Chapter 11

Grave

"I'm not sure what we could possibly find in here, but I'm hopeful that there's more than the Luna Nova library," Diana said as she leaned an old wooden ladder against a very tall bookshelf and began to cautiously climb.

"I would hope so, considering you go back to one of the Nine Olde Witches." Akko held the bottom of the ladder as she watched Diana running her fingers over the spines of ancient looking books.

It was the second time Akko had been in the Cavendish archives, and she was still in awe of its size. Bookshelves spanned the walls, wrapping around the circular room in an endless stretch of history and literature.

"We need information on the Order of Aurelion and the Martian Eclipse," Diana stated, though more to herself than Akko. She drew away from the bookshelf and sneezed into her sleeve as years' worth of dust invaded her nostrils. The ladder rocked beneath her, but Akko held it firm. "I must have Anna come in here and dust at some point," she said with a sniffle.

"Why does your family have books on the dark arts?" Akko asked, taking a bite of the roll she'd confiscated from the lunch table and shoving the rest into the back pocket of her jeans. "Seems weird."

Diana pulled a prospective tome from the shelf and examined it for a moment before shoving it back into place. "A healer should be trained on all aspects of the physical and magical world," she told Akko. "You wouldn't believe the amount of curses an afflictions my ancestors had to deal with. This was long before the Ministry of Magic was established and rules were set in place, obviously. Akko, could you please hold the ladder?"

"Oh. Mmm, right." Akko placed both of her hands back on the ladder and held it as she watched Diana inspect another book.

"This may be of some use." Diana tucked the book under her arm and carefully descended the ladder. "Let's go take a look."

Akko followed Diana to a large stone table. Pulling the roll back out of her pocket, she bit into it and chewed thoughtfully as she stood and stared down at the book.

"Magical Ailments and Curses, an Encyclopedia from A to Z," Akko read, spraying a few crumbs out of her mouth. "Nice."

Diana raised her eyes to stare at Akko feasting away on a flaky biscuit. "Akko, seriously?"

"What?" Akko asked, gulping down the bread.

"Did you swipe that from my kitchen?"

Akko shrugged. "Well, yeah, where else?"

Diana sighed, turning her attention back to the book as Akko sat down across from her. "By the Nine, you drive me crazy," she muttered.

"Same." Akko hummed, crossing her arms on the table in front of her and leaning in to watch Diana flip through the pages until she reached Necromancy.

Diana felt the tips of her ears turn red. She made sure not to look at Akkio, instead keeping her head down, forcing her focus to the tiny letters on the page. She trailed her finger through the words until she found what she was looking for. She began reading out loud.

"Necromancy is one of the darkest arts of magic and is forbidden through ancient magical laws tracing back to 500 B.C. Utilizing these sorceries has been shown to form a fissure within the magical realms, causing a saturation of dark magic that can invade the spells of any users within the afflicted area. The resulting effects will stack a higher ratio of dark magic in expanding areas, in which consequences include realm crossovers seen in the form of demons, poltergeists, and other banished species."

"Uh…" Akko blinked up at Diana. "What's that mean?"

Diana sighed, running over the many ways she could explain this to Akko, who was already at a handicap coming from a non-magical family. Finally, the corner of her lips lifted in a smirk. "Bad magic make bad monster."

"Ah." Akko nodded, leaning back. "Wait, are you joking on me?"

Diana chuckled, shaking her head at the Japanese witch. "Of course not. Why would I ever do that?"

"Oh, I'm Diana Cavendish, I'm the smartest witch in the world!" Akko mocked, straightening her back and staring across the table with a haughty sneer pasted on her face. "All bow!"

"Akko, I have never asked anyone to bow," Diana said, covering her mouth with her hand and letting loose a restrained laugh.

Akko's smile spread into a wide grin. "Maybe you should start, you've got a ton of girls at that school who would jump at the chance."

Diana's smirk fell to a thoughtful smile as she took in Akko's cheerful red eyes. "Maybe, but there's only one I care about. I don't think she'd bow to me, though."

Akko's eyes widened. She swallowed hard, feeling the heat rising to her rapidly flushing face. "I—I—uh, so, Necromancy, right?" She looked down.

Diana could feel herself blushing. She brought her attention back to the text and started scanning again. "In addition to the effects on the magical realms, the user of the spell sacrifices their soul. This effect can take place immediately or cause the soul to deteriorate over time, the results of which depending on the level of concentrated magic used to perform the spell."

"Well, geez," Akko muttered. "Guess that explains why your brother is such a jerk."

Diana tensed her jaw and gave Akko a look.

"Eh, sorry, too soon?"

"Yes, Akko," Diana scolded. "That was incredibly insensitive."

"Sorry," Akko mumbled, shrinking into the hard stone chair.

"It's alright," Diana responded, continuing through the text. "Results of necromancy on the raised target will depend on the severity of intent from the caster. Effects will consist of advanced levels of decay, intense pain throughout the body, unintentional self-injury, a manifestation of dark thoughts, deterioration of neurological function, and, in worst case scenarios, homicidal tend—"

Diana trailed off as she read, eyebrows scrunching together.

"Are you okay?" Akko asked, leaning forward. "We can stop. This can wait."

"No, I'm fine," Diana said, reading on. "The only method of returning a target to a blissful state of death is the…" She swallowed hard. "Is decap—decapitation, as the spinal cord must—must be completely severed from the—"

"Diana, stop!" Akko yelled, snatching the book away from her friend and tossing it over her shoulder. "You're torturing yourself! You don't need to know that stuff. We're fighting your brother and his stupid cult, not the dead!"

"I—I just wanted to know," Diana stammered, closing her eyes and rubbing her temple. "Everything's fine, Akko, I'm alright."

"Bull," Akko grumbled. "Alright, well, we know enough about Necromancy. Let's move on so we can get this over with."

Diana nodded, reaching out for another book she had sitting on the table.

Akko stared at the familiar torn cover, raising an eyebrow. "Diana, did you steal that from the library?"

"I didn't steal it, I borrowed it." Diana flipped open to one of her bookmarks.

"Fine, using that logic, then, next time you find me with a tart after curfew, I borrowed it," Akko countered, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair with a smirk.

Diana rolled her eyes, not bothering to come back with anything. Instead, she read a paragraph that her finger fell on. "Though little is known of the Order of Aurelion, there is enough evidence to discern that the now large cult began with the gathering of a small group of Necromancers in the early 8th century. The Order was temporarily disbanded upon the banishment of leader Benedict Aurelion. Upon the exile of all known and suspected Necromancers, the Order was re-stablished by Aurelion in the Second Realm during the late 18th century and later grew to incorporate members of the Third and Fourth Realms, which consisted of witches and mages of lesser crimes.

The last known leader of the Order of Aurelion was Ekaterina Kuznetsov, who was banished in the mid-14th century. The Order has since cropped up in the First Realm in small parties in the 9th, 10th, and 12th centuries. Members possess no magical ability and have never posed a significant threat to the political, social, or economic spheres."

Akko hummed. "When was this book written?"

Diana flipped to the front page, frowning. "1498. I found it in the Ancient History section."

"So there's nothing recent on them," Akko said. "And nothing on what they do. So, it's, what, a Necromancer support group?" she huffed. "I'm Atsuko Kagari, and I'm a Necromancer," she mocked, then in a deeper voice added, "Hi, Atsuko!"

"Akko," Diana scolded. "Please."

"They don't even have magic," Akko replied.

Diana shook her head, closing the book. "They do, though. They flew, not to mention they raised that Behemoth. That must have taken an incredible effort of combined magic."

"They raised that thing?" Akko asked with a quirk of her eyebrow. "How do you know?"

"Behemoths are extinct. These are necromancers. One plus one, Akko."

"Right," Akko mumbled, pressing her finger to her chin in thought. "And the Martian Eclipse? What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't know." Diana rose with a sigh, brushing the dust off the sleeves of her blouse.

"Well, when is it?" Akko asked.

"Four days from now. Tuesday."

Akko rose. "Alright. So we know that your brother tried to raise your mom—er, sorry," she said quickly when Diana lowered her eyes. "And we know that Necromancers are bad and make bad monsters, and this Order is made up of a bunch of bad guys who make really big bad monsters, but what else do we know? What does your brother want?"

"I am the rightful heir of the House of Cavendish," Diana suddenly repeated. "Or, I will be when the Martian Eclipse takes place. Akko, he's going to go through the ritual!" Her nostrils flared at the sudden realization. "He's going to try to claim the House!"

"And what's that have to do with anything?" Akko muttered. "This all makes no sense."

"No, you don't understand, Akko. You're not from a magical background—don't look at my like that, I didn't mean that as an insult—it's just that you don't know the significance of being the Head of a Great House. You are given certain immunities within the magical world and carry a heavy political influence. Essentially, he would no longer be exiled. His magic would be returned." She shook her head in thought. "Beyond that, I have no idea. But you went through these texts with me, Akko. You met him. There is no soul there. Damien may be my brother and a Cavendish through blood, but there's no humanity."

"So then we just have to stop him. Or it," Akko said, shrugging. "No big deal."

"Yes," Diana said, planting her palms on the stone table and staring ahead with the same look of sheer determination that Akko had seen when Diana had stepped up to help take down the Noir Missile. "Damien, yes. And the Order of Aurelion. No big deal."

"Akko, how would you feel about doing something a little more relaxing today?" Diana asked the next morning when they had finished eating breakfast, where Akko had devoured two portions of blueberry waffles and polished off what Diana couldn't finish.

"What's the definition of relaxing to a Cavendish?" Akko finished the rest of her tea in a loud gulp and swiped her lips with the sleeve of her sweater. "Actually, I'm kind of scared to find out."

Diana chuckled, gathering the plates for Anna. Aunt Daryl had already left earlier in the morning with her two cousins to go to town. Something about a holiday party she'd been planning, but Diana hadn't asked for fear of being accused of interfering. "There's somewhere I'd like to visit," she said. "I was wondering if you'd like to come with me."

"As if I'm going to let you wander around by yourself." Akko stood and pushed her chair in, reaching across the table to pull over the rest of the dirty dishes. "But what about everything else? And where are we going?"

Diana didn't answer. Instead, she just replied with, "Meet me outside in a few minutes, I have to speak to Anna briefly. It's a bit of a hike. Wear comfortable shoes." With that, she slipped out of the room to find Anna.

Akko hummed. The property was massive, with rolling hills of green grass and miles of forest all around. There were plenty of places they could go. Curious, she returned to her room to slip into a pair of comfortable sneakers.

"Come on," Diana urged, already standing outside waiting for Akko when she pushed through the main doors of the Manor. She was wearing a pair of jeans, Akko didn't even know she owned a pair of jeans, and a dark blue blouse that was buttoned low enough to make Akko's breath stutter. Her hair fell in waves over her shoulders, almost shimmering in the light of the morning sun. In her hand, she clutched her broomstick.

Akko glanced down at her favorite sneakers (which just so happened to be so old and holey that she was surprised Anna hadn't found and burned them) and back to Diana's broom. "I thought you said to wear comfortable shoes?" she asked.

"Yes. This is just in case we don't feel like walking back," Diana said simply. "Or if it gets dark. I don't particularly like walking through these woods at night."

Akko narrowed her eyes at the blonde witch. "We're going to be gone that late?"

Diana shrugged. "That's up to you, I suppose. I brought lunch, don't worry." She lifted the leather satchel that was draped across her shoulder for emphasis. "I know you think with your stomach. Now come on."

Akko followed Diana down a wide dirt path that veered across a rolling hill to the back of the mansion. She could see the stables off in the distance, the handful of horses grazing peacefully in the morning glow. It was warm, unseasonably so for being so close to winter in England, and Akko eventually pulled her sweater over her head and tied it around her waist.

"So, are you going to tell me where we're going, or is it meant to be a mystery?" Akko asked as the path narrowed into the woods. She could hear the birds chattering overhead, the rustle of dead leaves as some creature or other scrambled to get away from the invading humans. The shade fell cool on her skin. She stayed close to Diana, whose gaze was locked straight ahead as though she was on some kind of mission.

Diana was silent for so long that Akko was starting to think she wasn't going to reply at all. Finally, she spoke. "To see my mother."

"Your- Oh. Oh, okay."

Diana shot a sideways glance at Akko, blue eyes studying the side of the shorter witch's face. "Is that alright with you?"

Akko shrugged. "Well, yeah. Of course. I didn't know she was buried here."

"We have a family plot," Diana said, a matter-of-fact statement that implied it was difficult for her to imagine anything else.

The path grew smaller still. Akko had to carefully maneuver around jutting tree roots and large rocks. She stumbled a few times, catching the split toe of her shoe, but each time Diana put her arm out to stop her from tumbling. And, each time, it made Akko even less aware of the changes in footing and more focused on Diana's easy, confident stride and the hand that hung mere inches from her own.

When the path finally broke through the trees, they found themselves in a large clearing where the grass grew halfway to their knees. Ahead, Akko could make out the many shapes of gravestones set atop a low hill, shadows against a warm blue sky. Two trees rose among them, dead branches reaching through the sky in jagged lines. "Is that it?" she asked.

"Yes," Diana said. With a heavy sigh, she put her head down and trekked on.

The graveyard was not kept like the meticulously well-maintained cemeteries of her home country, where large, polished blocks spread across groomed land like a city for the dead. If anything, the grass grew even higher around the headstones. Akko hesitated before moving forward, but followed Diana nonetheless.

A rusted metal sign hung between the dry trunks of the two dead trees, swaying at each breeze with an eerie, unsettling squeak.

CAVENDISH

Diana knelt before one of the newer headstones. It was tall and wide, nearly the length that Akko was tall, and she was surprised to see not one but four names etched into the marble. Her father, mother, her brother, and... Diana?

"Why is your name on here?" Akko asked.

"Because this is where I'll be buried when I pass, Akko," Diana said, kneeling before the gravestone and gently placing her hand on the jagged top of the stone. She didn't expect her to understand the formalities of wealthy families. She ran a hand through her wavy blonde hair, enjoying the warmth of the day and the grass tickling against her arms. Akko stayed standing, staring at the stone with large, pensive eyes.

"Your brother has a death date," she noticed. "But he's not dead."

Diana took a sharp breath before saying, "He is dead to us, Akko."

Akko shuffled her feet. "Do you—do you mind if I look around a bit?" she asked. There were other graves, and she felt a pull of curiosity to examine them all.

Rolling her shoulders in a shrug, Diana squeezed her eyes shut. "Of course."

Akko was studying each grave with an intensity Diana only saw when Akko was mercilessly defeating Lotte and Sucy with her Shiny Chariot cards or eyeing a particularly tasty tart. She watched the smaller girl move from stone to stone, brunette hair lifting gently in the soft breeze. Her bare arms had a couple of scratches from being snagged on branches in the woods.

"Hey, Diana?" Akko called out from across the yard.

"Yes, Akko?" Diana asked, rising and brushing the dirt off her jeans. When she saw where Akko was standing, she knew exactly what she was looking at. A tiny headstone, no larger than a brick, planted at the far corner of the graveyard with no further adornment.

"It—it can't be," Akko muttered, bending a knee and running her fingers along the name carved into the stone in lopsided letters.

BEATRIX CAVENDISH

"I figured she would have a huge tomb. Or a monument or... something!" Akko said.

"That's hers," Diana confirmed, stopping next to Akko. "Things were very simple in the 7th century, as you can imagine. We have never interred nor altered the site in any way. What you see is as it was then. Now, come eat lunch. I'm sure you're starving after more than five minutes of physical activity."

"Hey!" Akko grumbled, but stood to follow nonetheless. "I'll have you know I get hungry after zero minutes of physical activity."

"My apologies," Diana said, pulling two sandwiches from the satchel and handing one to Akko. She lowered herself back down before her mother's stone, sighing with content as she slowly nibbled at the bread.

Akko's sandwich was gone in about four bites. She threw herself back into the grass, stretching her limbs around her like she was making a snow angel. "It's nice here," Akko said. "Do you come here often?"

Diana shook her head. "Not as often as I should. It's not as though she's here. Sometimes, it's just a nice excuse to get away." She finished her sandwich, knocking the crumbs off her hands and letting herself fall back into the grass with Akko. Her head landed on Akko's outstretched bicep, but Akko made no move to pull it away.

"Mortality is terrifying," Diana said after a moment. "It would be nice to have an understanding of what came after."

Akko had never heard Diana admit a fear of anything. She turned her head toward her, the scent of lavender and rosemary flooding her senses. She breathed in deep, letting Diana's hair tickle against her nose and mouth. "Yeah. I guess so," she said, though she didn't know if she necessarily agreed. Death was just a part of life.

"It's the idea of not knowing, I suppose," Diana continued. "I'm not particularly fond of the unknown. There's so much here that brings me happiness. What if there isn't any of that in... well, the beyond?" She could feel the steady rise and fall of Akko's body, the gentle breaths warm in her hair. For the first time in as far back as she could remember, Diana felt truly at ease.

Akko closed her eyes, relishing in the warmth of the sun, of Diana pressed against her skin, of the magic between them spreading through her body. "And what—what makes you happy?" she asked.

Diana swallowed. She wondered if Akko could feel her heartbeat drumming a discordant tune against her ribcage, if she could feel her blood tingling beneath her skin. She squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head toward the other girl, letting her face nuzzle into the soft crook of her arm. Her breath hitched in her throat as Akko's lips fell warm and soft against her forehead, and she was so viscerally aware that if she just raised her head a little, if she just looked up...

But she didn't.

She felt Akko's mouth move, the soft breath of her whisper gently tickling her skin.

"Same."