A/N: Phew, I haven't written a fanfic in years…at least in English, but whatever. Here's a new take on MGLN. One thing that always got me about the show was magic story in a cyber world. Don't get me wrong, the show works, I love it, but here is a story based in a fantasy setting. Typical things you need to know. It will have yuri pairings, mainly Nanoha and Fate. If you no like, no read. Simple as that. Also the prologue is kind of long, but it was designed to introduce the concept and characters. Blah blah blah, on with the show.

Disclaimer: I own the series. Ha! If you can track me down, you deserve to sue me.

Providence

Prologue

The blonde came to a stop, her arm flying out to halt her companion as well. "Don't move," she whispered into the brunette's ear.

"What is it?" the other girl asked. It was hard to see while her enchantment was the only source of light she had. The glow runes, lining the hem of her white robe, wasn't anywhere near as effective as she hoped it would be.

"This isn't a normal hallway," the blonde mused aloud. "It's probably a service duct of some kind." She suddenly narrowed her eyes; her night vision, far greater than that of her companion, could see something moving in the darkness. Something that was moving very fast. "Brace yourself!" It was a harsh thing to do unannounced, but she shoved the other girl away.

The brunette groaned as she landed hard on the floor. "Mou!" Her companion could be a little extreme at times, but that was a little much. "Why did you..." Just as her blue eyes zipped around to glare at the blonde, a strange whistling noise froze her cold. Something, an untraceable white blur, suddenly passed in front of her face. The object was going so fast that it kicked up dust in its wake.

"That was close," the blonde said, her voice laced with pain. She already pressed herself against the opposite wall when she shoved the shorter girl, but unlike the brunette, she wasn't sitting on the ground. "Are you well?"

"Besides a sore butt?" The brunette righted herself and leaned against the wall. Looking up, she gave the blonde a forgiving smile. "It's nothing a little rubbing won't fix."

"I will assist you if I can." The blonde didn't really catch what the other girl was saying. Her attention was solely fixed on the dark corridor; but instead of looking in the direction they were going, she was looking back in the direction they came.

"I…err…that's alright." The brunette fidgeted in embarrassment. She took her companion's response seriously—the blonde's monotonic voice made it nearly impossible to tell otherwise. "Anyway, what was that thing?" Before the shorter girl could stand up, a tiny strand of brown hair floated down from her bangs and landed in her lap. The hair was sheared cleanly.

The blonde heard a startled gasp and looked over to her companion's blue eyes. "You were lucky. A few centimeters higher and it would have taken your head off." Her voice tried to inflect some sympathy, but instead it came out indifferent. Sadly, there was no genteel way of telling someone they almost died.

"Ehh…" The brunette sat motionless for several seconds. Finally, for good measure, she reached up and checked the top of her head. "At least it's still there," she said with an unsteady voice.

"Always a good sign," the blonde deadpanned. This time she tried some levity, but ultimately it came out sarcastic.

Even then, the brunette recognized the intention behind her companion's words. "Thank you for saving my life again. I'm beginning to think it's your hobby."

The blonde avoided making eye contact. "I need you alive," she said simply.

If she didn't know any better, the brunette could have sworn there was guilt in the other girl's voice. "Right…" the brunette sighed, "so I've been told." She was suddenly reminded of why they were here in the first place. "How about you, are you well?"

The blonde never once took her eyes off the dark corridor. "Aye."

Looking over, she saw that the blonde appeared to be in good shape: her long, golden hair flowed like a cape from behind her back; her shapely form, tightly hugged inside that obsidian plate armor, was rigidly postured as usual; even those sad, piercing red eyes were as clear as ever. It amazed her how the other girl could pull it off—looking so strong, yet entirely feminine at the same time. It wasn't just the appearances. The blonde's calm demeanor, despite the danger, showed her experienced prowess.

A calm that was shattered when a grimace suddenly formed on the blonde's full lips.

"What is it?" the brunette asked wearily, pressing herself firmly against the wall. A sense of déjà vu fell over her.

"Please remain still," the taller girl said through gritted teeth.

The brunette groaned, "Not again." She took the other woman's clenched jaw as a sign of returned danger; it was not a visage she ever wanted to see on the blonde's pretty face. Over the last few weeks the she saw many different expressions from the other girl, all which she considered alluring, but the current look wasn't one of them. "Just tell me what to do, Fate-chan. I can help."

The blonde didn't answer, instead she drew a two-handed sword from a sheath on her back. The weapon, a gold bladed claymore with a black pommel, appeared far too large for a woman of her stature to hold, let alone wield. "Sorry for pushing you earlier," the blonde quietly apologized without facing the other girl. She effortlessly swung her large sword, a feat that beguiled reality, into a vertical stance. It was there Fate held the blade while awaiting the inevitable.

"Fate…" Again the brunette was ready to question the other girl, but something else caught her eye that silenced her. Below the right shoulder plate of Fate's armor, under the intricately designed metal crest, appeared a tiny scratch that lined the arm. Something so small would normally be overlooked, but blood was pouring from the small opening there. "You're hurt!"

The brunette was ready to rush to her side, but Fate's soft voice halted her, "Please, Nanoha," her injury was the least of her concerns, "remain still." She didn't have to explain herself. Suddenly, faster than the eye could follow, the shiny blur returned from the direction she was facing. Only this time it was met with sparks when her large blade intercepted it.

Nanoha noted that the mysterious object wasn't the only thing that could move faster than the eye. Even now, after all this time, the blonde Westerner never ceased to amaze her. "What is that?" Nanoha let out a gasp when she looked over at what caused the commotion. Spinning disks—the size of wagon wheels, one horizontal and the other vertical—occupied the middle of the hallway. Judging from their position, she knew that Fate wasn't exaggerating earlier. She really would have lost her head.

"Err…" Fate groaned, pushing the disks with all her might. She put more pressure on the uninjured left arm to keep from deepening the wound on the other. It seemed the disks were responding to pressure; the more she pushed back the faster they spun. "The builders must have made these to keep out intruders in this tunnel." Fate had to talk loud enough to be heard over the grinding noise.

"A 'Do Not Enter' sign would have been easier. Mou, are you always this calm?" Nanoha looked over at her companion in disbelief. Aside from the pain caused by Fate's wound, nothing ever seemed to unnerve the blonde. "Nyah!' Grasping her head, Nanoha had a sudden urge to press her hands over her ears. The grinding noise was getting worse, and judging from the increased amount of sparks from the collision, the disks were moving faster by the second. That wasn't good. Fate was showing signs of tiring out, and that was a rare sight on the abnormally strong woman.

A bead of sweat slid down from Fate's forehead. "Now would be good time for some aid." She couldn't help but let someone nervousness slip into her voice.

"What do you want me to do?" Instead of sounding confused, Nanoha anxiously awaited instruction.

"Anything," retorted the blonde quickly, "you're the magi. Can't you make it disappear or something?"

"I don't have that kind of control. The temple only taught me elemental magics and basic spells."

Fate internally sighed. That was Nanoha's way of saying she only knew how to blow things up. "Do what you can." She turned and looked pointedly at her companion. "Just be quick about it." To illustrate the need to hurry, Fate's arms began to shake from the exertion.

Nanoha nodded and cautiously stood up to examine the spinning metal disks. As far as she could tell there was nothing moving it—no wires or a device, nothing—fortunately, that's exactly what she was hoping for. "Hang in there, Fate-chan." Magical enchantments she could deal with.

"It's not like I have a choice. The thing doubled its size after the first pass. Letting it go by again will only prove troublesome."

The brunette rolled her eyes. That was Fate's way of saying they were as good as dead if they didn't take care of it now. "If we get out of this place you need to learn the meaning of 'understatement.'"

"If Yuno hadn't placed a language spell in your mind, you wouldn't know what it meant either." For the first time, despite the extremity of the situation, Fate smiled. "Why don't you try learning my language the hard way?"

Nanoha couldn't respond right away; just seeing the blonde's rare smile was enough silence her. She wouldn't say it aloud, but Nanoha thought it was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. Kind of like the sun on a cloudy day "Mou, how about you try learning mine?"

"I would like to…" Fate motioned towards the spinning disks of doom, "but first things first."

"Nya ha-ha, sorry." Nanoha stood off to the blonde's side and was careful not to disturb the other girl. With a deep, calming breath she extended her senses outwards.

For humans who possessed 'the gift,' there was a second sight her people called the inner eye—it allowed for magi to see the eddies of magic that were normally blind from the common person—and right now it provided a powerful tool.

A moment passed before Nanoha finally found what she was looking for. She could detect the ambient tendrils of power woven over the metal disks, like a campfire in a dark night. "Here I go." Holding out her right hand, Nanoha made a gesture in the air. Like a pen on paper, a symbol was written in midair comprised of red lines.

The symbol appeared similar to her language's character based language, but instead, it depicted a word in the language of the ancients, a word of power. It was essential in pulling out the innate magic energies used for spells.

"This should be simple enough. I just have to untie the spell bindings on the disks."

It couldn't have come a moment sooner; Fate's grip on her blade was starting to reach its breaking point. She was strong, unnaturally so, but there was a limit to the endurance needed to use it. "We die if you mess up."

"Fate-chan!" Nanoha sputtered, almost messing up her symbol. "Can't you say something like 'you'll do fine', or 'I believe in you'."

"Umm…maybe I should have." Fate tuned away sheepishly. "I believe in you."

"Better late than never I suppose," Nanoha retorted with an amused smile. Even in a tense moment like this the blonde worked a miracle. She couldn't have been more relaxed if she was lounging on a beach somewhere. "I almost believe you mean that."

Fate redoubled her strenuous efforts against the disks. "…I do," she said quietly. When she spoke the words she hadn't intended for the other girl to hear it.

What she didn't know was that Nanoha's currently enhanced senses could pick it up easily. A blush suddenly worked its way on the brunette's alabaster cheeks. She don't know why the admission embarrassed her, but she internally berated herself for allowing it to. Wasn't it strange to become flustered after a kidnapper paid you a compliment?

"Nanoha," the blonde said tiredly without turning around, "…can you…not stop this thing?"

The magi shook her mind free of the confusing thoughts; thoughts that seemed to be the norm for her since meeting the Westerners. "A few thousand year old trap can't stop us that easily."

Fate could have disagreed. She was the one currently face-to-face with a death trap tying to decapitate her.

"Where is it?" Nanoha whispered to herself. A thread of magic woven around the disks, brighter than the rest, suddenly caught her eye. It was exactly was what she was looking for. "Found it!" Nanoha smirked in satisfaction. This trap might have been crafted by the ancients, but for her it was child's play. With a flick of her hand, she released the symbol in a flash of light.

The symbol itself was a complete spell: magic woven around a physical form, concentrated by a word of power, and projected by the caster's will. Symbols allowed conjurers like herself to use their raw energies efficiently.

"That should work, Fate-chan." Nanoha watched her efforts pay off. Energy, a light red that bordered on pink, poured into the disks and tore the enchantments apart. Starting from the core thread and working its way across, the entire thing eventually folded like a house of cards.

Fate's eyes widened in surprise when the tension against the disks gradually lessened. Just like that, the they completely stopped and fell to the floor in a clatter. Each one of them was only the size of a plate now. "I'll say this right now," Fate said tiredly, falling to her knees with a sigh, she was panting heavily but mostly from relief, "All magi are destined to burn in the fires of hell, but that doesn't change the fact you're still amazing, Nanoha."

Fate slowly turned to regarded her companion. The brunette was shorter than she was, only by a little bit, but that still made Nanoha taller than most Eastlanders. She was also petite with a moderate bust—her silken robes only seemed to accentuate that fact—even then, the other girl was still shaped in the way that would put court ladies to shame.

The blonde pulled herself off the floor using her sword as a makeshift crutch. She noted, with satisfaction, that the wound on her arm was mostly healed now; the broken metal and caked blood was still an annoyance though. She noted that Nanoha was watching her from the corner of her eyes. The girl was concerned for her well being, a notion that Fate could never really get used to.

Another thing of about Nanoha that Fate found interesting was the girl's hair. It was long, as long as her own, but Nanoha kept in a single, sideways ponytail—the color of which was a deep brown that boarded on red. To Fate, its silken texture and smooth color reminded her of the cakes she used to eat as a child.

"I am in you're debt again." Fate crossed a fist near her heart and bowed slightly in acknowledgement.

Alluring as Nanoha's form may be, the thing about the other girl that impressed Fate the most was her face. It was beautiful: exotically shaped eyes that framed a deep pool of blue, a small button nose, alabaster skin, not to mention a pert mouth which always seemed to smile. All together, Nanoha reminded Fate of the statues the Elva worshiped in the likeness of their goddess.

"You're amazing," Fate said again without taking her eyes off the other girl.

Nanoha blushed and turned away from the pointed gaze. "Err…emm…it was nothing." She fidgeted with the white material of her robe. "It was simple after I found the trap's spell thread and…"

Fate held out a hand to stop her politely. "It does not matter." Fate shook her head, her long hair swishing around more than her black cape did. "Whatever you did it worked." Fate kneeled slightly to slide her sword back into its sheath; she was careful not to shear a single blonde hair in the process. "We must hurry on. The others may have already reached the main chamber." They had more pressing matters to attend to than just standing in the ruined corridor. Funny how everything here didn't work except for the traps.

Nanoha nodded quietly, still somewhat embarrassed by the blonde's recent praise, and followed closely behind as the two continued to press on. "Don't you mean 'if' the others made it?" Nanoha finally said after awhile. "We should never have split up. This place is too dangerous to be wondering around."

"True, but there were too many paths to explore one at a time. Splitting up is the best way to make up for lost time."

"Aren't you worried about your companions?"

Fate stopped and paused. After a moment she finally answered, "I am." It was simple reply but it was laced with meaning.

Nanoha internally berated herself for the inconsiderate question. "Sorry, Fate-chan." They were the blonde's friends, even if Fate wouldn't admit to it, so of course she would be worried about them.

"Let's just see where this path leads," Fate said quietly. "We can backtrack if it's another dead end." From then on, they continued in silence.

00000000

"Do you smell that?" Fate gestured a hand signal in Nanoha's direction. The brunette, who appeared not to understand, raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Err…that means stop," the blonde explained in embarrassment.

Nanoha gave her companion an amused smile. "I figured that, but I just wanted to see you squirm." The shorter girl walked ahead and stood in front of Fate. Whilst there, she attempted to detect the scent that Fate was pointing out. "The air is less stale."

"Exactly." Fate adjusted herself and stood abreast the other woman. "There must be a fresh air source up ahead."

"An opening then…Yuno must have been right." Nanoha caught the other girl cringing at the comment. It was a subconscious act that even the blonde wasn't aware of. "If we waited a little longer, like he suggested, we might have found a better entry point with your mounts."

"It doesn't make him right just because we found some fresh air." Her voice was flat, and her tone reasonable, but Fate still refused to acknowledge the man's suggestion.

"But it might have been safer, Fate-chan," Nanoha said pointedly. She couldn't keep the teasing tone out of her voice, even if she tried. Nanoha was well aware of Fate's little competitive streak against the Elva archeologist. The whole decision to enter the mountain before nightfall was Fate's call; a decision the blonde insisted was based on logic and practicality. Entertainingly enough, it was a case of obvious jealously. Just because Yuno suggested an aerial path, the group ended up going on foot. Nanoha thought Fate's stubbornness was cute in a strange way.

"You just wanted to go flying again," Fate said nonchalantly, stepping ahead of the brunette to take the lead again. That, however, did not cover up the slight smile that tugged at the corner of her lips. "You always find an excuse to go flying." Nanoha treated flying like an alcoholic would a vintage wine, she just couldn't get enough of it.

"Mou!" Nanoha groaned as she followed after. "Do you blame me? It's exhilarating."

Fate shrugged. "It's the most efficient way to travel."

"Efficient? Come on, Fate-chan. It's fun and you know it."

In truth, flying was second nature to Fate. She had literally grown up in the skies—more so in the recent years. Flying was as common to her as riding a horse, or sailing a ship, was to others. After all these years, the wonder of such a feat became lackluster. Though, Fate admitted in the recesses of her thoughts, having Nanoha ride with her brought a new thrill to the experience. It was something she would never admit to the other girl aloud. "Do you really enjoy flying that much?"

Nanoha caught sight of Fate's red gems shining in the magically created light. It was rare to see the blonde openly amused. "It's more about riding with you."

The comment struck a cord inside Fate; she didn't know what to make of it. "Me?"

Nanoha nodded gently, she was afraid that her words were a little too honest. "You're a different person in the skies, Fate-chan." It was true. Up in the skies the blonde was at peace, it was like she was born up there. She enjoyed seeing that side of her friend.

Fate didn't understand, instead she fixed her gaze on the other woman. Her red eyes never leaving the Eastlander's face once.

"Fate-chan?" the shorter girl said with a blush. "Is something on my face?"

The blonde shook her head and quietly turned back to the path. They walked along in silence for several minutes, each girl afraid to look at the other. Something was changing between them over the course of their long journey, and both of them could feel it. As they went along the scent of fresh air increased with every step they took. The exit had to be near.

"I wonder how the others are doing?" Nanoha said to break the silence. She didn't know it, but she voiced the very same question running through Fate's mind.

"I wonder." Fate faithfully believed everyone was fine, in terms of health, but who could say about their success in traversing this ancient work of stone. This was the fifth tunnel their team had explored by themselves; each of the last four were nothing but dead ends. "It's amazing." she said aloud, not aware she voiced her thoughts.

"What is, Fate-chan?" Nanoha's eyes swept over the darkened walls. This place must have been built long before her people called the isles home. Maybe even before humans existed at all. "The ruins?"

A blush wormed its way unwillingly on Fate's cheeks. She internally debated whether or not she wanted to respond; sadly, she made the mistake of looking at Nanoha. Those clear blue eyes made the decision for her. "I…" Fate could only sigh. Nanoha had a strange power, a power that had nothing to do with magic, that always made Fate confess whatever was on her mind. Had the other girl been born in the West, she would have made an excellent inquisitor. "I was actually talking about you."

"Huh?" Nanoha blinked in confusion. "Me?"

Fate nodded, causing a cascade blonde hair to ripple over her cape. "You were worrying about everyone else. I find that…strange. We are your enemies after all." That wasn't completely true. Out of all their companions Fate was the only true enemy.

"I might not have come along willingly, at first," Nanoha moved quickly so she could catch the blonde's eye, "but that doesn't mean I wished it never happened."

Fate stopped. "Truly?" She turned to the brunette and gave her a look of disbelief. "You are doing this…willingly?"

"Nya ha-ha." Nanoha burst out in laughter. She reflected back on all the things she'd been through. Sure there were scary, confusing, and generally chaotic moments, but if she had a chance to go back and change anything, she wouldn't. "I'm a magi, Fate-chan. I could have found a dozen chances to escape."

Fate knew that to be true. "And you didn't?" she asked curiously. Fate wanted find the answer to a question that had been bugging her for awhile now. "Why not?"

"Isn't this all for a good cause?" Nanoha said with a bright smile.

"In believe it to be true, yes." Fate knew there was more to it on Nanoha's part. "What's your real reason for staying?"

Nanoha held a finger to her lips. "It's a secret." Before Fate could raise a question, Nanoha turned her face back to the path ahead. "Let's hope this tunnel ends soon We need a break."

Fate accepted the brunette's obvious attempt to change the subject. Everyone was entitled to their secrets. "Refreshing ourselves would definitely be welcomed."

"Emm, I would love that." Sure Nanoha was spotless, thanks to magic, but using spells was a poor substitute for a warm bath. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" The blonde raised an eyebrow.

"Wear all that armor and still have the energy to keep going?"

"I'm used to."

"Come now, Fate-chan." The brunette nudged the other girl slightly. "Admit it, you're tired."

"I'm fine," The taller girl said nonchalantly.

"And your arm?" Nanoha pointed out.

Fate looked to her injured limb; she had already forgotten about it. "It seems to have healed back to normal."

"Amazing."

Fate glanced over. "Coming from a magi?"

"It's not the same thing." Nanoha shook her head. Magic was one thing, but Fate's self-healing was an ability on a different level—at least Nanoha didn't have to worry about the other girl's minor injuries. "Is that because of your pact or…"

"My pact," Fate answered firmly. "Bardiche is the reason behind the fast healing, same with my strength and speed."

"But he's not even around."

"He doesn't have to be." Fate moved a hand over her heart. "Bardiche could be on the other side of the world and our pact would remain."

Nanoha looked on in wonder. Bardiche was the stuff of legends among her people. Demons, gods, and even spirits were words used to describe beings like him in lore. That's exactly what they were until the Westerners came, legends. Only children believed they actually existed. "Hmm," Nanoha hummed in amusement to herself. It was funny that she was nearing her twentieth year, but she was currently a firm believer in a children's fable. It did help that she actually saw, touched, and even flew on one. "Your pact with Bardiche is odd."

"How so?" Fate wondered. "Your people treat magic so casually. Surely our ways can't seem so strange."

Nanoha crossed her arms and looked over coyly. "Commanding gods is a little hard to swallow, even for us?"

"Gods?" Fate sputtered, her red eyes shined with hidden mirth. "Bardiche?" Suddenly the blonde made a strange sound in the back of her throat. Catching herself in time, she suppressed it before it erupted.

"Nya ha-ha. You were going to laugh weren't you, Fate-chan?"

Red tinted the taller girl's face. "Of course not!" After a moment of an impromptu stare fest she acquiesced. "I admit it was…amusing."

"You should just laugh," Nanoha scolded playfully. "If you let that kind of stuff build up, one day it's going to explode." The brunette made an expanding motion with her arms complete with sound effects.

Fate cleared her throat, either that or start laughing again, and changed the subject. "Bardiche is no god, so please, never let him catch you saying that. His ego is hard enough to deal with as it is."

"I wouldn't want that." Nanoha reached over and patted Fate playfully on the head. "There there, I don't wont to give Fate-chan a hard time."

No one else in the whole world would dare touch Fate like that—back home the imperial guards would have cut Nanoha down for even trying—as for Fate at this very moment, she found the gesture comforting in a way. Nanoha was naturally a physically affectionate person, so throughout their journey she had gotten used to being touched like that. "May I ask you something?"

"Nani?" Nanoha said, reverting back to her native tongue. She enjoyed her teasing of Fate so much that she forgot herself. "What's that?" Nanoha said correctly this time. She found it easier and easier to revert back to Fate's native language these days; a language Yuno referred to as Common.

Fate lightly smiled at companion's slip. She didn't have anything against hearing Nanoha's native tongue. In fact, she found it a lyrically pleasing language, much to the dismay of her people if they ever found out. To them it would probably sound too much like the Elva tongue to be accepted. "What do you think of my pact?"

"With Bardiche?"

Fate nodded.

"Hmm." Nanoha crossed her hands behind her back. The question was hard to answer without offending the other woman. "It seems too much like a form of slavery. His kind are proud, mythical beings, yet they serve your every command."

Fate expected the Eastlander to feel that way. They didn't have the same kind of history with Bardiche's kind as hers did. "I said it before, but Bardiche isn't a slave, nor do my people do anything of that sort to his kind. Our relationship is mutual and beneficial to both sides."

Nanoha nodded and accepted that. She had gotten to know Fate's special companion over the weeks. He was more of a close friend to the blonde than a beast of burden. "What does he get out of it?"

"Huh?"

"Well," Nanoha shrugged, "you get healing, strength, and speed. Plus he serves and fights for you. In the end what do you give him?"

"A promise." It was like a motto that sprung from Fate's lips. She turned and looked at the other girl, she figured it needed explaining. "Long ago Bardiche's kind were truly slaves. Beasts of war and nothing more." Fate looked away. "Humans and them were kindred souls in that aspect."

"Beasts of war or…" Nanoha trailed off. She recalled Yuno mentioning something similar.

"Both," Fate continued, "When we freed ourselves from that fate, we did the same for the other. In return, they pledged to fight along side us as long as we kept a promise."

"Which was?" Nanoha raised an eyebrow in genuine curiosity.

"Safeguard their nesting land, ensure their kind is never returned to shackles, and the final, most important oath." Fate said each part like a mantra. It was clear she repeated the same words many times in her life. "Avenge them."

"Avenge?" The brunette leaned over, as if sharing a secret. "Against who?"

Fate's face was unreadable, but her jaw clinched noticeably. "Why don't you ask Yuno and see what he has to say."

Nanoha's eyes widened. "Oh…I see. That explains a lot then."

Fate nodded and the two continued to walk a minute or two in silence. "That's why…" Fate came to a halt.

Nanoha stopped as well. "Fate-chan?"

"Don't move."

"Mou!" Nanoha jumped away from the blonde. "I'm not you letting you push me again. If you want me to duck just say so." The brunette scanned the hall and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. "Besides, I can defend myself…"

"Shhh!" Fate said, pressing a finger to her lips.

The blue-eyed girl took the hint, but not completely. "Do you see something?" she said in a whisper. Enhanced sight was another ability that Fate possessed, probably from her pact, so if there was anything in the darkness the blonde would have spotted it before she did. Sure she had her magical senses, but that required an active effort to use. So far, Nanoha was content to let Fate take the lead.

Another full smile soon graced Fate's lips.

Nanoha was taken aback. She was expecting another death trap, so unless Fate had flipped out, there was no reason to be smiling like that. "Mou! Are you joking with me, Fate-chan?" The nine hells must be having snowstorms.

The taller girl shook her head. "Come out now!"

Nanoha jumped slightly at Fate's raised voice. She followed the red-eyed girl's gaze into the darkness; she still couldn't see anything.

"Didn't I tell you to stay on the surface? I don't trust Durandal to be patrolling by himself."

"Who are you talking to…"

A deep, monotonic voice, like a man who wasn't used to speaking, called out ahead, "A patrol wasn't needed, so I came to be by your side."

The blonde sighed. "It can't be helped I guess. You never did follow orders very well."

"My place is by your side, Sir."

"Bardiche?" Nanoha said in surprise. She wasn't so much surprised by his presence, as she was by the fact he came from the direction they were heading.

"Come here," Fate ordered. It sounded more like a request from a friend than the command of a master. At her behest, two glowing yellow eyes appeared in the darkness—two slitted, reptilian eyes. Those yellow eyes grew larger as Bardiche drew closer. When he finally emerged into the light, the one created by Nanoha's robe, they both got a good look at him.

"Yes, Sir?" The tiny draconian being looked at the two girls with a steady gaze. His current form depleted some of the strength his gaze normally held, mainly because he was currently no bigger than a dog—though comparing Bardiche to a dog was a great disservice. "I await instruction."

He was a dragon: covered from head-to-tail in obsidian scales, each with the density of hardened steel; long bat-like wings that were folded over his back; bladelike claws at the end of each four legs; a long corded neck that led to the most noticeable feature, four spike-like horns that protruded from his reptilian head. All in all, Bardiche was every bit the majestic dragon of Eastland lore, except he was currently travel sized.

"Kawaii!" Nanoha giggled as she bent down to run a hand over the tiny dragon's head. "You had me thinking you were another monster or trap." She mocked glared at the blonde. "Can you believe that your master used you to tease me?"

"No," the monotonic male voice of the dragon retorted. His speech was unnatural, and his maw barely moved the whole time. It was clear that his communication was a form of magic.

Fate stood next to the brunette and looked at Nanoha with awe. It happened every time the girl interacted with Bardiche; it was such an inconceivable sight. No other human in all the world, save for herself, was allowed to touch the proud dragon unless she ordered him to do so. So why did he always allow Nanoha that privilege and no other? It vexed Fate. Only members of her family should be allowed something like that, but last time she checked Nanoha wasn't her wife. "Don't pet him like that," Fate groaned quietly, "he's a dragon, not a puppy."

"Nya ha-ha," Nanoha laughed, showing no signs of stopping, "but he's so cute in this form." The brunette looked up playfully. "Jealous, Fate-chan?"

Nanoha meant it as a joke, but Fate's cheeks took on a shade of red anyway. "Bardiche," she said, turning to address the dragon, "How did you come from that direction?" The dragon looked up, if Fate didn't know any better, she would have sworn the dragon liked all the attention Nanoha was giving him.

"I followed Yuno." Bardiche said with a sudden growl—having to say the man's name automatically provoked that kind of response. It seemed he didn't like the archeologist any more than his master did, albeit for different reasons.

"Be nice." Nanoha rapped her knuckles on Bardiche's head. The move earned another unbelieving stare, not just from Fate this time, but from the dragon as well. "We are all friends here. Now, what was this about Yuno?"

The dragon didn't need to answer anyone but his master, yet he answered the brunette's question just the same, "He found a shaft leading down to the central chamber from the mountain top. I followed and went to find Master to tell her." What was left unsaid, both girls understood. Bardiche was worried about Fate and used that as an excuse to go find her.

Fate internally sighed; Yuno just had to be right 'again.' "So…that Elva already found the central chamber?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Told you," Nanoha said playfully.

Fate ignored her. "I was right then." The blonde straightened and walked ahead of them. "We were going the right direction the whole time. This path does lead to the central chamber."

The brunette smiled affectionately, something she wasn't even aware of doing. What she did know, however, was what her next statement was going to do, "Too bad you didn't find it first, Fate-chan."

"Humph."

Nanoha had to admit that Fate was adorable when she pouted.

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"To think this existed under my own country." Nanoha looked around in bright-eyed wonder. The two had followed Bardiche through the tunnel, and sure enough, it led to a brightly lit circular room. Her robe's light was no longer needed now. The room was adequately lit with the rays of the moon pouring through an opening at the roof. Nanoha expected the hole to be a cave in of some sort, but judging from its smooth shape, it was definitely artificial.

Fate agreed with that assessment, "Looks like it was made on purpose." The blonde pointed up at the roof. "Maybe used during some kind of a ritual."

Nanoha nodded. "It's big enough to fit Bardiche at full size," she noted.

Fate sighed and cast a glance at the opening with renewed annoyance; even she had to admit it was a more convenient way to reach the central chamber. "So we are finally here." The blonde turned to the tiny dragon, sensing the eyes of his master, it swerved its head around to meet her gaze. "Is this the place, Bardiche?"

Those golden eyes said many things without having to utter a sound. Mainly that he wanted to be somewhere else. "Yes, Sir."

Fate nodded and watched as Nanoha started to climb down to the main area. The entire layout of the room resembled a grand meeting place of some kind—shockingly similar to the Senatus Dome back home. Starting from the top and working all the way down, stone seats, amazingly preserved despite their age, lined the walls all around the room. At the center rested a huge stone dais with the design of a crescent moon on its surface. Where the crest met at the center a podium stood. It was crafted in the same white stone this whole place was crafted in.

"The legends were true," Nanoha said excitedly, "and here I had my doubts." The brunette stepped down the steps one by one heading for the center.

Fate watched the other girl wearily. There were cracks and holes in the central stonework, and as high up as this place was built, there was no telling how far a person would plummet if they fell through one.

"I…" Nanoha hopped back quickly when a step crumbled under her foot. If she reacted a moment too late it would have been a nasty fall.

"Careful, Nanoha!" A guilty feeling quickly filled the blonde as soon as the words left her mouth. Fate, of all people, knew first hand how annoying it was for a strong woman to be coddled, yet here she was adopting the same mannerisms her male comrades had. "Not that you aren't…" she paused, unsure of what to say, "that is…you can use your magic and whatnot." Fate internally groaned as she heard herself speak. It was so awkward that it made her want to cringe.

The brunette stopped and looked over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow. Again, she was amazed at how cute Fate could be at times. "Worried about me, Fate-chan?"

Fate avoided making eye contact. "N-n-no." She followed quickly after the Eastlander to catch up, another blush resurfacing on her ivory cheeks.

The red coloring didn't go unnoticed by Bardiche. "Humph." His master was acting like a drake in heat; the very thought of it made him grunt in amusement.

The blonde suddenly heard the hissing cackle that Bardiche only used when he was laughing. "What?" she said in annoyance. Her voice rose only loud enough for the reptile to hear. In response, the dragon simply shook his head with no comment. "Humph." Fate straitened her posture in a vain attempt to compose herself. The action only made the dragon snicker again.

Nanoha tried not to stare at the two but she couldn't help it. It was a heartening sight. Fate's armor was cracking more and more these days, and it wasn't the one she wore on the surface. "What's so good about this place anyway?" the shorter girl asked when the blonde caught up with her. Together, the three approached the moon shaped dais.

"I don't know myself…" Fate was told to come here, same as Nanoha. She wished she would say more but only a magic expert, and an archeological one at that, had that kind of information. "Maybe Yuno would grace us with those answers." The two girls finally stepped on the stone dais and looked around the empty room. "Where is he?" Fate turned to her dragon, it was clear to who she was referring to. "You said he was already down here, didn't you?"

The dragon nodded. "Yes, Sir."

Nanoha raised an eyebrow. "Then where did he go?" There wasn't anywhere to hide unless he entered one of the dozen or so openings along the wall. "If this is the central chamber then he should be here."

"Maybe he fell into one these holes." A slight smile tugged at the corner of Fate's lip. She was currently inspecting one such hole at the end of the dais.

"Mou, Fate-chan, that's rude! It's bad luck."

"What?" The blonde looked back innocently. "It's simple reasoning. I meant nothing by it."

"Still."

Fate shrugged and continued examining the hole. From her enhanced vision she could see her earlier guess was right. The drop descended downwards passed the point where she could make it out anymore. What she did see, however, was a large pillar holding up the moon-shaped dais in the center. "Yuno could have turned into a cockroach and scurried off somewhere."

"Fate-chan!"

"If that was the case I'm going to step on him," echoed a new voice from higher up.

Nanoha and Fate whipped their heads around and looked to an opening at the top of a stairs.

A teenage girl, wearing armor similar to Fate's with less metal sections and more leather, stood there with a sour look on her face. She had the lithe build of a dancer, autumn red hair done up in pigtails, and the coolest shade of focused blue eyes. Those attributes made the redhead a very attractive girl, but she was purposely giving off an aura of severity to hide them. Not entirely though, her military grade armor was still worn with a teenage flare to accentuate her form. Anyone looking wouldn't have noticed anyway; the two cross guarded daggers attached to her thighs normally drew people's attention first.

"Teana," Fate said as she stood up, "Why are you here? I thought I told you to watch the camp."

In the redhead's arms rested a half dozen fist sized crystal cones. They looked heavy, and she did her best to hold them all up, but their weight was nothing to joke about. "Sorry, Milady. That stupid Elva came back and got me." Teana shook her head, her face the picture of extreme annoyance. "He said he needed my help inside, and although I initially refused him, he said it was for your benefit."

"He told you I sent for you?"

"Not in so many words, but he implied it." Teana made it clear her foul mood wasn't directed at the two girls. "Yuno, where did you go?!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Teana scanned the entire room but there wasn't any sight of the man. "Figures." The redhead began climbing down the stairs, each step was carefully balanced to keep from dropping any of the cones. "Stupid Elva!"

"Teana," Nanoha said admonishingly, "You shouldn't be rude."

"I didn't ask for your op…" Teana began say automatically, but one look at Fate's narrowing red eyes made her think better of it. "Sorry, I forget myself. I meant no harm." Her apology was directed more towards the blonde than her nearby companion. It was unforgivable to be acting like a commoner in front of her master.

Nanoha waved off the apology, laughing in the process to ease the tension. "Forget all about it." She waited patiently for the other girl to join them on the dais, when she did, Nanoha noted the weird crystals. They somewhat resembled the glowstones used back at the temple. "What are those?"

Teana sighed and carefully placed her bundle on the floor. She was beyond relieved to be free of their weight. "I don't know. Yuno told me to fetch them upstairs. These things were just lining the side of the main hallway." Teana jerked a thumb in the direction she came from. "Most of the tunnels were caved in, so I picked up the ones I could find." The redhead groaned and tenderly massaged her shoulder. " Really now, getting a woman to do all the dirty work for him. What kind of man is he?"

"Technically, I'm not a man," came a muffled voice from the center of the dais. "I'm Elva."

Teana let out a startled yelp. If she hadn't already set down the crystals, she might have dropped them at that point. As one, all the girl followed the voice back to the source, but oddly enough, no one saw any sign of the man.

"Maybe he did turn into a cockroach," Nanoha said in confusion. She scanned the floor just to be sure.

"I wish I could. Traveling as an insect would truly be an interesting experience."

Fate cocked her head and approached the podium. She could have sworn the voice echoed up from the bottom of it. "Where are you?"

"Down here."

"Where is here, and how did you get down there?" Fate pressed a hand to the bottom of the stone. The voice was definitely coming from beneath. Maybe somewhere inside the support column she spotted through the hole.

"Fate, do you see a crescent moon symbol on the podium?"

The armored girl rose up and searched the platform, sure enough, there as a white moon crest on the side facing the group. "I found it."

"Okay, now turn it counterclockwise."

Wearily, but firmly, Fate did as he asked. All the girl's jerked slightly when the stone dais began to shake beneath their feet. With a sound of grinding stone, the podium slid back to reveal the smiling face of Yuno staring up at them.

He was a very tall man with a slim build—the length of which was clad in a brown coat tunic with matching pants and boots. He had shoulder length blonde hair done up in a ponytail, forest green eyes, and a feature that made him stick out like a sore thumb, two long tapered ears that pointed at the ends. It was a disentangling characteristic shared by all members of his species.

"Good, you found it," the blonde man said pleasantly as he stepped up and stood among the surprised girls. Behind him was a circular staircase that descended so far down that it swallowed up all the moonlight.

"There you are." Teana grumbled and reached down to lift up a fist sized crystal stone. "Why do you need these anyway?"

"Ah." Yuno walked over and took the crystal. It was much heavier than it looked. "I was hoping you'd find some." With a simple pass of his hand, the stone lit up. "It's a sia'tar, or a crystal lamp in your language. We use these back home." The man smiled and waved it around. "Glad to see it still works. Much better than using torches."

"Says you," Teana grunted. "Nothing good comes from magic."

Yuno scratched the back of his head and tried not to meet the girl's piercing blue eyes. "If that was the case then coming here would be pointless."

Fate nodded, for once she agreed with him. "How did you find that?" The blonde pointed over at the opening.

"I didn't," Yuno said with a shrug. "Funny story. Here I was sitting here resting…"

"Resting!" Teana gave the man an incredulous look. "You just sat on your ass while I searched upstairs."

"Well…umm." Yuno smiled nervously. "Carrying you down here really did tire me out." He was telling the truth. To travel down the opening he needed to maintain an eagle form large enough to accomplish the task. It took a lot out of him, but he managed to carry Teana through safely. "It wasn't easy."

"Humph, you were the one who came to get me. Besides, I would have used Mirage if she wasn't looking after that stupid girl." Teana looked away in embarrassment. "I couldn't have been that heavy."

"No no," Yuno said hastily, "Of course not." He wouldn't mention that between her armor, weapons, and supply pack, she wasn't exactly a feather.

Nanoha got the man's attention, "You were saying." Yuno's one true fault was that he tended to get sidetracked a lot.

"Oh." Yuno cleared his throat. "There I was…sitting on my ass." He raised an eyebrow. "Is that the right phrasing?" His question was genuine, speaking Common meant changing the way he spoke it from one decade to the next. Maybe his context needed updating.

Teana growled. "Just get on with it!"

It was strange that a human girl one eighth his age could intimidate him, but the fiery redhead was best left unperturbed. "I was sitting there, over where the staircase directly opens up, and then suddenly….well it opens up." He had to laugh at that. "Next thing I know I'm rolling down a few stairs till I come to a sudden stop. There, looking down at me, is Lindy who thinks she just inadvertently killed me…"

"Wait." Fate held out a hand to pause him. "Lindy was already inside?"

Yuno nodded. "Apparently they got here and found the secret chamber long before I discovered the roof opening. Her and Signum were exploring the bottom chamber when we were looking around up here. They found me when they decided to get some fresh air."

Fate looked over at the secret staircase. "If they found you up here, then how come the door was closed when we found it?"

Yuno shrugged. "I closed it with a switch inside the stairwell."

Fate's eyes narrowed. "Can you open it from the inside?"

The Elva blinked in confusion, not seeing her point. "I suppose so. Why would the builders make a room they couldn't get out of?"

At the moment, Fate used her considerable will power to keep her voice even. "How come you didn't open it from the inside instead of making me look for the switch?"

The Elva shrugged with a smile. "If you didn't see it for yourself, how else could appreciate the craftsmanship?"

Nanoha stepped forward hastily. She sensed Fate was ready to do something she'd regret later. "Never mind that." She laughed nervously, drawing everyone's attention. Nanoha figured it was a good time to change the subject. "You shouldn't have left Teana up here alone, Yuno-kun. It's dangerous."

The redhead shrugged. "I can handle myself."

"True enough," Yuno said in agreement. "I wanted to take a look downstairs before I realized I needed the glow lamps."

"And both of them are down there right now?" Fate said, referring to members of team two.

"Yes."

"That's good then. Figures Lindy and Signum's team would make it here first." That wasn't too surprising. Being Elva, Signum and Lindy could transverse the ruins faster than all of them could—they said so themselves before everyone separated into two man groups.

"How about the last team?" Teana spoke up anxiously. She caught, way too late, how eager and nervous her voice sounded. When everyone looked towards her, she cleared her throat and tried again, "Team three, did they make it here yet?"

"No." Yuno shook his head. "Just team two and now team one."

"Oh." Teana fidgeted slightly, seemingly unsettled by that.

"I'm sure they're alright," Fate said softly, making eye contract with her apprentice.

"Humph." The teenager turned and looked away. "That stupid girl shouldn't even be here." No one said anything aloud, but they all knew who she was referring to.

"She's a brave one though." said a voice behind the group. Everyone simultaneously turned and looked at the newcomer.

Another armored woman, with a sword attached to her hip and a bow strapped to her back, stood at the entrance of the stairwell. She was athletic and tall with a figure that still retained her well rounded womanly curves—even in her silver plated red armor it was easy to see that. She also had long, pink-hued hair that was done up in a ponytail, oval shaped dark blue eyes, and a distinguishing feature that compared her to Yuno, a pair of tapered ears whose points poked out from her hair slightly.

The pink-haired Elva inclined her head in amusement. "Glad to see you all made it."

"Captain Opel." Teana bowed in acknowledgment, then straitened up. Signum Opel was perhaps the only non-human she truly respected.

"Teana," the Elva said with an impassive face, though a slight smirk appeared at the corner of her mouth. "you know better than all of us not to sell that girl short. She's earned her place with us."

Fate nodded and agreed with her pink-haired aide. "Despite your misgivings, Teana, we need all the help we can get. Right, Signum?"

"Wise as always, Lady Testarossa." Signum stepped up to the group and approached them. When she stopped, she crossed her arms and looked down at Bardiche. The dragon, which she noted was in his miniature form, sat vigilantly near Fate's leg. "And you." Signum raised an eyebrow at the black reptile. "Did Fate not tell you to patrol?"

Bardiche raised his head and cocked it sideways.

Signum nodded, as if listening to something the dragon was saying. After a time she let out a sigh. "You must learn to obey an order. Youth may be an excuse for a lesser brood, but as an Imperial you need to set an example. Mirage follows your lead, for Teana's sake you need to remember that."

The dragon snorted and turned away. Everyone else among the group didn't say anything abut the silent conversation. Signum, being an Elva, could communicate with a dragons in a ways no human could, that included just using her mind. Even Fate, who had a pact with Bardiche, could not do that.

"So." The oldest member out of all them looked up. She may have looked no older than twenty in human years, but Signum was by far their elder, and that included Yuno. "What are we waiting around for? Lets go." Signum clapped a closed fist over her chest and half bowed to the person with the highest authority. "By your will, Lady Testarossa."

The blonde nodded in acknowledgment and took the lead to the stairwell. "You're right. I'm anxious to get what we came for and return home."

"Thank the god and his holy light!" Teana said loudly. "The quicker we leave the Eastlands the better."

As the redhead passed Yuno, the man sighed sadly. "Would it make you less a Belkan to absorb some culture while your here?"

"Probably," Teana retorted as she began the long decent. "Stupid Elva." She knew Yuno's enhanced hearing could still hear that. When she was out of sight from the rest, she hastily added, "I didn't mean offense to you, Captain Opel."

"None taken," Signum said loudly enough to carry her voice downwards. She turned to Yuno. "Excuse her. Deep down she's a good girl."

Yuno waved it off. "I've spent too much time among humans to be upset over something like that."

"Still." Nanoha gave him an embarrassed smile. "How could a girl whose Fate-chan's apprentice turn out to be so rude?"

Signum snickered. "You didn't know Lady Testarossa before…she came to the Eastlands." What Signum really wanted to say was that she didn't know Lady Testarossa before she met Nanoha.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

The pinked-haired woman turned and started on the stairwell. "Lets just say she was a much harsher person than she is now."

"Are we talking about the same Fate-chan?" Nanoha pondered as she followed after the older woman. She couldn't imagine the blonde being anything but kind and considerate. Sure she was quiet and reserved at times, but the girl literally risked her life at a moments notice to save others.

After a minute, Yuno was the only one left in the large room. "Errr…guys?" The blonde Elva looked down at the heavy glow lamp in his hands, then he looked over at the large pile on the floor. It was at times like these Yuno was glad he could speak fluent Common; humans tended to invent colorful words suitable for moments just like this. "Oh crap."

00000000

"A…little…help…please," Yuno said between deep breaths. He didn't have the enhanced strength like the redhead did, and frankly, these lamps weighed a freaking ton. Luckily, his prayer was finally answered. "Huh?" The weight lifted from his arms, and the entire pile of glow lamps suspended in midair. They hovered there a moment before they gently laid themselves on the floor. Sighing in relief, Yuno raised his eyes to Nanoha, who currently had a hand extended outwards with an intricate symbol glowing in front of her palm. In the ancient language, the symbol meant 'levitate.' "Thanks for the help, but you shouldn't have done that."

The symbol faded and Nanoha retracted her hand. "Why not?"

Yuno quickly closed his eyes and covered them with an arm. "These things react to magic." No sooner had the words left his mouth that a chain reaction occurred; the entire pile of lamps suddenly flared to life.

"Ah!" The light flashed so brightly that Nanoha let out a yelp of pain. "Mou, Yuno-kun!" She gasped and covered her eyes. "Warn me quicker next time!"

"Sorry." Yuno apologized right before the light disappeared. Cautiously, he removed his arm to see what happened. Oddly enough, all the lamps had become silent. "How did you…" Yuno trailed off. To silence the lamps one would have to use a suppression spell, a very powerful one at that. Those were way out of Nanoha's league.

"Enough playing you two," said the good-natured voice of a woman. When Yuno and Nanoha turned to her, she smiled back at them.

The woman was elegance incarnate. She had long, exotically colored turquoise hair, eyes that burned with the same aquamarine hue, a beautiful face fit for a queen, long tapered ears adorned with fine gems, and the strangest tattoo etched on her forehead, all together it made Lindy both exotic and refined.

Yuno bowed to the elder in respect. "Thank you for your assistance, Matron."

At first glance she appeared to be in her mid-thirties but that was misleading. As an Elva, and for her to appear at that age, she was far older than any of them could fathom; even so, she didn't show it. Her mannerism tended to be that of a kind mother—a mother clad in the form fitting gray uniform of a Western officer.

"If you insist on calling me by a title," Lindy said admonishingly, "then my army rank will suffice."

Yuno had to censor himself before he said something unsightly. The woman was a matron, among his people there were few who earned as much respect as they did. That's why it vexed him that Lindy refused to speak their native language, abide by their customs, and most shockingly of all, identify herself with humans. Signum he could understand, but not Lindy. "As you wish, Commander."

"You two should come along," the woman said with her pleasant voice. "You might want to see what I uncovered."

"See what, Lindy-san?" Nanoha asked.

"You'll see." Lindy's hand quickly twitched by her side and a symbol formed like the one Nanoha had used earlier. With a slight shuffle, the crystal cones lifted from the floor and floated passed Lindy down the dark hallway. Every so often a cone would place itself into an alcove to light the way. "That's much better." Lindy motioned them to follow. "You're going to love this, come on."

As the two followed behind the woman, Nanoha whispered to Yuno nearby, "How does she do that?"

"Do what?"

"Cast a symbol with a flick of her finger." It wasn't the first time Nanoha witnessed the immense prowess that Lindy possessed, but as was each time, it never ceased to amaze her.

Yuno shrugged. "Even I'm in awe of her abilities."

"You two flatter me." Lindy let out a giggle, one that sounded far too carefree for a woman her age.

Nanoha kept forgetting how good the hearing was on an Elva. She figured the ears weren't just for show. "So what did you find down here?"

"You'll see." Lindy's answers were always aloof. It had become her way of life.

00000000

"Can you bring the light a little closer?" Fate said without turning around. She was currently looking at some strange fossil remnants on the floor when a light source appeared behind her. The blonde had originally figured Lindy and the rest had come back with the glow lamps, but when she didn't receive an answer, she turned around. "I…see." Three lamps floated into the room suspended in midair. Thanks to her training, Fate could literally taste the magic coming off of them.

Teana could taste it as well. "Lindy's magic. All her spells reek with tons of mana. Nanoha and Yuno's are more subtle." She hoped her assessment would impress her master and teacher.

Fate nodded in acknowledgement. "You're getting better." A moment later Lindy, Yuno, and Nanoha all entered the room. Fate was ready to greet them, but her voice suddenly caught in her throat. The soft glow of the lamps reflected off of Nanoha's silken white robes and cast the brunette in an ethereal light. The effect it created around the girl threatened to take her breath away.

"Beautiful isn't she?" said Signum's amused voice to the right.

"Verily so," Fate agreed. Nanoha was definitely pleasant to the eyes. "Huh?" The blonde suddenly came back to reality, it was then she realized what she admitted to.

Signum smiled indulgently. "You surprise me, Lady Testarossa. I was almost convinced you had ice running through your veins."

"I…" Fate didn't know what to say. Her friend had finally caught her with that one. "Enough, Signum. It's not what you think."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Signum said smugly. She leaned over and whispered in blonde's ear, "How does the phrase go, 'you're only human.'"

Nanoha approached the two women. "What are you two talking about?" She noted the way Fate blushed a deep scarlet and turned away. "Hmm." She moved with her to make eye contact. "So?"

"It's…it's nothing." Fate cast a glance over her shoulder and spotted Signum giving her a knowing smirk. Without saying a word, the pink-haired girl turned and walked off to join the rest. At the other side, Lindy was ushering everyone over there to show them something. "We should go see what that's all about."

It was an obvious change of subject but Nanoha relented out of courtesy. "Lead the way, Fate-chan."

Lindy was pleased to see the last two girls fall in with the rest. "So everyone here?"

"Except for group three," Teana said quickly.

Lind smiled. "I'm sure they are fine."

"Errr," Teana groaned and crossed her arms, "why does everyone keep saying that? It's not like I'm worried or anything. I was just pointing it out."

Everyone snickered at the redhead's expense with the exception of Yuno. He was too busy running his hand along the panel behind Lindy. It was the reason he never heard a single word anyone had said since entering the strange chamber. "Did you uncover this?" He turned to the older Elva behind him. "I didn't see it when I was here earlier."

The turquoise-haired woman smiled. "It was covered with a lot of dirt. If you didn't know where to look I doubt you'd find it at first glance."

Fate raised an eyebrow. "And you did?"

"You could say that." Lindy shrugged, stepping forward to slap Yuno's hand away from the stone. "Don't poke around with that." The male archeologist was playing around with a delicate interface that was built in the days of the ancient empires. "If you break it we won't be able to get in. At least not without a ton of explosives."

Yuno hummed in thought, rubbing his hand at the same time. "You're right. My apologies." It had to be explosives. No amount of magic could penetrate that stone; it would simply absorb mana like a sponge. "Wait…open what?"

"What we came here for I hope," Signum deadpanned.

Yuno turned back to panel. It was a runic interface. They were common enough among buildings back home, but those were simple three node combination locks. This thing had twenty-eight. "Would anyone happen to have the combination?"

A collective groan resounded throughout the gathering. "You've got to be kidding." Teana let out a sigh. "Aren't you the expert?"

"I agree," Fate said wearily. "You assured me you could get us what we were looking for."

"True," Yuno said nervously, "But not everything has gone according to plan. How was I supposed to know…"

Nanoha held out her hand to get everyone's attention. "Yuno is doing his best. It's not going to make it any easier if you gang up on him."

Signum crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "If he can't get us what we want, then this whole thing has been a gigantic waste of time." The pink-haired woman narrowed her eyes at the blonde Elva. "Milady enlisted your aid on faith. I hope you won't tell me, after coming all this way, that it was misplaced." Her blue eyes bore no humor with her words. It added a wave of tension that everyone in the group felt.

"It's okay, Signum." Fate couldn't believe she was ready to say this, "I have…faith in Yuno. He won't let us down." Three set of eyes looked towards her incredulously. Signum for one, because her lady's vote of confidence was unexpected, but the other two were Teana and Bardiche. Nanoha, on the other hand, wasn't so much surprised as she was grateful for the support.

As for Lindy, she smiled approvingly. "That's good to hear." The older woman gave the blonde a look that resembled a mother being proud of her child. "There is still hope left in this world if when a Rossa puts her trust in an Elva."

Fate didn't really understand the vague comment, but she accepted the praise all the same. "So Yuno, can you figure it out?"

The male Elva swallowed hard. "I can try." Their expectations were unsettling to say the least.

"That won't be necessary," Lindy announced, drawing everyone's attention back to her. Ignoring their curious stares, she stepped up to the panel and began pressing buttons. Each touch of her finger injected a trace amount of mana into the crystalline surface. It not only supplied the mechanism with power, but it also supplied the combination.

"Lindy-san?" Nanoha's voice registered the surprise everyone felt.

Everyone except for Yuno. The archeologist, with all of his years of study and knowledge, was beyond surprised. "How could you possibly know the combination? Just how old are you?"

The older Elva wagged a finger on her free hand. "Haven't you been among humans long enough to know it's rude to ask a lady her age?" Her whimsical voice also carried an undertone with it. Basically she was telling him the answer wasn't important right now. After placing a few more combinations, Lindy paused. "…How did that go again…" She touched a finger to her chin in thought. It was a tense moment while everyone waited for her to continue. A minute went by, then another, and she still couldn't remember. Lindy remained that way while she hummed quietly.

Several more long minutes passed by, and the waiting started to grate on everyone's nerves. Luckily, someone decided to break the silence.

"So this is where everyone was at," said a boisterous female voice from behind the group, its unexpectedness effectively startled everyone in the process. While the more seasoned members showed their surprise by flinching slightly, Teana, as usual, overreacted with zeal.

In a heartbeat, a twirling noise filled the air between the group and the newcomer. For a brief moment silence returned before it was broken again by a started yelp. "T-T-Tea! That almost hit me." The newcomer stared on in wide-eyed shock. A centimeter from the blue-haired girl's face rested one of Teana's daggers.

The girl was an unusual sort, around the same age and build as Teana with the strangest color of hair possessed by a human, a rare shade of dark blue. It was strange by a Westerner's standards, but the girl was an Eastlander like Nanoha. For them the only strange thing about the girl was the way she dressed: long armored boots like Signum's, black leather tunic and shirt like Teana's, silver metal spaulders like Signum's. The only thing that seemed to be her own was the single gauntlet she wore on her right arm. The thing was a wicked obsidian hand comprised of elongated knuckle spikes. As a petite girl, she didn't look strong enough to pack it with much of a punch, but she fooled people in that regard. Anyone who saw her in a fight could see her considerable agility compensated for lack of physical strength.

"You took years off my life, Tea." The dagger, amazingly enough, was lodged deep into the stone wall.

Teana thanked god she pulled her hand at the last second. "Subaru…you…I…don't sneak up on us like that!" she finally said in exasperation. "You're just lucky I missed."

Subaru laughed nervously as she slid away from the weapon that almost replaced her nose. In hindsight, Tea never missed; it just meant the other girl saw her in the nick of time. "I'm okay." The blue-haired girl waved it off. She was a little embarrassed by everyone's attention.

A shuffling off to Subaru's side made everyone look down. There, in all his tiny glory, was another winged reptile. While Bardiche was a full grown dragon—the size of a dog in his miniature form—this dragon was still a baby because it was no bigger than a cat in its small form. That wasn't the only difference between the two. Unlike Fate's trusted companion, this one wasn't adorned with obsidian scales. Instead, from its tail to its single horned head, the tiny dragon was layered with bronze colored scales. Furthermore, its wings and claws were also less developed than its elder.

"Mirage!" Teana let out a cry that sounded similar to a girl finding her long lost pet. "Come here."

At the girl's beckon, the little dragon bounded across the floor and leaped into the redhead's arms. Whilst there, Teana cooed to the little thing affectionately. The image that everyone witnessed was very much at odds with the girl that everyone knew. For one she was smiling, secondly, she addressed the bronze creature in a voice that held none of her usual steel. "Do you have any idea how mad I am right now?" she admonished the dragon softly. In response, Mirage let out a coo, its ability to communicate in words hadn't developed yet.

Subaru let out a snicker. "Come on, Tea. You are acting like you're happier to see the dragon than you are to see me."

"Humph." The redhead nuzzled the small, and in her opinion, fragile creature. "I am."

"That hurts." The blue-haired girl groaned but showed no real sign of being offended. Deep down Subaru knew better.

Lindy hated interrupting the two girls, but never the less, she had to ask, "Where's my little boy?"

"Right here, Commander," said a man who stepped out from the dark hallway.

He was almost has tall as Yuno with short, dark black hair, a build of a soldier with a countenance to match, and steely blue eyes. He projected the image of a fighter ready for battle; made even more so with his black trench coat and silver plated armor that fortified his body. It was built in a similar fashion to Fate's, but his was far more thicker with a gray color scheme instead of black.

"And I'm not a little boy," The twenty-five year old man grunted. In addition to a sinister looking lance that was strapped to his back, the black-haired man was also holding a bulky sack full of objects.

"To me you will always be my little boy," Lindy retorted, much to man's chagrin. "What's in the sack, Chrono?"

The solider looked over at Subaru in annoyance, the Eastlander smiled back nervously. "Souvenirs."

"Souvenirs?" Yuno repeated with a snicker. "Since when do you collect trinkets, or do you plan to put them on a shelf with your war medals?"

"Stowe it, Ferret Boy!" After the booby-traps, cave ins, and general pains in the ass, Chrono didn't have the patience to deal with, in his opinion, the most annoying bastard in the entire world. "I swear you're the reason why Belkans hate non-humans."

"They hate you as well," Yuno said in a scholarly way, "last time I checked." He stared at the man's ears, while appearing human in terms of length, they were pointed at the tips. It was a clear sign of the Chrono's mixed heritage. "Belkans probably despise mixed bloods more than the…"

"Shut up." Chrono narrowed his eyes.

"I'm just saying," The blonde retorted, his voice growing irritated; there just wasn't any dealing with the other man. He definitely inherited the human temperament. "Besides, isn't grave robbing considered a sin with the human god you worship?"

"Okay, that's it!" Chrono dropped the sack of trinkets, which in turn it earned a squeal of surprise from Subaru as she dived for the bag—whatever was in there had belonged to her. "I've had enough you." The man unhooked the spear from his back.

Everyone knew what was going to happen next, it happened every time. The two men postured in each other's face, Fate let out a sigh, Lindy shook her head with disapproval, Teana rolled her eyes, Signum shrugged, Subaru found an excuse to do something else, and Nanoha played the most important role of all, "Mou, that's enough! Must you always fight?"

"He started it!" Both men said at the same time like little children.

"I don't care who started it. We don't have time to watch you two have a…" Nanoha tried to remember that phrase.

"A pissing contest," Signum finished for her. She had her eyes closed while she relaxed against wall. The pink-haired Elva could care less about the whole argument.

"Right." Nanoha laughed nervously. "One of those."

Yuno decided to be the bigger man this time. "Postpone till later?"

Chrono nodded while glaring at the other man. "Definitely." Just like that, it was over.

"Not exactly a peace treaty, but it works." Fate turned back to the oldest Elva. "Can we open the door now?"

Subaru watch as Teana retrieved her dagger. She marveled at how effortlessly the redhead yanked the blade from the stone. "Door?"

"Ya," Teana pointed her free hand in the direction of the opposite wall—her other arm was still firmly wrapped around Mirage. "We ran into a dead end with some kind of magical lock."

"Neat." The blue-haired girl picked the sack off the floor. Subaru struggled a bit at first, but she finally managed to sling it over her shoulder. It impressed her how easy Chrono had made it seem; then again he had the same powers that Tea and Fate-san possessed.

"Stupid, if we can't crack it open this whole trip is pointless."

"I wouldn't say that." Subaru turned and gave her a winning smile. "We got to know one another better."

"Like I said," The redhead narrowed her eyes. "Pointless."

"You're so mean, Tea," Subaru said jokingly. The other girl could rant and rave all she wanted but deep down Tea cared.

"Whatever." Teana looked over at the sack. "So what's in the bag?"

"Stuff," The other girl said evasively.

"Stuff?" Again the redhead's eyes narrowed. She bent down and placed Mirage on the floor. "Give me that." With lightning speed, she leaped up and snatched the sack from the other girl.

"Hey, give it back!"

Teana ignored the sapphire-haired girl. With a tug of the drawstring, she peeked inside. "Toys?" She turned and raised an eyebrow.

"They're not toys. Those are works of art." A blush worked its way on Subaru's face. She walked around and shuffled through the sack in Teana's hands. "See." She pulled out one of the figurines. It was a tiny dragon statuette crafted in alabaster stone. "Aren't they neat looking?"

Teana blinked. "I…guess."

"Exactly," Subaru reiterated with renewed excitement. "They were scattered all over the place a few rooms back. Can you believe that? Just look at the craftsmanship! It would be a shame to leave them buried up here."

"That explains the sack." Teana shrugged. "But Chrono went along with it?"

A smirk appeared on the mischievous Eastlander's face. "Half are his."

"What?" Teana turned to the tall man in surprise.

"Subaru!" Chrono called out near the wall. Him and the rest were silently watching the two teenagers. That was until the girl blurted that out.

"How cute." Nanoha gave the black-haired man a smile. "I didn't know Chrono-kun still liked toys."

"They're not toys!" Subaru and Chrono said at the same time.

"Interesting." Yuno examined the figurine in Subaru's hand. "Dragons depicted with white scales."

For the first time Signum showed in interest in the conversation. "Whoever heard of a white dragon?"

In the world there was only two types of dragon. The more common sun brood—a flight that ranged from earthly brown to glistening gold—it was the flight that consisted of ninety-eight percent of the world's winged reptiles. The final type was none other than the Imperial brood. They were the dragons no one could confuse with the others: their sizes could double that of the sun brood, their eyes glowed with a majestic gold, and their obsidian scales were stronger than the toughest steel. Imperials were called the king of dragons for a good reason. After them and the suns, any other flights were nothing but fairytales.

"Such fantastical toys," Signum said dismissively.

All the Western born members of the group agreed, everyone but Lindy. She simply stood there with a sad smile. "What compelled you to take them, Chrono?"

The man sighed. "I got them for the twins. After being away for so long I wanted to bring them something when I returned." Everyone gave the man a smirk, even the normally unemotional Fate and Signum. "By god, it's not a big deal. If any of you had children you'd understand."

"Awe!" Lindy reached over and pinched his cheek. "You're such a good father."

"Thanks," the man deadpanned, taking the humiliation like a trooper. "Are you finished?"

"Just remember to bring Amy one. She likes that sort of thing."

Chrono brushed her hand away band rubbed his cheek. "Hah. Knowing Amy she'll want a real one."

Teana laughed. "Good luck on that." Needless to say, it was highly unlikely. The redhead turned to the girl next to her. "Here." She reached over and took the dragon statue then placed it back in the sack. Without a word, Teana hoisted the entire thing over her shoulder and turned back to join the group.

"Thank you." Subaru smiled gratefully, following after the girl. Tea was being kind again without saying a word. "You're so cute, Tea."

"Shut up!"

When everyone was gathered around Lindy, the turquoise-haired woman grabbed everyone's attention. "So we are finally all here."

"May we continue then," Fate said politely.

"Of course!" Lindy spun around back to the panel. "Now where was I…" Without waiting for a reply, she started over from the beginning. She's was grateful no one took the time to ask her how she knew the right combination.

"Is that the lock thingy?" Subaru whispered in Teana's ear. She noted, with satisfaction, that her breath on the other girl's ear made the redhead shiver.

"Yes." A blush worked its way on Teana's cheeks.

"Shhh!" four separate people said at same time. The last thing anyone wanted was for Lindy to get distracted again.

They must have jinxed themselves.. "What was it again…" Lindy said aloud with a finger on her chin in thought. A collective sigh resounded from behind her. "…just kidding." Lindy smiled to herself; the kids were so easy at times. She quickly finished inputting the final rune. "There." With one last projection of mana, it was complete. Suddenly three glowing circles appeared before the panel.

"Now what?" Chrono nudged his mother's shoulder.

"The most important part." The password Lindy knew, but this new lock was something only one person in all the world could break. Lindy turned to the girl garbed in the temple robes of her people. "Everything we have put you through has led to this point. Please come here, Nanoha."

The brunette swallowed. She found it hard to believe that she was as special as everyone kept telling her, but now was the time to prove herself. As Fate-chan was fond of saying, 'put out or yield.'

Lindy nodded. "It can only be you."

Nanoha nodded. She was ready to step forward but was stopped by an unexpected hand on her shoulder. She suddenly found herself staring into beautiful, yet sad red eyes. Fate didn't say anything, but those red eyes were telling her how sorry she was for everything. "What do you need me to do?" Nanoha said firmly, placing a hand over Fate's. She hoped that somehow the blonde could feel her gesture through the metal gauntlets.

"Simple." Lindy backed away to let the human approach to the rotating circles. "Just place an arm through there."

"And then what?"

"Nothing. It will do the rest."

Nanoha nodded and drew back her sleeve. Tentatively, she began to enter her arm through the circles.

Lindy just remembered more about the process. "It also may sting a little bit."

"Ahh." Nanoha groaned in pain. Lindy-san's warning came too late; the pain took her by surprise.

Wide eyed, the blonde stepped forward to assist, but a raised hand from Nanoha held her in place.

"I'm okay," she told the blonde. Everyone, including Nanoha, watched in amazement as three holes opened up on her wrist. Through each hole a stream of blood poured from her skin into the three rings. When it finally stopped, the holes on her arm sealed themselves. "What…" Nanoha cringed then trailed off. The rings glowed brighter and began to rotate in the air. At the same time, a line of ancient runes began to light up along the surface of the door.

"That will be enough." Lindy pulled the brunette back from the circles. "It worked. It's reading your blood as we speak."

"Lets see if the rumors are true then," Yuno said with wonder. "If you do indeed possess the their blood, it will open."

Lindy nodded in agreement, there was more to it than that but she left it unsaid. She needn't worry, sure enough, Nanoha was the real deal.

Everyone stepped back when the ancient stone door began to grate noisily. It seemed it was opening, although far too slowly for everyone's taste, but after a time it finally did. The first thing everyone did was brace themselves against a sudden gust of wind that blew from the opened chamber. It lasted only a second, but it left everyone shivering. The air was freezing.

"We need a light," Fate said to break the awestruck silence that fell on the room. Even Lindy, who always seemed to be in control, was stunned speechless. Inside the room it was pitch black, unnaturally so. Not even Fate's enhanced night vision could penetrate the darkness. From the looks on Signum, Chrono, and Teana's faces, neither could they.

Lindy waved a finger and formed a seal. Two of the lamps in back began moving forward. "This should help…" Her words fell dead on her tongue. Two new light sources appeared from inside the unnatural darkness. The lights were glowing crimson red.

Nanoha, who happened to be the person at the front, yelped in alarm. The two glowing red lights had disappeared, then reappeared again. It was then she realized they weren't lights at all. "Err..." She backed away slowly. The red orbs were enormous reptilian eyes.