An Adventurous Year, Act 8
From Dragons to Picking Flowers
I.
"Okay," Audrey sighed. "It would help if you could read. I have to teach you one of these days..."
She searched through the board for copper rated commissions. Madoka did not help at all but she did not feel like it anyways. Instead, She silently observed the frustrated princess a little too closely while the girl searched through writings.
"It would narrow the search time by a lot, yanno," Audrey squinted at the board but she rested her hands above her head in a relaxed pose.
Every adventurer around them seemed to be at ease with the sword missing, Madoka noticed. She did not know whether to feel embarrassed or not since the blade kept people away from her princess. The message board shook as Audrey made a selection and grabbed a scroll.
"Herb gathering it is, then!" She looked at Madoka. Was she looking at her for approval? "It's harmless, see? We won't be fighting anything. It's in the plains west of here."
"Are you asking me for approval?" Madoka stared blankly at Audrey.
"I mean, we're partners, partner!" She nearly spun into another oblivious adventurer but Madoka stopped her. "Oops. I know it ain't as crazy as a dragon and you might be a battle junkie but—"
"It's fine, Audrey," Madoka sighed. "Just watch where you're going."
The two went to the commission register and stood before a familiar brown haired Guild Lady. Brown Hair, Madoka designated her. Even if she sensed the discomfort in the uniformed lady's uneasy stance, the maid decided that she will become their commission handler. Like the Head Maid would assign the maids in the palace certain duties only, Madoka deemed Brown Hair to be the one—
"Good morning," Brown Hair bowed. "Have you come to take up this commission?"
The girls simply nodded. Brown Hair looked the two over.
"I remember you two from yesterday," she peered at the girls' tags. "I hope you two are okay! Especially the way the Guild Master brought you two in. Your tags, please."
"We're fine," Madoka took off her hood and gave the woman her copper tag. Brown Hair gave a quick breath of awe at the sight of her hacked red hair but collected the tag.
"Your hair is very beautiful, miss," she commented.
"P-Please, no compliments," Madoka shied away from the table. Audrey giggled but handed her own copper tag to the Guild Lady.
Brown Hair examined the tags. Madoka watched silently as the lady did something extraordinary. She held both necklaces up and released them while she chanted under her breath. The maid instinctively reached to catch them but the glint of golden light stopped her. The copper tags remained suspended by the chains as Brown Hair moved her palms in a peculiar motion around them.
One palm balled into a fist above the tags and the other palm flat below them as she slowly rotated her hands around them like a clock. Madoka could see Brown Hair's palms extend golden chains to their adventurer's tags and the pieces began to become fixed without any dents on them. The Guild Lady smiled and handed the two notchless tags back.
"Here you go! A fresh start for both of you!" Brown Hair smiled but her expression turned to a frown. "If only I was here yesterday. You two would have not have been put in danger like that."
"Danger?" Madoka wondered. Audrey fidgeted with her necklace before stuffing it into her bag of talismans. The clinking wooden talismans would have bothered Madoka but she knew the girl was simply nervous. "Were we not supposed to do those exams?"
"There are no entrance examinations to the Guild in the world," Brown Hair explained with a sigh. "Those four wicked people were lying to you."
"O-Oh really?" The noise in the talisman bag stopped as the princess's interest grew. "And that board?"
"While it does measure the strands in your body," Brown Hair took the board out. "It's not necessary."
"Well, that would have been nice to know," Madoka sighed.
"Still, I am thankful you are tough! I caught the last moments of your mock battle. You were like HIYA! And fwoosh!" The Guild Lady made punch motions and waved her hands before composing herself. Madoka felt embarrassed but the little lady was oddly endearing to her. "Aaaanyways, the commission is copper rank. You'll be going out to West Livertorjan to gather sixteen Rustazian Carnials. They're little red flowers with blue and white tips on their petals. They match your hair!"
"Thanks," Madoka finally gave in. "Are the fields dangerous?"
Brown Hair placed a hand under her chin in thought. That Knotting magic did not seem to shock her although jagged lightning bolts paced rapidly back and forth along her wrists. Oddly enough, Audrey seemed happy with the Guild Lady's treatment of the maid.
"No, since they are safe and closest to the city," she confirmed. "Best avoid the forest beyond that if you're not looking for danger. Remember, you need to complete five commissions before you can shadow Iron Rankers and decide to move up!"
"Thanks," Audrey said. Brown Hair bowed and Madoka noticed a presence walking from the stairs. Luxgor was headed outside. Was he going to free those three? Madoka wondered as she followed Audrey. "Well, we gotta get some flowers or something, Madoka."
"Carnials," the maid recalled. The two were headed out the same doors Luxgor did. "Trouble is up ahead, don't you think?"
"Yeah, probably," Audrey was too relaxed. "I'm glad that lady took a liking to you. I don't think I'd take it well if we got another one like last night."
"That's what you're worried about?"
They strode by adventurers and merchants. It seemed like the day was beginning for everyone. Madoka slid the door opened and the view of Luxgor standing before those locked up fools greeted them. She glanced to Audrey who seemed unsure of herself as well.
"You three are lucky," He rose his voice. He was a lot more fierce than he was behind the office, Madoka supposed. Luxgor yanked the tags off of Rin and Juujee. "They decided not to take your lives today. But I am not so merciful. Hear me, everyone! The Guild welcomes all into its Hall. Here, we worship. Here, we are equal under the name of Ceghinort. Therefore, you will have to start back to the basics!"
After the commotion died down, Audrey yawned and carried on. Rin stared daggers into Madoka's eyes but remained silent. The maid said nothing and followed her princess. She heard the chains shatter behind her but she was confident that they would not be followed.
"Worship, huh?" Audrey mused as she scanned building signs. "Did we just join a cult? Yeesh."
"Maybe Ceghinort is a kind god?" Madoka offered. She was not sure what a cult was but she knew it had to be bad. Still, she could sense a certain serenity in the girl as she walked. Perhaps it was confidence or reinvigoration from being on her own again. Well, not having to deal with strangers filled her with relief as well. Madoka walked on as the slow thoughts of wagon horses and commoners passed by her. "Where to next? Wasn't the gate west of here?"
"We're gonna do some, ah, shopping," Audrey rested her hands behind her head as they walked. "Snow's a-melting, partner, but we could use a new cloak. We both probably look like wild cavewomen with our torn up rags and all."
"Cave..." Madoka shook out of it. "P-please, just use my name."
Audrey looked hurt for a second but pointed to a sign. Madoka guessed it was the store.
"Most of this stuff lines up with all those fantasy light novels, er, books I read," Audrey scraped snow off her boots before they walked in.
"Welcome, welcome!" A friendly voice called out to them. An elderly woman stood before several articles of cloaks and robes in fluttering colors. Madoka felt the woman's eyes scrutinize her. "You two look dreadful! Like you've gone through the mountain storms!"
"We have," Madoka shrugged. Audrey was about to protest at her honesty but the old lady just laughed. The monocle's chain on her right eye jingled but she did not seemed bothered. As Madoka looked further she noticed that the elderly lady's ears were also pointed. Were they in a city of dragons?
"It's a figure of speech, dear! No way such small girls like as you could cross the Frost Queen's Hall! I am Saze, at your service. I have fine threads for you at a fine price.
"We, ah, need some new cloaks," Audrey withdrew her necklace. Saze looked at it through her one eye.
"A Noble's daughter, huh," She mused. She went to the backroom behind her desk and returned with a heavy amount of clothes. "In such shabby clothing! This will not do!"
Before Audrey could protest, she took the princess's hand and took her to the changing room. She looked almost human, save for her ears and her strong limbs were covered in scales.
"Come along, girl!"
Madoka heard the woman call out to her. A sense of nostalgia bloomed within her heart as Audrey flailed while the lady took her time undressing her. She recalled other maids had trouble pacifying the princess when Madoka was trained to fit and dress her.
"Madoka, save me!" She complained.
"Stand still, Milady," Saze hummed along. Madoka instinctively remained quiet. "You two are not from around here, huh?"
"No, miss," Madoka refrained from looking at Audrey's body. She calmed down and let the dragon lady change her.
"I must dress you accordingly for the weather! Dearie me," Saze inspected the girl's arm. "What is this thing?"
Right, the living dragon tattoo that Audrey carried for so long wriggled its way away from Saze's grasp.
"It's ah, my Father doesn't know about it," Audrey shivered. Saze slipped underwear on the girl and made her jump. A giggle escaped Madoka's lips. She remembered that habit kept with her since her Palace days and Saze carried on as if nothing happened. Perhaps Saze was a maid at some point in her life, Madoka thought but dismissed the possibility. She owned a clothing store after all.
The undergarments were made from tough cloth and the Y-shaped overshirt robe was tied neatly in a knotted ribbon. Peculiar diamond and tree patterns adorned the pant dresses. Audrey inspected the robes.
"Whoa, I look pretty! How'd you do that?"
"It would be easier for Miss Saze if you would stop squirming," Madoka sighed.
"Huh, did I hear something from you?"
"No, you were imagining it."
Saze chuckled at the banter but it was true. Audrey was a lot more beautiful in clothes that were not destroyed. She came back with more heavy garments and boots.
"Rustazian weather is nothing to scoff at," Saze slipped a matching brown garment on the princess. "Even if you are a Star Gold adventurer or a Copper adventurer, you come back to me for all things clothing. And now for you."
She turned to Madoka. Was she going to undress and fit her into clothing like the princess? Should she refuse? Madoka gulped.
"Strip!" Saze commanded.
"Yeah!" Audrey cheered. Of course, she was excited for Madoka's embarrassing moments. It was not like she hated her body but it was not like she liked it either. If she was to be held to the same standards of a Royal or Noble's beauty, she would fall flat upon her unworthy face. A command was a command, she supposed as she felt the back of of her torn up hood. The scar embedded across her palm creased the hood's fabric.
Tentatively, she took it off and shook her hair out of her face. Saze eyed her up and down.
"You're a fine woman," Saze felt her breasts and hair. Madoka gasped at each touch. "You could sway the hearts of—"
"D-Don't touch me!" Madoka nearly buckled and cowered. Saze withdrew her hand immediately. Audrey's hand went to her talismans in a flash. The maid begged before the princess did anything with her magic. "P-Please. I'll change myself."
"You poor thing," she adjusted her monocle. Madoka soon was down to her underwear, the remnants of her maid uniform she wore beneath her cloak in tatters on the ground. She wanted to apologize for her unsightly self and for ruining the floors of the shop but her breaths struggled to balance. The scars and burn marks did not seem to move her but her eye narrowed as she passed over the rune on her shoulder. Did she know what it was? "We shall fit you in good garments, yes! One that will cover up all those weapons."
Audrey relaxed but kept an eye on Madoka.
"You've been working very hard, dear," Saze soothed the maid. Breathe, Madoka, she told herself. Could anything touch her unworthy self and say that to her earnestly? The shopkeeper ignored them all but in the back of Madoka's mind the doubts swirled. "A maid, huh? Can't do much with these torn up uniforms. You'll have to come back for a pick up when I craft more of these. Now get along, you two!"
Madoka did not notice but she found herself changed into larger sized outfit similar to Audrey's. Her robes and cloak were black as opposed to the brown one Audrey wore. Her swords were strapped comfortably to her hip. So this was Rustazian fashion? The maid did not like the idea of owning things but in exchange for fresh garments she will have to do. The clothes matched the commoners outside very well.
"She's been mine ever since," Audrey's eyes shifted as she tried to recall the last years. "A very long time. You sure you don't want any money?"
"I want trust in you and your maid, dearie," Saze smiled. "We can talk payment as long as you keep coming back. I shall fashion your maid some new uniforms!"
"Thank you," Madoka bowed. Audrey simply smiled and nodded along. "We will be back."
Saze bowed and waved.
"You okay there, Madoka? You froze up back in the dressing room."
"I think I'm fine," Madoka sighed. She sensed the streets have gotten less busy as they trudged along towards the west gate. "I don't know what I felt when that woman touched me but I panicked and I felt—"
"It's okay, Madoka," Audrey grabbed her hand. Surprisingly, Madoka felt secure when she held it. "I won't let anyone bad get away with mistreating you."
"'Alt," came a guard's voice. The two froze when the voice came again. "State your— 'Ey! I recognize you two! You're the Noble and her Maid!"
"Y-Yeah, we are," Audrey stammered. Madoka nodded vigorously as well.
"You two found your identification rights yet?" Another guard's voice growled. It was Guard 2, or Boris. Why were they stationed here? Perhaps the two girls were lucky since they could have ran into other guards who could be corrupt.
"Yes," Madoka revealed her copper tags. Both guards gasped.
"Oi, oi! D-Don't tell me they let you in!" Boris exclaimed.
"You numb nuts!" George, Guard 1, barked back at Boris. "That's what the Guild Master questioned us about last night!"
"I thought they were just runaways!" Boris muttered. "I didn't expect to see 'em back here!"
"Uh, excuse me!" Audrey interrupted their bickering.
"Yes, Milady?" Both guard straightened up.
"You see any flowers called Carnials?" Audrey asked. "We gotta get, like, five of them."
"Sixteen," Madoka corrected her.
Boris scratched his head in disbelief.
"So you really are apart of the guild," Boris grunted. "But lady, George's manliness here might be as soft as a Cel Row's tongue but we ain't pickin' no flowers!"
"Worth a try, I guess," Audrey clicked her tongue.
"The hell's that supposed to mean!" George snapped at Boris. "Look, we're working here! But if you ask me, stay clear of those forest grounds beyond the plains."
"Why is that?" Madoka asked. George moved a bit closer.
"There's monsters in that there forest," He said. "Teemin' all over."
"Out you go, now," Boris shooed them out. "Get yourself a weapon if you wanna venture out further, you hear? The Weapons Guild might not accept your ugly tag, but there's a weapon shop in town, too!"
They did not need any more encouragement to leave town. Madoka noticed the hilly plains were covered in the remnants of snow piles. Beyond the plains was a line of trees. She had enough talking with strangers. For now, Audrey's new robes and cloak fluttered before her. They seemed to resist the snowflakes that peppered them. Her confident movements made Madoka want to take her hand and be led up the rest of the hill.
"Madoka, look!" Audrey stopped in awe of what she saw. "It's so beautiful!"
Madoka rushed to her side. Her anticipation rose as she imagined what Audrey saw. She froze as she took in the sight. Before them was a beautiful stretch of plains covered in flowers and green grass. Sunlight pooled in Audrey's luminescent eyes as she took in the sights.
It's true, Madoka agreed with her princess. The fields of flowers were almost as beautiful as Audrey.
II.
A sea of blues, reds, yellows and greens spread in waves against a slithering coastal line of forest trees at a faraway border. There was an entire world of beautiful colors just beneath their feet. Madoka could hear carefree thoughts of birds above and small thoughts of predators hunting around the forest. As they surveyed the area she found that the city walls were slowly getting further away from them.
"Don't git too close to the forest! Monsters are everywhere in there and you ain't got no weapons!"
Guards warned them multiple times before they departed. Madoka felt her swords' grips. She had plenty and Audrey had many miracles that could turn this world of colors into dark flames in an instant. Kind gods willing, Madoka would not have to use anything today. Despite the people she's spoken to these past two days, she preferred the city than the many months spent wandering on a mountain.
"So, like, red flowers," Audrey picked two red flowers and examined them. "Bah!"
"Don't complain," Madoka sighed. "You were the one who chose the paper."
"All these flowers are red, Madoka!" Audrey complained. "All of 'em! You got any idea how hard it is to—"
"Little red flowers with blue tips," Madoka recalled. She picked one of them up. It matched the drawing on the commission scroll. "Just need fifteen more."
"We gotta get more than five?" Audrey checked the scroll again and confirmed the amount. Dismay flushed her face. "Bruh. Damn, we really have to grind reputation in the Guild, huh?"
From slaying a dragon to picking flowers, Madoka mused as she held the flower up. The flower's petals matched her red hair except for their flowing blue tips.
"So that's what they look like," Audrey stole a glance at Madoka's hair and then she directed her gaze to the flower. "Put it in here."
The portal manifested before Audrey and Madoka tossed it in.
"Still, there's a lot of things I don't have a clue about," Audrey picked random flowers of different sizes and colors. Was she even paying attention to the flower's details? "Those red strands that the mage fought you with, who or what Ceghinort is, your magic. That Koj guy said that it was called Knotting or something."
"Maybe the magic board was faulty," Madoka hoped. The way those golden chains changed materials never seemed normal to her. They smoothed out metal as one did to the wrinkles of a dress, connected strange devices she never could dream up and showed her magical weapons in that dragon's realm. Could she possibly be capable of doing the same? "I don't think I wanna learn magic."
"It's not that bad!" Audrey tied the stems of the flowers in a crown. "Here!"
She placed the flower crown on Madoka's head and pulled out the hand mirror. The sight of herself wearing a beautiful and colorful accessory felt wrong to Madoka. Audrey giggled.
"Have I told you how pretty you are?" She held the hand mirror up at an angle. "I wish phones or cameras were a thing. I could take one of you. Maybe a hashtag, like first quest with this queen—"
"Nope, don't like whatever idea that is!" Madoka took the crown off her head and put it on the princess's head. She recalled the first time she saw the girl in the throne room of the Palace. She was wearing a shining crown. All Royals have those and one made out of mere flowers did not compare to their crown's glory.
Audrey seemed satisfied with the crown of flowers on her head, inspecting herself from different angles.
"Perhaps I should make cameras, huh," Audrey mused. "Since paper is a thing in this world and everything. I could coat it with..."
"A-Are cameras some kind of magical device?"
"No," Audrey tucked the mirror back in the portal and flung the crown off her head. "But the memories created on a photo made by a camera sure are. Like a portrait, except, like made immediately instead of days later. I hated family portraits back in the palace. You know how hard it is to sit still for hours straight while some guy stares at you the whole time?"
"You never sit still," Madoka giggled. Audrey looked offended but resigned herself into a shrug. Her feet were light off the ground. She avoided patches of flowers and flitting above dew covered grass with a grace only a Royal could carry. A former Royal, Madoka was reminded over and over. It did not matter to the maid.
"I wonder if such memories are what those spell circles are made out of. Like the strands remember what they are and then boom! Fire! Or something like that."
Memories? In strands? Madoka recalled the flames that rose from Rin's feet formed after the spell circle and runes completed. Audrey's magic, however, never created runes or spell circles before they manifested.
They stopped at a fallen log to catch a break. The two have found enough of the herbs but the princess insisted. If there was trouble lying in wait for them, could they make it to the town without fighting? Madoka wondered that but she knew she would fight it off for Audrey.
"To be honest," Audrey had a look in her eyes, as if she was remembering something. "I think I was an ugly duckling in my previous life. Maybe I was ugly or maybe I wasn't and I just thought I looked disgusting. Felt like no matter what, my shoe was too big and I couldn't fit right. Heh, I still feel that way."
Madoka could not imagine Audrey as ugly. Perhaps her attitude annoyed her a bit too much at times but the maid never thought she was one to speak of such things. Her own appearance mattered not for she never would belong in someone else's court. Especially the princess's. Two women being together was impossible in Fiara and slave with a Royal was beyond that. Audrey was observing her so she straightened up out of habit.
"I can sense you're going into idle mode so I'll spare you the Audrey monologue," she chuckled. "Sometimes, I think too much about other people's thoughts of me, that's all. Can't help but think I'm an ugly mess making things worse."
"I'll be there to clean you up," Madoka put her hands on her hips. "Speaking of that, your new cloak is going to be dirty if you sit on that."
"Ah, nae waah! Mood ruined!" Audrey stood up and patted herself off. She pulled out the wand from the portal. Madoka guessed she snuck it out of the Hall. "I dunno how this thing works. I can see red strands gathered at its tip but yeah. This stick is weird."
"Please, be careful," Madoka warned her. Audrey looked at the wand inquisitively with childlike eyes. The maid could tell that it was an intricately designed device despite its size.
"There's glowing manas all around me and all around you," Audrey pointed the wand towards the forest line. How did they even get out this far from the city? Madoka hardly had the time to think. "Zippidy, dippity, dadeedoo!"
She swung the wand at a target after saying her ridiculous chant and the maid was fearful of what might happen next. Fortunately, the wand did not react. Audrey shook it and then inspected the inactive magical device.
"Huh," Audrey questioned it. "Your runes glowed but I got nothing. What gives?"
"Perhaps it's the chant?" Madoka guessed aloud before realizing what she has done. Why was she encouraging the princess to cause trouble?
"A NEW HAND TOUCHES THE WAND," Audrey bellowed. "LISTEN! HEAR ME AND— Oh god watch out!"
Red mana strands grew from Audrey's hand and formed beautiful crimson patterns along the wand's surface. The princess's strange spell formed two circles made up of impossibly small runes. Madoka's eyes had no time to study what they were due to the heavy amount of arcane energy emanating from the wand as if the world itself was bending to Audrey's will.
More strands burst forth from the wand's runes and caused the circles to collapse into each other. Audrey screamed out of excitement as she launched the spell. A brilliant burst of exploding light lanced itself from the wand, penetrating all it touched. Madoka dove out of the way and caught a glimpse of the girl's flight as she careened back from the magic's recoil.
In an instant, the spell was over.
And behind her, a line of trees were gone and the wake of a fiery and devastated path was left in their absence.
"Audrey!" Madoka shrieked. "I can't clean up ALL of your messes."
She stomped up to her reckless friend who was sprawled out several meters away on a bed of colorful flowers. Audrey's hands were red as the strands receded back into her veins. Audrey puffed out smoke from her mouth and just stared back at the maid. Madoka crossed her arms in disbelief.
"How could such a tiny girl like you cause so much trouble!"
"I think," Audrey's voice was rough yet quiet. "I like being me here. The shoe fits this time around. I used to feel sorry for who I was. Like I died before my body did and watched it move around precariously."
"Your hair is a mess," Madoka gave up and lay in the field of flowers with her princess. A chuckle escaped out of her mouth.
"Could you understand the dysphoria, the stranger that I had to live with? Not that it really matters," Audrey's hand gripped ashes before letting them crumble in black chunks between her reddened fingertips. They matched Madoka's hair color. "I am me, I am a girl, not a princess, that's all to it. And you're you! Those scars, those burn marks. Each one of them is a part of you, but in the end, you are yourself no matter what. Scars don't define you."
Madoka raised her hand up and looked at the scar snaking across her palm for a moment. At the same time, Audrey raised hers and the maid could see the dragon tattoo resting on her wrist. The mark was fading! The red mana strands seemed burn the mark off her skin.
"Can you get up now?"
"What's the rush?" Audrey giggled. "I'm like, totally in zen mode right now."
"You can't, huh," Madoka sat up and cringed from seeing the devastation Audrey's foolish trick caused. "You think the Guild will get mad at you for casting that spell?"
"Probably," Audrey sat up. "I'll fight 'em all for you. Hiyah! Oh, the wand is completely blown up."
"Thank the kind gods," Madoka praised aloud. "Just what the hell was that?"
"I dunno," Audrey shrugged as she jumped to her feet. She recovered so quick! "My elemental affinities as a Support Mage - Level 2, I might add - appear to be Christmas colored."
"Christmas?" Madoka shook her head. "Make sense, please!"
"Sorry, Christmas is a holiday with red and green used for one of its popular themes— Okay, sorry for real this time! Red mana strands seem to be connected to attitude, or something. Heightened emotions."
"So the more Rin is angry the more stronger her spells get?"
"I guess so," Audrey looked at her hands. "I can't believe the bugger's gone. That tattoo has been with me for a long time. The green mana strands are used to heal stuff, as you know. I hypothesized that red was the opposite and wouldn't ya know, I was correct."
"A-And you can cast spells without strands," Madoka felt sick from the revelation that her friend was so strong. "That's definitely going to scare Rustazian people."
"Look, I was not expecting to create a freaking laser beam, okay?" Audrey protested. "I dunno how these strand thingies even work! Perhaps those guys at the Truth Guild or whatever will explain it to us? We'll have to find out when we get promoted."
"IF," Madoka huffed behind the girl. "If we get promoted. Why are we going into the forest? We finished the commission!"
"Still daylight, Madoka!" Audrey hiked up the forest trails. Madoka could not sense any thoughts from any creatures around her but she was on high alert. The sound of water rippling soothed her ears nearby. "I'm certain nothing could go wrong!"
"Don't say that," Madoka growled as the two neared the an opening in the forest. A lake filled the way between them and deeper into the darker parts of the woods. The water was azure and crystalline, but Madoka could not see the bottom below its murky and opaque surface. Something was wrong. She cursed Audrey for she knew trouble was arriving much quicker than she anticipated. But from where? Her eyes darted around the oblivious girl.
"Say what?" Audrey picked up a stick and tossed it into the waters.
Instead of sinking, the branch began to sizzle like meat in a stew. Smoke accompanied with a hiss as it dissolved within the surface. Suddenly, the lake itself seemed to jiggle and not ripple. The water writhed and oozed together violently as waves of liquid fluctuated and thinned when it contorted into an arm. Madoka groaned while Audrey stood there excitedly.
"It's a slime, Madoka!" Audrey exclaimed. Hideous bubbling noises retched through the air as the slime gathered itself. The lake was nothing but a cradle of goo and acid. The two stared upward as its massive shadow blocked the view of the sky. Each movement caused its entire weight to wobble inward on itself before reforming into a massive hill of slime.
"Y-You little..!" Madoka sighed. She doubt her weapons could harm such a beast. "Better have a plan, Audrey. These swords will melt inside of it."
The slime morphed and shook pieces of itself haphazardly before the girls. As the chunks of its body splashed on the ground, a low reverberation from bubbles gurgling within it shook the ground. The two girls backed away slowly from it as it challenged them by expanding menacingly.
III.
The slime towered over them as they backed away. It wobbled and waved. Folds of its mass undulated over themselves into a swirl of cyans and greens. The creature's body contorted in smooth and odd angles but it maintained its size by extending and shrinking in a rhythmic pile of goo.
"Audrey?" Madoka asked. Should they run? There was nothing but trees and a ridge behind them. In front of them, a massive slime and the crater it came from.
"Well, I don't have a plan," Audrey checked her surroundings. If Madoka had the time to recount all the times this girl did not have a proper plan for things, she would be uncomfortable with the results of her tally. Audrey beamed with a terrifying curiosity. "What a big guy you are, huh? How does an acidic slime work in this world? Is there something it can't melt through? Do you think it's hiding as a big lake from something more dangerous?"
"Focus," Madoka growled. Something inside of its gelatinous mass stiffened and shattered. It was preparing to attack them!
The slime bubbled and something hard burst from its side directly at them. Madoka moved to shove Audrey out the way but she was surprised that the girl dodged already. The attack was headed her way. She should be focused herself, she determined as she narrowly dodged it. A limb of gelatinous mass stretched below her as she jumped. She immediately noticed how high she leapt. Was this the work of Audrey's magic? Or was this her own strength now? Through its translucent turqoise surface, Madoka saw bones crumpled within it.
If it has a skeleton could she slay it like a regular creature? Madoka drew one of her Esmerald swords mid air and prepared for a dive attack. Either way, Madoka gritted her teeth. I will destroy it!
Air rushed across her face and knocked her hood off as she descended. Her sword felt little resistance as she cut through the slime. Did I get it? The slime oozed still for a moment and she heard a slick noise as the halve from where she cut slid off the bottom half. Madoka leapt back to avoid it. She saw cleanly cut bones in its center as well. They were not a part of it, she realized in horror. They were animal and human bones!
Her sword felt light in her hand. Her vision seared. Pain erupted in her grip as if she was set on fire. The sword was melting and so was her hand! Madoka screamed as the flesh on her hand began to become consumed by the slime.
"Madoka!" Audrey yelled. "Get back! It's moving!"
Right, if she were to succumb to pain now she will die. Madoka did not want to see that afterlife again so she rejoined Audrey. She clutched her hand and chastised herself for that foolish attack.
"Oh, shit, your hand!" Audrey shrieked. She took out a talisman and breathed in. Those familiar green strands wrapped her hand and sealed her wounds. "So I guess slicin' it won't do."
"T-Thank you," Madoka swallowed her embarrassment from the wound and pulled out her other sword. Her new robe's sleeve was burned completely off. Sorry, Lady Saze, she apologized to the clothing shopkeeper in her head. "Careful, it's moving again!"
The slime bubbled as both halves she cut recombined and seemed to be unharmed by her strike. Madoka steeled herself as she watched its body swell. With a rumbling burst, its body erupted gelatinous coatings of itself that splashed everywhere. The two dove for shelter behind one of the massive trees surrounding them as chunks scorched and melted the forest grounds. Audrey and Madoka peered back at the slime. It rampaged and shook out more acidic artillery but still remained near the crater where they disturbed it.
The whole area became more dangerous by the minute. Madoka stepped over craters of crawling slime which left scorch marks in their puddles as they got a bit further away. Plants and trees dissolved as the monster recovered its missing bits. She guessed that they were unable to split and act separately. The monster slime seemed to use some kind of magic to heal its missing bits.
"Is this what you call a boss fight?" She wondered aloud. With a defense like that her weapons were useless, Madoka thought of her first sword that melted. The slime washed off her flesh like it was mud in the rain. She was lucky Audrey could cast Substance magic strands.
"I guess," Audrey looked up at the top of the jiggling mound. "Maybe it's an elite mob!"
She prepared a spell but then lowered her hands.
"Blasting it to pieces would be no good, those little things would split up and rejoin back into the big guy. Plus this whole place will become a wasteland if I scatter it everywhere. Can you hear any thoughts from it?"
Madoka shook her head. Focus, Madoka calmed herself down. She did not hear any thought from the jelly. Was it intelligent like a person? Or was it simply resisting her abilities?
"Do you hear that?" Audrey turned to see what Madoka was looking at. The tree's thick trunk began to burn through its center and the rupturing twist of its ancient bark crunched in Madoka's ears. A large solid spike of slime pierced the trunk right between them. "Get back!"
Madoka made sure she was clear from its stabbing attack and the tree they hid behind fell as the tentacle withdrew. She caught a glimpse of the slime's elongated and flattened form as she dove from its deadly attack. The spike withdrew from the tree and left big blue tears in its wake.
Audrey screamed as the tree shattered to pieces. Madoka scooped her up and leapt onto the high rocky ridge, dodging more of the splashing tears. She lost track of where they were. The field was nowhere to be seen through the thick forest. She felt a tug on her arm so she set her princess down.
"What a frustrating monster," Audrey complained. "Normally these things are, like, low level mobs in video games. But this thing is huge and deadly!"
"Bid... Game?" Madoka scanned the woods for movements. "You got any ideas now?"
"Well, let's see," Audrey paused. The look in her eyes did not inspire any confidence in Madoka. "It's made up of some kind of hydrofluoric acid. It's highly corrosive but it can't dissolve those bones. Let's try this!"
She jumped down in the open and Madoka sensed the monstrous slime launching another spike at her.
"Watch out!"
Audrey seemed to have a plan as she dodged in anticipation of the attack, narrowly avoiding the projectile. The blue goo hissed as it splat against the rock. With both hands, she cast a spell. A wave of heat pushed itself against Madoka's face but the slime was hardening! Mysterious white powder rained on the slime's mass from her spell. Eventually the tangled glob ceased its writhing.
"Smash it!" Audrey channeled more heat. The slime's azure glob stiffened to match the hue of the rocky high ground they stood on. Got it, Madoka gripped her sword and prepared another dive attack.
The slime's spike was shattered like a fallen vase. Its pieces were sharp but her sword did not melt and they did not try to coalesce back into the slime. The heat spell worked but the main body went into a frenzy, stabbing at everything in a radius. The pair of girls retreated back to the rock and observed it. Did it really feel pain? The slime writhed and split itself into the form of a cage. Within its exposed center, a glowing red sphere hovered and glowed even darker as it skewered more terrain.
"Hmm, that must be its core or whatever but man! Hygroscopic solids do numbers on this thing," Audrey mused. Madoka gave her a look. "Okay, back when I was a kid on my old life I poured salt all over a little slug in the park I went to... It dissolved into goo and I felt really bad... Not my proudest moment but—"
She pointed her fingers together and looked guilty. Madoka did not know what a slug was but she pictured a much smaller version of the slime in her head. Audrey still shifted her feet but the maid focused again. Was she going to make the slime dissolve?
"That thing is far from little, Audrey," Madoka closed her eyes. The sunlight reflected off of the surface of the slime as it destroyed everything in its injured rage. She was still sweating from the princess's strange spell. "Do you think it will hurt more people and the forest if we don't kill it?"
"Yeah, it'll definitely cause issues if we let it go," Audrey prepared her magic again. Her core flared to life and those brilliant stars shined brightly even through her robes as they orbited along the bands of her heart. Wait, that must mean...! Madoka stepped back. If her core is visible that means she was preparing a big spell. "Containment Magic: Salt Blast!"
Salt? The air suddenly grew hot around Audrey. Sweat beaded down Madoka's forehead from the effects of the spell. A small white beam pointed from the princess's index finger at the slime's core. Magical particles gathered more and swirled in a disc before the two of them.
No they weren't just magic particles, she thought as she squinted at the particles. realized the particles were tiny grains of salt. Audrey's magic rings flashed and immediately the disc expanded into a massive ray aimed at the slime.
"It's attacking!" Audrey yelled. "Hold onto your butt or something!"
The slime countered with a beam of its own goo. The collision shattered in midair as salt and slime tore the ground below it apart. Madoka could not look at Audrey since her core was too bright. The salt pillar continued to pile against the slime while she dug her heels into the rock as the spell intensified.
She braced herself as acid slime threatened to splash on top of her. Audrey roared. Madoka watched the white beam pierced through the slime's jelly. It was hardening into rock! She immediately sprang into action. Since the salt made a rocky bridge from the slime's spike, she figured even at the long distance she could charge into its core and destroy it. She leapt up onto the solid salt and started her assault.
"Madoka?" Audrey questioned but her voice was already behind her.
She prayed to the kind gods Audrey would not run out of her magic. The slime was quite the distance away so she kept her eyes locked on its next move. The gelatinous mass struggled and shuddered as parts of itself were becoming petrified by Audrey's spell. Madoka felt the rock crack beneath her feet.
The slime was still undulating beneath the rock like crust or a shell. She nearly lost her balance. It was a long way down if this "bridge" shattered. She was halfway there already! Rock dust and salt crunched beneath her boots as she rushed. The heat gusted her hair back and made her grip sweaty. Madoka growled and scraped for any hope or determination she had left inside her.
A quarter of the distance was left!
The flesh around its exposed core puckered then shot three bolts of acid at her. The slime must have sensed her approach! The tentacle beneath her rocked as the chunks hurled towards her. Madoka cursed and leapt as far as she could. The slime was closing itself to hide its core!
"You're ruining our peaceful copper commission!" Madoka screamed as she swung her sword in order to cut through the slime's defenses. She braced herself to be melted by the oncoming layer of acid, but instead she found herself colliding through a dusty wall.
Audrey's salt magic managed to petrify its body just in time so the maid was able to break through. A disgusting brown mass awaited her as she careened downward. It pulsed like a loud heartbeat. A burning sensation crept on Madoka's skin but she knew what she had to do. She shall silence it!
She plunged her sword within the glob.
The next thing she knew she was tumbling through dirt and tiny, course white sand. A familiar smell invaded her nose as she lay there. Madoka has not smelled burning bodies since she left that battlefield in the winter. Horror matched her pain when she realized she could not move anymore. Her flesh was melting!
"Madoka!" called a voice. "You got it! You freakin' got it!"
"You're insufferable," Madoka breathed but Audrey was too far to hear her. The pain was eating her skin down to bone. Emerald mana strands weaved her wounds and a gasp escaped her mouth. The pain was not there but she felt like she was supposed to feel it. The only remnants of her burns were the charred holes in her cloak. She pat herself and realized that only the cloak was destroyed.
"I think I'm getting the hang of Substance magic!" Audrey sat next to her fallen maid. "You were so cool, Madoka! The way you leapt and took that thing's core out!"
Madoka reached and squeezed a thigh. The princess squeaked. Her arm was not burning from the rune. That surprised her but she sat up and tore her cloak off before resting her head on Audrey's legs again.
"M-Madoka?!"
"Is it dead?" Madoka croaked. She stared up at princess's eyes. They were shining azure orbs hosting magical skies of their own. Without her, she would have been a melted pile of flesh and bone like the skeletons within that slime.
"Well, yeah, you totally beat it," Audrey stammered. "P-Please let go of my leg."
"O-oh, sorry," the maid released her grip. The softness left her hand and she missed it already.
Audrey looked over towards something. Madoka followed her eyes to see what she did. A large pearlescent sphere impaled by a sword rested in the wreckage of collapsed pillars of salt. What was once a massive hill of turquoise slime was now reduced to shattered rocks and ashen chunks. The bridge Audrey created collapsed and the white powdery wreckage plastered the tall forest trees and littered the floors. They have won the battle despite all the damage they caused.
"I'm getting the hang of Substance magic," Audrey glanced at the talisman in her grip. "I just have trouble keeping track of you when you try stuff like that. I'm sorry you got hurt."
"I-It's fine, princess," Madoka got up and coughed out hot salt from her mouth. She was also covered in coarse minerals. Bits of white rocky chunks rolled down the ledge she leapt from while some of the slime's petrified remains crumbled down into the crater. She could hear flowing water still.
"It's Audrey," Audrey looked away. "Say, do you hear that?"
"D-Don't tell me it's another slime," Madoka retched and coughed more salt and sand out. "I think I can't fight another one."
"I think we're good for now. Here, Madoka," Audrey cast a bubble before Madoka for her to wash her face and drink. She did and spat out water. Audrey examined the core and pulled the sword out of it. "That core is deactivated, for sure. Could this be its brain?"
The two waited for the slime's remains to come back to life but nothing happened. Audrey manifested her portal and pushed her back into the core. Madoka stood by, snickering at the girl's struggle. The object was twice her height and embedded into the ground after the slime collapsed.
"Gah," Audrey sighed after she tried to shove the unyielding core into the portal. "I worked out, I fought a dragon, I crossed a mountain! Blah!"
She prevailed and pushed it out the crater it was stuck in. Madoka was impressed. The maid caught her princess as she nearly tumbled after the core rolled. And in a quick moment, the sphere vanished into nothingness. Madoka had no idea what Audrey planned with such an object but she did not ask. The flowing water did not cease its peaceful currents from a distance below them.
"Deactivated a slime's core, rolled it into my portal," Audrey sighed. "We can add that to the list of great things we've done so far. Say, did you get any XP from defeating it?"
"Ex... What?" Madoka followed Audrey to the crater.
"It's a, ah, joke, Madoka," Audrey kicked a pale blue chunk of slime down the crater. Madoka saw the source of the flowing water and heard the hardened slime plop in its current. "That's the source of the water. The thing was sitting on the actual lake the whole time."
"What's that?" Madoka pointed to an opening buried further where the lake pooled water in.
"Holy moly, it's a hidden grotto!" Audrey leapt down and skidded along the crater's slope. She caught her footing before the maid could yell at her. The water reached barely above her feet but got deeper further in. "There's still daylight! Let's explore! Come on, come on!"
"Audrey, please don't jump headlong into a hole anymore," Madoka skidded down with her. There were no thoughts coming from around them or within the lake's grotto. Instead, a foreboding darkness greeted them as they peered into the hollow's maw.
"Heh, I still got magic ready," Audrey pulled two swords out and handed them to Madoka. "And now you got two swords out of the nine or so we had left. We're good to go! Ready?"
Madoka gulped. The grotto did not seem like it extended to far below the earth but she could not resist the temptation of following her princess into its darkness.
"You're an idiot," Madoka sighed. A flash of fire sparked above Audrey's finger as she held it up like a torch. The blonde haired girl stopped and looked back at the red haired maid.
"I know," Audrey laughed but her smile erased itself after seeing Madoka's expression. "You can return to the fields or to town if you want."
"And why would I go without you, Audrey?" Madoka demanded. "Why are you determined to go in there after we did all of that up there?"
"Something in there is calling for me, Madoka," Audrey's magic torch cast a shadow on her dark look. Madoka's heart sank as she knew the implication of the princess's words. "It won't take long. Trust me."