Chapter 19: Diana.

"Samarr duapis!" Akko casted the duplication spell yet again, trying to make a clone of herself. This time she concentrated as best as she could, going over every single detail of her own appearance in her mind. She had been at it for hours now, and she really wanted the torture to end, but… would Diana really keep her there until she mastered this spell? The sun had begun to set in the sky and she still hadn't made any real progress!

As expected, once the cloud of smoke dissipated, there was no clone standing beside her; instead, there was a creature with the body of a small bird, feathers on her body and a human face that at least did look similar to Akko's. Well… it wasn't that bad of an attempt. What she couldn't understand was why she kept making chickens.

"Should I try again?" Akko asked despite knowing the most likely answer to her question.

"That's enough." Diana said, to Akko's surprise. "I see there'll be no real progress from you today and I have some duties to attend to."

"Oh! I see. Good luck then!" Akko tried to dissimulate her happiness upon having been dismissed, but she did a very poor job and Diana noticed nonetheless.

"Not so fast, Akko!" She yelled strictly when she realized the girl was about to pretty much run away. "Go to the library while I'm gone. I left a book about blood witches there for you to study, and I will be asking you questions about it tomorrow."

"Blood witches?" Akko practically whined. "But we've already learned about them at school!"

"Oh, really?" Diana crossed her arms over her chest. "Then please do tell me the symptoms exhibited by a victim of a blood witch."

"Uhh…"

"That's what I thought." And with that, Diana was gone.

And so, Akko went to the library, opened the dumb book Diana had left for her and started reading. Most of what the first part said was stuff she already knew; that blood witches are normal humans that have drank a witch's blood, obtaining magic themselves. It also said that, although their magical power couldn't be inherited by their descendants, blood witches did seem to grow stronger with each successive generation, which was similar to what Croix had explained. So far, nothing new.

The next section, however, was titled "How to tell if someone is being a victim of a blood witch and ways to treat them". Great. That didn't seem boring at all. And why would she even need to know that? It's not like blood witches would go after her… right?

Blood witches are deceitful creatures, who usually make use of illusions, tricks and lies to manipulate their victims, getting them to a vulnerable situation, upon which they can make their move.

Most blood witches will try to make their activities unknown to their victim and to the people close to them, so their approach is usually subtle and cautious. Often, they start by making their victim trust them enough so that they're willing to spend time alone with them and keep it secret; this can be accomplished either by the use of hypnosis spells or potions or just by lying about their identities, pretending they want to help their victim.

Since most witches have protective barriers in their homes, blood witches will usually give their victims presents imbued with spells that can break those barriers; allowing the blood witch access to the victim's home at any time. They then enter their rooms at night, disguised as different animals, and take a small quantity of blood from the victim while she's asleep.

At first, the victim in question won't show any symptoms except for a few bruises in places people normally won't see, like her lower back. At this stage, it's very difficult to detect a blood witches' activity except by carefully observing the behavior of witches around you, especially young girls. However, when the blood witch has been draining her victim's magic for a few weeks, she will develop a permanent chill and chronic pain will wrack her body, and finally the victim will die of the combined blood/magic deprivation.

Oof! That wasn't scary or anything. Akko shuddered. It was giving her the creeps! Especially because she couldn't help but notice the similarities to her own relationship with Croix. She had lied at first about her relationship with Chariot and her knowledge of magic, and she had somehow convinced her of meeting her alone and keeping their relationship secret for quite some time. Not to mention, she had practically showered her with presents from the very beginning, yet… Croix wasn't trying to drink her blood and steal her magic; she was giving her magic, which… honestly Akko didn't know what to make of that.

Sure, Croix seemed good and she trusted her… to a degree. But she also couldn't help the feeling that she had some ulterior motive. That, or maybe she had just treated her like she used to treat her victims because she didn't know any other way to interact with people. That was possible, right? Right. She… she probably shouldn't think about that. She was sure she'd see Croix again and then everything would be clarified.

For now, she needed to keep studying, so she turned the page and-

W-what… what was that?

Akko's eyes were instantly drawn to a page full of horrifying pictures of deformed corpses; some were charred to the point their skin had turned black, others were missing eyes and teeth, and many of them were swollen; their skin red and full of bruises.

And… although the pictures seemed to have been taken with a very old camera, judging by their blurry nature and dull colors, there was no doubt they were real. But… why? Why put them there?!

Frantically, Akko's eyes scanned the page trying to find and explanation for this atrocity, which was a very easy task considering the entire left page was dedicated to it.

Although it's not necessary for blood witches to gain magic, many will abduct their victim once they consider she's weak enough. Then, they'll torture her to death in rituals that usually involve the removing of nails, teeth and eyes and the infliction of excruciating pain through beating and/or burning. Their aim is for their victim to die because of the pain, however; not the injuries.

The corpse will then be usually placed somewhere where the victim's family can easily find it and they'll rejoice, witnessing the families sorrow from a distance. It is also believed that…

Akko had to stop reading. This was too much! Was this even real? Judging by the pictures, she'd say it was, but… Oh gosh. It really seemed too evil to exist, and yet… she did remember Croix saying that some blood witches came to enjoy the gory nature of their practices.

She shuddered. Maybe it was best to move on from this section and continue with the rest of the book, or else she would be unable to sleep at night.

"Aaaaah!" Akko screamed as she opened her eyes, covered in cold sweat. She couldn't quite remember what she had been dreaming, but… it probably was the scariest thing ever, because her heart seemed to be actively trying to get out of her chest and bolt out at the speed of light. But… it was just a dream. That's all. There was nothing to worry about; she just needed to breathe and…

She almost jumped out of her skin when she saw a flash of light at the corner of her eye, but… oh. It was just the lightning outside. She hadn't even realized it was raining.

Wanting to go back to sleep despite it all, Akko got up from her bed and took a step towards the window, only to be promptly stopped by Polaris.

"No." He said, hair standing up in fear. "Danger."

"I'm just going to close the curtain." Akko answered, pushing past him to do just that. However, just as her hands grabbed the fine silk, she noticed a shadow on a tree outside. Another ray of lightning gave her enough light to see its shape, but… Was it a bird? Some sort of crow? When she blinked it was gone, but… its absence made a knot settle in the pit of her stomach for some reason, and she hurried to close the curtains.

It was nothing. Probably just an owl or another big bird. That damn book was getting to her head! Even if it mostly didn't contain anything more explicit than what she'd seen at the beginning, it was still enough to make her uneasy at night, wondering what could be hiding in the dark shadows, on the corners of her room.

"Akko… I'm scared." Polaris spoke, going to try and climb Akko's leg. The girl then picked him up and hugged him, trying to comfort them both.

"Me too." She admitted. "But it's only rain. Nothing we have to worry about."

"Big human said 'protect Akko'. I'm good cat."

"Big… human?" In response the kitten jumped off her arms and went to her back pack, from where he got… the jacket? The red jacket Croix had given her as a gift?

She took it in her hands and carefully brought it towards her face, strangely finding Croix's familiar smell of ramen and coffee within it. It was weird because she was pretty sure that it was new when she received it, and Croix had never worn it, but… she wasn't going to complain. Without hesitating for a second, she put on the jacket and was instantly filled with a warm sensation that, somehow, reminded her of both Croix and her mother. She wished at least one of them was with her at the moment. She'd certainly feel a lot safer with a loved one by her side.

Suddenly, she heard a loud thud coming from Diana's room, followed by what seemed like footsteps, rattling and ragged breaths. She almost jumped out of her skin, but… it was Diana, right? It had to be. Even if the girl hadn't been there by the time she'd went to sleep. But surely she was in her room now, right? Surely.

Polaris hissed and went to hide under the bed, while Akko tried to gulp away her fear as she reached for her wand and slowly approached the bookshelf that hid the entrance to her roommate's space. Now, she knew Diana would get mad at her if she saw her, but… she'd rather face her fury than regret it of she later found out there had been an intruder in Diana's room.

And so, she pushed the bookshelf and stepped into the room, only to find… oh. It was just Diana. But… even with the small amount of light provided by her wand, it was very clear that she was soaked from head to toe, no doubt from flying through the storm, if the broom she was holding was any indication. She was also shivering uncontrollably as she desperately tried to find something to wear in her closet.

"Diana?" She called, starting her

The girl in question turned around, startled, and dropped her broom in surprise. She probably hadn't been expecting Akko to be awake at that hour.

"A-Akko?" She asked through trembling teeth. "G-get o-out of m-my room!"

"I'm sorry! I just… I heard noise and I came to see if there was an intruder or something." She explained.

"Well, it's me. You can go now." She pretty much snarled at her, trying to look intimidating, but… that was quite difficult considering she was trembling.

"You're all wet and freezing. Where were you?" She didn't mean to be noisy, of course, since wherever Diana went to at night was none of her business, but… she had just read an entire chapter of a book about blood witches and the horrors they did to their victims. And… well, maybe she wasn't very fond of Diana, but she wasn't going to let anything happen to her either.

"Honestly, Akko, what I do or don't doesn't concern you." She answered rather defensively. A little too defensively, perhaps? Did the ever-proper Diana have a dirty secret to hide?

"You're right, but… wait." Akko's eyes widened when she had a sudden realization. "Are you seeing someone?"

"W-what? No! What gave you t-that idea?" Oh, yeah. She definitely sounded nervous. Seems like Akko had hit the nail in the head.

"Oh my god! Really? You have a boyfriend?!" She exclaimed. Oh, she would have never imagined that the cold-hearted Diana Cavendish would sneak out at night to see some boy. Now that was some juicy gossip!

"I-I… a boyfriend?" She said that last word like it was the greatest insult to mankind.

"Oh? I'm sorry I assumed!" Akko' quickly apologized. "You have a girlfriend then? Because I have no problem with that! I mean, my mom had a girlfriend and-"

"Akko!" Diana's firm voice interrupted her ramblings, realizing she was making her angry. Akko then gave her a sheepish smile, upon which Diana simply shook her head as answer. "I… suppose it's best if I tell you everything, least you get the wrong idea."

"Uh… alright." So… did that mean Diana didn't have a boyfriend or girlfriend? With those looks? It was probably because of her nasty attitude scaring everyone away.

"Can you please turn around first?" She asked more calmly. "I need to change."

"Oh? Of course!" Quickly, Akko turned around and stared intently at a spot on the wall like it was the most interesting thing she'd ever seen. It's not like she wanted to see Diana naked, after all. And besides, even if she sneaked a peek, she wouldn't be able to see much in the darkness, right? Well, then was there really any harm…? No! No. She couldn't. Spot on the wall was her new friend.

"You can look now." Diana's voice startled her and, sure enough, when she turned around, she was met with the sight of the Cavendish heir herself wearing a nightgown. She had probably used a drying spell too, since her golden locks had regained their usual fluffy nature.

"Aren't you cold still?" Akko asked upon noticing her slight shivering that still persisted. "I can lend you my jacket if you want."

"I'll be fine." She dismissed the thought before going to sit at the edge of her bed and patting the spot next to her as an invitation for Akko to join her. The girl promptly obliged, curious as to what Diana had to say.

"So… you're not having a romantic affair?"

"No." She answered firmly. "But I must urge you to keep this a secret nonetheless. It's a personal issue and I wouldn't want anyone else knowing about it."

"Uhm… sure." Akko agreed. Granted, keeping secrets wasn't exactly her specialty, but she could definitely try.

"The only reason I'm telling you is because we're roommates at the moment, so it's best you're aware of my nightly activities, least you get the wrong idea."

"Huh?" Akko's eyes widened as another wild idea entered her mind. "Wait… are you a vampire?!"

"What- No!" Diana seemed baffled at the suggestion.

"A vigilante then?"

"Not exactly…"

"An assassin? A spy?"

"Akko!" Upon Diana's yell so clearly full of utter exasperation, Akko had to cover her mouth with her hands in order to physically stop herself from bursting every thought that entered her mind. This only earned her a glare from the other girl, however, but Akko quickly made a zipper motion over her mouth to assure her she'd keep quiet now. With an defeated sigh, Diana continued.

"You are no doubt aware of my mother's passing just a few months ago." Although both girls knew this to be the case, since Diana had mentioned it in the past, she still waited for Akko to nod before continuing. "A member of the Rouge Hunters came after her death and confirmed she'd been killed by blood witches, and promised they'd keep investigating." Akko blinked. What did this have to do with Diana's escapades?

"Well, shortly after I came to live here in order to prepare to take my place as the head of the family, I was contacted by another member of the Rouge Hunters. At first, I thought it was odd, since my aunt is technically the head right now, but she specifically sought me and asked to see me in secret."

"That is rather odd." Akko couldn't help saying her opinion.

"The reason for this, as she explained, is that she believed someone else in this house had helped the blood witches infiltrate in order to commit the murder." Diana frowned as those words escaped her mouth and her whole body visibly tensed. It was obvious she was uncomfortable talking about this. "I didn't want to believe it, but it made sense. We have one of the best security systems in the magic world, but during the past two decades, three of my family members have been murdered nonetheless."

"Three?" Akko gulped. That… that truly was strange.

"She asked me to give her information about everyone in the household, no matter how innocent they might seem, and I've been doing so in secret." She continued. "So far we've only been able to rule out Anna and some of the other servants."

"What about your aunt?" Akko couldn't help asking. After all, Daryl was Bernadette's sister! Surely she wouldn't help with her murder!

"My aunt… is the most suspicious so far." She admitted with a grimace. "She had always envied my mother, and her death made her proxy head of the family. She probably didn't expect me to leave Luna Nova in order to become the heir myself, but even now she's actively sabotaging my training." She looked pointedly at Akko, who shrank under her gaze.

"Sorry…"

"I suppose there's nothing that can be done about it." She sighed and went back to stare at the floor. "But if she was responsible for my mother's death, I will personally make sure to give her an appropriate punishment." Her tone turned murderous as she said this last part, and Akko felt chills run down her spine. Geez, and she thought Diana was scary before!

"Okay, but… are you sure it's safe to meet this stranger at night all by yourself?" Akko couldn't help asking. After all, she had just read a book about such dangers.

"It's a bit risky, especially if a blood witch has been watching closely my family, like we believe." Diana admitted. "But I'm hoping she'll reveal herself if she thinks me vulnerable enough. Hopefully, then I will be able to take her out with the Hunter's help, and avenge my mother once and for all." She said it all so casually, but Akko couldn't quite believe what she was hearing.

"Wha- Revenge is not the answer! And what are you even planning to do with the blood witch?!"

"I'm planning to do what she did to my mom!" She practically yelled; her eyes looking at Akko with fierce determination as if daring her to question her actions once again.

"Kill her? Would you really do that?!"

"I would kill her a thousand times if I could!" She answered, barely contained anger sweeping from her voice. "It might not be ideal. It won't bring my mother back, but… what options do I have? Just stay here and do nothing? Like Chariot did for so many years?"

"I…" Akko didn't want to yell at Diana, since she knew first hand the pain of losing someone she loved. But… she couldn't just let her badmouth her mother. "Leave my mom out of this!"

"Your mother is a traitor and a coward!" Diana doubled down in her accusations, her voice breaking and trembling, but… probably not because of the cold. "Where was she when my grandma died? Where was she when my newborn sister was murdered?" Tears started pouring out of her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away.

"Where was the chosen one when my family needed her the most? Performing stupid shows nobody cares about! Avoiding her responsibilities and running away from her problems!"

"I-I… that's not…" Akko tried to find a way to defend her mother, but words seemed to evade her. Diana's own words echoed inside her head instead; blaming the deaths of three of her family members in a chosen one who didn't come. She could certainly understand her pain. But… that didn't change the fact that it all felt deeply unfair. "We don't know the whole story! I'm sure that my mother would have gladly helped you if she could."

All she got in response was a bitter laugh.

"All your mother does is cause problems." She turned to look pointedly at her. "Even now my family is still being forced to deal with her mistakes."

"Wait- do you think I was a mistake?" Akko almost couldn't believe how rude she was being.

"I think a witch should never adopt a mortal. That can only end in disaster." She certainly wasn't holding anything back, huh?

"I'm a witch! You've seen my magic for yourself!"

"A pink magic that behaves atypically!" She yelled back. "I'm almost sure that you're a blood witch of some kind and yet… yet I'm still forced to train you because of some promise my mother made!" She screamed in frustration and then buried her face on the palms of her hands; her shoulders trembling as sorrowful sobs cursed through her body.

It was clear that Diana wasn't okay at all; that the death of her mother had affected her greatly, and that the stress of becoming heir of the Cavendish household on top of training Akko for the initiation wasn't exactly helping her condition. It was so weird seeing the usually proper and composed Diana crying like that; so desperately… like she was trying to hold together her shattered heart with every pained gasp of air.

Akko felt bad for her, despite how cruel she'd been and the bad things she'd said about her mother. She didn't even care she kinda knew about her being a blood witch! She just… she couldn't just do nothing.

"H-hey… it's alright." Akko hesitantly placed a hand on her back, but the other girl flinched away from her touch, looking up into her eyes with a expression full of uncontrollable anger and sorrow. "I… I know what you feel." She continued, regardless. "I lost my mom as well, you know? I too wish there was someone stronger than me to wave her legendary wand and make my problems disappear, but… at the end of the day… we just have to accept the world how it is and try to just be better ourselves."

"Easy for you to say." She chuckled bitterly, wiping the rivers of tears falling from her cheeks. "Your mother's corpse was never found, floating lifeless in the moat." She made a grimace. "You could still see her again, but I… that possibility was violently taken away from me, and nothing that I do will ever change that."

"Y-yes… I'm aware, but…"

"Akko!" She interrupted her, raising her voice and looking at her eyes directly, in such a way that the other girl just about froze on the spot. "Leave."

"B-but-"

"Leave!" Such a thunderous roar made Akko's body react on its own, as if she was facing a dangerous predator rather than a teenage girl. Regardless, her instinct told her that staying wasn't a good idea. Still, she made one last attempt.

"Diana…"

"I SAID LEAVE!"

As Akko's footsteps carried her towards the small study that was her temporary room and she stopped to close the revolving bookshelf, she could still hear Diana's sorrowful cries and felt her heart shrink in pain for the girl. She wished she could help her somehow, but it was clear that Diana was adamant on not letting anyone get close to her. Especially not Akko.

But… then again, it was a good thing Akko never gave up on something so easily.

A/N: Well, this was a fun one to write! Hope y'all liked it as much as I did, and please leave a review/favorite/follow if you want to support me. Thanks for reading!

Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.