I.

"Uhh, did you hear that?" Audrey asked quietly. Just like the day had suddenly turned into a starlit night bordered by the grey clouds and Twin moons, a preternatural silence swept aside the sundering chaos that the Cel'Row and the Golden Wyvern caused. Her Golden Hand shimmered in uneven blinking patterns, illuminating the princess's breath.

"Yeah," Madoka gritted her teeth.

"Good, because like, I was really worried I was going insane for a minute," Audrey chuckled nervously. "Well— more than I probably already am. Um… Hey. So I have a small tiny—"

"Audrey, focus," Madoka proceeded to ignore the princess's blundering and tossed her depleted gun into her storage portal. Images of her remaining arsenal taunted her mind. Three rifles that were the same as the empty one she just used, Magnolia, a host of swords, crossbow, bolts, a bow, the captain's axe, and a peculiar smaller handheld version of the rifle, a pistol, flooded in like a tidal wave. None of them seemed particularly useful for the long fight ahead of them; they might as well have all shouted, "We're useless!" to her. She scolded herself for feeling empty after defeating the Golden Wyvern.

Could they not just stop at that fight? Why did the Witch wish to take their Eyes so much?

"Right, I'm totally focused. I meant to ask, though… Doesn't that Witch's voice… well," Audrey glanced at the shadows of those people running towards the path to Gladeban. No doubt, Drezgor was guiding them like a leader should. Unfortunately for them they were too slow, right? Madoka thought wryly. "She sounds like the Goddess in my dreams. Twisted. But maybe my gut theory on the Witch was right all along."

"Gechick," Madoka breathed, feeling more hopeless now. How were they supposed to defy, let alone defeat a kind goddess? Especially a goddess who has been corrupted by forces beyond her comprehension. Fearing her knees would buckle in the despair welling inside of her, she turned to the only woman she could trust. "What do you want to do, Audrey?"

That faint hope was unwinding before her eyes, since the princess's own eyes were also shifting nervously. The dark shape of the Uracksheegal was calling for them, Madoka could see its silhouette blotting even the stars out. Before she could respond with whatever doubt warring in her face, a loud mechanical roar resounded across the sky, answering for her. The crimson spot in the sky seemed to spread like a cruel wound gashing the clouds violently. A metallic shape gleaming harshly caught Madoka's eyes, even in the distance. What was she seeing?

"It looks like we're going to have to get over there," Audrey's Core silently became visible beneath her cloak again like an unwanted visitor. The dark circle's alien energy only added to Madoka's unease. "And fast."

"Are you certain you wish to teleport?" Madoka stammered out her final hesitation. She knew the outcome was only forward to confront the Witch. She knew that it definitely was a trap set directly for them and that they were headed willingly into a painful end by that fiend's hands. She knew that they were headed together in this battle, be it the end of their journey or whatever worse lay beyond. Audrey shook her head, the fog in her breath and loose strands of her hair catching light in the violet aura of her magical Core.

"We're going to fly to stop whatever that storm is up to. Or–" Audrey glanced upward to the shape above. "We can just try and fly way up there to the Uracksheegal. Maybe."

The dark shape became illuminated by the severe blood red glow from that metal beast hovering above Gladeban. Madoka could catch the tip of that so-called space station jutting out of a distinct spot in the legendary beast's belly. She realized that she was not looking at the cold and lonely stars at that moment– they were strange beacons dotting all along the Uracksheegal's surface and revealing its many infected scales. The twisted shapes of impossibly large vines blacked out like voids wrapped around various sections of its body. No matter where she looked in the sky, its presence filled the entire world above them. Kind God of Tomorrows, what exactly had you set us up to do? Madoka questioned It.

The image of its massive beak opening and revealing all of those strange cars, trains, and that huge ship in the Leyline flashed in her mind— linking and clanging against each other in the Abyss's black light. She shuddered. Madoka forgot that the God of Tomorrows probably could hear her. And there in the princess's cold humming energy and her own Crystal's resonance, Time froze for a second.

"You passed my Trial, Child of the Stars," the God of Tomorrows once again encouraged her with Its thousand voices, though they were all much more softer than they were in the Abyss. "The Enemy Who Owns You will lend you her powers to stop my former servants: That Witch and Her Guardian. Celestial awaits you."

Then Time resumed again, jolting Madoka awake. Her skin crawled as a new chill blanketed her. She had not expected that she had stepped upon the stage of kind gods just to be their pawn again. She truly was cursed. Then the God of Tomorrow's words hit her like lightning. If the two of them had heard the Witch's voice, Gechick's twisted form, then that crimson monster in the sky above Gladeban must be Her Guardian. If that was the case, then…

Audrey sensed Madoka's resolve growing and not even the cool jolting touch from her Golden Hand distracted the maid from her new duty.

"You seem ready to go," Audrey noted.

The hand slipped away from Madoka, tracing her wrist as she realized the Princess was levitating off the ground. If she was to show her true powers against the Witch, then let her pierce the heavenly beast itself like the space station through its neck, Madoka thought as her own hand palmed her chest. The Crystal stirred beneath like a reaching storm, close as the wind was to her face, jolting along her skin with its raging currents.

Her own wings shimmered against the dark false starlit night, much more brilliant than even the Golden Wyvern's in her humble opinion. Sayonara to the earth once again, Madoka thought as her feet lifted off the ground and that strange wobbly feeling of weightlessness that swelled upon her nerves whenever she flew took over her body. She glanced one last time at an indiscriminate patch of dried grass that survived their previous battle against the monster ball. Her flight's height already matched Audrey's as she awaited where she would point to fly to next. Her Master looked at her, then to her wings with a hint of jealousy within her glowing eyes, then her arm extended straight to that so-called Crimson Guardian.

"That thing is gonna hurt people if we don't do something about it, right?" Audrey sighed. Madoka wondered why it was up to them to stop it. Her face must have spoken her question, so the princess's Golden Hand withdrew its pointed finger and raised defensively. "The dreams I've seen reveal ruins and a red glow. So, that seems to be what they were about."

"How… convenient," Madoka responded gloomily.

The wind picked up as Audrey surged forward towards the town, but she launched into a flight after her. The shapes of small figures below them stopping to watch them grew smaller into blurry pebbles, they were too slow. The glow of that red monster grew more massive but she still could not see its true form. Its reach over the city's walls seemed to be a stretching hand now, the shadows of its bloody fingers seemingly collapsing upon its ground as they approached Gladeban's gates.

Madoka's back buzzed with a jolting tightness, like someone was holding her back. The Knotting strands were running out, so she swooped down for a landing right before the familiar bone gates they first entered. The shadows intertwined with the intense red light's heat, but she still heard no voices. Audrey's light steps landed next to her. Not a soul in sight, she scanned the area. Even the thoughts of animals have disappeared. Still, she hesitated to enter through the gate's jaws.

"Out of juice?" Audrey's cautious voice broke the eerie silence. Somehow, Madoka knew what she meant.

"Seems like it," Madoka said quietly, though she felt like she was announcing her presence to the entire city. "Something is off with this place— besides the obvious. There's no people anywhere."

"Maybe… We're in a Grotto Situation again," Audrey offered. Madoka prayed that was the case, but had a sinking feeling that anyone left in this town would inevitably get swept up in this upcoming battle.

"Let's hope that's the case," Madoka groaned. Never thought I'd hope for something like that, she secretly added to herself. She was about to take a step inside the gates, but the princess stopped her.

"Let me try something first," She frowned. Before Madoka could protest and mention how serious this place was, the princess had already pulled her own Golden Hand off her wrist, plunging it directly into the maid's chest.

"What are you—" The surprise and accompanying shock from Her Highness's quick movements nearly caused Madoka to topple over. It felt like something was massaging her chest and worse— it caused her to moan involuntarily from the odd comfort the Golden Hand had brought. What was Audrey doing to her? Madoka's Core suddenly felt full with new energy shooting through it. After a tense moment, the princess's hand shot out of her chest the same way the Crystal did, leaving her breathless.

The Hand connected to Audrey's wrist with a satisfying clunk, though it was a sound that Madoka never wanted to hear again tonight.

"Audrey," she whined and folded her arms over her breasts, though the princess's idea seemed to work. The Knotting Magic made her want to start running back and forth again with zealous energy. Audrey shrugged.

"New game mechanic unlocked, heh, sorry. I'm rambling again. You're… welcome," she scratched her head. Something seemed to be at the tip of her tongue, but the sky boomed with a thunderous roar.

"Looks like you're gonna need that Knotting energy jump with whatever is coming out of there."

The red storm hovering above finally ceased its roaring, pushing the dark clouds away like clumps of dust off a shelf. From its open space, several of the Uracksheegal's dark tendrils seemed to loop into a circle from further in the sky. A massive hole suddenly pierced the crimson sore. A portal! Then, she saw the Guardian finally drop feet first from it, letting out a roar as Madoka struggled to understand what she was looking at. It was a massive metallic golem, shining blood red like a ruby formed from Audrey's Knotting magic, something that seemed extraordinary yet familiar. She had seen a similar monster before somewhere, but must have forgotten when and where she did.

"That's the Guardian of the Witch," Madoka told her. She felt the wings on her back begin to form again. The stardust pouring out of the Crystal's Core in her chest felt like grass rippling and scratching across her skin, but the familiar tightness wrapping around her back and shoulders came all the same. She was leaving the ground again.

"A… mech? You have to be kidding me," Audrey groaned. "I get the feeling it's only looking for us. But we're gonna have to get it out of here somehow. You'll have to shoot it, or I can use my magic before it messes everything up."

"I'll shoot it," Madoka looked at Her Highness, really hoping she would change her mind. Audrey looked nervous, but nodded and immediately focused on the massive golem now scanning the city. It somehow did not notice her even with her shining wings. Her dark magic made the temperature drop, but Madoka did not shiver. Both her hands glowed with power. They both knew it was looking for them. As much as she hated human weapons, she could not deny their deadliness. If any of the weapons could get through its defensive armor, this terrible thing had the highest chance. The sights glowed to life when she raised the gun to her shoulders, its cold metal stock felt like it always belonged there.

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"I doubt that will do any damage, but we'll need to get it to chase us."

"Chase us?" Madoka whined, but heard the laser rifle speaking to her in Sixth Form. It was communicating to her directly in her ears, but it appeared that Audrey could not hear it.

"This Devotion is for you, made to destroy all who would harm you."

The sight glimmered with a green display, which seemed to have a bar displaying its battery. Madoka felt odd being able to read and speak the language, but did not have time to question it. Audrey was defending herself while the maid was confused where the sound was coming from. Could this be its thoughts?

"We… We can still run, okay?" Audrey stammered, though her hesitation and torn expression warred on her pretty face. Was it guilt from running from Fiara? Or did she truly want to save the Rustazian people of Gladeban? Madoka's face hardened. "Just say the word and we'll fly away."

"Audrey," she spoke calmly. The trigger was beckoning her finger to pull.

"Pierce Her Guardian's heart," it told her somehow in her mind. "Avenge Us."

Madoka ignored it.

"Yeah?" Audrey's floating form turned naturally, as if she was standing there. She did not even need wings, like Madoka. The princess's starry eyes reflected nothing but a pair of golden wings behind a girl with a determined expression on her face.

"Don't hold back."

"I'm with you," she said softly, but the intensity of the magic put pressure even on Madoka's shoulders. The two glared at the beast again, which was now moving on its own. The portal vanished above them, leaving only its effulgent presence.

The rifle was true in its ferocity, kicking her back a small distance in the air when it unleashed its fury. The laser tore through the air. Audrey hovered beside her, but looked ready to split the moment anything went wrong. There was definitely going to be a lot that could end horribly, but Madoka did not expect it to happen so soon! The beam was stopped short, as if it hit an invisible wall. She knew her aim was true, but how was this possible?

"Of course," Audrey groaned. "It has some sort of energy shield."

"Energy shield?" Madoka questioned, but the golem unleashed a bellowing roar that shook ceramic tiles off rooftops of the buildings below her like tossed books scattering in the air. She caught its attention, so it was time to flee back to the plains. She pointed back to the open fields and shouted. "Move!"

The two separated as far as they could from each other. If that shield could stop the laser, then it would definitely pulverize them if they came into contact with it. The Crimson Guardian began to surge across the city at a breakneck speed, its wind sending the pair flying along in the tornados it caused. Up close, its legs dwarfed the size of any monster they have fought before, like a palace standing proud above all else.

「I SEE YOU. YOUR EYES SHALL BE MINE.」

Madoka breathed heavily already, recovering quite a distance away from both the plains and the city. The metal beast swung a tower sized arm, sending a shockwave that broke the wind, aiming directly at her. Its other arm was preparing a ranged strike of its own. The sheer pressure from its charge made Madoka's bones rattle. Audrey was nowhere to be seen. Kind gods, she could not finish her prayer as the trees beneath her toppled over with a crash from the sheer amount of energy gathered at the tips of its arms. Madoka twisted out of the way from the wind, narrowly dodging a massive uprooted tree flying at her like a ballista bolt. More debris bounced and banged against her barrier, unable to pass through. They caught its attention, but now what?

I am with you! Fly behind it!

The Crystal kept her mind from spiraling, so she pulled the rest of it out in the form of the faithful barrier. A deafening hum rattled her ears, then turned into a full on scream. Golden light blinded her as the Golem unleashed its attack. If the Golden Wyvern's breath attack was a waterfall, this Guardian's attack was a tidal wave, flooding the entirety of the forest beneath her and consuming everything in its wake. Blood pounded in her ears, making her realize that the sound from its roar was cracking her barrier. Dread filled her as she hurled through the air, thoughts and body out of balance. The visions of the burning ground and the crimson sky blurred together, making her feel guilty. Whoever was caught in its blast was certainly dead because of her, were they not?

Madoka swore and flew as fast as her wings could out of the blast's cone of fires and debris. Her ears and body ached all over, but she felt herself and found that she was somehow in one piece. The roar was reverberating in her head, but unfortunately becoming more clearer and intense signallying her hearing was coming back. Still, the once stalwart cliffs that divided this Petal and the other one had been cleaved in two by the attack. She did not have any time to worry, because she noticed the Princess's killing intent flaring up somewhere behind the crimson golem's leg below her. A violet circle spun violently above the rising smoke, catching her attention immediately.

"Audrey!" She swooped down. Audrey was lost in thought, but somehow present.

"I've tried a lot of things on this shield," Audrey spoke. Her voice was distorted and ethereal from the sheer amount of magic she must have used. "Keep its attention away from the city. You'll know what to do when I destroy it."

Madoka did not have enough time to question her, but the giant monster groaned and was already powering up another blast. She had better get to work, then. Her barrier surged wildly, sending ripples and waves like a gold dress fluttering in the wind. A faint blue aura grazed her barrier and sent her careening towards the molten grounds from its attack. She sank into the soil like a meteor, but luckily her body was fine despite her head reeling. The Crystal had saved her like it always had.

That must have been the energy shield, she groaned. Heat was concentrating upon her location again. Madoka growled helplessly, gripping the top of the crater to stand up. Dirt slotted into every crevice of her palms' scar, but she persisted. The heat was overbearing so she glared at its source only to see that the Crimson Guardian, though high above her, was aiming an attack directly at her. That would clearly disrupt this world, but what could she do?

"Princess," she almost cried out, but her voice only whimpered. The golem had twelve glowing orbs at the tips of its fingers, each hosting gears that cranked beneath its metallic surface loud enough to cause cracks in the earth beneath her feet. She stumbled back. The attack about to fall upon her was no doubt like Hesonoo's lasers. She tilted her head back, willing the Crystal inside her and ignored the searing heat brought on be falling light. The night was streaked by the Uracksheegal's lit beacons. At that moment the false sky and lying stars seemed to crash their weight down upon her, so she screamed Her Highness's name once again. "Audrey!"

A small streak of dust swept in front of her, making her remember the night she ran from Lady Eena. So it was her, all along? Hope surged into Madoka, but was quickly replaced by terror when the thing responsible for the scattering stardust plunged itself into her chest. Audrey had seen her and literally reached out to her with her Golden Hand. Before the elation could even settle an overwhelming pressure made her heart feel like it was being squeezed out of her. Her heart jumped, then; the jolting slithered out of her Core onto her skin; an eruption of sparks from her inner Knotting magic snaked out in forked streams like a split tongue, then finally; the maw of adrenaline clamped itself over her shoulders and head before her fear or judgment could root her feet to the quaking floor.

Up, up, up! The Witch's presence draws near! Up, up, up!

Audrey's hand, which was currently inside her chest, seemed to agree with the Crystal. Madoka momentarily lost her awareness; one moment, she expected the crushing pressure from the Golem's building force to entirely break her apart, however, it did not arrive; the ground beneath her did not swallow her whole and, in fact; the lurching of her stomach came from the fact that she was now far above every corner of the world and worse— she was descending rapidly without her wings to slow her fall. Wind lashed at her face like quick jabs, while beneath her the blue aura from the Witch's Guardian became distorted, then; a familiar ghostly violet burst of magic enveloped its entire body.

The Enemy's shield has been vanquished!

"You were right, Audrey. I do know what to do," she focused her breathing with a cruel smile, ignoring the Crystal's obvious remarks on striking immediately. Her hand overcame the roaring winds as the Guardian— once small as the adventurers they flew over became its usual expansive size over the shattered plains,— felt the smooth stone banging against her neck. "Magnolia!"

Her hands were glowing yellow as the resonating Knotting magic swirled outward in a spinning kaleidoscope. The heavy axe rushed to her grip and became one with the meteoric force. The auric barrier around her became coated in fire, but she could see her target; with a vicious calculating smirk, she let Magnolia have its feast.

The axe did not disappoint Madoka. The crunching that swallowed her ears as it ripped and tore through the Golem made her smile the entire way through. She received a clear path to vengeance that seemed so far from her grasp arriving from the plains. There was just one slight problem; the bright flames and sparks combined with the brilliant chunks of metal that exploded into bloody, burning ribbons prevented her from seeing exactly what she hit. She knew she must have cleaved through something important; since the immense pressure she felt from its attack had vaporized. Additionally, that seething hatred and lust for more damage heated her shoulders.

Eventually, the cold air of the night blasted into Madoka's face like a cement wall, but she broke through it like many of the objects standing in her way lately. The pressure in her chest released, allowing her to breathe and slowed her down. She whirled around to see what she did to the Guardian, feeling an intense shockwave boom behind her. It was indeed a massive statue, two huge metal arms and now— the plains it buried under its intense laser attack now became a burial ground for its legs. She had severed them, watching coldly as the Guardian wobbled in the air like it was drowning, but it was sinking to the surface as well; with strange black and red fluids bathing the Petal as if it was a grotesque garden of crushed trees and flowers.

"Madoka!" Audrey's voice came from somewhere above her.

"Audrey!" Madoka cried out and at that moment— the violence that she gave into cooled down instantly. The girl swooped down; her core still gave its pale light freely against the world as she stopped at her maid's level. There was still a stump where her Golden Hand would be. "Your hand!"

"Wha?" Audrey hollered over the crashing boom of the sinking Guardian. "Oh, I need that back, huh."

The Golden Hand shot out of Madoka before she could scold Her Nonchalance. The two watched the smoke plume skyward like a dying hand reaching for help, but Madoka kept a good grip on Magnolia. The axe was not even harmed; truly, it was designed to break other things for her. Even if that thing was a mountain sized monster.

"If there's one thing about mechs," Audrey's tone warned her to stand at the ready. Her hand, still buzzing with uncontrollable energy, pointed at something emerging out of the smoke. "They usually got a pilot in 'em, and— this one's still alive. Of course, it's still alive."

The figure stretched out of the black mist but was slender and kept extending out of the corpse of the Guardian like a misty dark and malevolent spirit. Madoka growled, instinctively moving between her and her princess with Magnolia raised. She had a feeling she knew exactly who the pilot is. The outstretched figure's torso punctuated its endless body, proportioned from afar like a regular person's; only that where their legs would be a serpent-like body plunged into the metal beast's body.

"It's like the Fiara soldier we saw underground," Audrey gasped.

"Get ready to move again," Madoka barked as the eldritch creature continued to billow out into the sky. The night was dark and cloudy, but they quickly dispersed out of its way as it as ended. "And remember what I said."

"Don't hold back," Audrey nodded. "I'm ready!"

「THE GOD OF TOMORROWS AWAITS OUR FINAL BATTLE— HOLY ONE, COME TO ME.」

They both knew what was coming next and ignored its useless taunts, so Madoka immediately gave chase after the evil figure. You won't escape me now, Witch Gechick! She screamed in her mind. The body beneath the Witch's torso was a black vine of corruption, spreading its filth to the destroyed earth below them. Madoka did not have time to worry about that— she would clean the mess up later. The same tendrils from the Uracksheegal's body ripped reality apart and opened a massive portal as it did for the Guardian; only now, it was an entrance and not an exit.

Audrey's freezing cold Aura followed her swiftly, both comforting and warning her of her power. Madoka felt a twinge of guilt coalescing into her looming dread. She was using the Princess and her formidable strength as that kind God had advised her to do, but what was the price? Would Audrey lose herself in her dark Core? Or would she blame Madoka for the sins she was about to commit? Above all, when she had sworn those deadly declarations of war to the maid— a small part of her knew that acting upon them could immediately turn those promises into venomous regrets. The clouds shoved themselves down her throat, forcing her to pull up the Crystal's barrier. The Witch and her horrifyingly lengthy body had already slithered through the portal, bludgeoning its surface like a body falling into a lake. It was closing!

"Madoka!" Audrey's frantic shout came from behind her. Madoka turned slightly, only to have the Golden Hand shoved straight into her chest. Kind gods, she groaned. She needed to get used to this feeling quickly! The princess stuck her other hand out to her. "Throw me!"

Madoka did not need to hear that twice, letting Audrey have it for sticking a hand literally inside of her heart. The scream that followed amused her briefly, but the same Godtouched grip also somehow launched her quickly into the portal right as it closed. Darkness wrapped her as her last conscious thought over the Rustazian Petals rang out in her head: I'm warning you, Audrey. This is the only time I'll let you use your fireballs. You better keep your promise!

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