Chapter 6:
It felt like all of Diana's fears had come to life as she read the article. Croix Meridies, in an effort to open the Grand Triskelion, had lost control of her Fuel Spirit magic, which in turn took the form of a giant monster. The article sighted that Chariot Du Nord had shown up to try and stop the monster, but could only do so much and had gotten her leg bitten by the monster, crippling her.
After that, the monster had taken the form of a giant missile and was headed straight for the nation that had beaten England in a soccer match. The Air Force had tried to stop it, but their efforts were fruitless. Many other plans were discussed, but it was too late. The missile crashed and exploded in a largely populated city of the other nation, with millions either missing, seriously injured, or dead.
Though many politicians were blamed, Croix had been the only one to face trial for what had happened. Chariot had appeared at the trial with crutches under her shoulder and a brace on her leg. She and Croix's lawyer tried to make the case that Croix had lost control of her creation, and had never meant to harm anyone. Despite their best efforts, Croix was found guilty, and sentenced to a triple life sentence in a maximum security prison. The image on the front cover showed Croix's mugshot, her face hollow and full of depression.
Diana almost dropped the paper she was so shocked. Every other thing that had happened seemed like a rainy day compared to this. At least everything else, it only affected a select few, but this? Many people, friends, family, were now all dead.
"B-but Akko and I stopped the missile!" she exclaimed, "It never crashed. How could this happen?" Constanze looked over again in confusion.
"And how is it that nobody remembers Akko?" she went on, "Constanze, she helped build your ship! She helped bring magic back to the light! She- Uggh!"
Diana ran to the records section to prove her point. Luckily, the student records were still there. These kept record on any student who had ever attended Luna Nova, if there was any proof of Akko's existence, it would be there. Diana searched the books holding them until she found the book labeled with the current school year. She opened it up and began flipping through until she got to the K's, and began searching.
Kabah, Kabesor, Kaborra, Kabot, Kacini, Kaddy, Kadun, Kae, Kafen, Kafesa, Kafo, Kagnin,-
"Where is she?" Diana thought out loud, "She should be in here!" She double checked to be sure, but there were no Kagaris anywhere in the book. How could this be possible? Even though she wasn't the best student, Atsuko Kagari should still have been listed in the student records.
Suddenly, there was a rustle that echoed throughout the room, Diana and Constanze looked up.
"Who's there?!" asked Diana. No reply came, but a stack of books next to her was suddenly knocked down. Diana felt a sudden rush of wind pass by her.
"...the shooting star," muttered Constanze.
"Shooting Star?" asked Diana. Wasn't that the broom that Amanda had brought to the broom race? The same broom that Akko had tamed? It didn't rely on magic energy and was wild and untamable Diana thought for sure that it had been long gone from campus by now.
"DUCK!" shouted Constanze.
Suddenly, Diana felt herself being tackled, before stumbling on to some sort of red metal rod.
Shooting Star?! Diana screamed internally, but before she could put more thought into it, she felt her face being blasted with the wind as the broom zigzagged around the library, and eventually crashing out of a nearby window.
"STOOOOOOOPPPP!" Wailed Diana as the broom zoomed forward, but it didn't listen. Diana could hold on for dear life as Shooting Star flew further and further away from the school.
"WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING HERE?!" Diana yelled. She then reached ahead for the metal handles on Shooting Star still in place.
Wait, didn't Akko break these off, freeing the broom?
Before she could come to a conclusion, she saw that the broom had flown her directly over the Arcturus Forest, and was now shaking violently, as if it were trying to get Diana off. Diana held on with all her might, but it was no good. She soon lost her grip and fell to the thornbushes and dead trees that made up the Arcturus Forest, screaming in fear. With a rustle and thump, Diana landed to the ground.
"Uggh...Ow." Muttered Diana. Pain immediately shot up all over her body. She looked over herself and found that tiny thorns had pierced her legs, and various bruises and cuts began to bleed slightly. Though they hurt, Diana tried her best to ignore them as she brought herself up.
Now what? she thought. Almost all magic in the world is gone, just about everyone I know is in a terrible situation, and everyone acts like Akko never went to Luna Nova.
Diana's thoughts suddenly stopped when she saw something familiar. It looked a lot like... But how? She had seen it fade into the stars. How had it ended up back here?
"Shiny Rod?"
It certainly looked like it, the main difference now was that it was in it's older form, before being merged with the Grand Triskelion. It was wrapped up in twigs and thorns, which held it in place. But how had it gotten this way? And what was it doing back in the Forest? All these and more raced around Diana's mind as she looked upon the ancient wand. She slowly walked towards it, keeping her wits about her.
"H-how did you get here?" Diana wondered out loud. "I thought the Rod had faded into the stars when Akko and I used the Shiny Arc."
However it had gotten there, Diana knew she couldn't leave it. Gripping the Rod tightly, Diana pulled back, the thorns gripping with all their might. Eventually, though, they lost the tug-of-war, which sent Diana flying back down to the ground.
Diana winced at the slight pain she received falling down, but soon got back up. She looked the Rod over, it looked about the same in its original form from what she remembered. She looked over each of the crystal stars, they looked about the same, only now a slight shade of gray.
I wonder, can I ..? There was only one way to find out. Clearing her throat, and holding out the wand in the right position, she shouted in as booming a voice as she could muster:
"Noctu, Orfei, Aude, Fraetor!"
Unsurprisingly, nothing happened. Diana cringed internally.
I thought as much. Diana told herself, Even with enough magic power, I doubt that Shiny Rod would choose- Diana stopped thinking for a moment, and looked at the Rod once more. Like with her wand, the first star appeared to be glowing bright neon green.
Great, muttered Diana in her mind, Another wild goose chase. Still though, what else did she have to do? Reluctantly, she used the beacon on the rod to guide her down a path of fallen trees and thorns towards a destination unknown…
…
Will this trail ever end? Diana wondered as she continued following the beam of light that came from the rod. It had been close to 45 minutes now, and her feet were beginning to ache. Would the reward at the end of the journey even be worth it? Would it be a new type of magic? An ancient relic? A way to fix everything? Suddenly Diana stopped and looked in front of her, and saw a massive tree that stretched to the heavens.
"Yggdrasil," Diana awed at the humongous tree. The very same tree that had been the main provider of magical energy throughout the world. But it looked different than before, the wood had been petrified, almost like the tree was dying.
"But, how did-"
She stumbled backward before catching herself. Diana looked and before was a massive, black abyss of a crater.
"Where did this come from?!" shouted Diana. There had been no historical records of a crater right beside Yggdrasil, yet here one was.
Are you enjoying your wish?
"What, who said that?"
Diana looked towards the Rod and saw the first star glow brighter than before and a massive beam came out of it, causing Diana to cover her eyes. When she felt she had adjusted to the brightness, she moved her hand and looked at the sight before her. A giant woman with long teal green hair, and wearing a dark green dress, upon her head appeared to be a tiara of sorts made out twigs and plants. Diana looked upon her awe and recognized her immediately from the history books.
"W-Woodward?.."
The giant witch nodded silently.
"Oh Praise the Nine!" Diana smiled in refief. "You haven't the slightest idea how confused I've been tonight!"
Indeed, Woodward agreed in a booming voice, When one finally receives what they desire, it can be quite overwhelming.
"What are you? Nevermind," said Diana. She then stood up, presenting herself respectfully to Woodward "Please, I need your help, something terrible has happened. Akko's gone missing, everyone's lives been horribly altered, and magic is dying out. Do you know if there's anything we can do?"
Silly girl, this is the world you wished for. Is it not?
Diana stared at Woodward after the statement, shocked at what she had just heard.
"What? No! Why would I ever want to wish for all this mayhem?!"
And yet you still made your wish, an intrigiuing wish if I may be so bold to say so.
"That's ridiculous!" shouted Diana, "When did I ever make such a wish?"
Surely you remember wishing for the witch's path to have never begun?
"What are you talking about?!"
Think, girl!Commanded Woodward. How could you be holding the Claiomh Solais in your very hands, and how could magic be in this new found dark age?!
"I don't know!" shouted Diana, frustration rising in her mind, "Magic shouldn't be in the state it is now, and I shouldn't even be holding this stupid rod!"
Diana looked to the ground, tears starting to form in her eyes.
"I-I can't be holding this rod" She murmured, "Akko already found it, and used it to restore magic to the world."
How could such a possibility come to pass?Questioned Woodward, Atsuko Kagari has never attended Luna Nova in her entire life, and never will.
Diana stood dumbstruck at the last statement. Akko? Never attended Luna Nova? How was such a thing possible? It couldn't be, there was no way it could!
"That's not true!" Diana argued at Woodward, "Akko is the first non-magical student to enroll at Luna Nova! It's been her lifelong dream to learn magic just like Shiny Chariot!"
Not in the world that you wished for…
A group of spheres (not unlike the ones at the Polaris Fountain) suddenly appeared around Woodward and showed what looked like events from the night of the Luna Nova feast. First Avery and other witches laughing at Diana and Akko, then Diana snapping at Akko, and finally Akko running out of the room crying. The last sphere had sound coming from it, which was Past-Diana saying in an ominous tone: "I NEVER want to see YOU again."
Diana looked down when she heard it. She remembered that night seeing Akko so hurt. It reminded her of how her cousins had treated her as a child for being a Chariot fan. They had been so hurtful to Diana, and she had been no better to Akko. And all for what? Having her fellow students saying harmless words about her for being seen hanging out with the brunette?
Really, Diana, she told herself How selfish can you get?
A new sphere had now popped up showing Past-Diana with a busted lip, moping through the courtyard, and kicking over a pile of snow. This sphere also had noise coming from it, that was Past-Diana saying: "I wish she'd never even come to Luna Nova in the first place…"
Then everything clicked together in Diana's mind. She remembered her wand had begun glowing after she had said that. The glow that had led her to the Fountain of Polaris, where she had fallen into the fountainhead, but not before seeing Akko through a sphere, crying over a letter from Luna Nova.
Diana never did figure out what was in the letter…
It's curious, is it not? Asked Woodward to an almost zoned out Diana, How the life of one can affect so many. Atsuko Kagari's life certainly affected many in her time at Luna Nova. Well, before you made your wish that is.
No, this wasn't true. It couldn't be. It had to be some sort of hallucination or a prank, or anything! Diana was positive. She would never…
"...Where's Akko?"
Interesting, Inquired Woodward, Your wish is to now see the one whose path you destroyed?
"That's not true," stated Diana quickly, "I didn't do anything to Akko."
Perhaps not directly, but your wish still affected young Atsuko.
"I never made any wish." Diana denied, "That was just a bad dream, nothing more; please tell me where Akko is."
And now you deny the truth? Perhaps out of guilt?
"I've nothing to be guilty for," stated Diana, who was now shaking, "tell me where Akko is."
You do feel guilty, don't you?
"Stop it!" choked Diana, her grip on the rod tightening, "This is all just some sick prank by someone isn't it? Well, it's not funny! Now tell me where Akko is!"
Guilty because your desires ruined the dreams of Atsuk-
"LIAR!" snapped Diana, tears of rage, hurt, and sadness now falling from her eyes, "TELL ME WHERE AKKO IS, NOW!"
Then with all her might, Diana swung Shiny Rod like a sword at the massive Woodward. Surprisingly, the giant witch vanished in the wind as soon as the Rod made contact with her body.
Then the wind began to pick up, swirling around and around, eventually forming a green vortex beneath Diana's feet. Diana tried to hold on to something but was immediately swept up in the wind, and before she knew it, she was sent spiraling and screaming into the vortex, before it closed in on itself, and disappeared from Yggdrasil, never to be seen again...