V.

The metal shards and air cleared out of the way as she surged upward off the shipping container. The larger rocks simply bounced out of her way instead of piercing her barrier. She roared again.

"I'm in a hurry, so get out of my way!"

"The helm of the ship draws near.

Get up there and your friend shall be free."

Madoka nodded out of habit, though there was no one in sight to nod to. Just a talking annoying crystal in her head, she thought to it sharply. The artifact did not respond. The ship's main deck stretched above her like a tower, with the helm jutting out like a guard room. More debris crushed into her shield and she was worried that her wings and shield would not last long enough for her to reach it.

The hulking beast of a ship groaned again, with more of its structure collapsing from the strange force of the storm. Madoka's own arms felt like someone was squeezing them the whole time and the feeling grew worse as the vessel bent apart. The black clouds parted as more metal plates and containers above began to fall upon her, clanging against each other as they descended.

Through the chaos, Madoka could hear the crystal speak to her: "Go. I am with you."

Her wings beat furiously in front of her, keeping up the shield as she flew headfirst into the disjointed wall of clashing metal. She flinched, but the air around her hissed and crackled as the shield began to disintegrate any metal object that got in her way. She panicked for a split second, but the melted shards turned to sparks and her core violently sucked the Knotting Strands into her. This was like her meditations, she realized, but only more painful. Must she continue her arm movements even in this chaos?

Madoka caught a glimpse of the glowing purple sphere above her and decided that was the answer. More containers blocked the view of it, but she knew what to do.

"Out the way!" She guided the Strands up her arms and held them up like the first thing in her mind came up with: A broom.

What came out in front of her was much larger than a regular broom. The shining silhouette of magic shimmered a golden defiance against the black light of the void. It required her to hold it above her head and its handle was as large as a tree trunk, but she did not care. She had a mess to clean, after all. The sparks emitted a crackling noise before and solidified into a massive beam that rivaled the size of the ship itself, complete with a neat bundle of golden bristles at the end. She swore one final time then swung with all her might against the heaviness in the air. Instead of getting pushed aside by the massive broom she now wielded, the containers dissolved into even more showers of golden magic when she swept with all her might. The new sparks looped back into her and blasted new jolts of energy into her core. Madoka could not retain that broom's massive size, so the spell was released back into her heart. She refrained from scratching her chest and instead focused upward. All that was left before her was the ship's helm.

With each beating of her Knotting Wings, more metal pulled off the ship's deck like skin from a Commoner's tuber and the crystal absorbed the sparks. With a broom like that, she could smash this entire beast apart in the Princess's name. The normal static pecking her backside vanished and her flight became wobbled. Her magic was running out! She perched on a broken beam of a crane and prepared her meditation when something shattered above her. A thousand shimmering shards of glass were raining down upon her and the crane started to slip beneath her feet. Cracking pierced her ears and the ship was descending as if it was sliding down a hill. Still, the translucent golden aura of the crystal's barrier appeared as she prepared herself.

"I am with you.

Hurry!

The ship is sinking into the great void.

Your friend will follow it too.

Reach the top."

Not helping! Madoka covered her face with her arms as the glass rained upon her. Instead of whatever pain she expected, the glass bounced harmlessly off the crystal shield's radiance, not even shattering. There were still millions of sparkling dust specks and shards of the window's glass flashing all around her in different sizes, catching her off guard. The chaos exploded like she was in the midst of a meteor shower, surrounding her with beautiful colors reflecting all around her. Since the crystal was actively helping her, Madoka noticed she could see the Knotting strands more clearly. She would have to trust it for now. Swiping her arms caused the closest ones to attach themselves to her and follow her movements, like she's done so many times before. She gathered more and more, guiding them straight into her chest.

For a moment, she could only hear her breath despite the chaos of shattering glass and metal creaking apart. The strands did not illuminate any platform to land on, instead guiding her vision to the top of the Helm. Madoka's meditation was complete, so she took the leap. The energy wracked her back in explosive static, but she felt the wings reform again as she surged upward. The wings carried her forth, past broken glass and falling shipment containers until the pain disappeared. Madoka swore, but she was left falling through the middle of clouds of dust and shiny slabs of glass. A purple glow crept up the bottom of her vision, making her realize she overshot the ship's helm due to her speed.

Audrey was down there, right? All alone inside that cage. Madoka gripped one of the shards of glass, barely noticing that her arm was surrounded by spirals of Knotting magic. The descent was pressuring her - this was her only chance to strike it apart! The shard bit into her palm, but rippled in and out of reality as its form changed into an axe. With the wing's reverberating energy surging at her back, she began to descend towards the cage. Therefore, she raised the magical weapon above her head with great effort. Through the crushing wind coursing out of the prison, the sharp shards of glass scratching her skin, and all the hard memories – Madoka shall free her!

The new weapon burned her hands as she channeled more Knotting energy into it, but it was brimming with her power. She was hoping to smash this problem wide open! Her arms felt like they were going to melt off, as black stains began to char her skin. Let it all burn and break through for all I care, she closed her eyes and let out a scream as she swung down. A small thought bothered the back of her mind: It just occurred to her that she did not have any idea on how to break her out of the cage besides hitting it really hard.

Instead of feeling any resistance or hearing her axe hit metal, her wings suddenly released her and she tumbled head first into the metal deck of the ship's helm. The metal pounding rattled her skull and her sides ached. Madoka scooted around weakly, wailing involuntarily as she tried to see if she missed. She could not remember the last time she hit the ground this hard. Not since she was in the Lost God's Grotto. She groaned and winced from the memories more than the pain. Of course, the last time she did something as crazy as this was inside that Grotto. Now, she was in a similar place. Wait, she snapped back to her situation. The princess! The silhouette of Audrey was still inside there. Her attack was meaningless! How could it pass through that magic? It can't be!

"No!" Madoka crawled towards it. Her shins and knees burned, but she had to free her Highness somehow. "Audrey!"

She swung her fist on the orb, but her arm passed through Audrey's prison.

"Audrey?"

Audrey was frozen in there, seemingly out of reach. Madoka realized that despite her memory telling her that the sphere was purple, but it was gray now. Its aura has mostly disappeared, allowing her to see the structure of the sphere were like jail bars, surrounding the princess all around her. She squinted, blinked and took in her surroundings. Everything seemed like it lost color and she was in a void of whites and gray, instead of darkness. She was standing on nothing, yet she was able to walk like she was. Even the ship was gone. Something was wrong, Madoka could not sense any oppressive forces on her skin anymore. Shards of that strange glass were frozen in motion. They were suspended like the rocks outside in the Leyline. Her hand passed through a shard when she reached for it.

Now what? Madoka held her hips, noticing that the pain from crashing on the deck had vanished as well. Audrey was still stuck inside the sphere. Her face was caught in an emotion Madoka could not quite comprehend; a state between sheer focus and frustration, yet calm and steady. An approaching noise interrupted her. Footsteps? A heartbeat?

Instinctively, she got ready to fight.

A chime sound also followed the continuous thumping which Madoka found familiar, but she did not know where. Her eyes searched for the noise's source, but eventually her gaze fell on her chest. The crystal was pouring out of her in the form of golden sparks, contrasting the white void she was in. It formed in front of her, but the footsteps and chimes never ceased.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"That creature, that God of Tomorrow's infinite gaze is turning away, Madoka, meaning that you're standing outside of time right now. About to be erased from existence itself."

"I don't care about the danger," Madoka growled back. She swore she could have heard a voice, but she did not know from where. "Now, show me how to free her or shut it!"

The shining aura lifted, revealing the crystal floating before her. When it spoke, more heavenly light poured out of it.

"I am with you, teleporting information through the Link," the crystal said, ignoring her. "As long as time remains still, I shall work to free you from this void."

"You'll free her, right?" Madoka asked — begged — it. She turned back to the cage containing Audrey, while she sensed the crystal thinking about what to say. Was she capable of this because the device was a part of her body?

"I— I shall try my best, Madoka," it confirmed. "You will be led out of this dimension, then you must free her from the Nexus Gate."

"Mm," Madoka sighed. It was expected of a maid like her to do all the work. As long as the ship stopped sinking into the darkness below and the glass no longer stabbed into her shield, she supposed she could wait impatiently. Come to think about it, she mused as the crystal radiated a faint thrumming. Its disembodied voice was familiar to her, somehow. Perhaps it was that boy she met while fleeing from that Fiara Soldier that was buried underground. Grief, betrayal and anger sank her to her knees. "You— You led me here. By tricking Audrey. Placed us in danger. Why? Why?!"

"I—"

"You were there when I defeated Heesonoo, when the kind God of Tomorrowd saved us from that Fiara Soldier, weren't you. All along," she started to cry. "Why are you leading us to such hardships?"

"I know I can't ask you for forgiveness, but I needed to establish the Link," the crystal spoke softly. "The things you are beginning to recognize in your mind, are already good signs that it's working. You would never agree to going to these parts where the System is weakest, so I used... Her. This is for your benefit. Believe me, I wish to help you. Would taking your wrath out on this help you?"

The crystal shimmered, shooting out a blue beam and forming the image of a young boy before her. It was the very same one she saw in her dreams, Madoka sobbed. Her heart was wide open, bewildered. Why was someone like her important to these strange forces? It was like she was far behind everything, but she preferred it that way. The boy's clothes stood out to her, as he stuck his hands in his pockets. Beta cloth? Polymers? Observing this hologram through her blurry eyes seemed to add new details to her mind so she scoffed and looked away. Hologram?

"I don't care anymore," Madoka sighed. "As long as you do whatever you're talking about."

"Really," the boy looked sad for a moment, but vanished back into the crystal. "There's a lot of things that are stopping the background processes of finding your signal. Mainly, the shadow beast that... God of Tomorrows requested you to defeat. And... Her. But I think we can work around that if she means that much to you."

"How could you say that?" Madoka growled.

"It's just that... No, you would not believe me if I told you what she is," the crystal bobbed. "Interference is fine as long as you can control her. Stay the course, but know that I am with you in this device."

"I already don't believe you," she sulked. Chuckling came from the crystal. It was capable of laughing at her in the middle of this? "What?"

"Haven't you noticed?" It questioned her. "You are speaking to me in the Sixth Form. The very same language we spoke in when we first met. Can't you feel it? Heh, the Link is working."

For some reason, the crystal sounded more human to her now. The language, however, was not like Commoner or even English. That accent the artifact was using was truly a different language. It terrified her, but also made her marvel for some reason. If this was whatever the Link's doing because she was in this mess, then that would mean... "You're not going to keep talking to me after we're out of here, right?"

"I'm here with you, but only a part of my messages will be teleported to you," the crystal confirmed. "I'm afraid to inform you, Kate, but my annoying voice will become more clearer the closer you are to more Link interferences and connections. You hear that?"

"Who is Kate?" Madoka was about to object, a cracking noise tickled her ears. It must be her, somehow, but she had greater things to worry about. Audrey's sphere was cracking! Fresh air began to blast her face and the glass shards began to slowly move again. Madoka had to prepare herself. The God of Tomorrows must be allowing them to leave. The crystal remained suspended even amidst the growing chaos, slowly dissolving into dust.

"Prepare yourself by using the thought needles and Knotting Magic. Free her with memories," the crystal spoke as if its esoteric advice was just a reminder to her. Its voice became more ethereal as the waves of noise swept it away. "If you cannot save her, run."

"I'd rather die!" Madoka roared, steeling her as both the white void she was in peeled itself away. The dark clouds in front of her returned, as well as the starry universe above her bore down with its infinite heavens. Her boots stamped on dirt and before she realized it she was back in her reality! The alien feeling evaporated her elation, causing her to look towards its source. The ruins! "Audrey!"

The princess was screaming on that altar as she lay flat on it. The magic storm she was contained in during her cultivation antics must have released! Madoka growled and sprinted towards the altar, but the ground pulsed and her world was sent skyward. Her vision became dark for a moment, but then it was drenched in screams and a crimson aura. Instinctively, she twisted in midair and tore the crystal out of her chest. Become my wings, you annoying thing!

They wrapped her back tightly, but she still was falling. Madoka crashed on a dirt below, but thanks to her wings the fall barely hurt. She was going to get back up there and teach that stupid girl a lesson! The tattered sky revealed the source of the blood red light: A massive magical spell circle in the form of an evil eye glaring down at the world below, including her. Each time the girl screamed, bolts of magic streaked out beyond the horizon from the island above her. Was Audrey responsible for that magic? Madoka peered at the massive blobs of red and black magic as they rained down on the forest below. Explosions set the earth ablaze, giving her another reason to shut that girl up. She hoped no one got caught in the blasts.

The dirt was thin, but it gave her enough grip to jump off of. A thin needle sliced her cheek suddenly and the wind whipped her hair into her face. It burned, but Madoka has trained through Audrey's cheap tricks already today. More globs of darkness were launching straight to her, so she decided to face them head first! The crystal's shield and her wings burned her back, but she was used to the surging feeling already and she knew moving would stop the burn from overwhelming her.

The forest is relying on you to stop her.

I am here with you.

Defy her magic!

"You don't have to tell me twice," Madoka growled. "Just protect me!"

A volley of purple needles shot out from the eye, but nothing seemed to penetrate her shield. Is Audrey trying to kill her? Madoka worried briefly, but jagged red strands whipped out of the eyes like wriggling tentacles. She soared through it all, getting higher and closer to the island again. She refused to fall back into that dreaded abyss again, and furthermore, refused to meet with the annoying crystal again! As she absorbed the needles, Knotting Strands began to zigzag across the air towards her goal in clear paths. The crystal must be charging, Madoka determined and deliberately chose to follow the strands.

She ascended through the storm of black and crimson magical bolts, dust and debris, yet she felt like she someone else. The crystal hummed with energy as Madoka filled more thought-needles inside of it, but soon her boots landed on the ground before Her Highness's altar again. The massive eyeball spell circle looked at her with wrathful intent, reminding her of the Domineering red strands that enflamed their wielder's veins. Such a terrifying magic belonged in the blood of the most powerful mages, Madoka remembered. Its eye coated her skin with heated red dots Lasers, she growled. Like the Servitor Heesonoo's weapons she fought against in the Lost Grotto. Her energy was quickly running out, even in the Leyline.

"Hold on a little longer, princess," Madoka whispered as the gathering heat intensified. The eye, or perhaps it was Audrey's own erratic magic, was preparing to shoot her!

This magic cannot be blocked.

The Princess's self-destruction is imminent.

Madoka, please remain safe and run.

"Annoying crystal," Madoka released the aura protecting her from the incoming red bolts and needles. "I told you, I'm going to clean this mess up!"

A needle sliced at her shoulder, but she still lifted her arms and caught one. Immediately, strange symbols and images of her own reflection appeared in her own head. Become that which cleans this mess, Madoka pushed the wild thoughts away and focused. The screams emitting from the Princess grew louder as the laser unleashed, but Madoka had the last of her own magic to give!

Madoka's own screams matched the volume of the storm and magic, but her arms wrapped the enormous familiar jolting bundle of energy. If this is the last time she uses this magic, she could die happy anyways. The massive golden broom manifested just in time, clashing against the massive laser and pierced the evil red eye. Madoka puked as the magic released its hold on her. Still, an overwhelming sense of relief covered her.

She did it! The eye was gone! She ignored the crystal's warnings and stumbled her way to the altar. Her stomach lurched suddenly and made her regret not listening. Kind gods, Madoka wiped her mouth and her hair out her face. The sky shuddered as the island began to rumble and each step threatened to knock her off balance, but the quiet and familiar golden glow appeared at her feet. I am with you, the crystal was probably saying. She was only a few stair steps away from strangling her princess, Madoka clutched her aching chest. Pieces of the island were crumbling away, and she could see the hole in the sky was closing in upon her. She did not know what would happen if she was trapped above it, so she hurried.

"Three steps, Audrey!" Madoka roared.

The first step.

"You sent me flying in the air with your unrestrained Water and Wind magic! Showed me how small I truly am before magic! I hate magic!”

The second step.

Even the perfectly symmetrical and pure white steps were cracking. Audrey's twisted face was racked by what Madoka could only assume were the worst night terrors.

"You sent me off this island while I waited for you and I found God! He told me you're the worst — and I agree with it!"

The third step.

The wind and ground quaked, causing her to hit her shin on the corner of the step. Yet that pain did not compare to the heartbreak that strangely formed when she spoke to the crystal.

"I hate you, I love you. I don't understand you but I want to! You were lied to, there was nothing but hopelessness and darkness up here. I'll never forgive this thing inside of me for deceiving you... but please, hold on just a little longer."

Wounds covered Her Highness as Madoka knelt down before her. Even if the sky was closing upon her and there was only a small white disk that was left of the big island holding them up here, Audrey seemed so tiny to her. We are going, Madoka hefted her up and stepped off of the altar without looking back. Her own vision was fading, but the sight of dirt was fast approaching her.

If she was to die here, then at least it will be with the Princess this time.