The Maid and Her Princess [On Hiatus]

A Lost God's Grotto

An Adventurous Year, Act 11
A Lost God's Grotto

I.

Droplets of cold water splotched Madoka's hair and shoulders as they stepped carefully into the grotto. The bobbing sphere of light produced by Audrey's magic floated like a spirit ahead of her. The path before them seemed like it waited on them for a long time. Their footsteps were solid and their echoes continued as they headed deeper within.

She looked to her side and could see her reflection in the peaceful waters. Her heart stopped its pounding several steps in and all that remained was the annoying patter of dew on her skin. Outside, cold daylight filtered from the entrance.

"A kind god is waiting for us in here, right?" Madoka pierced the uncomfortable silence.

Audrey's magical torch spell flickered as she stopped for a moment.

"Think so," Audrey kicked a rock in the lake. "But I don't feel that strange feeling I usually get when I approach a god. You know, that feeling where your skin crawls and you feel all tingly?"

"I know that too well."

"Oh, thank god, I thought I was the only one who felt that."

"Everyone feels that way, Audrey."

The two drifted into silence. Madoka recalled Audrey said that this grotto was not that deep but they have been walking for quite a distance now. She glanced over her shoulder and realized that the grotto's entrance was still the same distance away when they started.

"Audrey," Madoka tugged her shoulder and pointed back. She was spooked by the revelation. "We are going nowhere."

"Huh?" Audrey's blue eyes looked back. Her eyes widened. "Okay, now that's trippy. Spacial anomalies was not what I had in mind today... Let's, uh, see if we can get out of here first. Okay?"

"Okay," Madoka took her hand. The princess jumped at her touch but the two began their journey back out of the grotto. Their uneven and nervous steps echoed through the cavern. The echoes matched the loud heartbeat inside her chest. What if they were stuck in here forever? Madoka soon found herself gazing upwards at the salt powdered trees and lake. The two jumped for joy from their elated relief. It felt like no time passed since they entered but Madoka's desire to go back inside diminished. "The sun has not moved at all..."

"Wow," Audrey released the time spell into a bubble. It was the spell she used in the Inn. The green mana light stuck in a spot within a bubble and apparently confirmed that Madoka was correct. How did she know that was accurate? "It seems if we were to go inside there, time outside freezes."

"F-Freezes?"

"Stops moving forward," Audrey started to walk back inside. "Meaning, we have all the time in the world to figure it out!"

"Ugh," Madoka grumbled. Audrey gripped her hand again and gave her a pleading look. How could she say no to that face?

"We'll be fine," Audrey rose a finger. "I'll give up if the answers to this puzzle I'm thinking of fail me."

"Y-You're not going to blow up the cave, are you?"

"N-No, Madoka," Audrey sighed. "But that does sound like a great idea."

"Audrey Elise Dalion," Madoka remained stern in her stance of blowing things up.

"It's a joke!" A raindrop splashed on Audrey's nose. She wrinkled her face at the touch and looked at the clouds above. "Raining and not snowing, huh. Well, let's get inside."

Madoka followed her in the grotto once more. Audrey's fire spell came to life and the rain outside seemed to freeze in motion. The maid did not want to think too hard on it. She willingly entered a potentially dangerous situation once again.