Edinburgh, Scotland
After long days, the journey reaches its high point, since in this time between Holyhead and Edinburgh, the girls didn't have any problems during the way, since Bernadette didn't send any creature of the night to disturb the way, in five days of travel they arrived calmly at the city of Edinburgh, It was a very quiet way, reminding a little how it had been when Croix and Chariot arrived to make the way to Edinburgh 10 years ago, this time they are continuing a new course, in finding Chariot Belmont and also the whereabouts of Bernadette Cavendish, things that will be determinant in this journey.
After 10 long years, Diana and Croix saw that city close again, having a view of the place that was extremely similar to when they had visited before, having in the background on top of a mountain the Cavendish castle that could be noticed with a mist that always passed there, and some bats that always flew in large flocks towards the place, even during the day. Around the town people were living their lives, soon they could notice Diana's presence and were starting to look a little crooked at the Cavendish, a little turning on the countess.
The seven arrived at the city and were getting a little tense, due to those looks, mainly on Cavendish linking her to what could be the countess, they kept on going, they park the cart near a tavern and when entering there the people all look at the entrance, the Scottish girl already starts to feel the looks coming back, Everyone was with that crooked look, she goes walking to the counter with the girls and when sitting there they are already asking to be served, but the attendant ignores and turns his face, he goes simply walking and with that Hellene calls the boy's attention that just let out a very unnecessary comment.
Clerk: Get out of here, you are not welcome here, Cavendish. You all came here with the greatest impudence wanting to be attended to after all the bad things that have been happening here.
Hellene: Whathappens here is not our fault, what my mother does is not our fault, we just want a room, we're tired, in fact we're going to make a point of helping and fixing up the castle, we came here with the intention of putting an end to it!
At the time Hellene hits the counter, everyone starts to stare at the same girls with a strangeness, a bit of a quiet atmosphere starts to take over the place, there is only the sound of the creaking wood of some people moving, that way the attendant turns to the group of girls, the same displays a face of complete disgust.
Attendant: That's yourproblem, nobody told you to be bad blood, now get out of my establishment, you are everything bad that represents this place, since the Countess became a vampire things have only been going downhill here.
Hellene looks angry at him, hits the table hard, then shows her middle finger to the attendant, the others also do the same, including Marianne and Akko, which Diana passes her hand on her face, they walk to the outside, but when it's time to leave the attendant signals the customers to surround them and that's what they did, some stood at the door kind of blocking the passage, others stayed behind them, by all sides.
Hellene: You don't want a fight with us.
The same customers start to grab the clubs and surround the girls, this way all of them are facing each other, kind of already understanding that it won't be possible to escape from a situation like this and with that Hellene is already cracking her fists, she arrives violently punching with strength a man that was holding a club and this way the punch made a big enough impact to throw him through the door of the tavern, knocking her down in the process.
A generalized confusion was formed, the others started to crowd and go on top of the seven girls, each one was focusing on a group of them, using only their fists they went on top of the men.
Hellene: Feel freeto come along, I'd love to hit each and every one of you.
A group came with pieces of stick towards Hellene, they were four men, McLaren simply let herself be hit on the arm by some of them, not feeling anything, with that she punched them throwing them against walls and stairs, even hitting one that would hit Marianne who was walking backwards with fear.
Leblanc raised her thumb to the redhead and that way with the whip she was trying what she could to escape from any attack, including even hanging in higher places, climbing to not be hit by the wave of attacks of the others, thanks to her luck many attacks didn't even catch and the Frenchwoman still managed to get rid of many blows, some that hit her own.
Akko and Diana together also dealt with another group, Cavendish also took a club from one of the people who would hit the girls and stood next to Kagari who had also taken one, at this time the Japanese even laughed at the Scottish girl who stood all in a defensive position full of class.
Akko: It seems that now you will experience what a real fight is like.
Diana: Really, from all the places we have come we have never had to deal with a situation like this, now we come here and it is full of these idiots, the good thing is that they are only humans who have no class and barely know how to attack.
Akko: I was already missing bar fights, it's been a long time since I've been in one.
The two together hit a bigger guy that would hit with a club full of thorns, breaking the club in the head of the same that falls on the floor fainted and continue to defend themselves as they saw more of them, already the attendant was hiding behind the counter and soon who managed to get a little free was Croix who jumped up to where he was, held him by the collar of his shirt, lifting him against the wall holding with anger the same that was scared.
Croix: You just had to take the room, we don't want to cause anything, we just want a place to stay!
Attendant: I would rather die than condone what the Countess Cavendish supports.
Croix: Then let us leave here in peace, we don't want to cause any trouble, it's not enough that your establishment is in such a state of destruction.
Croix simply releases the attendant that denies it and this way Meridies helps the girls again, hitting a guy with a volley that would hit Sucy with a glass bottle but almost nothing bad happens. The fight goes on inside the bar, there were 40 people against 7 girls, little by little this number was decreasing, a lot because these same people barely knew how to attack.
Hellene was beside Marianne, a much bigger group came towards her, she grabbed a table and went running towards them running over them, throwing them out of that tavern, which in this way was also creating a generalized confusion with the amount of people that ended up leaving through the window falling hurt from there, some came back others just kept leaving, a little limping for feeling pains.
Marianne: Damn, we have to keep putting up with these guys, I just wanted a place to rest, now I have to keep fighting.
Hellene: Let it be practice for when we enter my mother's castle, although these guys are even more annoying than skeletons.
Leblanc even smiles and turns around whipping a guy who is stunned and this way McLaren completes the blow with a punch, these punches are very strong, throwing the guy against the ceiling and then opening a hole, where he falls on the floor again and runs out of the bar.
Little by little the confusion goes down, this way the girls see themselves in a situation where they can stop a little since the men go running away, getting tired, noticing that the numerical advantage is nothing, but they still had few that kept showing up.
Akko: That's right, you can run away! You're no match for us!
The few ones that remained decided to go harder, getting swords and weapons, going on the girls, who are defending themselves with more care, Lotte uses her very basic spells of throwing fireballs that catch the hair of some of them who run away, Marianne and Hellene are working in group, with Leblanc using the whip to hold a sword and McLaren punching the guy, on the other hand Diana and Akko take their swords, both of them are defending themselves from the attacks.
But not everything is fine, shots could be heard, but luckily they were stopped by the quick reflexes of Hellene who threw a shield towards her sister saving her from being shot, then McLaren jumped towards the shooter, punching him, a few shooters appeared and started shooting towards the girls who were having another concern.
Marianne: Shit they're armed too!
Lotte soon tries to solve the problem throwing fireballs at them that are devolving, releasing their weapons some are running, jumping the windows of the bar, the people around are agglomerating around, the bar fight was coming to the end, only 5 people were left that were still holding the batons.
Hellene arrived close to them and just opened her arms scaring them, saying a "boo", the same ones left running and this way with the tavern destroyed the owner left his room angry, went down the stairs and started shouting.
Owner: you'll pay for this! You bastards! Do you think you'll get away with all this?
At that time Diana throws a bag of gold to him, who gets a neutral expression, the seven were quite annoyed, the tavern owner even stopped showing complaint and tried to pretend a kinder hospitality, only Hellene just raised a middle finger to himself.
Owner: Sorry for the inconvenience, I didn't know you were so wealthy, but just in case, I can guarantee you a great stay.
Hellene: Stick it up your ass, we won't stay here even if you pay, just because we came to want a place to spend the night you treat us like this, we didn't commit any crime, honestly fuck you.
Hellene turns and walks to the exit, just like the other girls, as they reached the streets people were looking at the mess somewhat curious, some of the men who were fighting with them were on the ground, quite bruised, as they identified who were responsible people even took steps backwards in defensiveness, ironically they had a few people who appeared there and were left scratching the back of their heads in happiness.
Amanda: You came! I've been missing you guys!
Amanda enters the middle of the circle together with Jasminka and Constanze, people were spread out again, to avoid a little confusion, this way everyone is more relieved and soon Hellene makes a point of releasing her comments, as usual being short and thick.
Hellene: Look you came too, I thought you would forget us, the three missing girls.
Amanda: Oh and Cavendish's all violent sister, of course we wouldn't forget, we arrived here yesterday, just waiting for you, I've already been able to notice some peculiarities here in the city and in the castle, you'll love to hear.
Akko: And did you find somewhere to stay during that time?
Amanda: When not? We can always find an abandoned place to stay, come with us.
The girls go along with Amanda, they go pulling the carriage through the city, some people were looking at them funny, including some of the guys who were beaten by them, this way they go on the way, until they arrive at the ruins of an abandoned house, very close to the Cavendish castle, on a hill beside it, there was already a hut set up by the trio, and also a cart leaning against it. The girls pull their carriage over and enter the hiding place.
An improvised camping hut, with some tarpaulins on the roof to keep the rain off and keep the place warm, cloths on the floor so that the girls had somewhere to step and lie down comfortably, so much so that they all took off their boots and went barefoot into the place, sitting down leaning on the walls of the ruin of that house, Amanda and her two girlfriends were already lighting a fire outside, starting to prepare some tea, while the girls were watching everything.
Amanda: You really came with luxury hein, and you arrived quickly, we thought you would take longer.
Diana: We solved everything there, my aunt made a pact with death, in it we have to end up defeating my mother, if we kill her we will become human, and also she wanted to marry me with a boy I don't even know, ahhhhh, it makes me sick.
Amanda: That sounds to me like your aunt is a rotten noblewoman, if I were you I wouldn't bow my head so much, try to talk to your mother about it, don't keep it a secret, besides you don't have to want to become a human, I would say that the best thing to do without a doubt is to accept yourself as you are, I wish I was a hybrid like you, I wish I had vampire powers and could still walk around in the sun like a human, not to mention that you're immortal, seriously, don't go for what your aunt wants, these nobles just want to know how to do better with their noses, marrying you to this guy is one of those things.
Hellene: That's exactly what I told her, to accept herself is more important than anything else, also to be more independent.
Amanda: And you Hellene? You're also a sister, you never took a stand on this? You didn't say anything to your aunt?
Hellene: She set me up somehow to sign the pact and it seems she didn't like my face, it's not for nothing that she sent her daughters to spy on us and I'm absolutely sure it wasn't just for that, I think she really wanted me to die, I'm sure that woman doesn't like me because I'm part McLaren and not part Cavendish, I just got left out, I'm sure the hole in all this is much deeper.
Amanda: Anyway, make yourselves athome, we don't have the comfort of luxurious castles, but I think you'll like it, in fact we could sleep in the carriages tonight haha, enjoy the space there, as we offer space we'll...
Akko: take it out on the sticks, whoever makes it will get to sleep in the carriage, there is room for two there, but one of us will have to sacrifice comfort to be the one to get the sticks and sleep out here.
Amanda: If I take off and Cons or Jas take off we'll go as a threesome, I want to sleep together with my girlfriends.
Akko: All right, you can, but only two of you will have the privilege of sleeping in the carriage, the other eight will stay in the hut.
Croix: I don't care much for comfort, so leave it to me, I'll get the sticks, I'll be back in a moment.
As always Croix was the one who sacrificed comfort for the well being of her friends, she went through the woods around the ruins of the house, picking up sticks by sticks, also watching a little bit from afar the castle, where the fog took over the place, the trees around as always with dry branches due to the winter having ended a few days ago and still being quite cold, she also takes the opportunity to hunt some hares that were around. Meridies returns with a cup full of sticks, two of them tied with a ribbon to indicate who would end up sleeping in the privilege of spending the last night before the departure to the castle of the Countess Cavendish, when arriving there all were in the most wrapped up in blankets, the couples embraced the fire boiled the water for tea
Akko: Food!
Croix: I couldn't forget to bring the food for you too, well now let's have some fun, you nine decide among yourselves who will stay in the rooms, I will take care of preparing the hares.
With that Croix hands over the glass full of sticks, the girls put them on an improvised table they had made with some bricks and a board, each one was taking out a stick, Meridies was also doing the same thing on another table, peeling the hare and cleaning the meat.
Amanda: Hopefully I'll end up with the lucky room, I'll enjoy it a lot and lie down in a more special way with these two.
Diana: Haven't you enjoyed yourselves enough during our absence?
Amanda: Looks like Cavendish is jealous, you want to take Akko there? If you end up taking a stick and I take another one, I'll make sure to swap with Akko, just to make you two even more uncomfortable, I want to see an attitude from you two, you're standing there, you haven't even started dating and I thought that after that kiss you had something.
Diana blushed: Dinnae blether aboot that winch, 'twas juist a moment o' impulse 'n' 'twas akko wha pulled me intae it.
Amanda laughing: Even your accent changes when you're nervous hahaha, don't lie to yourself Cavendish.
They were taking the sticks out again, one by one, very carefully, Croix had collected 72 of them, they were more than enough, there were enough chances for each girl, the minutes went by and the nervousness was getting bigger, less sticks were left, the first one was lucky enough to get the first stick, which had a red bow and with that she celebrates, very excited.
Hellene: How wonderful! I made it! Hahahaha!
At the moment the girls just shrugged, any one of them would end up with Hellene, and the only one who was tense with all this was Marianne, who had to control herself in all these days with the direct attacks that McLaren made, Leblanc as always cut, especially in the moments that both were bathing together, the hand always ended up coming and another hand went to slap the dhampir face.
It was noticeable that Marianne was mentalizing for anything but the bow tie to
come.
Akko: Hopefully Mari will be the chosen one, I just want to see how she turns out hahaha, she's always so lucky.
Diana: But no way, it's giving wood for the fire to burn!
Hellene: Regardless of who comes I'll already be relieved to sleep in the comfort of our carriage, you talk as if I'm going to cling to Mari, jeez sis, I control myself well, she doesn't even complain anymore.
Diana just rolled her eyes at the time, the girls kept on taking the sticks out, meanwhile Croix had already stripped a good part of the hares, about to start roasting some of the creatures. The sticks were getting less and less, it was possible to see the glass inside already.
All very tense, some of them would sleep with Hellene, the same one demonstrated an animation, mainly to each pull that Marianne was giving, cheering a lot to Leblanc pull, it didn't take long and 13 sticks were left to close the game, somebody ended for catching, it was exactly the French that had the bad luck of being the chosen one.
Marianne: No! Shit! I can't believe it's me!
Hellene all excited: yes! i can't believe it's you soon! dis 'as to be de loehckiest din i've ever dahne.
Diana: If you want you can swap with me Marianne, I wouldn't mind sleeping with my sis.
Hellene more desperate: No!
Marianne laughing: It's ok Diana, I don't want to change it, I've had some bad luck, but since it's going to be like this...
Diana adds: You'd better behave yourself Hellene, without wanting anything more to do with Marianne, or else I swear I don't know what else I'll do, you'll get in such trouble, I'll go along with you in everything, when you go to take a bath, I'll go with you, when you go to do anything too, I won't let you lay a finger on Marianne.
Hellene rolling her eyes: ahhhhhhhhhh! ahk you nag, i'm naht goin to try anythin wit marianne, rest assured, i'm joehst goin to sleep wit 'er, nahthin mahre dan dat, i dahn't want to resk bein slapped in de face because o' it, it's naht like mari is sahme poor 'elpless lettle din.
They all started laughing, but Diana still kept her jealous look over her sister, and then they spent some time talking to the trisal about the days they spent traveling, telling about the negotiation with Daryl, all that fight at sea against Leviathan and the Kraken, leaving even O'Neill surprised, even wanting to be there to help, because she took a different direction.
Some time went by, the hare that Croix roasted was ready along with some tea, this way all of them are having a real feast with the meat of the animal, including McLaren who was enjoying herself eating with her hand with everything, only Diana used a fork to eat and everybody always found it comical.
Akko: Seriously Diana, you always eat with this thing, I don't know why, it will only get your hand a little dirty, just wash your hand well to make everything delicious.
Hellene: Hare meat is delicious, it's my favourite, that and venison are my favourites.
Marianne: I love hare meat too, it's my favourite haha.
Hellene: we already 'ave one din in cahmmon.
Diana: Don't give me that Hellene, stop flirting with Marianne, or else I'll sleep with you tonight.
Hellene was turning the eyes trying to deviate of the sister again, but she was enough on top of the two, they came back to be eating more in silence and they were drinking the tea, having that banquet, soon those hares all were being devoured, remaining only bones that were thrown in the nature so that the same one comes to devour the mortal remains, in case some fox or wolf pass for close and feels hunger.
They take a rest at this time, wait a little, observe the sunset, this way they light some lamps, the night had already fallen, in this time they start to think about which plan they are going to follow to enter the castle, organizing a fast meeting to discuss about the subject.
Croix: We haveeaten enough, we have devoured everything, but now we have to start something here, we have to plan how we are going to walk around the castle, we are in ten, the castle of the Countess Cavendish is a creature of chaos, it changes shape, we can't rely on an old mapping, but we can get an idea with a map that me and Chariot made in our spare time, know this, we are not going to stay there just for a few minutes like when we went to the ruins to face Hellene, it might take us hours inside.
Diana: Just what I imagined, I was thinking of going at night to get a greater effect from my Moonstone, that way I can get through the castle with much more power.
Hellene: Then you would nullify the power of my Sunstone, we can't stay that way, but we can go through the castle, surely there must be some relic that will help us there, the castle is full of relics mana, and during the day we have more chances.
Diana: that's what I imagined too, I still have fond memories of the castle, to think that many of my friends there will find us on the other side, it's quite possible that Hannah and Barbara will be on the opposite side.
Croix: Well anyway we will split each of us to follow a different path in the castle, I have already decided for myself that I will go alone, I can manage well in the castle without anyone's help, I will try to find Chariot, I believe she might be in the dungeons of the castle trapped there until today.
Croix shows a little of the map that remembers the castle, where contains two sessions of dungeons, an upper and a lower for what he had remembered, the map by which Croix did was still old, the castle contained underground caves, which gave in a place even lower than the castle that were the underground dungeons, at the top there was the entrance, which led to a laboratory, a chapel, the longed-for main hall that was on the castle's highest floor, clock towers, internal gardens and finally the castle's huge library, the separate corners of each part where they would venture and were already deciding.
Diana: Well, since the castle changes every time, let's split up into pairs, we might meet on the way, and let's not forget to map out where we are passing, that way we can get an idea and move on to the other one.
Amanda: I go with my girlfriends.
Marianne: I'm going with Hellene!
Hellene with a mischievous smile: fahr sahmeone who wants to destance 'erself frahm me you seem quite at ease wantin to get tahgether to go to de castle.
Marianne blushed: Because you're the only one I can get along with while I'm going at the castle, you and I work well as a duo.
They all started to get shouted at, encouraging even more and with that the two were getting flushed, even Diana got into the groove, something she rarely did, but soon they were back to planning the entrance to the castle with more organization as soon as Croix signaled for them to stop.
Croix: okay girls, come on we have to get back to planning here, have a bit of focus.
Diana: I'll go with Akko, we both manage to manage well, we follow the path towards the main room, maybe we'll meet my mother there.
Lotte: Sucy and I will go searching through the library or any other place, maybe we can find and save something from the castle, since it might be useful for us after this mission.
Croix: So, we've already defined here how we're going to organize who's going to go to the places in the castle, there will be three pairs, a trio and I'll go alone, I hope the castle hasn't changed much, we can't really count on the map that's here, so we'll all go together through the entrance and in each fork we'll split up, we'll go in the afternoon after lunch, since it makes no difference whether we leave during the day or at night, so we can sleep the whole morning enjoying it, maybe this will be our last morning together.
They all touch hands at this moment, then they get up, they gather in the place and relax, talking to each other, later they all go to sleep, using the carriage as a dressing room, putting on their clothes to sleep, then when they have all changed one by one, they give that good night wish, eight of them slept together in the hut that the trisal has set up, while Hellene and Marianne stayed to enjoy themselves in the carriage.
Meanwhile near there in the castle, there were Ursula, Elizabeth and Bernadette watching everything through the crystal ball, the three smiling in different ways, already anxious to see the plan that will end up coming true.
Elizabeth: Finally they're 'ere, ah cannae wait tae sort hings oot, they'll be surprised at howfur we've left th' castle prepared fur thaim tae dump, let thaim fin' us.
Ursula: I just want to see how they will end up coping, this place has the best traps, they will arrive dead, they will end up just being bait anyway hahaa.
Bernadette: Now that you know they are here, so get out! Go to your posts, they can come at any moment, maybe this sleepover is just a bluff to come at dawn, so go!
The two respect Bernadette's orders without questioning too much, they end up going at their posts, Lancaster stays right at the entrance of the castle, where she will be waiting for the arrival of the ten girls to come in the castle, Ursula went to the coliseum, where she is preparing a very nice surprise, especially for Croix who will take the path chosen by her to meet her. With the going of Ursula and Elizabeth. The leader vampire of the castle goes to a window where she is watching the sky, just waiting for the moment and reflecting.
[Bernadette's Thought: The day is coming my love, I hope the girls make it, I left a little something for Hellene and also for Diana, it will be essential for them to be able to fulfill what will end up happening... Unfortunately everything is going to the side of that cursed one, I hope they make it, they are so strong, I know that it was not what you so much dreamed of my love, but unfortunately there is nothing I can do, it only depends now on cheering, I will soon be there, or probably I will suffer in hell for eternity for everything that happened].
The girls are about to arrive at the castle of Bernadette Cavendish, the part that will determine in a journey that they will go through, a huge personal growth, Ten girls are about to arrive and meet with the truth, the next day will be the day by which all this adventure will reach the highest point.
See you, Scot witches...