POV Narrator:
Thursday 11 March 2021, sanctuary of the nine witches
The eight chosen were finishing their journeys through the path of the nine witches until the sanctuary, where they had varied challenges and took almost the same time to arrive at the place, being that Constanze had been the first, when she surprised and took only five days with all the intelligence and technology that she possessed it wasn't difficult to get such a feat, the others took around seven days usually, The others were taking around seven days usually, until arriving to the other side, others arriving in the beginning of the eighth day, where they were walking for all the way until where they came across a tree where Holly was sitting leaning against Diana that was that tree, talking almost the whole time with her, with that they were starting to settle more by the place waiting for the arrival of the last girl that was taking much more time than the others. At nightfall this girl was Akko, who took much longer due to the fight with Mako Kagari and was already walking through the forest of the sanctuary.
POV Akko:
Wow this place is beautiful, it gives me that fairyland feeling when me and the girls get there from nowhere, it's really quite similar, now let's see what we'll have, I'm going through the forest and everything is quite calm, this night is very quiet, my body and everything feels like I'm even more renewed, if the training in the desert didn't make me stronger before, this one made me even stronger.
I see a place, a tree, it is big and I see that in it the girls are sort of sitting around, all of them, Hellene, Constanze, Amanda, Jasminka, Lotte, Sucy, Marianne, they are all there and I am getting closer calling for them.
"Hey! I'm home!" I call out to them who get up, coming for a hug beside me, I was feeling pretty refreshed after all this, now without who the nine are.
"Finally, it took you long hein Akko, you were the last of us to arrive, so one of the strongest" Amanda said and I go looking at the tree and see a face in it.
"You were de only one missing, Holly told me what happened 'ere, dis tree is Diana, you were de only one missing to free 'er from all dis" Hellene said and now everything makes sense, wow, she was like this for eight days, for the nine witches, why was I so stupid like that? If I had known it was because of Diana I would have tightened my pace.
"Ah yes Cavendish got stuck, let's get her out and get it over with" O'Neill said and I don't even want to know how she ended up like that.
Together we walked towards the tree, and each one of us were holding hands around the trunk and wow, it's not a small tree at all, I specifically keep my hand where I was marking it with a face, holding it right where her cheek is, which I'm sure is where Diana is.
A green glow goes emanating around the trunk, a very strong energy of magic can be felt it's as if magic flowed in our bodies, and a strong glow came, everything was practically blinding me for a while all I felt was the hard trunk in my hands, slowly getting soft somehow.
The white light stops emanating and all I can see is just Diana, one hand of mine stayed on her face the other caught right on the side of her waist which I go wrapping around and feeling her soft skin on my face after so long.
"Akko..." Her voice in my ear was like angels speaking to me.
"Diana... "I was relieved, even a little emotional, crying with happiness that she is finally here and alive.
"I love ye, I was missing you love" Said my cabbage who looks me right in my eyes and then we go on kissing.
It was like the sensation of giving my first kiss again, it's a wonderful thing that goes through me, I don't know how to describe these sensations... But they are wonderful, they are unique sensations, it's as if I was reliving the Chariot show in my lips sealing with those of my girlfriend and future wife, a huge relief to see her in front of me, beautiful.
Wearing a green and red dress, with a wonderful black cape, looking very much like the one she had of her ancestor in that tapestry, I didn't expect to see her like this
"Ye finally came" said my girlfriend.
"The nine witches called us here for this important mission, what I was already a little bit bad at first for everything that happened, but now I can have some happiness after I found you Diana... I can say that I was finally blessed by your presence" I say while very emotional.
"It seems ye are finally reconnecting with other people, now that the meaning has been understood, I know what the last word is" She said running her hand through my hair.
"Diana!" Said her sisters who thrilled her with a hug and almost went on to knock her down.
"Oh Holly, Hellene, I missed ye both too" Said my sweetheart.
"HeyAkko, you're finally back, come and hug us too" Amanda said with her arms open and I went over to hug my friends.
It's a magical moment, it's as if everything is getting right again, I was feeling crushed by the loss of my parents, but now I'm starting to smile again, seeing my friends again after all this was invigorating a real relief.
We go then separating from the hug, I see that Diana also, she comes to me holding my hands, we look at each other, I as always getting lost in the beauty of those eyes deep as the ocean, beautiful as the skies, it's a wonderful blue to see.
"Fasannciel Shearilla" my girlfriend said.
"Connect with other people and your dreams will increase" I complement and I could see that Claiomh Solais was glowing.
I take the staff in hands, it was my turn to say that, but it wasn't only me, all of us raised our arms towards the sky, with me holding the sceptre and we said together the seventh and last word of the Shiny Rod, what followed came a huge brightness, a rainbow was passing around everything, the leaves that were dead became green, the trees without leaves gained leaves again, the environment around that was all winter is getting a spring or summer beauty.
The rainbow was passing through the whole sanctuary and even the earth was strangely shaking underneath us, as if something was happening underneath us, the staff suddenly became a sword, this is really very strange, but I could see other differences, something in the earth was also opening.
"Is that an earthquake? What a powerful thing, I have never seen the power of the seven words in person" Amanda said.
After the earth opens up something like those Greek temples are emerging from the ground still full of earth, all dirty, but after the power of the staff passes, the place is getting clean, as if it was all white, as it went up.
I looked at the girls, they were wearing different clothes, even a bit from another time, which I'm finding strange, we must be wearing the clothes of the nine witches, we were just focusing on seeing it coming out of the ground until it stopped, it was really beautiful
"Akko ye are in Woodward's outfit" Said my girlfriend as she points at me and I go looking down, what I end up seeing is a neckline of a dress that leaves the whole shoulder showing but also some leaves on it, I really was blessed by the nine.
"It feels like we really are the new nine witches" I say looking amazed, the fabric of this thing is thin and very comfortable, I can feel the magic all over my body.
"Let's go inside lassies, dat must be where we should go" Hellene said.
When we entered the huge temple even the lights started to light up, it was as if we were in another time, the several lamps illuminated the place until well, I felt the magic flowing, there were several fairies passing around us, a corridor and in it were statues, these were of people that I had no idea who they were, I only found them similar to some people.
"Those were the witches who helped the nine tae get where they are, they dinnae do it alone, many of them sacrificed themselves in the name of an important revolution, as important as ours, I think the nine witches have already told them that at that time magic was used as religion, that witches exploited it by pretending tae be gods tae control people, it was thanks tae all those people that today we can use magic being ordinary people" Said my Cavendish and I was missing that explanatory way of hers.
"And now we are heading for another witch revolution, which we 'ave been trying for many years, since Victoria McLaren" said Hellene.
"Since Mako Kagari actually, my ancestor had been wanting to change things since her time, unfortunately she was defeated, or even fortunately, since she also had some problems of being a very toxic person" I say while admiring the various witches and I even saw some Asian ones like me, I didn't imagine they would get there.
We still remained quiet and the place was not only beautiful but it seemed that a choir was playing, it was with the voices of the nine, they seemed to be singing something in Latin that I have no idea, but I'll just say that it's beautiful, it seems like a whole church environment only with the nine witches, and as we walked forward the way was getting brighter, it seemed that we were real stars arriving at a premiere.
We see that we arrived at the end of the corridor, it's opening and the lights are first lighting up in the surroundings in what seemed to be a circle and in it we see that it was a huge open place, and then three lights open on the floor revealing the tips of something, it seems to be something important, a whole flash is given on top and I even put my arm in front of me not to get blinded, it seems that today is to throw flashbang in my face all the time.
On the ground is revealed was a Triskellion, and we saw coming down from it the shooting star broom, it was coming slowly and then the nine witches appear in spirit form holding hands looking at us.
"Congratulations, you have managed to reach our sanctuary, the three relics are here and have already been unveiled, now you will take a step further, which will enter a dormant state again, this time it will be five days, a last ordeal of the nine witches, just enter the circle of the Triskellion, place each relic in its respective slot and then reach all in the middle, you will enter a deep sleep and become the new nine witches" Beatrix said.
"You will reach the most transcendent point of your journey in a new revolution, your connection with magic will become something much greater than it has ever been, you will be great witches who may be able to use magic outside the zone of influence of the sorcerer stone, but that is for a short time" Woodward said.
"For a short time it refers to the fact that the sorcerer stones will become useless as soon as the revolution happens, soon it will be a new time where Yggdrasil will be revived and all people will be able to use magic anywhere, since magic will have its golden age restored" Said the brown haired one who I don't remember her name, but I see Amanda is dressed as her.
"All the love that people have for witches is going to happen again with this big event of yours, we are going to put our faith and make sure that the whole humanity can know that a big event is happening in the world and that you will be the big heroines of all of this, believing in yourselves is your true magic" Said the blonde that I see Hellene is dressed as her, she is the tallest of them by the way, quite ironic to be precisely Hellene who is the shortest of us.
"The power of the Gran Triskellion is in your hand, just after all open the seal, release Lilith and a new era of magic will begin, you will be great for the history and the destiny of magic in your time and even for humanity as a whole" She looks a lot like McLaren, but who is dressed in her clothes is Marianne.
"So, let's get cracking, smash the face of that damned Miranda Holbrook, make her be defeated once and for all and pay for her crimes, this witch should never have been the director of Luna Nova, we should give the post to a witch who definitely deserves to be there leading the education for the new generation" The little elf girl looks like Constanze, she must be talking about Mrs. McLaren, I see that Lotte was blessed by her, I like her way, she is the least serious, she even looks like Diana's mother.
"Show the world the beauty of magic, enchant people, show that magic is beautiful, that the world deserves to see what art is, so new generations will come living in a world after all this revolution, they will be the future witches in new times, show that magic can be spectacular, be brilliant" I liked this one, she must be Chariot's ancestor, what the hell I'm not good with names, from what I saw who accompanied her was Jasminka, how cute.
"Don't stop also to show how serious it is, how magic is an important discipline, how the world is better with it, do your best, improve the world with magic, spread its benefits, don't let humanity poison it with thoughts of humanity, if you do the revolution well I am sure you will succeed" That looks like Semmer and I see Sucy who is wearing her clothes.
"Finally, modernity and tradition can go together, innovation is always something that the presence of magic will always be blessed to have, they work together to improve magic, don't get carried away by the abuse of both, they should be balanced, without killing each other, so the world will advance more, technology will be
something vital for new times to come in a humanity increasingly dependent on it magic can come to increase this world and bring new times" Said the one that looks a lot like Croix and this one I saw Constanze was dressing as her.
The nine witches then disappear from there and go one by one down to the triskellion that was shining with a very intense emanation of lights, it seems there's going to be something here ahead, they all go to the place of the triskellion and we keep looking at each other, now that the journey will be very intense, after being away from everyone for so long we're going to stay here like this.
- We dinnae have tae go now, ye know that, dinnae ye?" Diana said and I was already taking a deep breath to walk forward.
"Sure, we can take a break and see how the guys who are alive are doing" I say trying to hide that I've walked forward.
"You say that, but you walked forward that I saw Akko" Amanda said and I showed her the middle finger.
"Akko we are in a holy place look at the manners, Ye too O'Neill" Said my girlfriend and I even felt bad.
"Well ye will at least be surprised tae know that Sifla is alive, just like other people," Diana said.
"I was very happy to see that my boyfriend Frank is alive" Lotte said.
And so we were leaving the temple to go see the people that survived, we were walking from there even taking a look back, to think that this place will come with something that will mean a lot in our journey, I didn't imagine that it would end like this, I arrived without any expectation, being only the shame of Luna Nova in the first days, today I am blessed by the founders and I can be one of the new nine witches.
And we arrived at a camp cabin, we entered there and I already saw Lotte going to meet her boyfriend, just as we were entering and I noticed that Phoebe, Megan, Sifla, Holly and Diana's cousins survived all of this, they were the few survivors.
"Akko you came, I'm sorry for everything, I wanted to save your parents, but I could only save those around me" She said and then came into the embrace and stood crying with her head resting on my chest.
"Oh... Look Sifla it's okay, you saved who you could save, you're not to blame for anything okay? I know you feel the weight of it, the important thing is that you and everyone here is alive, just like everyone down there in Doras and us too, the lives that were sacrificed for us wasn't in vain" I tell her while stroking the girl's hair.
"I am happy that all of you succeeded in your training, that you were able to get here and are now alive" said the little girl and I got all emotional.
"Look, it seems that Akko has arrived, you are the most awaited visitor of this place" said a girl who came out of a corner of the hut and wow she is Sifla only adult.
"Oh hello... Sifla's mum, I don't know your name, so I'll call you Sifla mum, but anyway, looks like the little girl here has found her mum, and yes I have arrived, we are all here for another part of our journey" I tell her waving.
"Thank you for saving the fairyland and stopping the fight between Feolas and Alan, you and your friends are great at this, I never managed and I grew up even angry with them, but anyway, what a journey no, I'm already leaving the food ready, if you want, just feel free to eat what you want, by the way, my name is also Sifla, everyone here already calls me Sifla mum" said the lady who is a great mother.
"I think we can stay here fae a while tae eat before we leave fae another part of our journey" My girlfriend said.
"What will it be this time?" asks the girl.
"We will enter a five-day deep rest in the temple of the nine witches where we will finally receive their blessing and we will be at the highest point of our journey, after that we will return tae Doras, despite everything that happened a week ago, I want tae apologize to my mother Laura... I feel bad fae blowing up at her, my mother dinnae deserve that, she must be worried sick right now" Said my cute girlfriend.
"You do well to do that Diana, you all stay in your little corner and I will prepare the food for everyone, then you can think about going to the temple, and eat everything, I want to see healthy witches" she said and we all nodded.
I went sitting next to Diana in the middle of the floor since there was not much room, we leaned on cushions and luckily there is support on the back since that part of the cabin is leaning against some trees, how lucky, having a support like that is really good.
Now the journey will come to an end, who would say that after all this we will still have to act, go head to head with Holbrook and try to really go with everything, at least I think that will be it, let's see what all this is going to give.
A little later they are eating the food that Sifla mother made for everyone...
Wow this is really good here, it's weird how this whole place gives me the vibe that I'm going back in time to the time of the nine witches, it must be the fact that I'm eight days without electricity and internet, it must be something like that, I can't even imagine how the world is now, I hope Holbrook hasn't caused anything worse, although there's no way.
I loved Sifla mum's food, she is a hands on cook, the seasoning everything is a divine taste, it even seems that she has become a goddess of the kitchen, this is really delicious and very delicious
"Our Sifla mother you are a hands-on cook, I never thought I would love a food this much" I say delighted.
"Akko?" Diana said looking at me.
"Oh yes, it's as good as my mother-in-law's and her mother's food, and also my beloved's food" I tell her who is laughing afterwards.
"Baby I can barely cook properly hahahaha, ye know best, but I'm grateful anyway, it's an honor tae be as good as the best cooks there are" Said my girlfriend.
I'm loving the food more and everyone is so relaxed, the atmosphere really lightens up, I miss the times of Luna Nova when it was like this with everyone getting together, it was something else, but now we can celebrate a victory, we have reached the end of the path of the nine witches and now we are going to another part of the path.
"You have to eat well one last meal before the end of your journey, before you become the new nine witches, I would say I am even honoured that I received such distinguished guests" said Sifla mother.
"Akko eat more slowly, ye'll end up staining yer sacred clothes" Diana said and I was just devouring everything I saw in front of me, so many days only eating fruit made me want to eat anything else, fruits are good, but they can't compare to this.
"I'm wearing a bib, better that way" I say with my mouth full.
"Ah Akko why did I want tae marry ye? Behave yerself my love, ye dinnae need tae attack food sae much, ye look like ye have nae eaten fae eight days" said my girlfriend.
"That's pretty much it, I just ate fruit every day" I say with my mouth full and my cabbage was just left turning my face hahaha.
"Ah Akko never stops being Akko, does she? It seems that hunger makes her a real monster" Lotte said.
"Akko even my sisters are eating with manners" Cavenboring said.
"Let her eat like this, she is hungry, poor thing, for me it is a sign that she really liked my food" said Mrs Sifla and I liked her, at least she understands that where I live this way, we eat making noise to show that the food is good.
After eating...
We are full and we even had dessert, it was a very different and sweet cake, I didn't know there was chocolate around here and neither milk, good to know that you managed to find it, we get up and we go towards the temple already well motivated, we say goodbye to everyone waving to them, now is the end of our journey.
"Bye girls and good luck" Sifla mother said.
"Please come back" said daughter Sifla.
"You will be sorely missed" Holly said.
I see everyone hugging each other and I also hug the guys, being the first Sifla daughter, then Sifla mother and the rest of the guys, except Maril who is always bitter with everyone, it seems that nothing changed after everything that happened.
We arrived back at the temple, the triskellion was still shining, with that we were getting each one of us three the relics of the Triskellion, me with the Claiomh Solais, Diana with the Fluit An Neart and Hellene with the Réalta Reatha, the others were in the middle of the Triskellion, we signaled to go to each corner of the Triskellion and now it's the end of all this
"Are you ready?" I ask them, who nod and stand holding hands.
I put the Claiomh Solais in its slot, then Diana put the Fluit An Near and finally Hellene with the Réalta Reatha the glow was very intense what then we went going to the middle, with me and Diana Staying well in the centre, we held hands and felt the magic flowing, all the lights of the temple were extinguished, the only light we had was the one of the Triskellion below us, what was practically crossing us since the light above showed the right shape of the Triskellion without making shadow.
An intense light was forming in the Triskellion and now it's the third flashbang I take in a day, heh, good bye, now it's time to stay in a deep sleep, I hope I can wake up well in five days and that all this will guarantee me food and something to drink in that time, the light became very intense and white and it was the last thing I saw before the darkness took over everything
The nine were transformed into statues and remained in a deep subconscious state, sleepingsoundly in a dream involving another part of the nine witches. Away from all this the tension wastaking over in Doras, there it was already morning and Laura was desperate...
POV Laura:
It's been eight days, eight days dat dey 'ave all disappeared, I still can't process it, it's all falling apart in my head, dey will still come back I know dey will, I can't go on and on, I just want to die, my three daughters, de search so far has been fruitless dey are not in Doras, it can only be dis.
"Laura?" I 'ear a knock on de door and April's voice.
"Leave me..." I speak with a very low voice, I really just want to disappear from dis world.
"Look my friend, it's been two days since you've been cooped up in Diana and Akko's room, you need to eat, dis way you can get worse, drink some water at least" said my friend and I don't want to know anything else.
"And what's the use... Dey're not even with us anymore, I just want to join my daughters" I say crying.
"Laura... I lost my daughter too... I am only with my two adopted ones, I understand your pain, I don't even know if Megan is alive, your girls are not dead, I know dey are not, where is de believe in yourself part dat is your true magic? Where is de woman who taught Chariot Du Nord everything? Where is de caring mother? Where is Laura McLaren?" She still tries, I just want to get de hell out of dat world for real.
"She died April... She died, and so did 'er daughters... I know you lost Megan, but I... I can't be strong like you for these dings. What de boss did to me still hurts. She's been stabbing me de whole time" I keep crying.
"Look Laura we've all had pains about de boss, I've lost Scarlet, I've lost Megan now, I could 'ave lost Croix, at least eat something, I'm not going to insist on getting you out of de room..." She den drags a chocolate bar through de bedroom door and I end up having a reminder.
"At least get something dat hasn't been expired for years April Jordan" I say looking at de packaging of de Mickey bars I used to love as a child.
"I just tried to recreate, to remember a little bit of our childhood, remember when your great grandmother always bought us dese bars when we managed to finish a part of 'er magic training?" I remember it well, I must have been like 7 years old at the time, it was another time.
"Dere's no way to forget dat was another ding I dedn't forget besides de several canes on de head I used to get from 'er" I say as I open de package and den I see dat dere is a drawing when I see it I get a feeling of nostalgia.
"You really wanted one of dese so I made sure to find it on de internet, I remember when you were a child it was your goal to 'ave a card with de drawing of Donald in gold dat was missing in your collection, we never got it because it was so rare, I managed to buy it and put it inside for you" I start to cry and eat de chocolate bar.
"You still remember April... You can come in" I tell 'er who comes in and I was sitting leaning on de door crying and she den comes to hug me.
"Look I know you're very nervous and tense about all dis, but let's find de girls, we can't give up hope" I wanted to 'ave your hope, but dis 'ere was something special, it was a consideration dat I accept very much.
I just hope dat I can finally find my girls, I just want dis revolution to happen or at least I can live in peace with my family... It's not enough losing my parents, staying dis long with my daughters running away from me leaves me with an even bigger burden of guilt, I just wish I had de hope I had in de beginning.
POV Narrator:
And the nine have arrived, Diana has finally been released from the seal of deep sleep and this way they have gone on to another stage of this journey to become the new nine witches, who will have yet another crucial point in this journey, returning to another deep sleep, they have been petrified and are connecting with the nine witches for an important mission of great weight, which is worth the fate of the entire world of magic.
See you, nine witches...