Thankfully, getting Fort to their accommodations kept Noble's mind from her crippling fear. By the time they made it to the car with their cabin, she was relieved to finally be in their place. The room was well furnished with both a bed for the Deputy Director and a pod for Noble.
"It looks nice," the woman nodded once in approval. "Though I do not plan on going to the Dream Realm before we reach the port."
"Perhaps you should. That way we can get right to work as soon as we arrive." Fort grunted as he sat down in one of the two armchairs by the window.
Noble placed his suitcase upright in front of him to give him a place to prop up his foot.
The professor pursed her lips. "I cannot leave without knowing you are safe."
"Have you seen this train? There is more heavy artillery on here than I could conceivably count. I don't think even a Category 5 Gate could get to me if it wanted to." Fort's teasing grin faded. "I'm sorry...that was careless of me."
"We didn't think the Gate could get us last time either. We were very wrong." The professor blinked back tears.
Fort beckoned her forward. She hovered over the arm of the plush chair, and he pulled her close. They spent a long time in silence looking at the landscape.
It was mostly desolate from years of abuse and disuse, but plant life dotted the ground occasionally. Other things did too, like signs of past wars and the remains of dead Nightmare Creatures.
The latter sight was actually comforting to Noble in a strange way. It meant that at least one train had fought and won against the foul beasts.
Hours passed.
"Should we get some food?" Fort offered when the sun was high in the sky. "I hear the dining car got a recent upgrade."
"You'll have to find that out another time. I will go get us something and bring it back." Noble moved to the door.
"But!" Fort pushed his hands against the armrest in an attempt to stand, knocking down the suitcase and his foot in the process.
He cried out in pain.
Noble's eyes swirled. "No buts," she clicked her tongue. The injured foot and suitcase floated back into place. "You keep that foot up until I get back. Do you need to use the restroom before I go?"
"No ma'am," the man answered, defeated.
Moving back toward the window, Noble stole a kiss before leaving. "I won't be long."
In the hall, the woman realized that she wasn't sure which way the dining car was. She had seen it from the outside but had since lost track of its location.
'Forever unable to keep a map in your head...good job, Noble.'
With a sheepish smile, she asked an employee passing down the hall for directions. The dining car was three forward from her current location.
'Not too far.'
Moving between cars was rather dicey. As long as something solid was beneath her feet, the Spell did not punish her by making her consciously move at the same speed as the train. It just happened naturally. The same was true for PTVs and other vehicles.
But if both her feet accidentally went over the gap between cars at the same time...
"Oh!" Noble was whipped backward and slammed into the door as the train continued its forward motion. In her attempt to fake a jump, both her feet had lingered over the empty space simultaneously.
Which meant, for her, the ground had suddenly ceased moving...and so had she.
'How does that even make sense?!'
The professor groaned, rubbing the back of her head where it had bumped against the reinforced polymer window.
'Ow.'
She looked back at the alloy door. It had barely a scratch from the encounter. It was made to withstand much more fearsome creatures than her.
'I think I am going to have a bruise or two from that.' The professor was just glad the collision had not accidentally uncoupled the car.
Her second attempt to cross the gap was successful. Placing one foot across and then the other–like she had done when she was helping Fort–caused her no issues whatsoever.
Shaking off the encounter, Noble hurried to the dining car to retrieve their meals. Soft music permeated the air.
'I can't believe they made a smooth jazz version of Bored Beyond Belief! Wait until I tell Fort!'
After ordering the food, she flashed her identification, and the cost was added to the government tab.
To the chef's credit, the food did smell good.
'Last time, there was nowhere to sleep but our seats, and there was barely enough food to go around. There are so many differences between the two trips. I need to relax.'
She passed tables of diners. The conversations were a mix of business and pleasure. Based on their uniforms, most of them seemed to be part of the military.
'They are heading to Antarctica. I wonder if they know what awaits them there.'
By the somber mood of some of them, they probably had a small idea.
Noble wanted to say something to them. Anything that might prepare them for what was to come.
But there were no words for such an occasion. At least not without scaring the living daylights out of them before they have even set foot on the shore.
'I wish them all the best.' The professor turned toward the exit with a soft sigh.
Just as she was about to activate the sliding door. A shadow passed above the car.
'A cloud?'
But then the turrets on top of the armored beast roared to life.
'A monster! Where did it even come from?!'
Somehow a massive Nightmare Creature had snuck up on the train.
Maybe it had been lured into a false sense of security to come within the guns' range.
But Noble did not think so.
The light of the windows was obscured once more, but this time only on one side.
The creature rammed the train with its hammer-shaped head.
The car rattled and tipped sideways, one set of wheels coming off of the rails momentarily.
Noble closed her eyes as the world went wild. Plates slid off of tables and crashed to the ground. People grabbed onto anything they could to keep from being knocked around by the impact.
The train was on the verge of tipping into disaster.
With all her focus, Noble helped the car find the track once again. She could have lifted the whole car higher to replace it, but that would have surely messed with the coupling of the ones behind it.
Thankfully, the little adjustment was enough to right the train without derailing it.
As soon as the creature disengaged, the guns and heavy artillery sprang back to life.
But Noble had little interest in what the fighters were doing. She had a different target in mind.
'Fort!'
Hadn't she promised to be right back?
Noble needed to find her husband. Then, once she knew he was alright, she would find a way to help the efforts to take down the crazed beast.
Another hit to the dining car pushed the metal box in the opposite direction. What was so special about this part of the train? Did the monstrosity want human food?
For the second time, the Professor gently steadied the car to help the metal wheels recontact the rails safely.
The pressure of the hit was too much for one of the front windows. It broke inwards, bringing a torrent of wind with it.
"Stay back!" An Awakened rose from a bench and ran toward the breach. With his Aspect, he plugged the hole, creating an invisible seal.
"Incoming!"
The scream made Noble drop the plates in her hand to hold up her arms. The monster was becoming a nuisance.
"Oh no you don't!" she gritted her teeth.
Using her special vision, she aimed her power at the large, hammered head. With all her might, the professor tried to counteract the next blow to the car. If she could deflect the creature from hitting at all, then the train would not need to be righted.
Noble partially succeeded.
And also miserably failed.