Luna Nova, Wales
The girls arrived at the outskirts of the castle, where it was in the middle of a dense forest, still needing to cross it if they want to get to the place, and they could see from far away one of the towers where used to be the place called Luna Nova, which according to the legends, was said to be a famous school of witchcraft, But it ended up being closed in 1517 due to an intense era of witch-hunting, so much so that it was one of those things that led to the death of Laura McLaren, during that time they even tried to set fire to the building of the academy of witchcraft, which was abandoned during all those years, being taken over by nature, but that soon was having some reforms, due to the Castlevania curse that always gives a way to reveal the true nature of the castle and its curses, taking over everything that once was that old school of witches, becoming a castle full of monsters and creatures of the night, not as colossal as the one of Bernadette Cavendish, but still having its proportions and creatures much more dangerous than the other castle had, since Daryl unlike her sister is much more cruel, she will do everything so that her nieces and others die, for being in her way of a possible plan that involves an attempt of world domination.
The girls arrived at an old house located very close to the entrance to the dense forest and there they decided to knock on the door, although still a little afraid, where they were answered by a lady with greenish hair who gave them a brief smile and let the group enter the house, and also allowed them to leave the horses, this lady's name was Woodward, the girls quickly settled in and soon she started offering tea to all of them.
Woodward: Well I suppose you are hunters, you must have come here when you heard the news about how recently there's been a wave of chaos creatures appearing there, so if it's based on that you're not far wrong, because that's exactly what's been happening here in Luna Nova.
Diana: We didn't come because we heard rumours, they came to us, I am the niece of the lady of the castle and I am going to defeat her after all she has put my family through, I will make this wretch pay for everything she has done.
Woodward: Oh, one would imagine from your Cavendish appearance, well anyway would you allow yourselves to hear something about this old Luna Nova building? I've had a lot of experience in this place, always watching it.
All the girls agree, even though they are a little strange at the presence of the green-haired woman who seemed very nice, although she also seemed a little inhuman since she also had some branches with leaves on her head, even resembling a tree, which even gave them a fascination.
Woodward: Luna Nova, it's been 1000 years since this ancient school of witchcraft was founded, unfortunately we ended up having it destroyed because of these damn witch hunters and now we're having the presence of a traitorous Cavendish who tarnishes the entire history of building the academy of witchcraft by doing these things, end up destroying an entire millennial tradition, because of this Dracula's curse, but anyway, this academy of witchcraft was founded in the year 420 by a group of nine girls called the nine witches, they were the great mothers of magic, they gave the world a new hope, they wanted to unite people for that and give a new chance to breathe.
Hellene: And how can this help us defeat Dracula?
All: Hellene!
Woodward laughing: I will assist you, I could see that you are the right group of slayers who came here for this, you will be great, who knows so you can save at least the building of Luna Nova from all this destruction and also humanity, like it or not we depend on people so that magic still lives a little.
The girls were surprised with that revelation, they even looked at Lotte who was the only one of the group more connected to magic, with that Woodward signals to the girls to follow them, where they are walking through the house, that seemed bigger than it seemed and with that they are arriving to a hidden underground where walking there they begin to notice old inscriptions, drawings in the walls showing a little of the history of the nine witches along the journey, including one of them with a very familiar appearance, until they arrive in a place where there is a pedestal with a symbol of a triskellion.
Woodward: Hand over your weapons and you will have the blessed power so that you can defeat these creatures once and for all and come to save humanity.
One by one the girls were handing the weapons that were, emanating a brightness as soon as they went to the pedestal, then they were handed back to each girl that could notice a very minimum difference in relation to the appearance that was a symbol of a circle with three tips, very similar to the buds of the chain of the whip of Chariot, only that in all the weapons, that symbol seemed to be very familiar to those girls.
After the weapons were blessed they were all gathered and Woodward gave a big smile to all, to tell what each one got with their weapons.
Woodward: Unfortunately I couldn't do much, but I managed to give infinity to the firearms and also the crossbows, you will be able to shoot as much as you want, given the limitations of each weapon, the swords are with a more resistant and sharper blade, besides being able to penetrate more easily against creatures of chaos, kind of Cavendish's was already with this specialty, but the Kagari's needed to stay like that and I could reactivate some powers that must have acquired when they were in the Countess's castle, the whips also had an improvement having a greater penetration in relation to damage to creatures of the night and finally Lotte's staff that I could improve the magic and expand even more the control of the book of invocation of them.
Diana: How do you know our names? This is very strange, I'm beginning to think you're a bit suspicious.
Woodward is laughing then she gives a silly smile and turns to the twelve girls, opening her arms and starting to float, what they are already getting into an attack position, kind of apprehensive for the way that sorceress was reacting.
Woodward: You can calm down, I am just an old witch who takes care of this place, unfortunately today I cannot interfere much beyond helping well-meaning people, I know your names because I am a witch with great wisdom.
Akko: And what would that make us trust you?
Woodward: You are right, but you have no reason to attack me, I am not dangerous, I am not even alive, I am just a witch who lived a millennium ago, nothing big, I just want to try to help you because who knows, maybe one day in the future you will be the hope that magic will return to the world.
Diana: I wish I could believe in magic, but it's not what could cure my mother of the curse, although it could bring me to this world, unfortunately in a world with the church the way it is today I doubt very much that you can go ahead, besides it's something demonic and all, I don't know, when I was a dhampir I used demonic magic, I never used real magic.
Lotte: It is not that kind of magic, the magic that Woodward is talking about is another magic, it is a magic that I use and I have tried to learn more about, the magic that is talked about so much in stories, it can be real.
Woodward: And it is real, all you have to do is believe in this magic, it may be what will help you defeat the curse that invaded the sacred land of Luna Nova once and for all.
Akko and Marianne were delighted looking at all that, while Diana remained with her arms crossed, she thought it was a bit silly everything the spirit presence was saying, Woodward was showing them a bit of how magic used to be, how the past used to be, the glory of all magic in Luna Nova, before the total closure of the school of magic, where people could learn in a better way.
Woodward: Those were golden times, if you can save them from the hands of Daryl Cavendish I'd really appreciate it, this invader has been popping up here for years.
Diana: What do you mean years?
It was at that moment that Diana's skepticism stopped a little, she started paying attention to what was being shown in that cauldron, where the witch soon stirred showing a little vision of the past, where Daryl was younger walking around with little Maril and Merrill, going into the forest, cutting tall grass with a knife, then coming to where the old abandoned building of the ruins of Luna Nova was.
Woodward: She always knew the surroundings of Luna Nova, apparently by books that were by the old Cavendish family residence, in that castle there must have been some book mentioning the location here and then she ended up coming years later with her daughters not knowing much of what she had so much that it was just the rest of the ruined building due to the fire, it was pretty much 10 years living like that, training her daughters, she made them basically be her faithful followers, although one of them actually has a greater desire for freedom, always questioning that way by which her mother ends up acting, but still, Daryl made two girls as perfect servants, besides using the time to train her magic, kind of reclusive from the world, once in a while receiving visitors...
All: Elizabeth!
The girls were amazed to see Elizabeth's constant presence, mainly that she was all the time training Daryl's daughters, including also talking constantly with the older girl about something that the girls couldn't hear since the limitation of that cauldron didn't allow that way of watching, but at the same time they were understanding by the gestures that they always made agreements, giving some gold, or talking about something about the girls, until in a moment they stopped talking holding hands with Daryl leaving a huge package of gold for Lancaster.
Woodward: Basically Elizabeth and Daryl have always been working together, the vampire had been a former student of Luna Nova from that period before the academy closed, she was outraged at the closure and signed a pact with death, cursing herself as a creature of the night on a mission to protect the building, she had always been a faithful student, as you will see she wasn't always this demonic creature of today, the power and bloodlust that corrupted her.
Woodward starts to show a little bit of Elizabeth's past at the cauldron where it is revealed that she was a student in that period of 1517 before the total closure, showing the girl making the pact when the closure order was given, then being the only person there, even making the biggest slaughter with the remaining students and some teachers, The girl that until then seemed only a sadistic vampire had a cruel past, ending this story on the day of the fire, when a group of hunters invaded Luna Nova to set fire on the building, showing the fight that she had to protect the building but it was all in vain.
Woodward: Despite everything Elizabeth has corrupted herself in these 51 years of life, she was even taken as a hope and a prodigy for trying in every way to captivate the students to understand more about the situation of humanity, but the hunting situation and all the closure of Luna Nova made her close and stay that way, well you will be facing her in the corner where she had the most attachment, Elizabeth is not only fighting for revenge, but also came to stop the advance of you.
Akko: You mean this brat is older than us and not only that but she is older than even my parents, woah! That's really quite a shock.
Diana: So we can convince her of that, it doesn't hurt to think a little about that option, who knows, then she could be quite an ally?
Elizabeth: No way, I'm not going to waste my time allying myself with you weaklings, I don't care about my past anymore, that was a moment of weakness, that's what almost got me killed.
Elizabeth simply appeared in a sudden way hanging herself from the roof of the house, where the girls are even a little scared, even getting into a fighting position, trying somehow to defend themselves from Lancaster who is laughing at the whole situation, seeing that they were trembling with fear, but simply the vampire materializes passing by them and hanging herself from the window.
Elizabeth: You are stupid and pathetic, I will not stay here to watch you have a false empathy for me, well at least I confirm your presence, I will not kill you now, it will become dull, I will wait until you reach the castle, goodbye anyway, I could kill you one by one now in a snap of my fingers.
Elizabeth simply jumps out of the window and in this Cavendish throws a dagger with everything to show that it is not like that, so much that it ends up hitting the vampire's shoulder and she does not show it, just running away from there and leaving flying, dematerializing between the trees, leaving a piece of the dagger in the middle of the forest and Diana even celebrates with her sister.
Hellene: I see the one that can kill us in a snap of a finger, looks like we can hit it the same way too.
Diana: It's not because I'm a mere human now that I've stopped being powerful, let her know that well, I still have my accuracy, I can track movements, even if I lose my powers, my eyes are still the same, let her get ready.
Woodward: Apparently it was just a scare, as I was saying Elizabeth couldn't be easily swayed by this, power has corrupted her, she has decided to opt out of this idea of protecting Luna Nova and keep her greed, so much so that she doesn't even stay here anymore, she rarely shows up, from the looks of it she has moved back to the homeland, where she has decided to leave the gold and all the accumulated earnings, she is nothing of the person she once was.
Chariot: We don't have much choice but to finish this vampire off, she doesn't look like much, I could follow her movements with my whip when she was still controlled like Ursula, this woman talks more than she actually acts.
Soon the girls are taking that deep look around the forest surroundings looking from the window of the hut where they were, Elizabeth was going to her post to keep an eye on the girls, just waiting for the moment they would arrive and on the other side, in the fortress of Luna Nova, was Daryl just waiting and watching everything from the crystal ball, noticing the presence of her daughter Maril appearing in that room bowing to her mother.
Daryl: What are you doing here freak? This is the wrong time for a creature like you to be making your presence felt in this place and at this exact time, the girls have already arrived at Luna Nova today, go to your corner!
Maril: I'm sorry my sovereign mother, but I couldn't resist wanting to see you, I just really wanted to see you, I didn't know they would arrive today and at this moment, I'm already leaving
Daryl: And you thought what? That I'm going to pat you on the head? Your hair full of snakes? I'd rather die and have my hand cut off than touch this rotten body of yours, but anyway, get out of here, go to your post, if we keep wasting time they'll soon be at our door, now go! And only come back if you have the human body again!
Maril: I'm coming mum... I'm sorry, I...
Daryl: You are already 24 years old, shame on you, I'm not going to treat you like a child, grow up and know that I'm not a good and loving mother anymore, I've never been like that and never will be, this is a demonstration of weakness.
And with that intimidation half-headed Maril leaves there lowering her head, full of depression in her mind, with the little attention that her mother gives and at that from a distance Merrill was looking at everything in the corridor, even thinking of talking to her mother, but soon her sister came to her to talk, to tell her everything, the more obedient one gives a slap on the face of the one who is always questioning, what ends up being a little sudden for her for not having the idea of the reason that made her get to that point.
Merrill: Why all this? I didn't do anything!
Marilyn: Because of you and your rebellious ways, mother simply shat on me, she only asked us to go to our post, so get out of there, our time has come, the girls are coming and I don't want to disappoint the sovereign even more.
Merrill: It's not my fault if you bow your head to everything she did, do you really think she will welcome you with open arms? Mum was always an authoritarian, she didn't even care when we got sick, to her we are objects, we are servants, she won't care when she dies or when I die, to her you are just one less ally, you will find that out one day or another.
After that the gorgon even turns her face without wanting to know and leaves dragging continuing the way, gives a push in her sister and goes without questioning until the way to the dungeon, the same thing Merrill goes to hers to not have the displeasure of ending up meeting with her mother, a lot because she is unhappy these days that has been happening with the mother that treated so bad the girl.
Back to the throne room, Daryl was quiet looking at everything, seeing the girls talking to Woodward, wanting to know more about Luna Nova's history.
[Daryl's thought: Now they're here, they'll have to cross the forest of Arcturus so they can think about the opportunity to get in here and then face the deadliest creatures they have in this world, all on my side and subordinate to me, to think that I can finally have greatness for myself, all this power, in my hands, I have the destiny of everyone and I can just end the lives of these people, all they have to do is test me, hahahaha, how pathetic Bernadette is, with all that power in hands and she was simply defeated by her daughters in a lame way, she could have controlled the world, she could have had thousands of wives, she could have ended the church, but she preferred to stay in her corner, honestly the whole time she could have solved the problems but she stayed in the corner, but what a dumb woman, more stupid, that's why she almost died to Chariot Belmont].
Daryl goes back to enjoying the landscape, then takes a human heart that was in a well he made, devouring that part with all the pleasure in the world, delighting himself with the entrails, while watching more of the girls knowing about Luna Nova's story.
Back at the other side in Woodward's hut, the group of girls was already preparing for a new attack, they were already more than determined to go at once to the forest, taking that look out the window.
Woodward: Look to cross the forest of arcturus, you will need to be prepared, the challenge ahead will show that you are worthy of having the weapons you have in your hands, use them wisely and above all do not hesitate.
Diana: We didn't come here to hesitate, this is the time to show why we came, what we are made of, I have already accepted my human body and I am adapted to it.
Woodward: That being the case, go soon before it gets dark, monsters usually take advantage of the darkness of Arcturus, I hope you make it and for all that is good in this world I hope very much that you save Luna Nova once and for all, give an air of hope for the witch academy to one day be able to go back to being that great thing it once was, Anyway I will always be watching you and helping you, Diana, Akko, Sucy, Lotte, Hellene, Marianne, Chariot, Croix, Amanda, Jasminka and Constanze, you are the hope for new days, you will be great heroines.
Woodward started to fly through the window, passing through it she was walking in the forest, where the girls were watching the witch sort of disappearing, becoming some tree leaves, while a glow was emanating from the body of that spirit until only the leaves were left flying, marking the disappearance of the witch.
The eleven watched in amazement, enchanted with Woodward and the whole story, then returned to the table of the cabin, where they were all gathered.
Chariot: That Woodward is strange, but intriguing at the same time, but we can't stop focusing on one thing, our mission.
Constanze takes a paper from the table and at that moment a glow begins to emanate from that paper, as if some magic was being performed, it was Woodward again helping the girls, revealing a map of the surroundings of the Arcturus forest, where there is a trail that could lead the girls to Luna Nova, then a small message was left on that map.
"As I said before, my help will be present with my limitations, this here is for you to have an idea of the dangers that you will run ahead of you besides the best route to be able to reach Luna Nova, since it has kind of a labyrinth that was made to make invaders impossible, but since I am a kind witch I decided to cut it all for you, enjoy the map... With all kindness, signed by Woodward"
Chariot: But how wonderful we have the map then, let's make sure it's well written down, we'll all go together without getting separated, until we get to the castle, then we'll plan how to get there, like you did?
Croix: There were 5 passages and we split up in groups, I went alone until you, the girls went with their girlfriends, even Diana and Akko's little couple got together there haha, to think that it hasn't been so long since we left, until today I feel the pain in my neck because of the Cavendish castle.
Akko: I still feel the pain to this day, I broke all over, even more trying to get to these two, to save these two girls who want to be proud, I hope that against Daryl you don't come to stop us, she is much stronger than Bernadette, not to mention that you two are human now and I don't want you to die.
Diana: Noproblem Akko, you all will have the opportunity to fight by our side, I know that you are all here with plenty of reasons to finish with Daryl, so we all join our forces, we will be able to put an end to all this, I don't want to throw away this chance to live as a human.
Hellene: I was kind of liking the idea of being a dhampir, but you know, being a human might be nice, maybe then I'd have a chance to live a happy life with Mari.
Leblanc even hugged McLaren, after this gentle moment between the girls they kept looking at the map, thinking of different ways to go through the route, especially when they noticed that there was a skull there, thinking of a way to use that kind of route to surround the first skull in the forest.
Besides that other of them were already leaving lit lamps, preparing everything for the exit, since it was already at the sunset of that day, which could be where everything would end, after only 5 days of Bernadette Cavendish defeat, they already had to do another mission, leaving eleven lit lamps since Annabel would not leave.
Akko: What about you Annabel? Don't you want to go with us? You will be safe and I know you know how to fight very well, but we still guarantee protection.
Annabel: Exactly, I can stay here watching, I will write more about your journey, in detail about this time that I could spend with you, it was really wonderful, I just wish you good luck, I will be here to write everything down. The book is already becoming a wonder, you all have an interesting dynamic, as friends and also those who are dating, it serves a lot for an epic story.
The girls then pat Crème's head thanking her for her presence and also kind of preparing themselves to say goodbye, since all of them were almost ready to leave for the battle against Daryl, the eleven gathered at the door, holding sticks with lamps in hand, and Marianne stayed with a bucket that was full of them, to go marking the way, like a rope.
They leave the hut, then Leblanc makes a point of sticking the first lamp on the ground supported by a stick, which Akko ties with the rope and the girls arrive at a part where they are walking and again the Frenchwoman sticks a lamp at the entrance of the forest, where they already feel an icy wind blowing.
Akko: At last we have arrived.
Diana: The forest of Arcturus.
Chariot: From here everything will come to an end, we will come to that decision of what happened, we will finally defeat once and for all this curse that was behind everything that happened to us.
All of them look deeply, seeing those branches, the deep darkness of the forest on the only way they had to follow, the fog was also very present in the surroundings which increased the intimidation factor, the eleven look at each other, breath deeply, take a last step on the outside and with that together hand in hand jump to the inside of the land line that was between the forest and the outside, The girls looked up, took a last deep breath, and together hand in hand they jumped to the side of the line of land between the forest and the outside, when they entered they started to face a very dark atmosphere and all the trees around them started to move, behind the girls, forming a wall at the exit, which they looked at and Akko went to the place beating the trunks, while Constanze pulled Amanda by the trousers trying to warn her of something.
Akko: We're stuck in here, it looks like we're not going back anytime soon, we'll need to find an axe or else Jasminka will shoot in here incessantly.
Amanda: What was it this time cons... The Map!
The map was changing right then, which was already one of the demonstrations of the forest, which was full of mysteries, besides showing itself as a living entity, scaring the girls a bit when they saw that reaction, from the forest, seeing the map changing and soon a message from Woodward also appears.
"Welcome to Arcturus, from here on I recommend you to be smart as this forest is an all protection entity that the nine legendary witches including myself have created for it to protect Luna Nova from the threat of invaders, so you better not trust too much what you are walking around ah and also the trees are living, many of them are witches who died"
Chariot: Looks like we are going to face an even bigger challenge ahead, I don't know about you, but I am very much into this one, let's go, this castle will soon be here and we will pass through this forest in one go, all we have to do is concentrate on the path.
Amanda: And we follow Cons who is holding the map, she knows where we can go.
At that moment it already shows one of the first dangers when a carnivorous plant catches Marianne's lamps with its projected tongues, they try to take them out, but the plant simply devoured all that quickly, what made the girls lose totally what could guide them through the dense forest. But soon they wouldn't be totally in the dark when some lights started to light up in the treetops, revealing the path, which also revealed a beauty that enchanted them all, especially in that sky that was getting darker and appearing among so many leaves.
Akko: Wow, this is beautiful, we may be in a dangerous place, but not for nothing, danger sometimes shows its beauty.
Diana: I totally agree, but there is no beauty that beats your pairs of rubies you have in those eyes.
Akko ended up giving a little blush, while the other girls passed their hands over their faces a little bit full from seeing the little couple pushing so much cuteness, so much so that they all kept kissing each other in order not to get candlelight, since they were already kind of holding lamps, even though most of them became food of a carnivorous plant by which due to the oil and the fire ended up dying by swallowing all that at once.
The final journey begins, the castle of Daryl Cavendish is approaching, it is a question of time until all eleven adventurers and hunters arrive there to put an end to what can be a great final fight March 25th, 1551, the day that will go down in history as being the day that can be the defeat of Daryl Cavendish and the definitive salvation, in case these girls manage to accomplish what can be the last mission of their lives.
See you, Woodward...