This chapter might be a little beat for beat for the actual episode and is slightly short. there just wasn't much I could do to differentiate it. Trust me I have plenty of ideas for the next chapter. Which will be the official ending to the story, kinda happy and sad that I'm here.
I'm making sure the next chapter is big and fits in absolutely everything that I want, it'll barely be close to the actual episode apart from the main plot and missile.
...
Ursula stood before Croix, her once blue hair now a flowing red. Her magic flowed around her as did Croix's, awaiting her first move, so then she could just as easily strike her back. She wasn't going to get her way, not again, not this time, she'd come too far and sacrificed too much to make it to this point, she would succeed, and alter the world with the Grand Triskellion.
Her Grand Triskellion.
"I will stop you, right here and now.." Chariot declared, completely emotionless. Croix flipped a switch, her cubes circling the red-haired witch, attempting to feed off her magic, her rage.
Yet, nothing was there, Chariot wasn't letting anything show, Croix grit her teeth, trying not to let her frustrations show, "C'mon, don't you want to get angry? I turned Akko against you, and now I'll use her to create the world I want."
"It's not going to work. If I control my emotions then there's no magic for you to take," Turning towards her childhood friend, Chariot's eyes were filled with nothing but pity and guilt, "And you can't bring him back Croix, you don't know that's how the world-altering magic will work.."
It was Croix who ended up losing herself, her voice filled with nothing but knives, "And maybe it will, I'm just trying to fix the mistake you made, I just want...to see him again.."
"Croix I-"
"Stop trying to talk me out of this, it won't work Chariot. I've come way too far to give in now!" As she finished, Croix hurtled each one of her magic-filled drones toward her childhood friend. Extending the magic through the tip of her wand, Chariot charged forward cutting through the machinery as if it was nothing, the metal tearing apart like butter.
Side-stepping a few more, she came face to face with Croix stabbing her wand onwards, not to the point that it would hurt her, just enough to stop her, to push her down. To stop her from going through with all of this.
Stopping that plan from coming to fruition, Croix warped in a wall of her cubes, even if they were smashed through in an instant, they'd done their job. Backing away from her, approaching the dark reflection of the Shiny Rod, "That can't be all you've got, seriously?"
'I can't let her get to me, that's just what she wants!'
Enforcing some magic into her feet, Chariot leaped over every obstacle, steadily climbing to the ever-ascending Croix, that was until she had her cornered, leaping so high that she would have practically no opportunity to stop her.
Cutting her off was a searing red symbol from below, burning bars slowly began to close in around her, scorching her skin at the lightest touch, "You think that would work, just cause your faster doesn't mean I can't match that, goodbye Chariot," Just before they could fully close in, her tablet was snatched away, falling into the hands of Professor Finnelan.
"Just what is going on here, Professor Croix?" She questioned, closing whatever program was closing in on Chariot.
"Yes, I'd like to know the exact same," Miss Holbrooke questioned, floating next to her.
Before anything more could transpire between the teachers, the Noir Rod lit up, streaming red all alongside it, even Croix was surprised by the development, her phones whirring with feedback from her drone, they were whirring red lights through the powerful emotions from below the streets, it was more than expected, so much that it had put the machine into complete overdrive.
Each and every cube filed into the leylines, all for the world to see. And just like that, the magic stopped, Croix had finally succeeded, sucking every last waking bit of magic that existed within Luna Nova or out.
Now, the Noir had set a course, one Croix was eager to visit, "Of course, you'd come along too. I've siphoned away all of your magic, there isn't anything you could possibly do now. But I suppose you can travel along with me, as we reach our final destination!"
Far away from them all, Kenji and the others rode in on the leyline, doing their best to make it over to Luna Nova, Croix had to be there enacting some plan, and they wouldn't leave Chariot to deal with it on her own.
Akko awkwardly held onto Kenji as their brooms traveled through the leyline, that was until the glowing green and white began to fade away, being replaced by a much more darkened color, where everyone began to drop like flies, no magic entering their brooms.
"What the-" Amanda blinked, falling into nothingness. Constanze, Jasminka, Lotte, and everyone else followed soon after.
"All the magic must have disappeared from the leyline, what happened to Luna Nova!?" Diana exclaimed, dropping just as quickly.
Kenji was somehow still stable, staying afloat amongst the darkness, he and Akko taking moment to breathe in the smell of ash and fog, there was decaying magic all around them, "Why are we...still here?" Akko questioned, in complete awe of what was around them. Glancing down, around his neck was his crystal, fizzling in and out of its normal bright green hue.
The broom jerked forward, doing so with the two of them knocking them completely off balance into the void below, "SHIT!" Kenji screamed, descending into the darkness.
Once everyone opened their eyes, they were very apparent of the grimy forest around them. Some had landed on thorns and others on the patchy grass below, "What happened, we were all in the leyline and it all just disappeared," Lotte spoke in a daze, turning her head around them.
"Ow, Kenji what happened...? Wait! This is the forest of Arcturus, this happened the first time Lotte, Sucy, and I got trapped in the leylines. Why'd we end up here?" Akko asked aloud, quickly picking herself up.
Amanda did the same, grabbing her broom with it, "Whatever, let's just get out of here. This place is more like some haunted forest, Tia Freyre.." She muttered, expecting to hover up into the air, only to quickly fall short, "What the..?"
"As I thought," Removing her capsule, Diana showed off her wand to the others, the gage that should've usually been filled to the brim was completely empty, there was no magic whatsoever entering the wand, even if they were supposed to be in the range of the sorcerers stone, "There's no magic whatsoever."
Kenji swung his crystal to the side, the magic inside was flickering in and out. There was still some left, although it seems to be fizzling and fading, it always contained its own portion of magic, but whatever was going on, it was even beginning to affect all of this, "Hey what's that?" Akko glanced upwards into the sky, smoke lines apparent and visible.
"Let's go...we need to stop Croix."
They all nodded, heading through the forest. Kenji stared back at the crystal, watching it move sporadically around in his hand. He turned his attention to the Shiny Rod, that was where it rightly belonged, the whole reason there were still some remaining remnants of magic because of it.
But if he gave it in, then what would that mean for his way home, would he really be willing to sacrifice it to save this world, to protect Akko and everyone...and to even save Ursula and Croix.
Would he really be willing to?
Plummeting into the earth below, the Noir Rod splintered its legs out like now perched high above the opening to the Grand Triskellion, Chariot watched in horror as a blinding red beam split it apart, the magic could no longer hold itself together, slowly opening to reveal whatever was inside.
That was until the dam broke, no longer able to contain itself under the powerful emotions continuing to build inside the dark reflection of the Shiny Rod. Croix's eyes peeled in amazement at just the sight of it, all the magic of the world was opening up to her, it was for her to use however she pleased.
She continued to walk, the lights of magic filling in around her. The smile on her face couldn't be any bigger, crazy, and warped - this was finally it, the next ten years could all be rewritten, she could use the magic to alter the world, to transfix everything, to bring him back, no matter who was planning to get in her way.
That was until everything around her vanished in the blink of an eye, all that was left were masks, staring emptily back at her.
And then, once she'd opened her eyes there was a stick floating before her, there wasn't anything extraordinary about it, no greater magic seemed to flow from it, how could it even be considered a magical artifact? How is this something kept locked away by the Grand Triskellion?
'How is this supposed to..'
With some trepidation, Croix wrapped the seemingly ordinary stick in her hands. Flicking her wrist to the side, possibly hoping for some grand show of magic to burst at the seams, a brighten the darkness all around them, all she got was bubbles, floating around her without any issue, they were nothing special about it, this was all the Grand Trsikellion had to offer.
Croix stood perplexed, each of the bubbles bursting around her. She flicked it again and again hoping for something more, any sign of real magic to come out, yet there was nothing, just streamers, confetti, and a whole slew of simple magic, all right before her.
"No, this is wrong. This is all wrong!"
Smacking the stick to the ground, Croix let out a frustrated cry, all of this had been for nothing. All that she'd sacrificed and given up, her own aspirations, her dreams, knowledge of magic, her friendships and relationships.
It had all been for nothing.
"Oh...Croix."
"Why can't I just have him back, it was all pointless. You took that, I was so angry, for so long, that I made you do so much, when there was nothing either one of us could do to change it...not even now," There was nothing left for her, falling defeated to the ground, "It's over, I should just stop all of this. There was never any point."
Reaching for her phone, Croix turned to see the blinking red warning. It was firing up, reaching levels that hadn't even been calculated on her system, the Noir Rod was shifting into something that shouldn't have been possible.
"Croix!" Chariot shouted out, her attached body unable to move as the machine lifted itself up, transforming into something else entirely, valkyrie wings sprouting out into a demonic shape.
Even as hard as she tried, there was nothing she could do to stop the hulking figure from ascending upwards, "I won't let you turn on me too!" In a fit of rage, Croix slammed every drone she had access to into the rod, sucking out all of the magic she possibly could.
A massive smoke cloud followed soon after, Akko was the first to take notice, quickening her pace alongside everyone else, "Akko wait up, we can't just rush in there, something might've happened!"
"That's exactly why we have to hurry, we have to save Miss Ursula!"
Once the dust had settled, emerging from all of the rubble was a creature that Croix couldn't have imagined, skulking itself over with its gangly neck, it looked utterly otherworldly, a monstrous dragon rearing itself above her, snarling its glitching tooth and rolling its glass eye. Red eyes glowed right through her, only seeing her as in the way.
She didn't care, Croix watched it wind back its rubber-like body, whipping her around and over into the nearby wall, crumbling it all the same. Amongst the destruction, the dragon-like creature slammed its claws around Croix, keeping her contained within its grasp, "Just do it, get it over with," The white-haired witch mumbled back, not even bothering to meet its face.
Arriving in just the knick of time, Chariot dove her heel into the beast's head, tearing it apart into a small number of cubes, the dragon quickly reinvigorating itself, reeling back just as fiercely.
"Why.." Croix muttered, "Why are you still here? Trying to save me?"
"Because I have a part to blame in this as well, maybe if I'd done something right. Then none of this would have happened, I took your dream away from you.." Chariot responded, her voice small and weak. Only to rear her head back up, much more determined than before, "I won't let anything be stolen!"
Trying to fight back, Chariot was just as quickly ensnared, the dragon lifted her up, revealing its mouthy jaws to her.
"Kertina Syshare!" Suddenly a ball of fire ripped through the air cutting straight through the creature's claws, dropping Chariot straight into Croix's arms and catching her. Kenji stood at the forefront firing off a spell before even Akko and Diana could, he wasn't going to watch either one of them descend in grief.
They'd hated each other for far too long, all for an accident that was never supposed to happen.
'Firing a spell like that...when there isn't supposed to be any magic. Really took a lot out of me..'
"Are you sure you should be doing this? You already look exhausted and that was one spell," Sucy said shortly, helping Kenji to properly stand and his feet.
"This looks really dangerous," Lotte frowned, hiding behind everyone else.
"You're telling me," Amanda added.
"Akko, the seven words recite them now. I know you can!" Chariot called out, the brunette nodding with a glimmer in her eyes, holding the Shiny Rod high with Diana in tow.
Just like she'd all the times before, the Shiny Rod had activated the seven words when she'd needed them most. Why would now be any different? Except now, she would use them because she wanted to, because now it was the right thing to do.
Ursula had recited these words to her once before, only it had been used to save herself, now Akko would be using it to save her beloved teacher, "Noctu...Orfei!" Rearing itself over to Akko, the dragon roared, lifting its claws and flapping its wings.
Kenji held it down, uncapping the potions he curated and tucked under his uniform, vines spouted from his wand, heavily pulling open the maw of the dragon and the others from his potions wrapping around its feet, keeping it in place, "Akko, you know what to do. So do it!"
Raising her arm, the Shiny Rod morphed and shifted into a giant bow and arrow, one Akko aimed directly at the dragon's throat, "SHINY ARC!" She let it rip, the arrow tearing through the air and planting itself inside of the creature, slowly began to enforce a green hue around it. Until it began to burst, the red and black cubes, were no longer able to keep their shape.
And just like that it was gone, exploding into a bright green blast.
Kenji was finally able to release his wand, his arms were tired and so we he. The crystal was what allowed him to perform magic in the first place, but due to the fact that it was flipping in and out of working, so it felt like most of had come from him.
They all stood in silence for a few minutes, no one really sure of what to say.
Akko moved first, heading over to an exhausted Kenji, lightly ruffling his hair, "You did a good job Kenji, but we won, right?" Akko smiled, the two of them staring at each other.
"Right...I think you did most of the work, but you've still got someone else to talk to."
"Mm."
Chariot sat timidly as Akko approached, her fears somewhat disappearing as the girl crouched down to her level, "I finally get to meet you, after all this time."
"I think this is yours," Akko smiled, placing Shiny Rod in her hands, yet Chariot protested, "No, it belongs to you now."
Akko shook her head, properly cupping it in her hands, "I agreed, that when I find Chariot, I'd give this back to her. After all, it's because of your show that I'm here, to begin with, it was really amazing you know. Ever since I first laid eyes on it became my dream to reunite with Chariot again...and it came true."
"And it's because of everyone. Kenji's always there to keep me straight yet he usually lets me get away with everything, and I love him for so many reasons on top of that. Lotte and Sucy have been friends since I first came to Luna Nova, even with how much trouble I've caused them they still stand by me just like everyone else who's helped me get here."
Unbeknown to the others, the Shiny Rod began to glow in Chariot's hands, "That's why. Could you please become my teacher as Professor Ursula again?" Akko questioned, Chariot was completely perplexed by her words.
"But I can't...I was the one they took away your magic."
"But that's fine, isn't it? You made a mistake just like all the ones I've had. But even after everything I've realized something, something that I've been told by a certain someone time and time again, at first I tried believing in it but he was right. I'm not Chariot, and I never will be, so I think it's best that we both focus on being ourselves, that Chariot is Chariot and I'm just me."
"If I just keep working hard with my magic, I'll learn how to fly, and cast whatever spell I want. So will you keep teaching me to become a witch? Because magic is the most wonderful thing in the world to me, and I want to make people smile with it!"
Tears of joy began to fill the corners of Ursula's eyes, "Are you sure you're fine with me?"
"I wouldn't want anyone else."
Both of them embraced, holding each tightly. From between them, the Shiny Rod glowed brighter than it ever had. Kenji soured a little at the whole interaction once he took notice of the crystal doing the same, again he swore he saw a black-haired figure looking back, only this time he was smiling, or at least that's what it looked like through the smeared reflection.
It only made him feel even more conflicted and guilty, a constant reminder of the hardest choice in his life.
Before Akko appeared the same stick that had for Croix, only she seemed much more enthusiastic with, "A stick? Surely there has to be more," Diana pondered, mainly thinking to herself.
"Why don't you try it out?" Lotte suggested, with Akko nonchalantly waving the Shiny Rod and stick around. The two of them merged as one, yet after everything, it was still incomplete.
"Phasansheer Shearylla!"
The forest itself was revitalized, flourishing with plants and flowers, no longer a desolate shell of what it once was. Croix was in awe of what was around her, this was just a fragment of what the world reconstruction magic could do - no matter how hard she tried, she was never going to be able to control her, she was never going to be the holder of the Shiny Rod.
Kenji could at least pull a small smile on his face, it was amazing what the magic of this world could do, 'Akko was able to do this without ever realizing, magic really is amazing..'
Everyone pooled together into a hug, beginning to pile atop Akko, Diana included. Kenji, Chariot, and Croix could only watch, contempt with how everything was right now, the overwhelming threat they'd been scared of for so long had ceased, and now they can work on finishing some loose ends.
They were all unaware of the driving chaos above them, a missile heading overhead, slowly becoming infused with every last burning emotion that was left within the cubes.
Each of them was oblivious to the final devastation miles and miles in the air. Just minutes away from plummeting downwards, possibly going to end them all.
