POV Narrator:
Monday, 23 September 2019, Luna Nova
A few days had passed since Luna Nova's broom relay, the news around the big race, the school was reading the newspapers that didn't please at all the admnistration of the witch academy, mainly the teacher Finnelan when seeing how it was praised that achievement of the red team with a huge effort that Akko ended up taking away.
Only soon another concern would show up in Luna Nova when the Brooks family shows up at the school after a long time without news of their daughter, even more so since she did not return home when she was in summer and soon they also received a letter declaring the expulsion of the student for absence, which evidently angered the family.
Mary's parents showed up at Luna Nova, going to the headmaster's office to exactly complain about this and also about the absence of their daughter, and also why she was expelled. It was a surprise that they showed up there, since the school rarely receives the visit of the students' relatives.
When they arrived at the board they went straight to complain to director Holbrook about the situation, which she was all ears to listen to them.
"All right, what brings you here? It's rare that we see parents turning up around here in Luna Nova" said the headmistress.
"Our daughter, we received a letter of expulsion without understanding anything, she did not show up at home in the summer and she always shows up, this is very suspicious, now this news, how come she was expelled, we thought she was just here in Luna Nova" Mary's mother said.
"Excuse me Mrs. Brooks, but we have to say that we haven't found her here since at least May, it has been a long time since she disappeared, we haven't seen her at the graduation of the second year, nor at the days of tests and now at the beginning of the third year she doesn't show up and we assume that she must have left Luna Nova and come to you" explains Principal Holbrook and at that time the parents start to show expressions of despair.
"What? You are saying that she is not even here, if our daughter is not at home, that means she has been missing for at least four months, do you know what four months are? What lack of responsibility is this?" said Mrs Brooks, furious about the disappearance of her daughter.
"I am sorry for this, but it is not in the contract that we should take responsibility for your daughter's mistakes, we will start the search and we will give you feedback later" communicates the director.
"I'll be back in a week, if I don't find Mary things are going to get pretty serious around here" Mary's mother said leaving the room and the headmistress only nodded in agreement.
And Mary's mother after that conversation really was leaving Luna Nova after giving the warning and that's where the news of Mary Brooks disappearance started, starting there in a request to LNN to advertise through the corridors placing posters of missing student and with that it was being spread there during the period of classes, until the moment that the students were leaving and finding out the news.
POV Akko:
I almost slept in Professor Lukic's class, these potions are a real pain, I'm not a fan of this part, I confess, at least Sucy seems to like it, relieved to leave the room, we go looking at the wall and there is a big poster "Missing, have you seen this student? I was intrigued at the time, Mary disappeared and I don't even remember seeing her.
"Mary! She's gone! I thought our colleague had gone to her parents' house" Said Avery who was nearby.
"What do you mean she's missing? I remember her going to her parents house didn't I? She just didn't come back anymore, what happened to our friend" Blair said and at that I already put my hand on my chin watching.
"When did you last see her?" I ask them both.
"It was that day... When the Earl of Appleton showed up, I remember, she talked to us, after being released she went to the bathroom and has since disappeared" Avery said.
"I saw her walking last, I remember she headed down the corridor to our room, that must have been when she disappeared, did she die in the forest of Arcturus?" Blair said and I went over already starting to put the pieces together.
"It's very unlikely, she's scared to death of the Arcuturus forest, I know that well, it's strange that she disappeared there..." Said Avery and I was already getting a sense of what it's going to be like.
"Hey you two, come with me and Diana, we will find Mary, we promise" I say to them who give a smile at least we can help with the quest of finding Mary and solve this.
I see Diana looking at the poster on the other side and I call for her, what in this she comes with me too, we walk to my room, together with Lotte and Sucy who can help in this investigation, when we arrive there the two sit on the bed and we start listening to them.
"Thank you very much, we were suspecting something very strange happened to Mary, we would like to investigate, she hasn't been seen in Luna Nova for days" said Avery.
"Look it's really suspicious that this happened specifically on the day the Earl of Appleton came tae see us, this could have something tae do with some of the boys there, I'll try tae talk tae Andrew and he will interview each of the students, fae now I'll start tae do a good investigation here in Luna Nova" Diana said.
"While the WCI agent doesn't arrive we will hold the fort around here" I tell them.
"Thanks really, but coming back here we can better describe Mary's personality, she is very extroverted, loves to sing, her dream was to become a great singer with compositions she made about magic, wanted to spread magic that way, inspired by Shiny Chariot, she even had admiration for you Akko, said you were braver than her for speaking so openly about her likes and dreams, she never really opened up more than for us who were a Shiny Chariot fan, but anyway, the day of the disappearance we were having a normal school day until then, as always Mary is delighted with the beauty of the Appleton boys, especiallyAndrew, and I remember she even drank a lot of water before we went to the patio, which made her feel like going to the bathroom, she would even pass the room before, which I don't doubt it was for other reasons - Avery described and we were just watching everything.
"That's very interesting, by the way I have tae say that Andrew is gay, sae nae chance fae ye, but anyway, continuing the investigation, and ye Blair?" said Diana.
"It was the same with Avery, I saw her walking to the bathroom in the corridor leading to the dorms, then I didn't see her again" said the blonde and I saw Lotte writing everything down in a notebook.
"Well then let's try tae find out if anyone was walking in those corridors at that time" Diana said.
"All Luna Nova students, appear one by one in my room immediately, I want to know what you were doing during the visit of the Earl of Appleton, this is a rather important warning, come to my room immediately, this is an order, not a warning, Mary Brooks is missing and we must know where she was seen before she disappeared"
We heard on the loudspeakers Director Holbrook, she called us and we had to stop the investigation, damn, will we have to talk about that day there? It might be crucial, one way or another we can't lie, this will earn us a nice arrest, I can see it, I even look at Diana.
"Are you going to tell the truth love?" I ask her, a lot worried I know that detention will come to me.
"It's the way or else we could get the worse fae it, it's Mary's life that matters here" Said my girlfriend and she's right.
"I just hope this doesn't earn us an detention and a heavy punishment" I say, a little worried.
"And that's yer biggest concern? I just want tae find Mary, the detention is the least of our worries, we dinnae know if we can really depend on the WCI, especially if agent Morris dinnae show up, then we'll only find Mary if we do it on our own" Diana said, and I'm really worried about the detention, it's nothing like she didn't even got there, but I know how it's fucking horrible.
I swallow saliva, but it's all about finding Mary now, we can't worry about ourselves, but I'm sure Miss Finnelan won't like hearing that at all, she'll want to punish me in the worst way, she might even deduct some
nice points for that, I can see it, I swear the fear of failing always hits me, I am every minute afraid of what might come.
Akko was one of the first to speak and even ended up having to tell everything she did on the day,without lying, but scared to death, which made the headmistress and the teachers look shocked...
Oh no... I'm going to end up in detention I knew it, look at their disgusted faces, only Chariot isn't showing it, by the nine witches we're in deep shit, I think I'll end up expelled from here I'm sure, look at their faces.
"You what? You know that this place is forbidden, how did you go there to venture, this is outside the rules, Miss Kagari this could earn you an expulsion" said teacher Finnelan.
"Whatever, I want to find Mary Brooks, we did just that, you can do whatever you want to me, we're talking about a life, no telling if she might be dead now, I swear I heard cries for help out there and the place was already open, what we did was just explore inside and showAndrew and Frank a not so beautiful witches past, they understood how we went through a lot of horrible stuff, but that's all it was for" I tell them.
"You have gone too far, I could punish you for that, even expel you, but as you have cooperated with the investigation, you and the others involved with the exception of Miss Cavendish will only pay a light detention, I will decide after class, but anyway thank you for your cooperation, we have to find out who captured Mary" said the headmistress.
"I suspect that she was in the underground ruins of Luna Nova was the last place that she was found, there can be no other place but there, Mary was screaming for help, someone captured her and it must have been something very serious, to have been so hidden" I tell them.
"Or it could be the noises of just the souls, anyway that's what you have to say, it's a good speech, but I'll get more information, soon an agent of the WCI comes here to settle things" said Mrs. Holbrook, I see that will solve things.
I even breathe relieved, I leave the room looking back and see the same disgusted expression as Finnelan, I wanted to leave the room showing her the middle finger, but I'm not as crazy as Diana's mother was, besides my hands can't handle cleaning the floor, it's not enough that I'm already serving detention.
And soon it's Diana's turn too and she explains everything...
POV Diana:
I won't spare details is finding Mary or nothing, I want tae be able tae help with whatever is needed, even if they are nae the most efficient in finding yet I want tae be able tae give whatever help is needed tae the headmistress, I do that fae Mary, I can empathize with them, even more sae since Mary disappeared sae out of nowhere.
"So this is the place where you found the book, very interesting to know, even so let's not promote something that brings only defamatory information to your family, understand that your image is important Miss Cavendish, the other families always have something to spoil, you are the only one who must maintain purity" said teacher Finnelan.
"That has nothing tae do with it" I tell her and she's always evading this discussion.
"Miss Cavendish is right, we should look for Mary and her version is very consistent with what Miss Kagari reported, anyway we will not punish her for her cooperation, this is very important for the investigation" I am even relieved, at least Akko must be happy about all this.
"And then we go to investigate the ruins, it may be the last place we saw Mary, or at least heard her, after all it is too suspicious that those cries fae help are nae hers" I tell them.
"We don't know, when the WCI agents arrive we'll solve it, but for now, don't investigate on your own, this is a bigger matter, don't go into the ruins of Luna Nova again after the fire, or things could really get worse, that's the warning, now you're free" Said the director to me and I even breathe relieved, it could be worse.
"Lady Holbrook is a life, she could be in danger now, this is nae just any situation, we really have tae prioritise what is happening, Mary could be dead or alive, we dinnae know, a witch disappearance situation just happening on the day the Earl of Appleton visits is too suspicious" I tell them.
"Are you distrusting the Appleton students? They can't hunt witches, we have an agreement that forbids such practice, we won't jump to conclusions, they are on our side too" I make a big face, leaving the room.
I'm almost sure it was them, this protection has nae reason tae give, Andrew's father can't be trusted, those kids can't be trusted either, even more Louis Blackwell, I remember well how he kept Amanda and Akko in captivity about tae commit the worst, some students there are really witch torturers incubated, sae I dinnae doubt anything, I'm sure there is something there and even too much.
Later, after the students' testimonies, the WCI agent Rosemary Morris arrives to solve the case andto investigate, she is already in place to prepare the next part of the investigation, while somestudents would already accept detention if it were not for the agent's help...
POV Akko:
I went already accepting the detention for sure I will have to sweep the floor, I leave the room, taking a deep breath, trying to prepare my psychology, I even look at Diana and she gets a worried expression about me, it's a lot on my mind now, I barely had my moment of glory and this news comes too, I thought things would be in peace.
"What's wrong, love? Ye look really upset and ye weren't even friends" she said and I just shook my head in denial.
"It's not just that love, it's also getting ready to sweep the floor too, but this missing witch story has me worried, like a bad feeling that something is behind all this" I tell her.
"Sweep the floor? But the headmistress said we wouldn't be punished" she said and I even giggled.
"Between the lines she must have said that to you, but to us she made it clear that it will be us and you are free from detention, but it's time, I'll see you after detention my love" I say giving a nod to Diana.
"Nae way, I'm going tae protest, that's nae fair, if I was together and ye were punished, there's nae reason tae privilege me fae that, it's nae fair at all, I also committed an infraction, just because I'm a Cavendish it dinnae mean anything" she said and I'm surprised how Diana started to have a greater empathy for us, she doesn't seem the same as the one I met.
"It's not like two years ago you would have thought this was fair" I tell her who gets the biggest frown, it seems she didn't like what I said.
"Nae Akko, just nae, I dinnae think sae before and I dinnae think sae today, it's just that now I have empathy fae those who are part of a class that today I am being part of, I gladly betray my class I was born tae have empathy fae the working class and be one of them, it sucks tae be the kind of people who benefit from other people's exploitation" Looks like someone has class consciousness around here.
We walk down the corridors, me, Lotte, Sucy and Diana, we're the ones who turned up on the day so it's going to be us who end up doing the detention, when we got there we even had a rather pleasant surprise, the Morris people came, that's a good sign, Mary will be found if it's her around here, she's the best of all the agents.
"Well you came, and you even brought Miss Cavendish with you" said the headmistress.
"What kind of treatment is that? Why are they detained and nae me? I did exactly the same as them and they're the ones who have tae mop the floor, while I get pampered?" Diana said to the headmistress and she took a deep breath.
"This is a delicate matter Miss Cavendish, but if you read the terms in your contract you know that by your class you don't get detentions for committing any infraction, at most you get a warning, but anyway, I just want to say that you are free for now from detention because we are all going to go out and repeat the way you did so that we can better investigate what happened on the day of Mary Brooks disappearance" Said Mrs Holbrook and she is making stuff up, I didn't know that, what a privilege.
"Come on, take me tae the path, I then want tae know with yerselves in private about yer versions" Said the agent to us and in her we can trust a lot.
We were leaving the board, I was following Diana who had guided us through the way, we arrived first at the underground, where the fainted workers were, but until then everything was normal, they were just following
the usual routine, what I was getting apprehensive about was when we got to the ruins, I'm afraid of the atmosphere here.
"Here we found the workers unconscious, someone must have sedated them" says the agent.
"And that was before ye showed up, at least that's what the headmistress said from each of yer statements, but I can't rely 100% on what she says, anyway, come on, the versions so far are matching up" said Mrs Morris opening the door to the ruins.
And we were really going through the ruins but the director illuminated the way with a light spell and with that we could see more clearly, while agent Morris was using a spell, you could notice that her glasses were shining, as if she was registering something, that's funny, the green light illuminating her glasses looks like an x-ray.
"We went introducing the ruins, but it wasn't that clear, the path was quite dark actually" Diana said.
"Are any of ye experts in spiritual spells? I need yer help" Mrs Morris said and Lotte soon appeared.
"I am, I can communicate with them, but there are many around here" Yanson said.
"I just need it tae get a read on the appearance of who walked around here before" the agent said.
What ended up revealing some people in the middle of the footprints, one of them was exactly me, revealing my steps, then the spirit went to another, it appeared as Diana, then also Andrew, Lotte and lastly Sucy, without any clue of Mary, until in one of the steps the spirit starts to get a bit of a strange drooling, which we took a few steps back after it started to grow.
"What is it?" I say with fear and walk backwards.
The spirit became a kind of monster and started to roar in front of us, until agent Morris took the revolver out of her bag and shot it, with a loud bang and opening a hole in the creature's head, which then fell to the ground and came apart, which was really weird, I admit.
"Ah I knew it, we are nae dealing with little things, they are manipulators of magic, they can be both witches and witches, I have heard some legends from here, they were the ruins of what Luna Nova was until the fire of 1517, there was an invasion of The Council, they were extremely dangerous witches, it could be that they are showing their faces again, even though I remember well that a group of witches killed a good part of them, I dinnae remember their names only the ones they didn't kill and were part of the reconquest, Diana Cavendish I and Sarah Campbell, anyway, I will follow the tracks they made" Said agent Morris and I was scared.
"Ms Morris The Council no longer exists, that's a pretty good assumption, but I don't think it's well-founded," said Ms Finnelan.
"It's my job, now let's go" said the agent who was following the path.
We kept walking and the footsteps themselves we saw nothing, only what the glasses of the agent showed and she kept walking forward more and more, we went to a place that we had not even passed until, it was well beyond the dormitories, it even looked like a pantry, when we saw the footsteps stopped there and we saw something written in blood.
"The Council Revival was there"
"Hmmmmmm, looks like we have an attempt tae relive the past here, that's pretty dangerous, I'll analyse the blood and see whose it is, I might have a chance of finding Mary, actually I forgot, hey blonde lass use the spirit spell again, it's rare tae have agents like ye around the WCI" Said agent Morris calling for Lotte.
When she uses the spirit spell she doesn't reveal a person, but a minotaur, what I was already getting shocked, then the creature disappears, from what I notice it must be a Luna Nova worker, what with these conclusions the agent is also collecting the blood and taking pictures.
"I will take it with me, I will identify who this blood belongs tae and contact them about it, surely we can have one more witness" Officer Morris said.
"Are you done here, Officer Morris?" asks the director.
"Well, they were smart nae tae leave any traces on the way out, they knew I would go after them, they are nae small thing, they are witches who have a good manipulation of magic, if I were ye I would be very attentive and would nae stop paying attention tae the danger that these witches can be, they are trying tae revive The Council and that is very dangerous" said the agent to us.
After that investigation into the detention...
Until sweeping the floor is not that horrible, at least it is only the first floor in the corridor of the dorms, I soon see Diana joining us and the face of Professor Finnelan is priceless, she is showing a huge disgust, I love how she has been rebelling at everything the system has been dropping on us.
"What is it Miss Cavendish, you should not be serving detention, leave immediately" said the teacher and Diana is making me a bit relieved she's doing something for me.
"I am doing what is fair, I will nae allow myself nae tae be outside, that is justice" Said my girlfriend until the teacher makes the broom and bucket disappear.
"Get out of here immediately or you will face worse consequences Miss Cavendish" said the teacher, she's just tring to help me.
"Well then I'll fight back, I want justice!" said my girlfriend and she picked up the mop and kept on mopping all the way.
"Justice!" We all shout until the teacher starts to spin her wand a spell is around Diana, what a strange thing to do, and soon after she disappears.
"What? What have you done with Diana?" I ask the teacher.
"She is in detention now, she will spend 30 minutes in the room reflecting on her infraction, she committed a contempt of my authority and you will end up like this if you challenge my position again, so more work and less talk" said Mrs Finnelan.
"Which one next will flog us if we don't do the job right? Are we going to be your slaves from now on?" I say to her who already gets an angry red face.
"You really want to end up getting expelled Miss Kagari, keep it up and I'll take 1% off your total average this year, if you keep going more times it will grow to 25% and you won't pass, just keep it up Miss Kagari, I'll make sure to write down behavioural discounts on your discipline around here" She said and I shut up on the spot, damn bitch, I swear after this the witch revolution has to happen.
In a somewhat distant and hidden place, there was The Council Revival gathering, who were withMary, but also reaching beyond them, someone who was not the leader who ended up being veryquiet in the presence of this witch...
POV Narrator:
A witch arrives there, half hooded all over her body, without revealing her face, but that everyone knew it was the boss, who was holding a bottle containing a liquid, and everyone there is even bowing down and the leader of The Council Revival sits on the chair with an erect spine and an expression of fear.
"Boss, I didn't know you showed up today" said the leader.
"I came to bring news, the search for the witch has already begun in Luna Nova, soon you can start what will be your second step, remember that you are being paid well for this" said the witch who put the vial on the table and drag it to the hand of the leader of The Council.
"What is it? And why is a potion so important?" he asked.
"Take this to china and tamper with some people's food there, it is the most populous country in the world, start with the city of Wuhan, as the historical black plague had started there, I will start something new that will affect the world in different ways, I have prepared the perfect virus with my magic" said the boss and everyone is even in shock.
"And what does it do? What is this virus? Why is it so important? And what do you want with it?" asks the same rather curious man.
"They are many questions, but soon their answers will come, at first they won't care much about the virus, since it only causes a flu, but it intensifies, remember the Spanish flu? Well, I have developed something similar with a different virus, the effects will affect the whole world, especially witches, and there will be a golden opportunity for The Council to attack" said the boss.
"Now I understand, but how long can this take?And what do we do in between, this girl is useless" said the leader.
"Just let things cook, keep giving Luna Nova silly attacks without showing their faces just to scare them more, the girl you can use as a future bargaining chip, as for the time, it may take a few months yet, it's a virus, until it reaches a level to cause the pandemic I'm imagining it may take until the beginning of next year, but when it arrives things will change and a lot, just see how it's done, this is mission given" said the boss.
"We will soon cause the second great fire in Luna Nova, we will destroy the witch academy once and for all and prove the superiority of us witches, we will gladly do what you ask boss, you can leave it" Said the leader of The Council.
"Yes, fulfil the first part and I will reward you with thousands of pounds, a sum of money that I am warning you about, enjoy it while you can, because after everything, you will end up in a very different world, this world of now is saying goodbye, people will take years to adapt after the impact that this virus caused" said the boss.
"But what about vaccines? What are we going to do? What if we catch it? - asks the leader and soon the boss just turns around to start her plan that is going to change things by a lot.
"Don't try to catch the disease, if you are vaccinated, the chance of passing the weakened virus to the population and spoiling your plans is high, I have the vaccine, but wait for things to intensify" said the boss who then disappeared as if several autumn leaves were crumbling, which leaves them a bit scared of her presence even without knowing the boss is a witch.
The news of Mary Brooks' disappearance has arrived to Luna Nova, the search will begin, but things will only get more tense from the moment on, especially with the plan that The Council revival has been planning to carry out around the orders of this boss who also have no idea that it is also a witch, many things are to come in this third year in Luna Nova.
See you, missing witches...