V.

"Audrey?" Madoka screamed, rushing over, Over all the noise and everything she had gone through, her heart roared the loudest. "P-Please, you can't leave me here!"

The pain nearly tore her apart. She rolled Audrey over, inspecting her from head to toe. No wounds. Madoka's hand trembled as she felt the girl's slender neck. Breathing. Then whose blood is this? She raised her hand to her face.

Just one sniff and she felt faint. The effect was so powerful she nearly collapsed on top of Her Highness. This was poison? Yet Audrey appeared to be in a deep slumber. Whatever plant or creature hit her with this potent danger was gone, but now the princess was out cold. Madoka could only pray to the kind gods that she would wake soon. Judging by the girl's breathing patterns, it truly seemed like she was locked away from the waking world for now.

「 Warning. Entity in need of cleansing and annihilation has been relocated in the Harmosis Harp Major - Soundbox.

Servant of the Holy One, please proceed to the provided lift. Be advised, battle is at hand. 」

Madoka ignored the voice and quickly moved the fallen princess behind the desk as the room darkened, her own legs still wobbly from the poison. The wall was closing, but she noticed that the basin was now completely empty of the black mud. Her vision went blurry and her pounding pulse went mute. Then everything else went quiet. No thoughts, no voices.

Hopelessness fell upon her like a falling star. Without Audrey by her side, how was she supposed to face the Vale Bá alone? What was the point of doing any of this without her?

No, no, no, this— This is nothing! Madoka thought furiously to herself. You've fought all kinds of things and survived.

She wiped the nasty goo off on her cloak and threw it to the side, but she still struggled to stand up. She checked her waist. Magnolia II gleamed in the pale light, offering to be her friend for now in Her Highness's stead. It was heavy, but it had not stopped her from walking normally before. The pistol was weightless. The grogginess from sniffing that liquid still had not lifted and the fog was starting to return.

The princess, though she was breathing, must have been struck by a lucky hit before they even entered the terminal room, then. Madoka could endure, but the heavy axe made it difficult to be mobile. Even as this part of the Harp rattled from everything moving on it, she could barely maintain her balance.

Sorry, Madoka apologized to the axe in her head. She tossed it into the portal and took out one of the human rifles. I'll save you for another time. She needed to be able to use her energy wisely, now. Collapsing from sickness or succumbing to poison now would end their journey for good. At this moment, she looked towards the center of the room. A small hatch opened up, and bright light began to filter down through it.

It was then she noticed an epigraph etched onto the wall, bordered by a black metal plate. Madoka recognized the flourishing symbols of ancient Pnaumic Scripture. Even now, the writing seemed precious and out of Time itself.

— Long have we played this song, begging for Her forgiveness. — — The screams have taken all of them and I, Plaetrolsis, shall become this Harp. — — I can only hope the horror will remain locked away for a bit longer. —

Horror? Madoka shuddered. That meant the voice from above she was hearing belonged to none other than the Harp itself. The ground started to rumble, and things were cracking apart. There was no longer any time to worry over such mysteries. The true horror was inside that metal orb, and the being Plaetrolsis wanted her to destroy it. Madoka had to obey. For Audrey's sake and her own fate.

A voice came to her, from her side. It was speaking in Sixth Form, making her realize that the rifle itself was speaking to her.

"This Devotion is for you, and you alone. I will serve until the end."

Madoka checked it, looking over its sleek black metal edges and found it odd. How does a weapon speak? Is this thing a living being? The ground quaked again, and an alarm began to blare over the roar. A small chamber descended from above through the hole in the ceiling; its door hissed as it opened. It was a lift, Madoka's mind filled in the details.

Frustrated and torn whether to leave Audrey behind, she compromised by forming a metal box for her to rest in. Now, the princess was the one to wait in one of those while Madoka did the work. A sense of irony fell over her before the room shook again. She hurried to the lift with her Devotion rifle and the pistol strapped to her sides.

A humming sound oscillated from the ground to the ceiling of the chamber, followed by a rhythmic beep. Somehow, Madoka knew that the beeping was a countdown. She instinctively braced herself, carefully holding onto the Human rifle tightly. The last beep dinged, and an immense force launched her high into the air.

This pressure— she felt it before! Instead of panicking, Madoka instinctively thought of Audrey down below. She should be safe. Kind gods, let her be safe!

The ground fell away from her, shrinking below her feet and turning into a small black dot. So she looked up into the fast approaching light, squinting as the lift's relentless force launched her higher and higher. The lift slowed down, but somehow, Madoka was not thrown by the inertia. Instead, the door hissed, and she was forced out as if an invisible hand shoved her from behind.

It was better than her experience of falling through portals, at least.

Madoka's vision was clearer now and she had regained a bit more feeling in her legs. Looking around, she realized the place the lift took her too was enormous. Above her was a clear view of the mountain's cavernous roof, but roots and nature covered the view like thick blood vessels. In the center far away from her were the arms that grabbed the glowing eye which was still covered in mud.

An ominous feeling settled on her shoulders.

「 Warning: Waste control monitor sphere located in Harmosis Harp Major - Soundbox is now undergoing extreme internal pressure. Pollutant identified as an unknown Pnaumic entity. High Intensity Kinetic Maintenance is recommended.

Judging by the look on your face, Servant of the Holy One, you seem to have no idea what is at hand. Your task now is to hit it really hard when it comes out.」

Madoka suddenly felt vaguely upset over the Harp's condescending tone. It was watching and judging her, somehow. What would Audrey do in this situation? Knowing that the thing inside that prison cell was a living thing, she would probably use a horrifying Wind spell.

Madoka could not use that kind of magic, so she simply waited for the creature to emerge. The orb began to crack, and the room became enshrouded by a thick darkness. Golden tendrils of Knotting magic twisted into black vines as they slithered up from the ground. Whatever inside of it was absorbing the magic in a radius around it.

Madoka tensed, her fighting instincts stirring up a storm inside of her. She bounced from side to side, ready to move as she sensed a killing intent rising within it. The space around her was huge, amd the princess— she was waiting for her below. She rose the Devotion rifle and took aim. She will strike first! As soon as something red appeared in the orb, she pulled the trigger without hesitation.

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Madoka's fingers rattled, then bumped as the entire metal heated and jumped into her shoulder. The haunting low metallic rumble crashed inside her ears and her vision became blurry from the crimson lance blooming from the barrel. She did not flinch when the rifle kicked like a beast. She only kept the firing steady until the rifle ceased operating on its own.

A sizzling noise came from the orb, which was melted through with a huge hole in it. The intent coming from it was dimmed, but still present. Wounded, but now cornered. She knew that Devotion had run its course, so she tossed the gun into the portal and pulled out the axe. Whatever inside was probing her, watching her. But her shoulder was alight with bloodlust.

Madoka charged on the flat ground. She felt something in the room change, and turned just in time to see a metal rod piercing the air where she just dodged from. The gleaming metal exploded into a burst of flames, throwing her aside and forcing her to stumble. It was using Knotting magic against her. Madoka growled. Magical golden strands ahead of her were already coiling up, forming defensive shields and preparing more missiles.

Madoka's hand instinctively drew the pistol from her hip. Her aim was better than she expected; shooting the needles out of the air. The small human gun was moving her hand for her, shooting the threats out of the air. The needles snapped like twigs.

For some strange reason, Madoka felt offended over its usage of those golden strands. She did not see who or what she just shot yet, but she could not hear its thoughts nor has she ever fought against a Knotting magic wielder.

"You dare to use my magic?" Madoka growled unwittingly.

The beast gave up trying to attack, and instead more tendrils of blackened strands grew from the ground. The clanking of new Knotting constructs bursting from the ground in a protective stance meant that it was attempting to recover and buy time. Madoka shot at it with the pistol until it ran out, growling out of frustration. She had to move before it could get back up! Madoka threw herself to the left as another metal javelin hurled its way faster than the last one thrown. It ripped a hole in her sleeve, yanking her hand back.

When Madoka recovered, she heard the glowing eye shatter, sounding like glass getting smashed to pieces. Her hand was still there. She could still move. Now, a metal dome had constructed fully above it in its place.

"Sing, sing, sing! Pretty, sing!"

"Shut up!" Madoka barked at the voices.

The Harp's alarm above her blared, and the arms' once dormant plates glowed high above her. Below it, however, was a sickening mass of black chains gathering and forming a large spear. Those corrupted Knotting magic strands were aimed directly at her. There was no warning or sound when it released it, only a violent shockwave carving a jagged path of shredded concrete and explosive fragments materialized as it barreled towards her. Madoka rolled to the side, grunting as her back connected with the ground's hard surface.

If those plates were glowing, then she must listen to those odd plants urging her to sing. Surely she did not need an altar to begin the song, right? She skidded beneath another black metal spear flashed in the distance, screaming at her as it passed her with high velocity. Madoka scanned where it came from and noticed a small opening in the dome.

"If that's how you want to play, then I'll return the favor!" Madoka roared. She planted Magnolia II into the ground, gathered the Knotting strands around her. The air shimmered in protest, crackling as she merged each wild Strand into one long hard metal rod in her hand. "Go."

Madoka hurled it directly at the small opening. The metal rod burned with white hot energy, bursting into a dangerous explosion as soon as it struck her target. The dome became enveloped in a destructive cloud of fire and smoke. Something inside of it let out a wretched scream, and the air began to reek from a foul ozone scent scattering to her nose. A hit!

She scanned the room quickly for an altar or a way to interact with those plates, conjuring up a barrier with her Crystal. It was a risk, but she quickly judged if it could block a counterattack made from corrupted Knotting magic. There! She saw a glowing altar on the far side next to an exposed root stuck out. Before she made a dash for it, another attack smashed into her barrier like a battering ram.

Madoka was sent flying. Her world tilted upward and the white concrete came faster than her spinning head could come up with. She cursed, and spat out a mouthful of blood. But the Crystal still remained, faithful to her. Though it was silent. Maybe her heart was pounding too loud for her to hear. Luckily, she was closer to the altar.

It was not time to use the Crystal in full force yet, seeing that the dome surrounding the monster inside was not completely destroyed. She dove behind the root. Though she had the barrier still, an extra layer of defense could help her buy time. Her storage portal should have another Devotion rifle inside of it and Magnolia was still by her side.

Madoka could do this!

She glanced at the screaming metal dome, which was now like an eggshell hatching. The beast inside of it was finally coming out to fight, though she was unsure of what she was fighting. It was covered in black sludge.

The turbines began to spin again, shredding the world outside of this glass dome to pieces in their wake. She glanced at the arms. The plates had red notes on them, indicating a bass song was required. She knew it was something she had to perform. Was the Harp helping her? She did not know and she no longer had the time to care. The beast inside the cracked open dome screamed, obviously not interested in hearing anything.

"Take this!"

She gathered more Knotting strands into a metal sphere and hurled it at the creature. The ball sailed in the air then slammed into it, bursting into a dazzling white light as she pulled more strands from the Crystal out of her chest once more. The magic was from her body, causing her to jolt from the inside, but she slammed her fist onto the altar's side and screamed at the red notes. The song began to play, a dark hum rumbling above the chaos. Madoka felt something wet dripping out of her ears again. But then she heard the Harp speaking again.

「O, PNAUMEN, HEED THIS SERVANT'S SCREAM. ACCEPT THIS BLOOD OFFERING, FORGIVE US.

O, PNAUMEN, WILL YOU HEED THIS CALL? 」

The plates jerked violently, ripping off as the stream of sound turned into metal struck them. Madoka's insides felt like they were melting, and perhaps they were in the moment. The metal around the beast was disintegrating, revealing the creature. Through her golden breath, she saw it stand tall like a giant person covered in black mud.

Segments of it pulsed and gurgled, and its torso was not entirely connected fully. It was like tendrils were barely keeping it intact, but it was still lopsided like a chewed up doll. One wing sprouted on its back, but Madoka was not looking at that. A red core was burning inside of its black mass. That thing had to be what she needed!

A breath escaped where its head was, sounding like crunching soaked gravel, punching her ears as it lunged at her. Madoka finished the final note, which interrupted its charge. It towered above her, cracking the stone floor with its weight, but it was stunned.

Madoka released the altar, and growled. Sludge was dripping off of it like a melted cake, but it was wounded and helplessly furious. A person sized scythe-like claw was coming down on her, but Madoka was positioned to make one final swing with her axe. The world went quiet beside her steps.

She bent her knees and leaped with tremendous force, targeting right beneath the creature's red core with her axe.

"You nasty beast!" She screamed. A slick, sickening wet noise of flesh ripping invaded her ears, and she herself was covered in sticky grime as she burst through it with a savage swing.

But it was just a beast without its metal coat made out of Knotting magic. Something vital teared, and she flew out the other side. Below her, the dislodged red core rolled on the ground like a dropped pearl. The one winged creature did not move for a minute, but then its top half slowly slid off onto the ground. Ichor erupted out of its lower half, but it was no longer making any noise. She managed to slay the Vale Bá!

As she landed on the other side, she realized she did not feel any satisfaction. Only a deep seated emptiness made her heaving chest move. She nearly collapsed against the root she pushed herself off from as her world tilted in her head. Madoka glanced upward, only to see the disorienting turbines spinning endlessly. Perhaps she rested a little too long, but the Harp had not said a word since the battle ended. It was not like she wanted to hear anything for a long time anyways. It was not until the sound of stone rolling on stone caught her attention. Then a heavy object bumped into her foot. The red core glowed in her eye, drawn to her like a moth to flame.

"Ach!"

It was heavier than she realized! Madoka groaned, cursed, and finally got up. There was no use in wallowing in the mess she made, nor did she intend on cleaning it up! Instead, she used the storage portal and threw everything inside of it. It was only after the hexagonal beam disappeared when she realized how big the Vale Bá was. Well, it was not as big as the Guardian, but the Crystal Lizard now had a friend as big as it to keep it company in it. On the outside where she was, only the wooshing sound of the turbines and the loud song from the Harp resounded through the cavern.

Madoka shook her head. What madness was she thinking up now? Did the Princess influence her thoughts this much now?

Shit! She slapped her head. Audrey was still down there! She scrambled to the center of the room, knocking aside the broken pieces of the once glowing orb effortlessly. The lift stuck out of the ground, waiting for her. Madoka entered it without hesitation. Just you wait, Audrey. I'll get you out of here and we'll be…

The lift shot down before she could even complete the thought. Perhaps, there was still life down here.

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