Arcturus Forest, Luna Nova, Wales

The challenge of going to Daryl Cavendish begins with the eleven girls going out into the labyrinthine and also complicated forest of Arcturus, which is changing as it senses that it has invaders heading towards the ruins of Luna Nova, trying anyway to create a way of protection, since it is important to try to keep invaders away from the place due to the danger of the history of many of the things that happened in Luna Nova.

The eleven already start facing the first challenge that was the whole course of the forest changing the route for the protection of the place, making the map and the tracing change a little to try to make the route more impossible, but also having a little help with the trees nearby that had a way to illuminate, everything thanks to Woodward that was trying the possible also to help the group to break through the dense forest.
Starting to walk there they are already facing the first danger, which are carnivorous plants, which are projecting their tongues out trying to devour the girls one by one, but of course they were already prepared, starting to react, shooting or using their weapons that as soon as they touched those parts of the creatures they could notice that they have a good efficiency to cause some damage, that was already showing very efficient, hurting creature by creature, which were stopping a little bit to attack, since they were well prepared to defend
themselves from all those attacks.

Akko: You can come with everything forest, we are ready for anything.

Chariot: I left the castle for this, to say that I am back! Now let's see if you creatures can hold your own against Chariot Belmont!

At the same time also began to appear familiar things, in case some hearts that were being left by some plants that they were destroying, revealing that they were really to reach the castle, that was also already in the part by influence of Daryl.
Walking through the corridors of that forest killing the carnivorous plants began to appear also some creatures of the chaos as it was darker, gargoyles were flying towards the eleven, which were separated and already turned to give that attack against the monsters that even managed to get closer for a combat, The two were dodging some of the monster's strokes that wanted to cut both of them, but with the synchrony of the blows, both were able to alternate to finish with the monsters that surrounded them, what the Cavendish was noticing that even human she is still very agile.

Diana: I'm managing to keep up with a great pace, even in this form, I can see that actually being human hasn't left me at such a disadvantage.

Chariot: If you believe in yourself you will have your greatest magic, you will know how to improve more the limits of this human body of yours, it's not for nothing that I can go so far, just believe in yourself.

Diana: It sounds like a pretty clichéd motivational phrase, but I think I'll get the meaning.

They finish with those remaining gargoyles, where the path is free, the girls go walking on that trail finding a fork, stopping there, Constanze takes a look at the map in a detailed way, points to the left, they all agree with their heads and so they go to the left path, going straight there, but still having to deal with some strange creatures that were starting to appear.
These were trees that were moving, shooting some spells, droids, what the girls were already getting aware, remembering a little of the warning that Woodward had left about these being actually witches that died in the forest and became trees, Lotte soon casts a spell of fireball on one that when getting close the droid uses one to repel the attack but Akko hits back with the katana turning again against the creature that is hit.

Hellene: It's time to prune some trees.

The other girls were also starting to attack the Druids, who were focusing on the redhead trying to cast spells on her and using the gauntlet to protect herself.
But it was a tactic that was very useful for the other girls mainly the long range ones that were hitting the arboreal creatures with an enormous facility that until they touched that they were already being in a very reduced number and with that they were allowing that little by little they were advancing.

Diana: Thanks sis!

The girls that use short range attacks were taking care of the rest of the creatures, which were still alive and surrounding Hellene that was also helping, so much that in one of the attacks was well synchronized with a McLaren's punch catching a drad at the very moment that Diana strokes the creature too and with that she was the last of them to be killed, guaranteeing this way one more advance for them to clear that forest.

Diana: Now we are free.

Hellene: Now I say, thanks sis.

After that they keep walking through the corridor, kind of coming across minor obstacles, in this case creatures that were easily killed, like bats and crows that were going up to the group and were easily knocked down in the air, they reach another fork, stop there, look at the map, Constanze looks carefully at the map and Woodward gives a hand revealing that it was the middle way, they then keep going through there, coming across zombies that were starting to leave the ground, but also being killed.

Akko: If these things are starting to appear it is because we are close.

Not only zombies but also other carnivorous plants to try to make the way more difficult and crows, but soon they all organized themselves to finish each one with a greater facility, the shooters with firearms were taking care of the plants, the ones with crossbows took care of the flying creatures together with Lotte who was using her magic and the ones with melee attacks were killing the zombies, kind of finding a way to advance through that corridor.

Chariot: If the forest is already like this, imagine how this castle will be, I'm really looking forward to see how this whole thing will turn out.

Croix: I am just worried, it looks like Bernadette's castle here in the forest, inside we are really going to face some creatures that will eat our hide, we have to be careful my love.

Chariot: Now we are eleven and you have my presence, I will be of great help, we will all be able to finish off these monsters, we will defeat that aunt of Diana's once and for all, take revenge once and for all.

Croix: strange you should talk about revenge, just when you always said it was something soul-killing.

Chariot: Youcan only forgive those who do not guarantee revenge, I am tired of being so nice like this, my kindness is only reserved now for those I trust, because the rest I don't even want to know, after all I have been through in these 10 years you would wish for something like this, especially that wretched bishop who felt he had the right to control my mind, I swear I will whip the bastard so badly that he will beg God to be taken away soon.

Croix is even shocked to see the way Chariot said, but they just keep going, hitting creature by creature, kind of opening the way more since it would only be a matter of time to reach the castle, facing the challenges of the forest that was full of its traps.
Soon more Druids appeared, this time blocking all the way ahead and some of them even send horses made of tree trunks to attack the group that soon is taking cover dodging the creatures and advancing.
The long range ones shoot what they can against the creatures, but still didn't kill all of them.

Akko: Those boring witches again?

Diana: Come on Akko, let's get these things over with.

Akko and Diana nod to each other, when the horses got close to the two, both focus on one giving a cut that caught well in the neck of the creature, decapitating the, what the dríades went trying to cast spells to hit the duo, but the Cavendish having a shield in hands protected herself and even managed to make the impact reflect hitting back the witch that reflected again and Diana stayed still in the protection, which this way when coming back on the shield gave even a back kick to the duo that almost falls with the intensity of the impact, what hits well back to the group of draiades that ends up scattering from one side to the other flying with the impact of the spell that wire rebounded by the shield.

Akko: That shield of yours really is a useful weapon.

Diana: That's how we defeated my mother a few days ago, they wanted to hit back, so it seems that the more times you hit back, the stronger the intensity of what you hit, which is very interesting, even though I'm human I can think of a thousand ways to break through all this, and ensure our victory.

The droids that survived the impact were being hit by the armed girls, while the last two horses both Chariot and Marianne took care of the creature, having Hellene to pull the whips when it got close to the neck and that way decapitating the creatures for good, leaving the arboreal equines on the ground, clearing more of the way, since they didn't have so much concern about those creatures for a while.
Relieved they go on in that forest, but not for so many steps, since some cocatrices started to involve in the middle, running towards the girls, accompanied by a bigger one.

Diana: That was a creature we only faced in a boss clash, here it's just a normal creature, shit, I have terrible memories of those damn things.

The Cavendish was already more attentive, Chariot was jumping towards the bigger one dodging the petrification blows that the creature was giving, while the others were giving the way to attack the smaller ones, what wasn't so difficult, since all together there were just shooting, Lotte even managed to catch one for the invocation of the book, even noticing how it's faster to suck the animal, as the hands catch much better pulling it until the book, already the bigger one decided to stop focusing on Belmont, since she ended up on top of the animal's back and in that she focused only on the girls.

Diana: Come on, try to petrify us!

All: You're crazy Diana!

Diana gets her chest all puffed up confidently, the cockatrice gets a bit intimidated, starts blowing a petrifying ray against the ten girls, but they didn't expect the shield of Cavendish that saved everything and by reflecting the petrifying ray, ended up turning the cockatrice herself into a stone statue which was cracking as she was receiving whips from Belmont that in a short time the whole structure ends up cracking, killing the creature once and for all and with that Cavendish even gets a smile on her face.

Diana: We already know that this shield can be our greatest salvation against my aunt, let her try to attack us, because I will love to make her take back the attack.

After the defeated cockatrice, the girls follow the route, where they find that they were near the symbol of a skull, which could indicate a battle against some boss or some much bigger creature, so much so that they even take a look at the message that Woodward had left for them.

"Be careful around here, this is a cursed tree left by Daryl, it has the power to summon creatures and it's huge, I know you can manage to defeat it and if you do the forest might even thank you by stopping attacking them"

Motivated, they all go to where the tree is, and indeed that plant had a huge size with a kind of intimidating face, with some purple lights emanating from the trunk and a dark coloration of the stem, besides the leaves on top being of a purplish tone also having some arms, the tree was attached to a root, as soon as they arrived the girls are faced with the summoning of multiple of these creatures.

Chariot: Now it's time to prune some trees!

They already go more motivated and with the clenched fists they all go for top of the smaller creatures that were invoked by the bigger tree that also tries to shoot rays in direction of the girls that go dodging, not only these trees had, as also were invoked some armed zombies that were trying to arrive close to the girls, but they were just giving their way, attacking them back.
Little by little the small little trees were being killed, until none was left and it was like this that the biggest opened the force field that was involving her, all together they began to take advantage of that gap, they were attacking several and multiple times hitting that stem that was getting only with some cracks, but it was possible to notice that was giving a light damage, even so soon the biggest tree ends up returning with the force field and again invokes the creatures.

Hellene: That will take time.

Diana: But if we win we gain access to the castle for good, maybe the forest will help us.

Back to the attack, they went there again trying to clear the path, a little more attentive the bigger cursed tree was already shooting rays a lot more times trying to make the girls unable to use their attack, but that was only to make them more attentive, since they were jumping and dodging with a bigger easiness, so much that Lotte was making the point of trying to attack back with more ease, using invocations and that way the path was cleared faster.

Lotte: Now we can all concentrate on focusing our attacks on this bigger tree, I'll take care of when this big one keeps summoning creatures all the time.

The way was soon cleared, yanson takes the chance to guard the creatures and goes already concentrating the next summoning, the tree shoots a ray against the blonde, but Diana appears with the shield reflecting that ray back catching the tree, The others were getting together to keep attacking and this time they managed to do even more damage to that cursed tree that was getting some holes in the stem revealing a little of the inside, but it didn't take long and soon the creature made sure to summon more of those trees and also armed zombies, everything to stop the girls.

Lotte: I can play that game too!

Yanson summons a small army of flea mens armed with axes, a lot to go against the summonings and that way the girls were already grouped against the bigger tree, kind of with Diana using the shield right in front of a tree's ray that kept shooting against them, but as it had the force field it kept accumulating some power, that until the creatures were defeated, when the force field opens that ray cause an impact with everything, the kick even made the Cavendish be thrown with all the girls behind her hitting against some trees behind them, what on the biggest tree was already causing a little reaction with a part of the stem being crossed but still not being enough, just opening a big hole, seeing that after the tree came back to the force field.

Diana: Now we just have to focus on hitting the top, this shield of mine will still make us win this fight.

Lotte: I'll have to wait a bit to summon creatures again, sorry.

Chariot: This thing is really strong, so the next tactic and all circle around to protect Diana, you can leave it to us Lotte!

The girls get out of there and go towards the creatures, Diana goes running towards the tree that is shooting rays against her that soon manages to reflect a bigger and more concentrated ray, with that the tree was pushing more and concentrating, well in the shield of Cavendish that was holding hard, soon Hellene arrives to help her sister to hold the shield leaving the gauntlet more loaded since they were almost sinking into the ground due to the impact of accumulated rays.

Hellene: This time it would be wonderful to be a dhampir, we would be able to handle it all calmly, but now it feels more like we are being crushed.

Around the girls the summoned creatures weren't taking it easy either, they were smaller cursed trees and also droids, besides some wisps that were going towards the girls, soon the ones that used long range weapons were opening the way, arriving also of next to the pair of sisters that each time more sank in the ground what they were if joining still more to push that shield up and little by little they had been getting, they were going more and more girls, as the creatures went dying, Lotte enclosed invoking some flea mens to assist, together of Marianne and Chariot that were the only ones remaining taking care of the monsters.

Marianne: Wow these little trees are really annoying, I wish they would all stop at once, the girls are almost falling on the ground because of this big tree.

The support came, the creatures that Lotte invoked were starting to attack the rest of the creatures and in that way the two whip slayers were opening the way, arriving also near where the shield was also giving that strength, Lotte was also invoking some stronger creatures, which were helping even more the shield to rise and in that way it was also causing a bigger tension in the force field, and also in the cursed tree.
Until the last Flea Men finishes with the last Druid, in a fraction of seconds the force field vanishes, the light ray is shot with an immense power against the tree stem, which practically reflects in a more open ray that goes towards the sky, finishing with that cursed tree once and for all.
The girls feel the impact forcing them even more against the ground, but after everything being released and the tension leaving they were only slightly sunk with a small crater forming which they stand up looking a bit surprised for the sky, when seeing that that purple ray was leaving flying after causing a big explosion on the sky that can be seen by them kind of wondering seeing that purple ball forming on the sky.

Akko: Woah! That's beautiful! That thing really took quite a bit of work.

Diana: I don't know about you, but the shield is the best weapon we have at hand, this thing here can defeat Daryl with enormous ease, thank you for everything Mama Bernadette, the shield you made has saved us now.

Hellene: Really, the gauntlet helped a lot too, I can go beyond my strength with these things, I even feel a bit of my vampire strength when I use them.

Chariot: All that tension, that shield working wonders, we just managed to defeat something that size, that was quite a clever plan Diana, when brute force doesn't win you use the power of your brain.

Croix: Bernadette was genius, I wouldn't have thought of a shield like that, she did something that is going to be essential even, when Daryl finds out, she will want by all means to take this thing away from us, better watch out Diana.

Diana: I'll take it, but let her try, we have a numerical advantage, I won't give in so easily to these attacks, if she tries the shield will also serve to counterattack her.

Then after this talk kind of the forest ends up changing again, all the routes are changing, on the map that before had a labyrinthine route to reach the castle was becoming a much simpler route, forming a parabola until you reach a corridor to the castle, making it much easier the route to get there, including having a message from Woodward about what happened.

"Thank you for your help, you really are wonderful, I appreciate in every way what you see doing here in the forest of Arcturus, you have saved us and it seems the forest is thanking you for that help, you have been recognised and gained the trust, now go, defeat Daryl Cavendish once and for all"

With a smile on their faces and motivated the girls were walking through the passage of the forest, but still they didn't have the way free, since the creatures of Daryl came to try to attack the group, but they weren't intimidated by this situation and one thing that Diana could also notice on the sword was that as they hit more of it the impact was reflected on the creatures too, slowly creating a tension the more they hit, but she decided just not to show too much.
Walking through the parabola, they were sweeping away the constant gargoyles that were coming out towards the girls, it was practically useless that effort of trying to stop the girls, even more so with the weapons starting to give the faces of the improvements, especially around Cavendish with the shield that is very powerful.

Akko: These weapons of ours are much better than before, I have been noticing that I am getting those multiple cuts back as I get closer, now I want to see these creatures want to kill us, I am already starting to feel my power back.

Croix: I also feel it coming back to me, Daryl really doesn't expect that one, we're all powerful, even if we are mere humans;

The gargoyles even stopped appearing due to all that, what was opening the way at the end for the girls to go approaching giving the steps to the destiny, when arriving at the end of the parabola, they arrive at a straight corridor, when giving a step for front they go alert walking there, but soon they come across a blue flame that is rising in the middle of the way, what reveals to be Daryl who is already full of intimidation towards the girls.

Daryl: I see you survived my cursed tree, I grew this thing for all these 10 years and now this thing is just defeated by a bunch of brats, you took away my control of the forest, but it won't stay like that, you chose death and death you will have, prepare to die, because I won't be any Bernadette to take it easy in any corner of this castle, you won't be trained here, you will die for real!

The flame simply disappears, the girls are a little intimidated by it all, but they simply keep walking around giving that attentive look at the corridors, while the gate is lowering of the castle, showing that it already has a welcome to the girls that give that deep breath before passing and going in a journey that will determine the future of all the humanity, this time, they have an importance of enormous proportions in this, the castle all intimidating, with the fog passing by the huge open field, waiting for the girls.

Diana: Here we are, we have arrived.

Akko: Finally we have arrived.

Chariot: the Luna Nova castle.

Hellene: Daryl will meet her fate and we will all defeat her once and for all.

Motivated the girls go together passing by the bridge, when they cross it they notice that it's getting higher closing them inside the castle, looking at the huge open field that used to be Luna Nova, with some creatures passing by there, it would be the girls' big challenge, in that open field had the castle in the middle and a tower nearby, they didn't know very well where Daryl would be, but they were watching in admiration.

Diana: It really does look like a witchcraft academy here, it looks like a relic frozen in time, this place is wonderful, we will save it for Woodward and all the history circulating here.

Quickly the girls notice something that flew towards the girls, it was Diana's dagger which Cavendish uses the shield to protect herself and reflects the blade's path that turns with everything to Luna Nova's tower, the one where the girls stay a bit between looking, kind of wondering where they could start.

Diana: Elizabeth, she's waiting for us upstairs.

Hellene: Let's take care of her first and then we'll go to the castle.

Soon they notice something else that came towards them, a raven that went flying and then the creature landed handing them a note that came from Elizabeth, the Cavendish soon made a point of reading to know what was written.

"Congratulations, you survived Arcturus, now come here in the tower of Luna Nova, let's settle the score once and for all, I want to see if you're going to be all that, pathetic human, regrettably you'll have to take all your little friends together, I even wanted a one on one combat, but I know you'd lose anyway"

Diana crumples the sheet of paper, points her sword at the tower and starts walking towards the place to face Lancaster who was waiting for them to duel, the girls even notice Cavendish's more motivated and quiet expression, showing that she was annoyed and when she was like that she always concentrated more.

Diana: I'm not the one who runs away from battles, now this bitch is going to know what a real battle is, I'm not going to take it easy with a bitch like that.

The tone of the girl's accent has even changed, always getting a slightly thicker voice, the girls follow her on her way to the tower.

Meanwhile in the castle, Daryl ended up calling someone to come to her and with that negotiate about something she ended up noticing in the battle, the presence of death ended up appearing in the throne room, the creature this time simply bowed to the older Cavendish who loved seeing that scene.

Death: Oh mistress Dracula, what brings you here?

Daryl: The shield, I can't let Diana continue with a weapon like that, she simply has something fatal in her hands, I can't allow her to have that equipment, it can kill me if I don't know how to defend myself, that's my order get rid of the shield.

Death: Master I will do it, I will leave this weapon in my hands, she would need to defeat me if she wants it back, which will be impossible, after all no one can kill death, I am the creature that rules everything, I am the one who seeks, I am the one behind everything, I am the one responsible for taking lives.

Daryl: Excellent, don't allow Diana to keep that shield and show competence if she survives, I can't allow her to have any chance against me, any mistake could mean not only mine but your defeat, we both work together, I rule the world and you get a lot of clients, you know how it works.

Death: Since the departure of the last Dracula I was waiting for someone with a firm hand like this, I feel the same admiration with you as with Vlad, you were really cunning in this whole plan, I have to admire, you set everything up in a way that was going to get under everyone's skin, a perfect representation of Dracula.

Daryl: Now go and after you capture the shield be sure to report back to me and also return to your post.

Death: Coming, mistress!

The death goes flying out of that part of the castle going towards where the girls are to take the shield of Diana, since Daryl already noticed that that could be something that would be able to defeat the oldest Cavendish, the challenge that is getting more and more present in a battle.
Daryl even keeps watching everything from the crystal ball noticing how the girls are only focused on one thing, Elizabeth who was sitting on top watching everything, the Lancaster only wanted to know how to perform a final fight and settle the score with Diana, not caring much about the mission, so much that Dracula gets a little irritated seeing her there.

[Daryl's thoughts: This incompetent, always puts her motivation above everything else, I hate this vampire, she doesn't seem to like working for me, she does everything just to get something in return, damn mercenary, but soon she'll die too, I just want to see how Diana will deal against her without the shield, that way I'll be able to know if she has another weapon hidden up her sleeve and anyway I'll call death to come and capture her too, but what a curse, to think that Bernadette has been tormenting me even after her death, that bastard thought well before dying by the way, she should have been more attentive, at least now I am Dracula and nothing will stop me, I am the most powerful creature of this world, just do everything right and the whole world will be Daryl Cavendish, everyone will kiss at my feet!]

Daryl lets out a few evil laughs as he watches everything, just waiting for the girls to be merely surprised by the presence of death that will come to take away what could be the most powerful weapon in the hands of the eleven girls.

The forest of Arcturus has already been crossed, this time the eleven adventurers are in the castle of Luna Nova, where they will have challenges ahead, where Diana will already have a surprise that will not be pleasant, both for her and for the rest of the girls who will deal with something that Daryl himself wants to sabotage them so that they cannot succeed in the mission of defeating Dracula. Thanks to the help of the witch Woodward, all the way through Arcturus was greatly alleviated and they could cross without many complications, being helped in the end even by the forest itself that considered them as saviors.

See you, Arcturus witches...