Chapter 18
Diana took a sharp breath as her eyes shot open. Her body was settled on the soft surface of a bed and, for a brief moment, she thought she might be home. She blindly groped for Akko, but her hands only found cold, vacant space.
"Don't scream."
The ache of her muscles seemed to rush into her all at once. She groaned as she pushed herself slowly up, blinking around the small, dark room that she found herself in. The air was warm and unbearably humid. Strands of blonde hair were clinging to the side of her damp face. The mattress beneath her was hard, lumpy, and the sheets scratched uncomfortably at any exposed skin.
The only light came from the flicker of a candle in the corner, where Diana found a small, crudely built wooden table. Seated in an equally rickety looking chair was Damien, whose elbows rested on his knees as nervous blue eyes met her own.
"Damien?"
Diana's heart leapt with fear. She shot to her feet, reaching for her wand, but found her holster empty. Her eyes fell on the wand that Damien was turning in his hands and she lunged.
"Diana," Damien said, standing and pressing a hand forward to stop the girl before she could get any closer. "Please. I will not harm you."
"You will not harm me?" Diana seethed, feeling her face grow hot. "You expect me to believe that?"
Damien shook his head, lowering himself back into his chair and motioning for Diana to take the other. "No. I don't. But I know for a fact that you're a rational girl who seeks knowledge as our mother once did, and so you will at least listen to what I have to say."
Diana hesitated. Her brother held none of the malice that she had seen before. His usually tidy blonde hair was tousled, his blue eyes soft and pleading. If Diana had to guess, he looked almost… vulnerable.
She was unarmed. There was little she could do. Her muscles tensing with suspicion, she tentatively sat in the wooden chair on the other side of the small table. Damien poured water from a jug into two tankards and slid her one, though she made no move to take it.
"It's just water," Damien said, noting her hesitation. "I promise."
Diana ignored him, regarding him with cool blue eyes. "Where are we?" she asked.
"We are in the Second Realm." He pressed his own tankard to his lips and took a sip. On having no reaction, Diana slowly raised her own and gulped, relishing the feel of fresh water against the back of her dry throat.
Her mind was racing with questions. "And Akko?" She squeezed her eyes shut, imagining the last image that she'd seen of Akko, held to the floor with a sword to the back of her neck, red eyes pleading into her own. She swallowed.
"The Kagari girl is alive," he replied, though his answer didn't entirely convince her.
Diana rapped her knuckles against the grainy wood of the table. "Why am I here? Why have you brought me to the Second Realm? What about the ritual?"
The sound of footsteps echoing outside the room made Damien lift a hand in a cue for silence. Diana held her breath, eyeing the door and the shadow that passed by the light filtering through. When their surroundings grew quiet once more, Damien lowered his hand.
"I have need of you," Damien said. Before Diana could raise another question, he continued. "There is much to explain, and I'm uncertain that time will allow it. However, I will try my best."
"When I was first exiled to the Second Realm, I was a very angry and confused young boy. Are you—are you familiar with the circumstances in which I found myself here?"
"Yes." Diana lowered her eyes and tensed her jaw, staring at the distorted reflection of her filthy face in the silver tankard. "You raised our mother."
"I… did, yes," Damien said. "I was very close with our mother. We had already lost our father. I didn't—I couldn't cope with another loss." He sipped from his tankard before capturing Diana's gaze with his own. "It was a foolish and regrettable decision, but unlike many of the others who occupy this Realm, I did not raise with malicious intent. I just wanted our mother back. Aunt Daryl was the one to discover my actions."
Diana ran her fingers along the cold metal of her tankard, studying the troubled expression on her brother's face as he went on,
"Aunt Daryl… returned our mother. She also tried to stop the actions of the Ministry of Magic. Necromancy is a highly detectable crime, the magical signature of such a spell can be quickly received by the Department of Magical Justice. I was too young to understand the consequences of my actions, yet magical law thought otherwise. The Cavendish name, I believe, had much to do with that. They assumed I was wise beyond my years." He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his messy blonde hair. "How much do you know about the effects of Necromancy, Diana?"
Diana hummed. "Enough," she replied.
"Then you know the soul leaves the body upon casting such a spell?"
"Yes," Diana replied.
"Mine has not."
Diana's eyebrows stitched together. "How is that—" Her voice trailed off.
"The Cavendish family is protected by strong magic," Damien said. He wrapped his hands around his tankard, index finger gently stroking the sweating metal. "It is a blessing from Beatrix, though for some time I considered it a curse. I am surrounded by men and women who care not for humanity. They would quickly turn on their own brethren if it meant a step in the direction of their own desires. For years, I have been forced to hide the presence of my soul. And that brings us to… this." He waved a hand in the air, as if encompassing the whole of the Order's actions in a single movement.
"Some time back, an exile was able to smuggle a Philosopher's stone into the Second Realm without detection. Since then, our current leader has focused the Order entirely on the merging of the Realms and the end of our banishment. As a Cavendish, I was leveraged to a position of power. I did not realize they intended to use our House as the very source of that merger. Diana, what do you know of the Martian Eclipse?"
Diana hesitated. She took a sip of her water before answering. "I must admit I know nothing," she said. "Akko and I searched the archives, but found nothing."
"That's because the Martian Eclipse is a farce, Diana."
Diana said nothing. She wiped a bead of sweat from her temple.
"A Head of House Cavendish can only be chosen by Beatrix during the Venusian Eclipse. I planted the idea of a Martian Eclipse to divert them from the eclipse that took place last year. I informed our leader that the only way a male heir could be chosen was during that time, that it would suit their mission. It was a blatant lie. A male can never be the Head of House Cavendish, Diana. That right belongs to you. You are the heir apparent."
For the first time, Diana realized that her brother looked tired, defeated. "That's why I couldn't find anything. But… why?"
"Word of the Grand Triskellion reached the Second Realm soon after the events occurred. Your name, tied to another who I later learned to be the Kagari girl, came with it. I realized then that you had become the powerful witch that you had always aimed to be. Our mission here had already been set, though I knew then that you would be able to stop us. Atsuko Kagari was an additional reinforcement."
"Akko," Diana murmured, tasting her name with a tinge of sadness.
"I began to track the both of you. I utilized the Philosopher's stone to come to Luna Nova to confirm my beliefs. I pushed the girl from the observatory, knowing that you were below and would be there to break her fall. I wanted to see the connection for myself. You are both powerful witches, you much more so than the other, but the power you share is absolutely remarkable." He shook his head, bringing a finger to his temple in thought. "I would have placed all odds on you alone, but, together, I thought you unstoppable."
Diana let her thoughts dwell on Akko, on the bright green magic that had engulfed them the night before, and felt her breath hitch. "Then why did you—" She brought her eyes to meet Damien's. "The Behemoth? The mark? Everything?"
Damien sighed and leaned back in his chair, folding his long arms across his chest. His black robes rustled beneath his touch. "There are certain parts one must play, Diana, too fool others. I feel you know this well."
Diana bristled. "I assure you, I am no act."
"No?" He narrowed his eyes. "You are too much like our mother, Diana. I am aware of the air of authority that you display before others, when in fact you are just as insecure and humble as the rest. If I am correct in my assumption, the Kagari girl could tell you the same." He coughed into his hand. "I mean no insult."
Diana looked away, finding a crack in the stone floor that she let herself zone in on. Did Akko think she was weak? Is that what he was implying? And did he… know… the depth of their relationship?
"I returned the simulation to the host before the Behemoth could do further damage," he continued, ignoring the expression of turmoil that his sister wore. "I called an end to the mark's symbol before my assassins could take action upon their orders. I trusted that, in time, you would realize the source of their intrusion. You did." He paused, bringing a hand forward to trace a finger along the edge of the round, wooden table. "If I may be so bold to say, though, neither were necessary. The two of you would have overcome."
"You tried to kill Akko," Diana asserted, pursing her lips as her angry blue eyes flashed back to Damien. "Do you realize a bullet meant for her struck me, instead?"
Damien shook his head. "Do you truly believe I cannot aim true? If I was trying to hit Kagari, it would have been done. I missed on purpose. I did not—I did not realize you had been struck. I see you are fine, though, and therefore I will not dwell on the unfortunate circumstances of my actions."
Diana felt her cheeks burning. Her fists clenched in her lap. "How do you expect me to believe any of this?" she said, rising from her chair and sucking in a deep breath. She thought of Akko, crumpled in the sand as she clutched her chest in pain. Akko, face pressed into the ground with a sword ready to drive into her neck. Akko, hunched over her as agonizing screams flowed from her throat at the sight of Diana bleeding from a bullet that had been meant for her.
"I do not expect you to believe any of it," Damien said, averting his eyes to his hands. "However, I trust that you will. Not only for your sake, but for Kagari's. For the First Realm."
"If you are really on our side," Diana countered, "then tell me how I can stop this."
Damien rose, the candle's flickering flame casting eerie shadows across his pale face. He held out his hand. In it rested Diana's holstered wand.
"You must return the Philosopher's stone to the First Realm. Only then will the rift between our Realms be sealed."
The glowing crack of the Realm fissure was still sparking in the air, but it was fading fast.
Akko had no time for a warm reunion with her friends, no time to find out how exactly they knew of the events that were unfolding at the Cavendish Manor.
Her entire body ached and she felt a groan rise from the back of her throat.
"We have to get to Diana," Akko said, gritting her teeth through the pain as she slipped the Shiny Bow onto her back and scanned the faces of her friends.
"We're coming with you." Amanda settled her free hand on her hip, the other clutching her broomstick.
Akko shook her head, swiping a trickle of someone else's blood from her eyebrow as she looked toward the fading rift. "You don't understand. It's too dangerous."
"As if you've never led us into dangerous situations before," Sucy mumbled. She folded her arms over her chest. "That's what you're best at."
"Sucy is right," Lotte chirped. "We're your friends, Akko. We're not going to let you go alone."
Jasminka nodded. Constanze lifted her chin in affirmation. Hannah and Barbara looked to each other, then to Akko with a gritty smile.
"I'll stay here," Chariot said, twirling her wand in her hand as she surveyed the sanctum. "I am somewhat familiar with the magic required to cross realms. Croix—er—Professor Meridies once acquainted me with the necessary spells."
Akko's crimson eyes were burning with resolve. "So be it," she said in resignation.
"Lyonne," Chariot uttered as she swing her wand toward Akko.
Green light swept over Akko's body and, with a sudden jolt of magical energy, she felt the pain in her leg melt away, the ache of her tired muscles fade.
"Go, Akko," Chariot said, her own red eyes flickering with something Akko recognized as a glimmer of confidence. Chariot believed in her. "Bring her back."
"Thank you," Akko said, offering a determined smile at her friends, her friends who stepped forward without a moment's hesitation, before turning to the violet crack hovering in the sanctum. "Thank you, all."
Chariot watched as the eight witches, one by one, disappeared, until she was left with nothing more than the quiet echo of dripping water and the fallen bodies of their enemies.
Akko did not land in the same place that she had before. This time, she found herself standing on soft grass that shriveled, dead and brown, beneath her feet. They were atop a hill, one that looked down on the looming, Gothic-style castle that held the Order of Aurelion. The grey sky cracked overhead, red light filtering through dark clouds to ignite the world in an eerie orange glow.
"Whoa. Cool," she heard Sucy say behind her.
She could feel her seven friends at her back. Constanze stepped out in front of her, raising her laser rifle as she scanned her unfamiliar surroundings.
"Is this hell?" Hannah asked, clutching Barbara's arm.
"It might as well be," Akko said, glowering at the castle that she knew held Diana. "Come on. We've got to get to her." Without another word, she pulled the Shiny Bow from her back and began to jog down the hill and toward the crumbling castle walls.
She had no doubt her friends were following. She had no doubt they would always follow her, but she had no time to dwell on how lucky she was to have such people in her life. There was always time to be grateful later. Later, when Diana was safe and sound back in the First Realm. When the Order was no longer a threat.
Akko could see a cloak patrolling high atop the battlements of the castle. She crooked her free hand at her friends, directing them to the safety of a high wall as she slid behind the bare carcass of a small tree. When they had all taken cover, she slid an arrow from her quiver and nocked it to her bowstring, squeezing her left eye shut as she pulled back and took aim at the figure high above. Her fingernails brushed her face as she released her grip and the arrow arced through the blazing sky.
She watched the figure take an awkward step, then tip forward over the edge of the wall as he tumbled from his post to the ground below.
"Nice one, Akko," Amanda said as she joined her friends. "Who knew you were actually good at something?"
Feeling remarkably like Diana, Akko said, "Not now, Amanda," and beckoned them to continue on. Ahead, she could see a massive wooden gate in the wall. It wasn't open, but a small door beside it was. She dashed to the edge of the castle, waiting for the others to join before moving slowly toward the entrance, watchful eyes scanning for any members of the Order.
"Akko," Lotte whispered from behind. "What do you want us to do?"
"Just back me up," Akko said, peering around the wall to see a few cloaks patrolling inside. Among them meandered some of the more garnished cloaks she had seen before. Those that weren't assassins, but instead higher ranking members of the Order. She recognized the massive tree that she had seen before, too, stretching its ancient limbs around sky and stone. "And whatever you do, don't hold back. Ready?" She glanced back at the line of friends behind her to see only nods.
She drew an arrow and slid around the corner, letting it fly at the first figure she saw. A cloak with gold and red lined sleeves let out a loud choking nose, staggered, and fell.
That's when all hell broke loose.
As Akko dove for cover, loosing arrows as fast as her hand could move, she could hear the pings of Constanze's laser rifle, the shouts of spells from both her friends and the cloaks. The entire place seemed to erupt in a frenzy of flying stone, the loud ricochet of bullets, and the bright, blinding light of magic.
"Akko, we've got this!" she heard Amanda cry out from somewhere above on her broomstick. "Go find Diana!"
Letting one more arrow fly at an assassin that was taking aim at Amanda with a long-barreled rifle, she lowered her bow and fled into the familiar darkness of the castle.
Her sneakers echoed against stone, splashed through the puddles that lined the damp halls. Only, this time, she wasn't held back by an oversized cloak that snagged on every possible surface. She let her athleticism carry her forward at a quick pace as her eyes adjusted to the dark and began to take everything in.
There was no one around. No one in the halls, no one in the rooms. The place was… empty.
Where could Diana be?
She rounded a corner, pulling herself to a halt to catch her breath as her chest heaved. She felt for an arrow, noting that she only had a couple left, as she scanned the grand room laid out before her. It looked like a feast had taken place, though the long wooden tables lay abandoned with half-eaten food and drink. At the far end of the room, a dead tree rose to the ceiling, its trunk hollowed out in an ornately carved throne.
Atop a dark wooden pillar at the side of the throne sat the same, partially chipped away Philosopher's stone that she had seen in the assassin's quarters on her last trip to the Second Realm. Their source of magic. Their source of power. If she could eliminate it…
She stepped forward, letting her feet fall gently so as not to make any noise, as she raised the bow in front of her body.
The sound of footsteps behind her made her whirl.
Her breath came heavy as her red eyes fell on the two figures before her. One tall, the hood and sleeves of the black cloak lined with gold. The other, shorter figure was clad in plain black. An assassin. Upon seeing Akko, the assassin drew a wand and took aim.
Around her, she heard more footsteps as others emerged from the darkness. She glanced around her, swallowing hard at the sea of black figures. Beneath her feet, a bright red sigil burned in an expanding glow. A beacon.
She slid an arrow onto her bowstring and drew it back, sucking in air as she took aim center mass at the shorter figure. If she was going down, she wasn't going down without a fight. She had already decided she would go to the end of the world for Diana—even if that world wasn't her own.
With a silent prayer to the Nine and a twitch of her fingers, Akko squeezed an eye shut and let the arrow fly just as the figure she had taken aim at cried out, in a painfully familiar voice, "Akko, no!"