“Having a foot in each world is no simple task, and this princess... she’s not buying my ruse. I need to get her out of the camp before she jeopardizes my hold on the Arden. Hopefully, Kenta’s conflicted feelings will take care of that for me.”

Madia

Madia let out a low, soft whistle as she stepped around a tree, finding Alverd and the princesses gathered around a small fire. The wood and branches within were barely charred as the fire had just been started, crackling with fresh life as Alverd kept his hands close to it, stoking the flames with a gentle breath.

Alverd looked up at Madia. “Any luck?”

She shook her head as she placed down the empty bucket. “All dried up. We’ll have to work with what we have, and refill at the river.”

Alverd sighed and took a bite out of a loaf of bread he was holding. “Here, eat. You’ll need your strength.” The merchant handed her the other half of the loaf. Madia nodded in thanks and sat down beside the princesses. She pulled the bread apart and gave some to the girls before eating some herself, taking what solace she could as she enjoyed the food.

“So, what’s next?” Alverd asked through a full mouth.

Madia swallowed. “We need to find Cael.” She looked out in the distance past the tree line where the barrier between Fendra and the Red North faintly glimmered. “With the barrier repaired, Cael must be alive. She’s the most powerful of the Keepers.”

“Even after you all lost your powers?” Alverd questioned.

“Yes, Cael was weaving magic far above her age grade when we first met. She was already using basic displacement magic. We used it to escape Elra during Mennic’s invasion.”

The merchant’s eyes went wide. “That is impressive.”

“She nearly died though,” Rell pointed out.

“She didn’t have the correct reagents when she performed the spell, so it cost her a lot,” Madia said.

Alverd stretched as he leaned back. “Even so, she’s how old? 24? 25?”

Madia chuckled. “Cael was 20 when she cast the spell.”

“She has an incredible gift. Let’s hope we can find her.”

“A gift is only as good as he or she who uses it,” Madia said.

There was silence among the group as they all ate their food, taking a few sips from a canteen of water that was passed around. Madia’s mind wandered as she reconsidered what she had just said. I should really start taking my own advice. A sense of shame washed over her as she recalled her moments at the basin.

“You look like you could use some sleep.” Alverd’s voice broke the silence as he looked at Madia. “I’ll take the first watch.”

Madia smiled at him gratefully. “Thank you, Alverd. Wake me when you get tired, alright?” Alverd just shifted with a grunt as he got comfortable leaning against a tree. Madia looked back at the girls. “Your majesties, you look exhausted. You’d best get some rest.”

“Okay.” Rune immediately lay down as though she had been waiting for Madia to say that.

Rell giggled a bit, before grabbing at the woolen blanket that was hanging from the carriage. She then lay down facing the opposite direction to her sister and pulled the blanket over top of them. “Good night Madia.”

Madia placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Good night Rell.”

Before long, Madia joined them as she let herself lay on her back and sighed, closing her eyes as she relaxed.

Madia’s eyes opened with a start as she felt the ground beneath her tremble. She narrowed her eyes, focusing as she picked up the faintest sound of footsteps swishing through the grass.

Rell and Rune were still in front of her, but she couldn’t see Alverd from her angle as she remained still, laying on her side, her ears listening closely. The footsteps are cautious; they do not want to be heard.

The sounds were getting closer, becoming steadily clearer as Madia held her position. Alverd… Suspicions immediately grew in her mind as she sensed that he was near.

Not one to leave out other possibilities, she let her senses wander. One, two, three… four, five, six… She began counting in her head as she realized the pattern to the footsteps was inconsistent. There are several of them.

Her eyes darted around for a moment, discovering the pouch of magic dust tied to her belt as she began to plot what needed to be done.

She tensed, then lunged, legs kicking in the air for a moment as she spun up onto her feet. In that same moment, she performed one swift motion to draw her knife and hold it in a guard position, her other hand raised and extended as magic flowed through her fingertips. She heard a shout of surprise, her eyes briefly catching glimpse of three Arden men, with Alverd among them.

There was no time for questions. With a flick of the wrist, a bright light erupted from the center of the makeshift camp where the fire had been. Madia felt heat emanate from her hands as she expelled magic from her, closing her eyes briefly as she looked away, immediately waking the princesses. They jumped as they sat up screaming, flinging their covers off as they awoke.

“Get up! Get up! We have to run!” Madia shouted.

Rune stumbled to her feet immediately and Madia gripped Rell by the arm and pulled her up before starting to run through the forest, leaving the clearing behind. Rune was already sprinting, barely keeping pace as Rell skipped and fumbled over roots and branches behind Madia, who kept her in her grasp.

Where do we go now? They’ll surely be right behind! she thought to herself, trying to remember where they were. We haven’t time to hide in the trees, and there are mountains straight west.

She tugged at Rell as she steered to the left, willing with all her might to find anything that could act as cover; an outcropping in the stone, a ditch in the earth, something to help mask their presence.

As they ran, Madia began to hearing rushing water up ahead. Water? Oh no-! She gripped Rell’s wrist firmly and flung a hand out in front of Rune as the trees ahead become sparser. They skidded to a halt as dirt and pebbles flew ahead of them, the sound of her sandals grinding against a mixture of dirt and stone as the cliffs towered above them, and easily twenty feet below, a mighty river rushed by.

“This way!” Madia began following the river upstream, the sound of leaves and branches cracking behind them. The warning couldn’t have been clearer as she heard a pair of wings flap prior to a thud as one of the Arden landed a short distance back, relentlessly giving chase as he snarled.

As they ran Madia quickly peered down at the pouch on her waist, placing a hand to it and feeling it. Not enough dust to use it carelessly.

A dangerous plan began to formulate in her mind as she drifted away from the gorge and back into the woods, Rune beginning to fall behind as Rell finally seemed to pick up her pace.

We can’t keep running for much longer! She dared to look back at the gorge, her legs starting to stumble and trip over the unstable and rocky ground. Once more, her senses reached out to the sound of the river below, as though to paint a vision in her head of the water flow as she shut out the sounds of their pursuers. Up ahead she could feel the water growing softer, and quieter. We haven’t any choice.

After taking a moment to continue running, she jumped over a fallen log, pulling Rune up behind her before letting the child onto her back. Again she ran to the left, Rell skidding as she tried to follow. “Hold on tight, Rune!” Madia called over her shoulder, gasping as the extra weight caused her to nearly fall over.

“W-where are we going?” Rell cried.

“Just trust me!” Madia said back as the trees thinned once more, briefly sensing the panic rise in the young princess on her back as she realized where they were headed.

It sounded as though the forest was exploding as the larger Arden behind attempted to keep up through the dense tree line, gaining nevertheless as the gorge once more came into sight.

“M-Madia?” Rune squeaked in terror.

“JUST JUMP!” she replied as her legs started to burn, screaming in her mind as she forced herself to keep going, praying with all her might that her senses hadn’t lied to her.

Everything suddenly fell silent as she pushed off the ground and into the air, the cliffs opening up ahead of her as the feeling of weightlessness overwhelmed her. Rune practically dug her fingers into Madia as they began to plummet. The children screeched as they fell down into the gorge. Terror welled up in her throat as the waters below grew louder as they approached. Madia barely caught a glimpse of the situation below. There were scattered rocks shortly downstream, yet straight below there seemed to be a calm in the waters.

Despite this, another fear penetrated her heart as she saw the current. In the last second before they hit the water, Madia looked over her shoulder and grabbed Rell by whatever she could, which was no more than her sleeve.

With a crash, they collided with the water, her grip on Rell immediately severed as the current flung her downstream out of reach.

NO! As soon as she was in the water she let herself sink down before her feet ground against the rock below. With all her might she pushed off, launching herself forward to follow the current as Rell tumbled through the water towards the rocks, gargling water as she tried to keep her head up and breathe.

Their opponents had completely left her mind as the only thing she could see now was Rell through the waters. She clenched her teeth as she kicked desperately to catch up, the tempestuous waves assaulting her and trying to throw her off course. With Rune still clutching her back, Madia pushed once more, blood pumping through her ears as she realized she wouldn’t make it in time to escape the rocks ahead.

With no other choice, she let out a sound that wasn’t unlike a gurgling battle cry as her heart raced, forcing herself forward one more time as she finally reached Rell. She wrapped her right arm around her before pulling her other arm up and dragging Rune down, gripping the two of them close as the current suddenly ripped them forwards.

For a brief moment, Madia was winded as they dipped into the tumultuous rapids. Thrown around like a ragdoll, the woman did everything in her power to keep the princesses in her grasp as her leg struck a rock, causing her to open her mouth in pain.

She took in water and sputtered as she whipped around, trying her best to keep air in her lungs as her head nicked the side of the cliff. Her senses became clouded as her head was hit, but her arms didn’t let go of the children as she dropped into the water again, her ears ringing for a moment as she grew faint, consciousness threatening to fade.

Voices seemed to echo in her head as she battled with her own mind.

They need you!

You’re going to die! Are you insane?

You can’t fail them!

They’re all you have left!

Madia’s eyes shot open as she refused to yield. Through all the pain and the current around her, she flipped herself over onto her back and twisted her body, until her feet were ahead of her, where she kicked and felt herself scrape at the riverbed below. She fought the current with every ounce of strength she had left and forced herself to drift to the side. They narrowly dodged a rock that had been protruding from the river as with one last drop, they fell another several feet, splashing into the water below. After what seemed like ages, she felt the rapids fade away as the current pushed them down through the river, far below the mountains and cliffs above.

She felt her grip loosen as her head spun, managing to see the edges of the river ahead as she kicked weakly towards the side, the princesses rising up beside her and still in her arms, even through all that. Madia coughed violently as she scraped her feet against the pebbles and scattered rocks, finally reaching shore as she pushed the children ahead of her, panting heavily as she dragged herself out of the waters. Rell took a moment to catch her own breath, before pulling Rune up out of the water as well.

Madia rolled over onto her back, legs still half in the water as she panted and spat, chest rising and falling rapidly.

Just as her senses began to give out, Rell let out a scream. “MADIA! She’s not breathing-!”

In an instant, Madia flung herself back up, clenching her teeth in strain as she quickly pulled herself up beside Rune, resting a hand on her chest. “No… a-ahk- n-no no no!” Madia shouted through her coughs as she began to push hard on the young girl’s chest. “Not after all this-!” she cried, placing her mouth to Rune’s and blowing into her, before returning to desperately pumping Rune’s chest with both hands. She wasn’t sure whether there were tears of fear or just water droplets running down her cheeks as she tried to bring Rune back.

By some miracle, the black-haired princess suddenly spat up water before her eyes opened in shock, rolling over as water drooled out of her mouth. She descended into a violent coughing fit as she heaved, Madia giving her room for a moment as her heart lifted again. We… we made it!

Rell wrapped her arms around her little sister, who was still catching her breath and looked at Madia in shock. Rune gagged as she opened her mouth. “Y-you… w-we’re alive-?”

Madia smiled painfully as she placed a hand to the top of her head. “Y-yes… we’re alive.” She brought her hand back forward, seeing blood on it as she felt her one leg tingle and her head throb. “T-though only just…” she managed to mutter before falling to her side as her adrenaline ran out, everything going completely black around her.

Yet even so, her heart did not waver…

Her mind did not break.

For by the will of the spirit,

She could not yet wake.

A gentle whisper reached her ears. Who… who’s there? The sound of water returned to her, causing her to shiver a little.

As Madia came to, she felt a warmth around her forehead. Her entire body ached as her eyes blinked open, taking a deep, shaky breath. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness around her as she saw smooth, moist stone above her. Her head was resting against something soft while she lay on her back.

With a pained moan, she pulled her head up a bit, to find Rune and Rell sitting on either side of her. Rune avoided Madia’s eyes as Rell smiled warmly. The two of them still looked wet from earlier, but Rell’s clothes were torn around the lower half of her top, some loose threads of white fiber dangling from her. Madia shook her head gently as she raised a hand to it, before feeling the soft cloth on her.

“Did you…?” Madia whispered as she looked at Rell.

The girl nodded as Madia found her other hand cleaned of blood. With a grunt, she sat up and looked behind her to find her own cloak wrapped up into a ball shape, as though it were a makeshift pillow.

Madia stared at Rell in amazement, before smiling at her. “Thank you.”

Rell shifted forward until she was right at Madia’s side, looking closely at her forehead, before nodding. “Turns out all that studying paid off…” Rell replied. She was clearly exhausted as her voice sounded like she still had water in her throat.

Rune simply rested back against the walls as Madia took in her surroundings. Just a few meters away was the river, some crimson blood still on the rocks where she had no doubt been lying moments ago.

The group was tucked carefully into a crag in the cliff side, which provided some cover from prying eyes and unpleasant weather. Even so, her anxiety got the better of her and she reached her hand out to the opening in the cliff, before she felt a surge of pain from her head as light sparked from her fingertips. She gasped as she leaned forward, returning her hand to her forehead as Rell supported Madia’s back.

“Y-you can’t use magic like this… you’ll just hurt yourself,” Rell insisted.

“But the dust should allow me to-”

“Madia, the dust is ruined,” Rell pointed out.

Her heart sank as she quickly pulled the pouch from her belt. She opened up the little bag to find the sand within almost completely gone, and what little remained was plastered to the side of the bag. Madia let out a sigh as she leaned her head back, dropping the pouch. No safe form of magic… and I’m too weak to even stand. She knew she had to keep their spirits up. Despite surviving, they were in a worse position than ever, now with no allies and no way to safely use magic, they were sitting ducks in the gorge below.

“Perhaps this is our chance to rest then. We are hidden for now,” Madia muttered, shifting back towards the further corner of the nook. She took her still-dripping coat and put it behind her head as she relaxed against the cave walls.

“How did they find us?” Rune asked.

Madia bit her lip at the difficult question. “Well, I think Alverd gave us away.”

Rune looked disgusted. “But why! He was so nice, and he was helping us and everything!”

“Fear does terrible things to people; he was no doubt concerned for himself. So to keep himself safe he revealed where we were.”

Rune frowned. “But that doesn’t explain why he would just… betray us after he was being so helpful!”

Madia tilted her head a bit. She’s right, it did seem rather abrupt. Did he have a change of heart, or was he perhaps found, and in order to save himself, told them about us? Her thoughts spun. It would be strange for him to put himself in danger to help us, just to rat us out. Even if it was all an act, it was a dangerous one. He could have died back in that village.

“Madia?” Rune snapped her out of her thinking.

“Sorry. I’m not sure, Rune. Some people are difficult to read. But people always have their reasons for the decisions they make. We don’t know what he had been through,” Madia explained.

Rune stood up in frustration. “Why do you always have to be so happy!” she raised her voice a bit.

“Rune, calm down!” Rell said.

“Every time something bad happens, you always just brush it off! Every time somebody does something terrible or hurts us, you always forgive them, even when we nearly died!” Rune continued.

Madia just looked at Rune in surprise, before clenching her teeth. “Because every night for the last year, I have gazed into the hearts and minds of every person here in Fendra! Their hopes; their dreams; the good and the bad!” she began to yell back. “I have seen sorrow, hatred, and despair… and in my time as the Keeper of Mind, I have discovered that if everyone would just try to understand each other-” Madia caught her breath, stopping as she composed herself. “Then… maybe this world could be a better place.”

Rune appeared taken aback as she stared at Madia for a while, before sniffing and sitting back down, looking away with a huff.

Suddenly a voice echoed into the cave from the river. “Now that’s a sort of naivety I’ve missed hearing.”

Madia gasped as she tried to pull herself up, only to feel her legs burn as she collapsed back down. Rell and Rune quickly ran to Madia’s side as stones shifted ahead, before a mixture of white and orange hair became visible, as a tall lady wearing tattered blue robes stepped out in front of the cave. Madia’s eyes lit up as she felt her heart leap.

“Cael!”