called a two-legs by monsters and animals? The rest of the party appeared to remain deathly still, anticipating an ambush at any moment. The voice seemed to be stern, almost as if it was worried for her. She spoke in her mind the best she could in Reverent Noble.

"W-What do you ask of me?" Madoka asked it. "Why are the two-legs so scary?"

"O, child," the voice hushed her. "Hunting them is no trouble, but they send more. You can be caught by many, and what then? Your stomach will be too full to run. It is not the two-legged ones I fear, but straying too far from the One Below. Come slither back, lost one."

Madoka wanted to flee, but she froze in her place. Luckily, her trekking and endless hiking through the dangerous mountains kept her feet steady, even as the massive creature beneath them caused the earth to rumble. What should she do? Audrey's eyes were on her; it seemed she knew that she was using her ability to speak with it.

"I'm sorry, but I must stay here," she told it. Reasoning with a massive creature like this seemed like a fool's errand. Communing with such a beast could toss the lives of this adventurer band away, but she knew she could scoop the princess up much quicker than the creature. Probably.

"Young ones and their foolish bravery. Don't go near those pillars, if you insist on your hunt," the voice finally heaved something resembling a sigh, but it warned her. Madoka did her best to mask her relief. Each word it hissed shook the earth. The Serpent Sword on her side began to heat up with Knotting magic, reacting to the voice's presence. She realized that the entity she was speaking to must be a Black Serpent, and it sensed the dead parts of her sword. Quite inconvenient, she thought. "It is not safe there, Child. You shall soon learn enough about the surface to return to where you belong. The False God's domain lays trapped, coiled, waiting to strike out at you."

"Understood," Madoka responded to the voice in her head by visualizing her own thoughts into words. It was foreign to her, but soon became easier like when she learned the language of the kind Gods from Audrey.

"Go now, may you keep your Eyes on Tomorrow," the Serpent's hushed but sharp blade-like tone bid its blessings farewell.

The others could not help but wobble in the creature's wake. It seemed to be diving below. When has she heard something diving below? Madoka wondered. She realized that Audrey also had steadfast feet, and simply waited in a fighting stance for the quake to end while the others struggled in the rumbling. Sorry, princess, she begged for forgiveness in her head. Madoka would catch her, but the dangerous ruins still pushed other animals and insects away with its odd signals. They were not thoughts, but a low hum that perhaps only she could hear. She had heard such a hum from the ruins that Audrey and her reached atop the Summit of the Wind King.

After awhile, only the alien humming ruins loomed ahead. The forest became devoid of thought. Eraziror was the first to signal that things were safe, but he was out of breath. He turned to her as he sheathed his blade and scrutinized the party. Did he know what she has done?

"Well, if that isn't a sign to get out of here, I don't know what is," he shrugged. Madoka patted the dirt and forest off of princess, who tried resisting, but could not.

She noticed Ilalune, not to be outdone by her dutifulness, began to heavily brush Arudite off as well.

"Where to next?" Madoka asked, trying to steer the conversation away from the dangerous entity they just encountered. "And what is ahead of us? Does Shadow know about it?"

"Easy, girl," Eraziror pat the horses, who were shaken but not broken. "We go, ah, that way!"

They traveled along until things began to get darker. The ominous feeling lifted, and the group began to become confident in speaking. Madoka attempted to push her thoughts outward, like that Serpent, but she could not. Perhaps, she mused as she helped set the camp up. It was better that things did not respond to her anyways. She realized that even if they had numbers of barely kept together warriors, that it was better to be silent and unseen in a hostile place like this.

"The monument we encountered," Eraziror snapped a finger at the firewood, but not even a spark manifested at his fingertips. "Before we were rudely interrupted by tremors, normally is pretty quiet. Makes you feel weird, like out of your skin kind of weird, if you approach it though."

"It's called a Nexus Gate," Kanys sighed as Audrey used her own magic to light the flames. They were in a burrow, created by Madoka's magic, and according to the princess her fire magic would not set this place ablaze. She hoped that Audrey knew what she was doing.

"A Nexus... what?" Madoka did not know that they had names for such a thing built by kind Gods. Kanys looked around, as if she was about to speak a deadly truth. Where did she hear that word before?

"They say those ruins are from a god's domain," she spoke quietly. "They make adventurers sick, and that feeling we had when we didn't even catch a glimpse of it? It can be much worse than that."

"Nae waaah," Audrey remarked. A slight shift in the girl's eyes told Madoka that she was pretending. If they had knowledge of the strange ruins, the princess wanted to extract it even if that meant lying. The way her beautiful eyes narrowed on the Sovos girl was confident, but not enough to fool Madoka. Kanys avoided looking at her, but she persisted with a laugh. "Other domains don't exist, do they? Like places beyond where we can step? Bah!"

There was a notable silence held up along the air in response to her laughing and doubful tone. Madoka wondered if they knew that Audrey was more aware of this odd otherworldly concept than they thought. Kanys returned a grave look after her laugh tapered off and blended with the wind rustling the forest's branches.

"You should be careful getting near those ruins," she warned Audrey as aloof as she could, though she was sarcastic. "Wouldn't want anything bad to the newly iron ranked Lady, now would we?"

Kanys dared to test Madoka's patience, assuming the maid would be offended. Yet all Madoka could do is shrug. She had her own reasons to not come to her defense, mainly the fact that she herself had warned Audrey to not get near those ruins many times before she had even met Kanys.

"Ridiculous," Madoka muttered, then she cleared her throat after realizing the group's eyes were on her. She crossed her arms and looked away. "It's just some rocks and fallen down pillars."

"Hooo, boy," Eraziror stretched as loud as he could. "Tension's all high from running into something quite big that lives around the ruins. Why don't we eat and get the night shifts going!"

"He's right," Arudite chirped, looking cheerfully at Madoka. What did this researcher want from her? She would groan, but instead she noticed Audrey resting against a massive root. The other adventurers had already gone to tend to their supplies, leaving them alone with the researcher and her servant. "They say that other places exist, like realms beyond this one."

"Like the labyrinths?" Audrey asked, not opening her eyes. She sat properly, while Madoka slouched. If her past self saw how she acted now she surely would have gotten scolded.

"Not exactly," the researcher continued. Audrey pulled out her notebook and flipped to a blank page to take notes, though Madoka found it impressive that she was diligent in that habit of hers.

"I'll try to make it simple. My theories, that is. Take a scroll, for example. The words are confined to the length of the paper. You can have words on the back of it. Another realm would be a different scroll entirely, of a different tome. Only foolish high ranked adventurers and bullheaded researchers have tried to make contact with these other realms, but none have made it out alive or at least with their sanity in tact."

"Right," Audrey mused as she scribbled notes, but immediately started to slump against Madoka's shoulder. She took her iron tag out and inspected its smooth edges. Hopefully they do not progress fast enough to have to visit those dangerous places any time soon. She guessed that the princess was serious about this adventurer thing, but the thought of going into a labyrinth made her uneasy.

"So tell me, you two," Arudite leaned in and put on her glasses with a mischievous smile. "What are you on the run from?"