The Maid and Her Princess [On Hiatus]

The Journey to Gladeban (Tale 3) (Interlude 1)

Tale 3: The Witch and Her Guardian, Act 16
Journey to Gladeban

I.

"So," Audrey stared up at the massive metal ball. Madoka cringed. She realized that even while she was away the Knotting strands still remained tightly sealed together. "Is this your giant metal ball?"

"Yes," Madoka answered flatly. Eraziror was out of breath apparently from trying to smash it apart with some of the Guild's practice weaponry.

"How the fu—"

A clang from a sword interrupted the princess, and the adventurer's strike did not even nudge it. The ball had a few scratch marks, and soon most of the adventurers cleared the way for a new approaching challenger. It was Juujee and Rin, though the rogue could not be seen anywhere. Madoka was concerned that she may have done too much damage to him, but was too afraid to ask about his whereabouts. Juujee had an iron tag. He was rising up quick, as expected of a formerly gold rank adventurer. His eyes shifted from the metal sphere to her and then back to it. She could sense his desire to destroy it.

Rin's rudimentary staff glowed with a blazing red aura, and she chanted rapidly underneath her breath. Its crystal was meager, which suggested that the mage's own magic was overloading it. Audrey and Madoka simply watched, since they were informed by Eraziror that Kanys and Armor were going to be late. The ground beneath the sphere began to catch fire, while the other adventurers gasped in awe at her power while moving away to watch the show.

"She's heating it up to weaken and expand its structural integrity. Or something," Audrey muttered. "Like those guys in the Artisan Guild did in the forge with those billets. But I don't think you made something simple as steel, and from what I remember even the melting point of steel is a lot more hotter than those flames..."

Madoka largely ignored her ramblings, waiting to see if their teamwork could smash her magnificent and terrifying creation. Juujee readied his axe, preparing to smash it when the timing was right. The weapon's no good against a ball of metal. Juujee's arms glowed with Knotting magic, strengthening him to a much higher power than when he faced Audrey.

However, Madoka sensed that it was not enough to destroy her magic as she watched the blade swing, seemingly in slow motion. A thunderous clang followed, yet the ball of metal stood defiant to his blow. His grip failed him, and the axe bounced harmlessly off its surface.

Audrey covered her ears. Madoka was not sure why, sensing the Knotting magic surge across the ground as the clang resounded and fell to a rest. The axe slid across the ground from its owner, and she scoffed. She felt annoyed stares from both Juujee and Rin. She wondered why they were waiting around in the first place. If anything were to amuse her beyond the splitting headache she had, it was the look on their faces.

"Told you so," Audrey muttered. She was growing impatient, too. Madoka shrugged. Armor and Kanys were not present with them, and Eraziror was busy speaking with other adventurer parties. "What are we waiting for, anyways?"

She asked no one in particular. Rin looked at her staff with disappointment. Upon noticing Audrey, she started to slink away to escape but it was too late. The princess immediately stalked over to the orange haired mage, and the harassment began. Madoka was too tired to stop the girl, but she also felt entertained by the spectacle. That small feeling sparked a slight curl in her lips, but she kept the smile as imperceptible as she could. Was this amusement caused by the hangover?

"Rin, my best friend! Look! Your spell had no effect on Madoka's magic metal ball!" Audrey latched onto the mage, apparently unaware of Rin's desperate desire for more personal space. "Do YOU have a magic metal ball? Madoka has one! Come, come! Let us talk about the melting point of steel and metal balls and Domineering—"