Countess Cavendish Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland
Diana ended up waiting for Akko, since the way she fought against Barbara and her defeat was quite fast, but then Kagari would end up facing more difficulties, since she would have to deal with Hannah, who will not be as merciful as Parker, even more because she knows that her girlfriend died at the hands of Cavendish, which will give her an extra motivation to do something against the Japanese girl who has just gone through all the maze and difficulties of the path she chose.
Akko defeated the Venus herb and with that got the access through the gate where she arrives at a circular arena and with her arrival, there was Hannah sitting on a bench the same was in a pose as if she were on a throne, the vampire with brownish red hair, gets up, giving a direct lift with the cape and already gives that deep stare at Kagari, even with her 1,56m of height she managed to maintain the position of staying in a state of superiority, she already made a point of introducing herself to the Japanese woman.
Hannah: It looks like the little girl managed to survive, a slayer with pulled eyes from what I can see, I was waiting for Diana, but it looks like you decided to take the complicated path for her, it also looks like you two have something, which makes me hate you and your girlfriend even more, I will love to torture you to death, and then tell Diana what happened to your person.
Akko: I am not Diana's girlfriend and I will not allow you to kill me, it is not my fault if your girlfriend got in our way, I am sure Diana must have asked her to ally herself with us, I know her too well to know.
Hannah: We're not stupid to side with pathetic humans, you as a creature of the night should be disgusted by everything you do, allying with people who are killing us all the time, who are making fun of us, those same people who don't care about your life, who call you a monster, instead you ally with them, I'm disgusted with pathetic people like you, it would be a waste to fight with you like that.
Akko: I am not a vampire! I am a human! I am Atsuko Kagari and I will defeat you!
Akko takes the Katana from the sheath and points to Hannah who, hearing that from the Japanese woman, starts laughing, walking from one side to the other, moving while dematerializing, almost surrounding the Japanese woman who was standing in the same corner, trying not to be hit, on the defensive, even returning the sword in the sheath.
Hannah: A human? How pathetic, how do you intend to defeat me like that? I can simply kill you with the blink of an eye, I'm not a simple vampire you find around and you won't have the protection of your dear Diana here, but what a pity, I didn't know my friend had fallen in love with a human, but how pathetic, now I'm going to correct her for good, it's time to get rid of the rubbish that is here in front of me.
Hannah clenches her fists and starts to dematerialize, Akko still has the sword in the sheath, but she holds it firmly, leaving it well in place since there is a trigger in it with an adaptation made by Constanze, she presses it and the Katana goes with enormous speed making a cut that pulls England's arm and Kagari goes up with the katana, that in the following cut is defended by her arm hitting what were some armbands and with that the Japanese girl tries to risk giving a kick that ends up giving nothing because the vampire was too strong and that's the moment she decides to take advantage and with her fingers go towards the creature's eyes, leaving her stunned taking some steps back.
Akko tries to give another cut but at that moment Hannah dematerializes, going far away escaping from being hit by Kagari and with that throws fireballs in what the Japanese goes dodging only she didn't expect to suddenly be hit from behind, with England kicking the human in the back and she's thrown forward a bit and with that she takes the opportunity to do a somersault in the air and she's almost hit again by Hannah, defending herself using the katana that caught again on England's armbands and with that both of them jump backwards facing each other deeply.
Hannah: The human can fight, not bad, but those are still slow moves from a pathetic human being.
Akko: That pathetic human being managed to rip off your arm and still almost defeat you.
Hannah fits her arm back to her body, starts to regenerate herself, with a murderous look she goes towards Akko, who throws a dagger that goes towards the face of the Japanese girl that ran also to the vampire, only that she threw herself on the floor starting to slip on it, so much that she blinked at England, catching the distraction, and almost didn't end up hitting a cut under the English girl that dematerializes herself flying up and the Japanese girl gets up, quickly turns around but the creature wasn't there.
When she least realized, at the time she was going to turn to the other side she felt a strong stab with the vampire's nails right in the chest region, but at that very moment the Japanese shoved the katana very strong in the vampire's belly that was taking some steps backwards dying of pain, releasing the Japanese's chest that was bleeding a little.
Akko: I'm not going to die that easy you half-baked vampire.
Akko, throws the dagger towards England again only this time using multiple what the vampire just disappears, reappearing behind the Japanese who quickly draws the katana out of the sheath giving a diagonal cut that grazes Hannah's belly until the shoulder splashing blood until it doesn't give more and the Japanese didn't stop there, she threw some daggers towards the English girl's eye that stayed with her hand in front of her face and in this the perfect gap for the Japanese who almost gave a stab in the vampire's chest.
The creature simply dodges again, dematerializing herself, flying upwards, at this time she goes up with everything and then falls with everything on Akko, leaving her lying on the floor, sitting on top of the Japanese Hannah shows her nails and starts looking at the Japanese girl in a threatening way.
Hannah: You always play the smart one, but now let's see if that will be enough to get rid of my attacks.
England gives a light pass with her fingernail on the cheek of the Japanese, already ending up giving a cut, but she didn't wait for Kagari pull the trigger for a smoke bomb to start coming out, besides taking the moment to give a spit in the creature's face and with that she gets mad, going down with everything using her nails, what Akko takes a small knife from her pocket hitting the vampire's chest that gets up, then all the smoke rises, the Japanese woman takes the opportunity to get out of there, she starts to activate some bombs that were in her pocket and throws them towards the whole curtain of smoke, while detonating each one, but she ends up having the knife thrown back, the same caught in the shoulder of the Japanese woman that was screaming in pain.
Akko: Ahhhhhh! I'll finish you off yet, you can come out of that smoke, damn you.
Akko takes the knife from her own shoulder, in a little pain, she takes a healing potion from her pocket and starts to drink it, which slowly closed a little the wound on her shoulder and regenerated some muscles that ended up breaking, returning the movement of that arm to the Japanese woman, which was all she needed.
All the smoke is dissipated, it is very noticeable that the vampire
's clothes are all full of blood, but she herself is half healed from those attacks, already getting a little angry, walking around that arena, in a very intimidating way for the Japanese girl that continued to keep her confidence, although a little breathless.
Hannah: I must admit that for a hunter you are not that amateur, but still, you are nothing but a pathetic human being, your attacks are rotten and amateurish, you fight as if you were in a bar fight, it's even silly, you have no discipline in your attacks, but at least you understand that this is the minimum, you are fighting for your life, I was only joking with you, but now I will fight for real.
Akko: Isthe warm up over? I was warming up too, let's go then, I want to see what you are capable of.
[Akko's Thought: Holy shit, I was really serious about fighting this thing, but I'll keep bluffing, I have to use Diana's tactic, keep calm above all else and let her have a gap, or else I might die in this fight, good thing I have a trick up my sleeve still].
Hannah impels herself, dematerializing, Akko prepares to engage the katana, but at the moment she remembers that she can use the sword to give more than one cut at once, having total control over it, with a smile on her face she releases the sword, what the vampire dodged, but it was no use because some cuts ended up catching her and with that the Japanese took the opportunity to throw some daggers. England dodges the daggers, dematerializing, gets to the side of the Japanese, who throws herself to the side, starts to give some cuts and these get again in the vampire that tries to defend herself using the armbands, what even so left her full of cuts, which were roasting where she opened.
The vampire gets more enraged, Akko, throws a dagger only what the vampire dematerializes, being the gap for her to throw a bomb back and throw herself on the ground, right on the spot, Hannah ends up going over it, but was hit by cuts given by Kagari that were tearing more the skin of the creature that had to change course, taking advantage of the moment she throws daggers to be able to stand up and she does it jumping up but it doesn't work as she keeps the katana on the sheath and is hit by a punch given by England.
Hannah: Now you will see what a more serious attack is.
Hannah carries herself up and throws a kick that catches the Japanese girl in the stomach, then she carries herself up again, hitting a fireball at her, who tries to defend herself, but is thrown into the hands of the English woman who holds her by the lapel of her kimono, putting her nails out and showing a smile on her face, while the Japanese girl was still a little sore, but when the hand goes down the Japanese girl hooks the katana and the English girl thought she was going to take a cut, but she ends up being hit on the chin taking some steps backwards and then facing Akko catching the sword in the air with a jump and the Japanese girl almost hit her with a cut that could break her in half.
At that Kagari starts to go up the vampire with the sword, giving cuts in all directions, also using the power of the sword, what was making even more difficult to England that was taking some steps back and needed to transport herself, appearing on the other side throwing fireballs.
Akko, not dumb at all, turns around and uses the sword power, but it was the gap Hannah needed, to be elbowed in the eye and almost caught by surprise, as she gave a powerful scratch on the chest of the Japanese who screamed in pain, splashing some blood on the spot.
Akko: I said I would not take it lightly.
Hannah: Look at you, I can hurt myself as much as I want, I will always get well again while you will soon get tired, you can even heal your...
Akko drinks a potion and throws the vial on the floor, which gives a good healing to her injuries, England even gets a little shocked and angry, she clenches her fists heals from her injuries and goes on top of the Japanese, dematerializing herself, Kagari throws a bomb backwards, knowing that the Englishwoman would catch her backwards, actually Hannah was hit by the bomb, but still hit a kick on the human that was thrown with everything forward, in this she took advantage of the gap, knowing that the vampire would transport herself. Kagari takes the sword from the sheath, together with the power of the 10 cuts, which ends up coming out with a lot of force towards Hannah's armbands that burst with the tension put on them and this ends up making England's wrists fall, which gives a smile on the Japanese girl's face.
Akko: What did you say?
Hannah gets more irritated, she manages to regenerate the cut wrists and catches Akko by surprise, she uses a transport spell, but the Japanese girl tries to give a cut on the spot, only that she is caught aside, being hit by a punch on the face, England throws her against a pillar and with that starts to punch her against the wall, Kagari even tries to get the sword and put it back on the scabbard, but it doesn't work well because the English girl took the tactic and started to hit the wrists of the vampire, who was trying what she could, the punches were increasing more and more in intensity, the Japanese girl couldn't even react, with the speed that the vampire was punching was something that she didn't expect.
Hannah: You only forgot one thing, I also not only know how to attack in a normal way, I also know how to punch.
Some gunpowder from one of Akko's bombs ended up leaking and some bombs also fell nearby, the Englishwoman held Kagari by the neck against this wall, the Japanese looked down she saw she had a chance, but kept bluffing, pretending to be struggling to be released by the neck, with her face all bruised and bleeding all over England thought that this was a won victory.
[Akko's Thought: I hope this works, I learned how to do this from Lotte and it can save me now]
Hannah: You'll end up here, it was a good human fight but it was still pathetic, you guys are smart but not strong.
Akko went on pretending to struggle, getting to the point of giving in a little with that she starts to focus, already Hannah puts her nails out getting ready to stab at the Japanese woman even smiling with her face.
Hannah: Any last words?
Akko: Kaboom!
Hannah gets confused and prepares to stab her with her nails, Akko shoots a small flame over the gunpowder that fell, triggering the bombs that were under the vampire, which explode with everything and the same releases the Japanese who tries to protect herself, but she is also affected by the explosions, getting a little hurt, but she uses the last bottle of potion to heal herself, she stands up, still feeling a little hurt, notices that Hannah was still alive, but with some open wounds and still keeps her position.
Akko: It's time to put an end to all this.
Akko throws daggers towards Hannah, who was still healing, she defends herself with her arm, she is surprised by Kagari, who stabs her in the stomach and walks towards the wall, being constantly punched in the back and also receiving some scratches, she lifted her sword up, using her power to help with the cuts, With the organs still moving, she keeps the katana in the sheath and the two halves were still standing and walking.
Hannah miraculously manages to join the two halves together and it goes regenerating as Kagari was walking towards the exit, as if nothing had happened and with that England starts laughing, which the Japanese woman stops on the way, and just stays focused, keeping calm.
Hannah: Hahahahahaha! Did you really think that breaking my body in half would defeat me? You couldn't even catch my weak point, you narrowly missed it, well human, I'm sorry, but you're going to end up dying here.
Akko: I knew it would regenerate, it's not like I wasn't prepared for it.
Akko turned around and threw a fireball towards Hannah, who just stood there with her chest full of fire, nothing happened, until some things inside England started to light up, followed by explosions that made organs and guts fly everywhere, which ended up defeating the vampire, so much so that Akko kept walking outside, somewhat confident.
Akko: A good slayer is fighting to win, you should have felt what was inside you, now go back to hell where you belong.
A sound of a flask appearing starts to sound and in this the Japanese girl that almost forgot, picks it up again, besides also an orb with the power of dematerialization gives its faces, but when touching it it doesn't give effect in Akko, since she isn't a vampire nor a dhampir, with this she takes and keeps it inside a little bag she was carrying, healed she continues the way, going to the other side of the gate, arriving in one more corridor.
To Kagari's unpleasant surprise there were still more creatures waiting for the Japanese woman.
Akko: Seriously I just fucked myself with that vamp and she still leaves me that?
Akko frustrated and angry, simply goes ignoring and killing only the creatures of the night that most hindered the path, kind of running for the exit, only that many were still following her, with this she ended up staying at a gate where she ended up kind of surrounded by them, but looking at a tree, she cuts a branch and ends up making it fall on most of these creatures, then she jumps to kill the rest since that would not let her pass in peace, so much that the gate soon opens and with this she can progress.
Another corridor the girl just arrived, this one was full of skeletons armed with arquebuses and Venus herbs that were attacking the kagari that took cover behind the other gate, she soon used the dagger very precisely catching the head of one of the herbs that already crumbled, then used against a skeleton, and the other two left, leaving only four herbs that were throwing more and more roses towards the Japanese that was starting to run in that corridor.
Using the power of multiple cuts she was opening the way with tranquility, knocking down the four herbs as if it was nothing, until she reached another gate and with that she could arrive where the fork ended, seeing Diana sitting on the bench looking at the stained glass window above, the Japanese quickly made a point of calling for her friend.
Akko: Diana!
Diana: Akko? Akko!
Cavendish gets up and runs towards her friend, giving her a warm hug, which ends up with her complaining about body aches, but even so both of them stay in that hug, which ends in a kiss that both of them give to relieve the tension, a kiss that was much expected, both of them were feeling the love on the surface of their skin and then smile, holding hands.
Akko: I think we have arrived here, that means you like me doesn't it?
Diana blushed: Focus, we hae something mair important, let's think aboot that efter.
Akko with her cheeks inflated: Come on Diana, stop being such a pain in the ass, admit you like me go.
Diana: A'd ower nae haud back, we cuid die 'ere 'n' noo, a'm sorry akko.
Akko holds Diana's hand, pulls her back, then takes her by the waist, giving her a good look into the eyes of the Scottish woman, whose cheeks are flushed, the dhampir that was already racing gets her heart rate even faster, dying of anxiety, the Japanese woman keeps a more confident pose.
Akko: Well then let's enjoy it, I love you Diana! If this can be our last moment together then let it be our last moment together for real, I want you!
Diana was practically without reaction to Akko's answer, becoming a real statue of nervousness, while petals were falling, the two still remained staring at each other, the Scottish woman passes her hand over the face of the Japanese woman, noticing that some tears were falling, her nervousness was also very apparent and with a deep breath she decided to give in.
Diana: I'mnot going to lie, I have feelings for you Akko, so being so, I guess that's a yes, I accept to have you as a companion, but know that it can still be a very high price, you will be mortal, I will never die, have you ever stopped to think about seeing me alive and still young while you grow old, I really want to be a human, but I don't want to kill my mother for that, besides we can still die here, there's a big chance of that, so I say it can end up being very bad for us if something happens.
Akko: You have spoken well, in case something happens and that something is not going to happen, let's live the now which is important, let's not hold on to our feelings here, if we have something between us, then let's get that feeling out.
The two embrace each other again, giving a more warm and romantic kiss, the meeting of lips amidst the rose petals falling on that field with a colorful stained glass window, while it was a moonlight, the two soon finish the kiss, with a bridge connecting both that stay facing each other in a romantic and intense way.
Both remember the mission and with that they progress until the room where it was in the end of that corridor, when they can finally pass for being in pair, they find the fourth fragment of the door, such as the teleportation
platform and with that they already start to leave the place, transporting themselves back to the central hall, where there were the other girls, they were kind of taking a rest after a banquet and soon Akko makes a point of arriving in an extroverted and open way to call the attention of her friends.
Akko: Here we are!
Amanda: Whew! It took them long enough, now all that's missing is Croix, she hasn't arrived so far.
Soon the others get up from the couches and look at the girls who were bloodier than anything, besides the torn clothes, which already let Hellene get her hand on her chin thinking nonsense, besides Kagari's hand that was holding tightly on Cavendish's hand.
Hellene: Looks like our plan to make a relationship blossom people, look how they are holding hands.
Diana: Hellene, we...
Akko completing: she is dating! Finally her hard-headed sister has made up her mind about this!
Diana blushed: Akko!
They all started clapping and celebrating that the two were dating, so much that they were jumping with joy and animation, raising the couple as if they were in a show, this time all the couples present had already formed, they were more excited than anything, since Kagari and Cavendish were finally together and took an attitude that took so long to happen, with that they take the opportunity to tell about everything and the girls were all curious listening about the fight, getting even impressed.
Mainly on how Akko alone managed to defeat a powerful vampire, she even won the dematerilization orb that Diana already had and the one who ended up getting it was Hellene who gladly accepted it, even getting a little satisfied with it. The conversation was flowing naturally, the botanical garden part was really fascinating the girls knowing that they finally kissed and also had a mortal fight.
Hellene: Inever really liked Hannah, she always seemed to look down on me when I was a kid, Barbara on the other hand was always a sweetheart, I will even miss her, it was a huge loss for you sis, I can imagine losing a childhood friend is not easy at all, but we are here to give my little sis all the support.
Amanda: A powerful vampire alone Akko, I'm still in disbelief, you with that sword, fighting your way, look sorry Marianne, but after her you're the clumsiest of us, or else this vampire is pretty clueless apparently.
Akko: I bluffed in the beginning, I let her gain confidence, she was like Hellene and wanted to get away with it, only then I started to use my new power with the sword, now I can give several cuts with just one move, that helps a lot to open the way, not to mention that against the vampire I ended up managing to leave her with no chance, even though I got caught for a good part of the fight, in the end I was able to get something, I took advantage of the gap.
Hellene: Then she must fight very badly, because to the extent that she was defeated by you, only if you really fought in the dirt.
Akko with inflated cheeks: Are you doubting my ability? Just because I alone managed to defeat a vampire with my tactics and strategy?
They all started laughing, even Marianne and with that Kagari even got her cheeks inflated, a little full of sackcloth to hear the findings said by the girls, but then everything was getting lighter when Diana arrived being all affectionate with her girlfriend, to give that relief and lightness in the climate, since the two were getting closer and also caressing each other which gave a good distraction.
A little time went by and soon the last person arrived, Croix, who didn't seem excited at all, she arrived with a serious expression, her hair was all down, a bit messy, she was very down and depressed, the girls got to her and asked why she was like that.
Diana: What happened Croix?
Croix: I found out...
Diana: did you find out what Croix? Did something happen? Did Chariot die?
Croix: It's more complex than you think, I have the impression that it's something even more fucked up, they destroyed Chariot, those bastards from that castle weren't satisfied with just mistreating her, she's alive, but she's not the same Chariot as before, unfortunately, that castle ended up destroying her with my Chariot...
Croix starts to cry and with that all the girls are around Meridies, hugging her, trying to know what happened to make her so sad like that, little by little she wipes the tears trying to recompose herself, soon she told what she saw in the part that she spent in the castle, leaving the girls with shocked reactions, when they found out the truth.
Meanwhile in another part of the castle Bernadette had seen all of Diana's struggle and also Akko's, being impressed, so much so that she was filled with pride to see that Japanese woman taking a stand and winning the Cavendish's heart, sort of noticing and having a bit of nostalgia for when these things used to happen between her and Laura McLaren.
[Bernadette's thought: My Diana, conquered by this human, same happened to me, she's even full of attitude, I'm proud to have a daughter-in-law like this, both the clumsy one with the whip , and the one with the drawn eyes, she fights well, knows how to use her brain, even being immensely weaker than Hannah, I'm impressed how she knows how to fool her opponent, even if she fights dirty, it's all for life, that's an admirable thing, reminds me a little of Laura, everything about this girl reminds me of my late wife, I just hope that with my Diana the destiny will be different, I know it will be because she won't be with Dracula's curse].
Bernadette walks around the castle, coming across a Imp arriving at her room, the same one with a certain desperation bows to the vampire who tries to maintain the pose of the castle's owner, the Imp starts to be a little intimidated by the presence of the elder Cavendish, although she has no reason to punish it.
Bernadette: Tell me what you want?
Imp: Pardon my mistress, I couldn't help but report it, but the slayers got the five fragments from the hall door, soon they will be here and will face her.
Bernadette: That is not my problem, there is still a whole rest of this castle until they get to me, it will not be so easy, who has to take care now is Elizabeth, provide good meals for the girls who have just arrived, they must be exhausted, a good hostess always makes sure to keep her guests comfortable.
Imp: Pardon me mistress, but why feed and guarantee such things to invaders?
Bernadette: A food is only good when you feel at ease, the best blood is that which the person is strong.
The imp next comes out of that part of the castle and goes flying to where the main hall was, which Bernadette takes a very deep breath, having to maintain that character of being an evil vampire the whole time some servant of the castle shows up to explain why she cares so much about her daughter and who is around.
All the girls in one hour and thirty seven minutes managed to pass through the corridors of the respective parts of the castle where they went, and with that they acquired the five fragments necessary for them to be able to go to more places in the castle of the Countess Cavendish.
See you, lover witches...