The Lost Labyrinth

FOR HIGHEST-PLEDGING PATRONS!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Finally! I thought up the idea for this fic months ago, and wrote it weeks ago, but I've been posting other things first. Now it's FINALLY this one's turn!

You'll see hints back to both OVAs in here, as well as some original content. It took me several days to write all of this fic, and I'm deciding to keep it as a giant oneshot rather than break it up into chapters, so prepare for a long one!

Disclaimer: I do not own Little Witch Academia.

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													The Lost Labyrinth

Another day of broom-riding practice has just ended in failure for Akko.

Even with Instructor Nelson pulling her aside constantly to give her private lessons, Akko just can't seem to get it right. The most she can do is mount and then shoot off at the speed of light without any semblance of grace or control.

At the very least, Instructor Nelson had commended her for being able to take off at all, and had encouraged Akko to try again tomorrow.

But for now, Akko just wants to take her mind off of things.

She hadn't even bothered to change back into her other uniform as Lotte and Sucy had. She'd merely told them she was going for a walk to collect her thoughts, denied their offers to come along, pulled her hat down over her eyes, and had wandered off (though, due to her hat being quite literally over her eyes, she hadn't gotten far before colliding with a tree).

She'd heard Lotte's murmurs of misgivings behind herself, and Sucy's consequent response of "let her be."

As such, here she is now, wandering the campus alone as evening settles in. She just doesn't feel like going back to the school for suppertime, only to inevitably have Hannah and Barbara single her out and use her as verbal target practice once again.

She much prefers being outside, enjoying a bit of fresh air to help clear away the stifling thoughts. Plus, it's rather quiet this evening, and the colors of the sunset dapple the forests in a warm, calming glow.

She doesn't really have any set destination in mind, so long as no one bothers her for a little while.

But by nature, Akko isn't the kind of person to sulk for very long on such a menial topic. She knows she's getting better with her broom – that much is clear from her Instructor's praises and her own sense of improvement, slight as it may be.

Before long, her mood is beginning to lift, and she adjusts her hat so she can see properly once again. She straightens her back and continues walking for a while longer, savoring the silence.

But before she can consider turning back and joining her friends for dinner after all, another idea strikes her.

"Ouh! If I remember correctly, I think... the Fountain of Polaris was somewhere around here!"

She hasn't tried to visit it again since the last time she'd been there, when Professor Ursula had told her to come back in the future.

"At a time when I've grown far beyond where I was then...huh?" Akko repeats the almost prophetic words, then looks down over herself. "Well... I mean I've grown a bit more since then. I know a couple more spells, at least! Maybe I'll be able to go further into the Big Dipper Arch this time! As long as I don't bother Arcas..."

From where she is now on the ground, she can't see too far ahead through the trees, but she has a general idea of where she might be on campus, and of where the Fountain should be located from here.

So she heads off, bound for the mystical place where Chariot herself had once foreseen her own future.

But in spite of her conviction, Akko finds herself wandering for longer and longer without success.

She first tries heading in one direction, then when she's gone what she believes to be 'far enough', she backtracks and turns a different way. But she can't find the Fountain or the ruins where it is located this time.

After wandering aimlessly for close to an hour, the sun has started to set on her.

"Ahhh, crap! If I'm not back soon, I'll get an ear-full from Professor Finneran! Guess I'll come back some other time..."

Heaving a sigh, she turns herself around and looks back to the school building-

Or so she'd thought.

All this time, she'd been keeping the Academy itself within her sights. But now, she realizes she can't even see it any longer.

Akko feels her stomach drop.

"Oh no..."

Whipping around again, she whimpers and stares up at the towering trees that are becoming darker with shadows by the second. With a small shriek, she scrambles back against a trunk.

"C-Crap! I-I can't get lost out here! Especially not at night! I'll get expelled for sure if something doesn't eat me first!"

Frantically, she takes off through the forest again, though she's got absolutely no idea where she's headed; she just hopes it's back toward the school.

She changes direction every few minutes, not realizing she's essentially bringing herself in a circle. The sun has completely set by the time she thinks of a better plan.

"Oh! I can make markings on the trees to show where I've been already!" Drawing her wand, she's about to try her hand at a spell when she stops. "W-Wait... since it's dark out now, there'll be sentries and guards going around. If any of them find me out here, they'll drag me right back to Professor Finneran!"

Therefore, for the fear that casting magic might attract unwanted attention (from guards or from creatures of the forest), she puts her wand away and continues aimlessly on foot.

By now, the sunlight has left the sky entirely, and it's taken most of the warmth along with it. Akko hugs herself, hunching her posture a bit as she treads more carefully now.

She's paid attention in class enough to know that certain creatures do come out in these forests at night, which is why students are strictly prohibited from being out at this hour without permission and supervision.

Now that she's becoming more and more nervous by the second, Akko jumps and whimpers at every little sound.

So far it's just been leaves rattling and branches snapping under her own boots.

But there's so much anxiety building up in her stomach, she knows it won't be long before a shriek that echoes around the entire campus escapes her mouth.

"I-I'm dead... I'm so dead..."

Muttering as much, she continues through the dark forest, gulping thickly as she tries to see more than ten feet in front of herself. The foliage is so thick overhead, she can't even see the stars, and there's no way any moonlight can slip through to help guide her forward.

"By now... Lotte and Sucy must be wondering where I am, right? They saw which way I went, s-so maybe people are out looking for me already. I hope..."

Eventually, she decides her only option is to use her magics and pray that a Luna Nova guard or staff member will find her before any forest monster does.

As she's drawing her wand, she hears the distant howl of a lone wolf and shudders until her teeth chatter.

"S-Screw it! I'd rather get expelled than eaten alive!" And with that declaration, she waves her wand. "Raea Michoro!"

Within seconds, small bubbles of light begin swirling around the tip of her wand, creating a bright green glow. Akko watches as the forest around her begins to light up, and a smile begins forming on her lips.

Until she realizes there are eyes watching her.

Dozens of pairs of eyes stare down at her from the treetops, glinting in the light.

Akko chokes on her own spit and staggers back a pace, then whips around and tears off.

"D-Don't eat meeeeee!"

She pelts through the trees as quickly as she can, stumbling and tripping over herself multiple times in the process.

But she just keeps running, and she's just wondering why it's suddenly gotten so dark again when she realizes it's not because her spell has worn off but because her eyes are closed and-

"Duwaah!"

With a thud and a yelp, she crashes headlong into a tree. She sticks to it for a second before peeling off and slumping down on her back.

"Owww..."

Sniffling, she brings a hand to her forehead and rubs her face, then rolls over and scrambles for her wand. If not for the light still shining from it, she knows she never would have found it.

At the very least, she knows nothing is chasing her. For now.

"Geez... I'm gonna die out here, I just know it... If only I knew that spell that creates a barrier..."

She'd only seen it done a few times before, but can't recall the exact words for it. And she knows racking her brain on that will only cause her further distress on top of everything else.

So she slowly pushes herself to her feet and takes a moment to survey her surroundings. She's still in the forest, and she still can't see any landmarks or the school in any direction.

But something about this area seems... odd.

The trees aren't as tightly-packed here, and the ground seems to be lumpy with piles of soil that appear to have been upturned and then re-spread. Perhaps deliberately.

She swallows hard.

"D-Don't tell me there's a graveyard on campus..."

She scours the area for grave markers, but finds nothing. So that's a little reassuring, at least.

She lets out a long breath, then steels herself to start walking or running again.

But she freezes when she hears another sound.

Akko bolts for the nearest tree and presses herself against it, hoping that whatever's making noise isn't coming from the same tree. She quickly cancels her spell and the light is extinguished.

Peeking with one eye, she listens for the source of the sound.

It sounds like the wind, only it's less directionless and more deliberate.

It almost sounds like... like someone flying a broom-

"What exactly do you think you are doing?"

"Kyaaaaaaaaah!"

Akko screams bloody murder and jumps several feet off the ground as she whirls around and scrambles back all at the same time. Ultimately, she ends up on the ground again, clutching her wand to her chest and pleading desperately.

"P-Please don't expel me! P-Please don't eat me! I don't actually taste that good, apparently!"

"Goodness, what a hopeless girl..."

"...Eh?"

When Akko finally decides to open her eyes, she realizes she knows this voice.

Diana hovers just a few feet above her on her broom, guided by the soft warm glow of a lantern sprite dangling from the end of the handle.

Unlike Akko herself, Diana is poised and entirely unfazed by their surroundings. Akko jumps to her feet immediately with a cry of relief.

"D-Diana! I'm saved! I won't get eaten tonight!"

Diana heaves a sigh and sweeps her broom into landing, readjusting the sprite lantern as she dismounts.

"That is debatable. While you may not literally be had for some forest creature's supper, I am certain that Professor Finneran will chew you out, nonetheless."

"Th-That's fine! I'll take it! I'll take a month's detention and all the worst chores she can think of! Anything! Just get me out of here, pleeease!"

Akko makes a move to quite literally throw herself at her classmate, but Diana sidesteps, and Akko falls flat on her face once again.

"I should hardly be surprised to have found you here," she sighs. "Wandering campus past curfew without supervision or permission. You've got a great deal of explaining to do on our way back."

Akko springs up once again.

"Fine! I'll explain everything, j-just take me back!"

"Very well."

Diana moves her broom into position and mounts it, then waves Akko over. The brunette hurries to her, jumps on, and throws her arms around Diana's waist, desperate and relieved to finally be getting out of this nightmare.

Or so she'd thought.

"Tia Fre- eh?"

Diana's hardly gotten the first word out of her mouth when they begin to move.

Only, they aren't going up.

Due to their combined weight, the loose soils falls away from beneath their boots. The earth heaves without warning, and before either girl can react to or comprehend what's happening, it's already too late.

As the ground disappears from beneath them, they find themselves falling down into the pits of the earth, with nothing left of them on the surface but the echos of their screams.

Akko can feel herself sliding, slipping down some pre-dug tunnel as bits of dirt smack her in the face. She screams at the top of her lungs, clinging to Diana for dear life as they both tumble down, down, down...

And then, as quickly as it had happened, it's over.

There's a deafening snap of the broomstick, the clatter of the lantern, and then a jumbled assortment of flailing, thudding, tangling bodies as they both hit the ground, roll, and skid to a stop. Their screams cut off and end in moans of pain as the last bits of loose earth fall and scatter around them.

For a moment, neither of them are in any state to move. Akko feels a stinging sensation in the back of her skull, and when she makes an effort at pushing herself up, she sucks in a sharp breath.

"Ow ow ow..."

It takes her a moment to finally open her eyes, but she's not even sure if she's actually opened them or not due to how dark it is down here – wherever 'here' is.

She turns her head slowly, trying to get her bearings. Her eyes are naturally drawn to a faint source of light, coming from the sprite that had been freed from its lantern during the fall. Thanks to its guidance, Akko can now make out the form of her companion, lying motionless several yards away. With a gasp, Akko pushes herself to her feet.

"D-Diana!"

She limps her way over, then slumps back down to her knees at her side. Diana winces and makes a pained sound in the back of her throat, but Akko can't see or smell any blood. As Diana's eyelids flutter open, Akko heaves a small sigh of relief. She reaches out to help her sit up, then goes back to holding her own sore shoulder.

Diana puts a hand to the side of her head and catches her breath after being winded by the rough landing. Fretfully, Akko sidles closer.

"Are you okay?"

Diana nods, then looks Akko over with equal amounts of concern.

"Are you?"

"Y-Yeah... I think so..."

Her frantic run through the forest earlier had gotten her a fine coating of scratches and cuts, but the fall just now only gave her a sore arm and a few bruises at best. Diana is also nursing a pain in her side, but that seems to be all.

Now, they both take a moment to survey their surroundings.

They can't see very far at all, because the sprite doesn't have much of a glow to it. All they can discern is that the walls are made of earth and the ceiling is too high up to see.

Akko gulps audibly.

"What... happened...? W-Where are we...?"

Diana doesn't answer right away. She contemplates internally for a moment and cranes her neck back, trying to see as far as she can. When she's sure enough, she gives her answer.

"It appears... we've fallen into the Labyrinth..."

Akko cringes.

"L-Labyrinth...?"

"...It consists of a large connection of underground tunnels that are no longer in-use," Diana explains. "There was a time when Luna Nova used it for treasure hunts, navigation training, and things of that nature. But due to a cave-in of the walls two-hundred years ago, it was deemed unsafe, and declared indefinitely off-limits."

"I...Indefinitely...?"

Diana nods.

"Yes. The professors knew the initial cave-in would be the first of many, so they filled in most of the tunnels and closed off all access points to discourage anyone from trying to find their way down again. They have since refrained from even mentioning the existence of the Labyrinth for the same reasons. I only happen to know of it due to my affiliation with the Academy."

Akko's jaw dangles open as she tries to process all of this.

"S-S-So wait... w-we're trapped... in a creepy old labyrinth... that no one's been to for two hundred years... and no one knows where we are...?"

Diana is silent. She glances to her other side and locates her broom; it's snapped cleanly in half. And the hole where they fell in is too high up to even see from here.

"It would appear so."

A beat of silence. Then-

"Uwaaaaah! W-What are we gonna do?! We're gonna die down here and they'll never find our bodies and-"

"Silence!" Diana shuts her up with a palm to Akko's mouth and a vehement hiss. "You should know by now that causing such a ruckus will only serve to attract unwanted attention. Just because people stopped using these tunnels long ago does not mean other creatures have refrained from doing so."

Akko whimpers and stiffens instantly. Only when Diana's certain she'll keep her voice down does she withdraw her hand. Akko's eyes dart all around in a frenzy as she hugs herself and shivers.

"S-So then... w-what are we gonna do...?"

For that, Diana has a surefire answer.

"We are going to do the only logical thing and stay put."

Akko has to admit she agrees with Diana on that. A small part of her wants to explore the Labyrinth, but perhaps only if she could actually see what's in front of her and if she knows there's a concrete escape route to safety.

But there are no such comforts or guarantees here, as they are now. Therefore, she's willing to stay put as Diana suggests.

"Okay... s-so we just wait here and hope someone finds us...?"

"Better yet," Diana assures her. "There is a surefire way to ensure we are found as soon as possible."

Diana opens her hand to the little sprite that's been hovering nearby. It floats down into her palm and settles there. Diana addresses it in a kind voice.

"Please, go back to the school and tell them where we are. You can lead them back to the place where we fell through. And we'll be right here."

The sprite makes a small chirping sound before giving a little bounce. With its new task given, it takes off and begins to float up the way they'd fallen, like a little golden bubble in the darkness.

Akko and Diana watch it ascend, the only issue being that it takes their only source of light with it. As the sprite travels upward, the girls get a sense of just how far down they've fallen – at the very least, they're grateful neither of them have broken any bones.

After a moment, the sprite vanishes, leaving them both in complete darkness. Akko squeaks and clings to Diana's arm. The white-haired witch sighs for the umpteenth time.

"Calm down." Akko can feel and hear her reaching for her wand before she casts the lighting spell. "Raea Michoro."

Instantly, light surrounds them once again, only this time it has a greenish hint to it. Now that she can see again, Akko relaxes her grip on Diana's arm.

With one another's help, they manage to get to their feet. Diana dusts herself off before picking up their fallen hats and handing Akko's hers. She then walks to where her splintered broom lies useless beside the broken lantern. Akko timidly scurries up beside her.

"Is there any way we can fix it?"

"Most likely, I can mend it with a spell," Diana decides. "Since the ceiling seems to be rather high, perhaps it is possible to go back up the way we'd come after all."

Akko perks up instantly.

"Really? You think so?"

"So long as the hole hasn't been filled in by loosened soil," she confirms. "It is certainly worth a try."

Diana points her wand at her broom, preparing to cast a spell that will mend it. Akko stands back to observe, relieved that they might still be able to make it out of this quickly.

But just as before, her hopes are shattered by a strange sound.

It comes out of nowhere – one second there is silence, and the next...

It sounds like something's moving. Quickly.

And it's headed straight towards them.

With a gasp, Akko cranes her neck back just as a blur of screeching, black bodies comes raining down from the ceiling. Dozens of thin, skinny wings beat the air in a mad fury as a hoard of massive bats swoops down on them.

Diana hasn't even breathed the first syllable of her spell before they're all over her, clawing and scratching and biting. Her scream is cut short by the eerie screeching of the creatures, which are the sizes of eagles.

Akko shrieks and stumbles, knocked onto her backside by the flurry of creatures.

"W-Whaaaaat?! What the heck's going on?!" She lifts her arms to cover her face in defense.

But within seconds, she realizes the bats are only attacking Diana. Their sharp claws are getting tangled in her hair, ripping and tugging at her robes as her hat is torn off her head.

"Get off this instant!" She yelps and throws out her arms, slashing her wand and her hands in a vain effort to fend them off. But there are too many of them, and Akko can only watch in horror as they continue their savage attack.

"H-Hey! Get off of her!" she shouts. Leaping to her feet, she charges headlong into the fray and tries to shoo the beasts away, grabbing them by the wings and bodies and throwing them as far as she can. In a split second, she realizes why they are only attacking Diana.

"Th-The light-! Diana, get rid of the light!" Akko reaches out to grab Diana's hand so she won't lose her in the shadows.

At the same time, Diana manages to flick her wrist and shoots a bolt of light into the broken lantern lying several feet away on the ground. Instantly, the bats follow it.

Akko wastes no time. She hurriedly pulls Diana in the opposite direction, away from the screeching mass of creatures. With their light gone now, they can't see a thing. The best Akko can do is put her free hand out in front of herself to ensure she doesn't crash into anything else, and she just has to hope the ground doesn't fall away beneath her again.

She runs and runs, tugging Diana along with her, until they are both too breathless to continue any further.

"Ah... Akko..."

It's Diana's uncharacteristically feeble voice that finally brings Akko to a halt. She skids to a stop and turns around right away, keeping a firm hold on Diana's wrist. She can't see her, but she reaches out to hold onto her shoulders.

"S-Sorry! Are you okay?"

Panting, Akko gropes for her own wand on her hip and casts another lighting spell, but makes sure the light is weak. She smothers it a bit with her robes, so that it's just enough to see by, but hopefully not enough to draw more bats to their location.

When she gets a good look at Diana, she flinches.

Bright red scratch marks are stretched across her cheeks and neck, and there are rips and tears all over her robes. One of her hands is still clutching Akko's for support, but the other is raised to the side of her neck. Gasping, Diana sways a bit, and Akko worriedly steps in to keep her on her feet.

"D-Diana?"

The white-haired witch draws in a deep breath. She looks up at Akko past frazzled bangs, her blue eyes slightly unnerved.

"I have been bitten..."

Akko stiffens.

"W-What? Where?"

Diana indicates the shoulder she's holding onto. When she moves her hand aside, Akko can see two puncture wounds that had cut through her robes and into her skin, smeared slightly with blood. Akko spirals into a panic.

"W-What do we do? S-Should we go back?"

Diana grunts and covers her wound again.

"Do you think it would be wise to risk it? Now that they've had a taste of blood, those bats will be much more aggressive, even if we don't aggravate them with light. No..." Diana straightens herself up and squares her shoulders, setting her eyes behind Akko.

"I suppose we have no other choice than to press onward and attempt to make it through the labyrinth. Perhaps we will be fortunate enough to avoid any other encounters before the professors arrive. It is possible we may even find our own way out. Besides..."

She glances down at her shoulder almost ruefully. "It would be best for me not to stay put for too long, lest I become lethargic."

Akko doesn't like the sound of that.

"W-What's that mean? D-Don't tell me it... poisoned you or something...?"

She's hoping Diana will deny her assumption. But her solemn silence is a troubling confirmation instead.

Akko whimpers.

"H-How bad is it...?"

Diana shrugs.

"As I have said, staying still for too long will not be a good idea, at the very least."

Akko can tell she's purposefully not giving a direct answer. Which means Diana knows this could be bad, but she doesn't want to cause Akko any additional distress by saying so.

Akko understands that it must be dangerous, and no doubt painful for Diana. Staying still would allow the poison to settle and have a worse effect on her more quickly. Akko doesn't like to think about what could happen if they stayed put to rest, and Diana closed her eyes and couldn't find the strength to open them again...

"A-All right," Akko says tightly. "Th-Then I guess we'll keep going... B-But first, can I at least try to heal you a little?"

Diana must truly be in pain, because for once, she lays down her pride and dips her head.

"Do as you will..."

With a nod, Akko quickly lifts her wand again and waves it between Diana and herself.

"Merna Hecallox."

Thankfully, the glow from the spell isn't much this time around. Small streaks of magic reach out, then wrap gently around Diana. She closes her eyes, releasing a sigh as the healing magics begin to take effect.

The minor cuts and scratches close up almost instantly. While the poison stinging inside her shoulder and the side of her neck remains, the surface wounds heal at the very least.

The magic wears off, and Akko holds her breath for a second, waiting for a verdict.

"Was... Was that okay...?"

Diana reopens her eyes and offers a small smile.

"Yes. Thank you, Akko."

The brunette lights up a little more than her wand.

"That's good! I'm glad!"

"Now, allow me to return the favor," Diana offers. Akko looks over herself, covered only in light scratches and bruises, and quickly declines.

"N-No, I'm fine! You should save your energy, Diana."

"That will not do," she protests.

Akko recognizes the stubborn glint in her eyes. She knows Diana will cast the spell whether Akko wants her to or not. With a groan, she lifts her hands up in defeat.

"Fiiiine..."

And so Diana repeats the same healing spell unto her. Akko has to admit it feels nice when all the little aches and sores vanish within seconds, and the pain in her arm is nothing but an unpleasant memory.

When it's over, she thanks Diana, though she still feels guilty in knowing her classmate is suffering from the poison.

In any case, they decide to continue advancing. Akko keeps her wand lit but stifles the light under her sash again. This way, even if it's bright enough to attract more bats, they'd come after her this time, and not Diana.

Despite the fact that they can see a bit more easily now, they still grab hands as a way to stay together no matter what. Diana keeps her free hand on her injured shoulder and follows Akko's lead.

They take it slowly. Akko squints ahead of herself through the pitch darkness, trying to make out anything that might appear in front of her. Similarly, Diana keeps her attention focused behind them, as well as to both sides.

They walk for a while in silence, without anything happening.

Until now, there has only been one path to follow. But soon, Akko can see a fork in the tunnels ahead. When they reach it, they come to a halt.

"So... which way...?" Akko looks from left to right and back again. She gets a bad vibe from both of them, but the one on her left feels a bit colder, and therefore, less appealing. "Geh... Let's go right."

She starts to head in that direction, but Diana's hand tugs her back.

"And what, exactly, is your reasoning behind that decision?" she asks.

Akko is somewhat offended that Diana's asking her to justify her choice.

"Because it's cold! So that means we'd probably be heading further underground and I dunno about you, but I'd rather not do that."

"Interesting," Diana murmurs. "I was leaning toward going left. If it is cold, that likely means there is little motion in the air. To put it another way, it is likely uninhabited."

Akko tenses up and gulps again.

"W-Well we've gotta agree on one or the other because we are not splitting up."

"Agreed." Diana doesn't miss how Akko tightens her grip on her hand defiantly. In spite of their circumstances, Diana smiles to herself. "You make a valid point, Akko. Very well. Let us go your way."

"...Hah? Really?"

Now, it is Diana who is mildly offended.

"Yes. Why are you so surprised?"

"I dunno. I kinda figured you'd argue with me on it."

"Please," Diana scoffs. "As I have mentioned, you have a good argument. I am not so petty as to combat you on every decision you make, Akko."

Akko looks away a little bashfully.

"Oh. Okay. Sorry..."

"Do not be. Now then..."

Diana looks to the right, indicating Akko should continue leading the way.

And so she does, doing her best not to let her nerves get the better of her more than they already have.

They advance slowly, not making any more noise than they have to.

It's not long before they come to another fork in their path, and shortly after that, there are three possible options. After holding quick debates together, they decide on their next path, and then the next.

When they arrive at the following division, Akko holds up her wand to show there are three more tunnels to choose from. She groans.

"Aww geez! Is there any end to this?"

"Well, it is a labyrinth," Diana reminds her.

Akko sighs.

"Okay... we went left last time so let's go straight now."

"Your reasoning behind these decisions has changed drastically," Diana notes. "But I suppose we have the same chances of being correct as we do of being mistaken."

So they continue down the middle path for a while, keeping quiet as they have been doing. But after a few minutes, they can both sense something... odd about this tunnel.

The air seems different somehow, almost as though there is a breeze. The fact that there could be enough space up ahead to even permit a breeze underground both concerns and excites them at the same time.

They proceed with caution, until it is evident there is something in their path once again.

Akko nearly jumps back and starts to bolt with Diana in tow, but Diana holds fast to her hand.

"Wait."

She lets go of her sore shoulder and draws her own wand, adding a bit of light to Akko's.

Rather than some monster or trap, what's ahead of them now are simply... walls.

While everything else they've seen thus far has only been constructed out of earth, the walls before them now are made of stone. And there are dozens of them, from what they can see from their standpoint.

The walls are jumbled in a strange arrangement, twisting and turning. They are at least thirty feet high, indicating the ceiling must be even higher.

The girls stare for a moment before Akko breaks the silence.

"What... is it...?"

Diana isn't thrilled about her own response:

"It is... a labyrinth..."

"...Hah? D-Didn't you already say that before?" Akko wails. "S-So that means... this is a labyrinth inside another labyrinth?!"

"...It would appear so..."

"You've gotta be kidding..." Akko shakes her head in disbelief. "We can't go in there. We should go back and try another path."

"I agree," Diana consents. "Though alternate paths could lead to even more troublesome things..."

"Or they could lead directly to the exit!"

"You are not mistaken."

Now that they are both in agreement, both girls turn back the way they'd come.

And then the entire labyrinth shakes.

The young witches can't stiffen and cling tighter to one another's hands quickly enough, casting the glow of their wands all about to see better.

"W-What was that?" Akko whispers.

"I-"

Before Diana can finish speaking, another booming sound rattles the area. Their nails dig into the backs of one another's hands as they try in vain to locate the source of the sound.

It keeps getting more powerful, louder-

-closer.

Which can only mean one thing.

"S-Something's here..." Akko whimpers. "W-We gotta get-"

"Shh." Diana hushes her promptly. Akko clams up right away.

For a second, they both listen to the pattern of earth-shaking sounds. Each one echoes and reverberates around the entire area, so they can't accurately discern where it's coming from.

Diana closes her eyes to concentrate, trying to focus past the throbbing pain in her shoulder and the jolting panic inside her chest.

Another boom. And another.

She gasps sharply.

"Extinguish your light!"

As she hisses the order to Akko, Diana kills the light on her own wand as well. Without wasting another second, she yanks Akko off to one side, racing toward the wall, not inside the stone labyrinth, but away from the tunnel they'd entered from.

The girls skid to a halt, all but colliding with the wall in the darkness. Diana swallows a whimper when her bad shoulder makes contact with the hard earth, but she is sure to press Akko back behind herself.

They tremble as the massive footsteps continue drawing nearer and nearer. Akko clings desperately to Diana, needing to hide her face in her classmate's back to keep herself from making noise.

For a long moment they stand there, clutching one another, trembling anxiously. Their hearts are thudding so hard they fear whatever's making the other noise will hear them.

The sounds get closer. And closer still.

And then, the booming footsteps reveal the creature they are linked to.

It's still dark, but something on the top of the beast's body produces a faint, reddish glow, revealing the rest of its terrifying form.

It towers as high as the walls of its labyrinth, like a moving mountain - a haunting, massive bulk of shadow. Its gargantuan hooves smash into the earth as it thunders its way in through the main tunnel.

The entire body is coated in coarse black fur. Hard, rippling muscles shift with every step it takes.

There are four legs in all, and just as many heads.

From a stout neck, wrinkled by layer upon layer of bundled skin, and thick with a mane of clumped hair, three massive heads protrude. Each head bears its own set of heavy, twisted horns.

The center head is that of a bull, its horns wide and pointed, ten times sharper than any blade. The left and right heads are those of rams – one with thick, curled horns, and the other with longer, skinner ones. Clogging mist fogs up from each of its flaring nostrils, three sets of lips curling back to reveal sharp, pointed canine teeth.

It meanders into its domain, swinging its heads back and forth as it moves, six glowing red eyes surveying its territory. Though the eyes burn like flames, the beast's presence is chilling enough to freeze pulses.

It moves slowly, sniffing excessively with each head, as though it's picked up on a scent it can't pinpoint the source of.

The girls stuffed in the corner nearby are petrified beyond breathing.

This is unlike any beast they've ever seen before.

Diana has only ever read about such an omnipotent monster.

It is known as a Cerberus Minotaur Chimera. It sports three vicious bulls' heads at the front, and a serpent as its tail. All of its jaws are filled with the teeth of lions, though the snake keeps its own poisoned fangs.

As it passes them by, she can't tell what or who is trembling more – Akko, herself, or the walls of this place as the beast enters.

The witches hold their breath, pressing close to the wall and to one another, terrified their frantic hearts will give them away.

Diana can hear Akko's voice nearly leaking out in its whimpers, so she turns and pulls the other girl in closer to quiet her as much as possible.

Akko clings to her with so much force she fears she might accidentally hurt Diana, unable to take her eyes off the mighty beast. She feels like she's about to collapse, but if her knees buckle now, it'd make enough noise to draw attention their way. She can feel Diana's fingers curling into her hair, feel her heart thudding hard against her chest.

Pressed in the corner as they are, they've managed to avoid detection thus far. If they can just keep still and keep quiet until the beast passes through...

The stone labyrinth itself shudders as the Minotaur heads toward it. No doubt, it knows its way through those twisted paths very well.

By some miracle, Akko and Diana avoid detection by those six red eyes.

But as the beast passes them by, its long, hissing tail comes into view.

The serpent observes all angles the three heads do not see.

Including what's behind them.

With a furious warning screech, the snake spots the two witches huddled in the corner and lashes out toward them. This draws the attention of the other three heads, which all grunt, growl, and snarl as the beast rounds on them.

It has terrifying speed for something so large.

The girls freeze, but only for a second.

And then, the Minotaur roars, a raging bellow that nearly shatters their eardrums. With hooves that can easily split apart boulders, and heads that can maul mountains, it thunders toward them in a blind, wrathful rage.

"Run!"

Diana's scream is all but drowned out by another roar from the monster as it tramples the ground. She grabs Akko's wrist and yanks her toward the tunnel they'd entered from.

But the lashing snake's head shoots out to block their path, very nearly piercing Diana's other shoulder with its fangs. Akko slams into her back before quickly tugging Diana away from the snake.

In a split second, they find themselves trapped between the serpent, the bulls, and the wall.

The only way to go is beneath its low-hanging belly.

So they run as fast as they possibly can for the only available opening. The beast is large enough where they don't even have to duck down or slide beneath its body. They just barely avoid getting crushed by one of the hooves and bitten by one of the heads.

But with the entrance tunnel behind them no longer an option, there is only one place left to go.

They don't hesitate to enter the stone labyrinth, their boots skidding over gravel and pebbles. They each pull out their wands with their free hands and reignite the lights, lest they be running for their lives in unknown territory and in total darkness.

Almost instantly, they are met with a series of forking and splitting paths. In the second it takes them to pause and gasp for breath, the Minotaur is already charging after them, all six horns pointed in their direction.

Without thinking, the girls choose the same path and tear off, guided only by the minimal light of their wands. The beast crashes one of its heads directly into the wall they'd been standing in front of only seconds earlier.

The impact of the collision sends rock and debris flying in all directions. The ground quakes beneath the girls' boots, and both of them lose their footing and tumble into the dust.

The fall separates them. Akko loses hold of her wand as well as Diana. She scrambles for her wand and grabs it before it can roll too far away. Then, she jumps to her feet, seeking out her companion.

"Diana!"

But the Minotaur is already upon them. Akko just barely catches a glimpse of her classmate hurrying in the other direction.

"Just go!" Diana shouts.

"B-But we're not supposed to split- eeeeeee!"

Akko has no choice but to turn down the opposite path and run for all she's worth.

With them now separated, the monster will have to choose one or the other to pursue.

And judging by the three deafening roars blowing at her hair, Akko doesn't need to look back to know it's chosen her.

"Kyaaaaaa! Why why why why whyyy?!"

/But I guess this is for the better, since Diana's hurt.../

She skids to a halt at the next fork, shaking despite the heat of the monster's breath behind her. She knows that just one wrong turn could lead her to a dead end.

/And that'll be the end of me!/

The best she can do is go with her gut.

/S-Since I chose the right before, I'll go left like Diana first said-/

She dives out of the way, rolling clear of the three sets of jaws that snap at her hood. Akko pelts onward, rounding each corner she encounters and just hoping it'll lead her to the exit.

The blood's throbbing in her ears, rushing through her veins, pounding in her skull.

She runs and runs and runs-

Until the only thing left before her is a thirty-foot-high wall.

/No, no, no!/

Frantically, she looks for an alternate path, but she's hit a dead end.

/Th-This is it... this is how I die.../

She extinguishes her light and turns around, waiting for the beast to inevitably rear its ugly heads around the corner.

But it doesn't.

Just as Akko's about to accept her fate, she realizes the stampeding footfalls have come to a stop. Somewhere along the lines, she actually must have outrun it.

/M-Maybe it gave up... O-Or wh-what if it's going after Diana?!/

The possibility of that scenario sends an awful jolt through her chest. Her concern for Diana far outweighs her fear for herself now.

Slowly, she creeps back the way she'd come, lighting up her wand just a little bit. Peering around the corner, she flinches, half-expecting the beast to be there charging at her.

But there's nothing in her sights except empty labyrinth pathways.

When she listens for a second, she can still hear the Minotaur pacing around in some other part of the maze.

Akko purses her lips to keep her teeth from chattering, then gradually starts backtracking.

From what she can discern, it doesn't sound like the beast is running any longer. It's trudging more slowly now, pacing, searching...

Akko hurries as quickly as she dares, keeping her eyes and ears alert for signs of Diana or the Minotaur. She knows her light could be a major giveaway as to her whereabouts, but without it she's entirely blind and helpless, so she has no choice but to use it.

Even the minuscule scuffing of her boots sounds extremely loud, and her heart is still out of control. Akko presses a hand to her chest in an effort to quiet her pulse that's leaping up her throat.

She goes slowly, turning corners, avoiding dead ends, trying to remember if she's been this way already or not. Judging by the lack of noise from the Minotaur now, she can assume it hasn't found Diana.

/That's good. I just gotta find her first now.../

She assumes that just a few more minutes of walking will have her at the exit.

But she's gravely underestimated the convoluted twists and tricks of this labyrinth.

It seems no matter which way she turns, she keeps finding herself at dead ends. A shudder runs through her when she realizes the monster's footfalls are getting nearer once again.

/And he knows this place a heck of a lot better than I do!/ Gulping, she turns back around, smothering her light in her sleeve. /At least there aren't pitfalls or trip wires in this thing. If there were, I'd be dead for sure.../

She rounds another corner, biting her lip to keep her teeth quiet. And to her utter astonishment, a familiar greenish light catches her eye.

"D-Diana!"

Akko can't run to her quickly enough.

Startled by the sudden sound, Diana whirls around, only to relax when she realizes its her.

"Akko..."

Their relief of finding one another is palpable, and both of them get caught up in the moment. Akko reaches out and grabs Diana's hand.

"Thank goodness! I thought I'd never find you again!"

Diana is equally as elated.

"I was so worried it had caught you..."

"Nope! I'm still in one piece, somehow!"

"I am glad." Only then do they seem to realize their hands are clasped together. Diana quickly pulls hers away. "N-Now then, I've memorized as much of this maze as I could. At the very least, I know which routes not to take. I should be able to get us out of here."

"Really?" Akko blurts. "You memorized it?"

"Keep your voice down," Diana mutters. "I may have figured out the maze to some degree, but that creature is still the master of this labyrinth."

With both of them together again, Akko extinguishes her light so as not to waste her wand's battery, and they set off with only Diana's to lead the way.

Unlike Akko, who had been continuously mulling over which way to go and second-guessing herself, Diana knows exactly which route to take. She walks with caution and conviction combined, pausing every once in a while to listen for the beast.

After several anxious minutes of their travels, Diana comes to a sudden halt. Akko bumps into her from behind and bites back a shriek.

"Diana? W-What's wrong?"

Diana holds up her free hand for silence.

Akko bites her tongue and listens.

And there's... nothing.

Nothing at all.

No sound in this entire labyrinth, where even the smallest noise echoes a million times over.

No sound, despite there being a massive monster lurking somewhere.

Neither girl dares to breathe.

For a moment, their erratic heartbeats seem to fill the air. Too loud.

Akko reaches for Diana's sleeve and holds on.

"Did... Did it leave...?" she whispers.

"I am not sure. In any case, let us-"

And then, an explosion.

The wall right next to them erupts in a blast of deafening debris and pelting stone as the Minotaur smashes through it, all three bulls' heads roaring in a vicious fury.

The consequent impact knocks both girls off their feet, separating them once again. Akko cries out when a chunk of stone collides with her arm, but she considers herself lucky that's all she gets; had it been her leg or her head, she'd be done for.

She rolls to a painful stop and drags herself to her feet, unable to see clearly past the cloud of smoke clogging the air. At the very least, it seems the fog is too thick for the beast to see through as well.

Akko knows she only has a few seconds.

"Diana!" she shouts. "Are you okay?!"

She can't see her, and she just has to hope the Minotaur can't either. Akko counts three terrified beats of her heart before she hears a response.

"Go!" Diana calls back. "Three lefts and a right from where you are! I will meet you there!"

By now, the smoke has thinned, and Akko can see the outline of the beast and its six blood-red eyes.

It's not looking at her.

Horrified, she watches as the monster turns and begins charging after Diana. Her companion can barely stand, and Akko fears she's been injured further in the explosion.

/She won't last two seconds-!/

Akko doesn't hesitate to use her wand. She conjures up an offensive spell and strikes the beast on the rear, at the base of its serpent tail. With a bellow of sheer rage, the Minotaur blunders its way around and sets its sights on her. Akko waves her wand of light to keep its attention.

"Can't catch me!"

And with this taunt, she tears off. The beast is right on her heels, snarling and snapping at her. Part of her wants to ignore Diana's instructions for fear of leading the beast right to their rendezvous point. But the other part of her knows she can't do this on her own.

At the very least, she's bought Diana a bit of time to recover. But if Akko tries to handle this by herself, she knows she's as good as dead.

So she pelts down the pathways and veers left after left after left before making a sharp right. The Minotaur behind her is so enraged now it has no concern for the proper paths. It crashes through every wall in its way, causing debris to pile up and block out other paths.

It's impossible for Akko to turn back now. She has no choice but to keep running.

She looks around wildly, but there is no sight of Diana.

/Geez, what can I do?! I can't keep running, I-I've gotta fight it somehow! But that thing's hide is so thick, my magic can only irritate it at best! How can I defeat something like that?!/

The ground shudders beneath her boots again, and this time it trips her. Yelping, Akko tumbles, and it's only through sheer force of will that she doesn't lose hold of her wand. She scrambles to sit up, watching as the three massive heads come straight for her, the six horns eager to maul her to pieces if the teeth don't shred her first.

But her answer hits her before the Minotaur can.

It's only a brief memory, something she recalls from her first time in a Luna Nova treasure hunt with Diana.

They've encountered a Minotaur before. And she'd seen it from Diana herself that attacking the outer skin does little more than enrage the beast further.

There's only one way to defeat a monster like this - a way she'd learned from Sucy.

From the inside.

Akko raises her wand to the snapping jaws of the middle head as it reaches her. With a shriek, she calls forth one last spell.

"Destredo!"

A lighting bolt shoots from the tip of her wand and directly down the middle head's throat. A guttural howl of wrath and pain sends the Minotaur back a pace in retreat. It spits and stomps, tossing its heads and rearing up as the lighting scratches all the way down to its stomach.

Akko pants like a cornered rabbit, petrified in her spot.

"It... It works. I-I can do this- Kyaaah!" Within seconds, the beast rounds on her and charges again. Akko scrambles for aim with her wand. "Destredo!"

Another bolt of lighting fires, but it only hits the side of the left head's jaw. The beast continues charging, and Akko has no time to move or breathe to re-cast the spell.

/Th-This is it-/

"Destredo!"

Diana's voice echos even more loudly than the Minotaur's thunderous hooves. Not one, but three bolts of lighting slice through the air and make their marks on the tongues of the three heads.

Akko presses herself back into the wall behind herself. She can feel the heat of the beast's breath just before it rears back again. The sound it makes this time is more of pain than anything else. The creature begins to pace and circle, disoriented now. Diana hurries to Akko's side and drops to her knees.

"Akko!"

"D-Diana!"

"Are you injured?"

"N-Not badly. What about-" With a gasp, Akko's voice rises into a shriek. "D-Diana, watch out!"

Though the bulls heads have been temporarily taken care off, they'd forgotten about the serpent.

It lashes out, hissing furiously as it clamps its fangs savagely into Diana's shoulder. A scream of agony tears from her lips as it tries to drag her back.

But Akko drops her wand, grabs Diana's arms, and holds tightly onto her.

"L-Like hell... I'm gonna let you take her!"

She digs the heels of her boots into the soil and purposefully wedges her foot against a stone to prevent herself from moving. She crushes her nails into Diana's skin, refusing to let go of her.

For a terrifying second, they are suspended like that, Akko pulling against the serpent with Diana between them.

Despite the immense pain ripping through her body, Diana still manages to lift her wand. She angles it back at the serpent's head and chokes out a single word:

"Veshra!"

It's a paralysis spell that seizes the snake instantly. Its jaws go slack, though only for a second.

But it's the only second Akko needs.

Sending a silent apology to Diana, Akko yanks her forward and catches her. They tumble back, hitting the ground hard. Akko heaves herself up and looks Diana over. She's bleeding from her shoulder now, cringing as she curls in on herself.

"D-Diana!"

The serpent isn't finished yet. It lunges at them one last time.

But Akko moves even more quickly than it can strike. She throws herself over Diana, shielding her with her own body, and screams out a spell on instinct.

"Cranto Hourux!"

And a purple barrier forms around them both. The snake bites down on the impenetrable wall. Akko watches as its fangs snap right off. Screeching, the snake finally recoils, and the distressed Minotaur tramples off through its maze.

Akko stares after it in disbelief, still trembling.

"We... We did it..."

But she can only relish in the victory for a second. Gasping, she flips around and faces her classmate.

"Diana!"

Diana is struggling to breathe, and a cold sweat coats her skin. She can't move, and her eyes are glazing over.

Akko knows the snake must have injected her with venom, and it must be ten times more powerful than that of the bats.

/If it reaches her heart.../

She doesn't know any spells that can stop the spreading of venom, otherwise she would've used it on her earlier. And if Diana herself had known any, she would've told her.

Frantically, Akko rakes her brain.

/I-I've gotta do something! Even if it's not specifically a spell for removing poison-/

Her thoughts cut off when she feels something on her fingertips.

Diana reaches out for her hand, her fingers pale and quivering. Weakly, she curls her fingers around Akko's, but she can't even maintain her grip for longer than a second. She coughs, jolts of pain shooting through her body. Akko feels tears dripping down her cheeks.

"D... Diana..."

She doesn't know what to do. She can't help her-

"A...kko..." Her blue eyes flicker, seeking chestnut. "I... I am... all right... there was... no venom..."

Akko blinks, and two heavy tears fall off her chin.

"...Eh...?"

Diana flinches as she tries to elaborate.

"If... the bulls are in distress... they convert the serpent's venom to a healing serum for themselves. As such... I was not poisoned... I am merely... a bit shaken by the ordeal..."

Akko can't believe what she's hearing.

She'd... she'd thought Diana might die...

"Oh... Oh gosh..." She wipes her sleeve across her face vigorously, letting the barrier fade. "O-Okay... Okay..." It's hard for her to swallow. She'd been so scared...

"Ah-!" Diana lets out a cry of pain and clutches more tightly to her shoulder. Even if she wasn't poisoned, she was still bitten.

Akko immediately readies her wand.

"I-It's okay! Just hold still."

Gently, she moves Diana's hand away from the wound. The fabrics of her robes over her shoulder have been shredded somewhat, and the sickening tang of blood fills the air. Akko lowers her voice and concentrates.

"Merna Hecallox."

And just like before, she heals Diana's wounds. She's beyond thankful the bite only a surface wound, which is something she can handle.

Diana gasps sharply, but then the tension begins to drain from her system. Akko fretfully rests a hand over her shoulder.

"E-Easy," she murmurs. "Just breathe..."

Diana closes her eyes and does just that. Akko watches as her eyebrows furrow, her expression still tight, her breathing still clipped. Her pulse is thick and rapid beneath Akko's palm.

But after a moment, Diana manages a deep, shuddering breath, and everything begins to slow down.

Akko takes the chance to calm herself as well, ducking her face into her shoulder to clear away more of the tears threatening to fall.

At last, they can breathe easily again – or, as easily as they possibly can, given their situation.

Diana makes an effort to push herself up, and Akko quickly reaches out to help her. Inadvertently, Diana touches her bruised arm, which Akko had forgotten about until now.

"Ow, ow, ow!"

Startled, Diana recoils.

"I-I apologize."

"N-No... it's okay."

Diana refrains from touching her arm any further.

"What happened?"

"Just... got hit with a rock."

"Akko!"

"I-It's not broken or anything! I think..."

"It could very well be fractured. Let me see it." Diana won't hear any more protests. She rolls up Akko's sleeve to her shoulder and lightly runs her fingers over the large purple bruise. Akko winces and bites back a whine. Diana narrows her eyes. "It is a slight fracture."

"It's not that bad..."

"Given our situation, something could very easily happen that could warrant its getting worse. I will heal it."

"Diana..." Akko reaches out to touch the other girl's good shoulder. "You don't have to do that. You're in pretty bad shape. Save your energy. I'm all right."

Diana is silent for a moment. Akko holds her gaze, hopeful she'll understand.

But Diana looks away.

"Then you will have to forgive me."

She draws her wand and casts a spell before Akko can do anything about it.

"Yera Retoure!"

It is a spell that restores broken objects to their rightful forms, and it works just the same on bones. Akko braces herself as a sudden pain spreads throughout her arm, but it only lasts for a second. The magic fades, and her pain ebbs along with it. Akko pouts.

"Diana! I told you, you didn't have to- uwah?!"

To her astonishment, Diana doesn't let her finish. A trembling breath falls from her lips as the white-haired witch throws her arms around Akko and presses close to her.

"I had thought... that monster caught you..."

Stunned, it takes Akko a few seconds to realize that Diana had healed her arm partially just so she could do this.

So she could hug her.

Diana is hugging her.

And when she finally snaps out of her trance, Akko realizes Diana is shaking against her. She'd been... really scared for her, too.

Akko hadn't realized how badly she'd needed this until now.

Without waiting another second, she wraps her arms around Diana's back and hugs her in return.

"And I'd thought... you got poisoned..." Akko buries her face into Diana's hair and lets the tears fall freely now.

They both need this moment, and they take it for all it's worth.

They're both still here. They're both all right.

Once they each realize as much, they're able to calm their troubled hearts. The mutual trembling comes to a stop, and both girls pull away.

Even if Diana hadn't been poisoned by the snake, Akko knows she still has some in her veins from the bats earlier. They can't afford to sit around here and hope help comes in time.

The ordeal has exhausted them both significantly, but they have to keep going, lest that Minotaur return.

Akko braces Diana's forearms in her palms and staggers to her feet, keeping her classmate steady.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?"

Diana shakes her head.

"Are you?"

"No."

Akko only lets go of one of Diana's hands in order to draw her wand once again. As they scour the area, they are met with the sight of piles of debris and broken stone from the Minotaur's rampage.

"Well..." Akko mumbles. "At least this might make it easier to find the exit."

"If I recall, it shouldn't be far from here," Diana assures her.

So they set out again. Akko leads the way with her light, but follows Diana's instructions. Whenever it's impossible to avoid climbing the piles of rubble, Akko goes first, and then helps Diana up after.

At last, they round the final corner and find no more stone walls in front of them, only another earthen tunnel. Akko can't help but bounce in delight.

"We did it!"

"We may have bested the stone labyrinth," Diana affirms. "But there are plenty more obstacles to get through. If we are lucky, most of them were dismantled or made otherwise ineffective once this place was put out of commission."

"There... aren't any more labyrinths, are there...?"

"Not to my knowledge," Diana replies. "But it is difficult to determine what else may be in store..." She tapers off, and Akko detects a hint of fatigue in her tone. Akko grabs her hand again and begins leading her onward.

"Well, if we could survive a crazy maze and a three-headed Minotaur, I think we'll be able to handle whatever else this place has to throw at us."

She says as much.

She just didn't actually think this place would literally begin to throw things at them.

After walking for only a few minutes, Akko feels something bump against the tip of her boot. Had she not gotten the idea of trip-wires into her mind before, she might not have anticipated what happens next.

Well, to be fair, Diana anticipates it even more effectively than Akko does.

They both hear the sudden rush of air and can tell something is coming toward them. Akko freezes and jumps back a pace.

"W-W-What is it?!"

"Get down!"

Diana pulls her down by the wrist, and Akko falls unceremoniously. When she raises her wand to see what's flying above them, she can only see little round shapes. But when they make contact with the wall, they splatter. Akko shrieks.

"W-What?! Are they exploding?! Wh-What the heck is this?! W-We gotta run-!"

"Akko-!"

The brunette tries to stand, ready to make a run for it. But almost instantly, something hits her in the back.

"Du-waak!" She crashes to the ground again and wriggles there like a fish out of water. "I'm hit! I'm done for! Go on without me, Dianaaa!"

"Akko."

"...Eh?"

When she opens her eyes again, the little balls have stopped flying. Diana is standing above her, holding out her hand.

"Stand up," she sighs.

Timidly, Akko accepts her hand and gets to her feet. To her surprise, there's no pain coming from where she was hit.

"Hah? I'm... not dying?"

"Hardly." Now that Diana has seen enough, she explains what this is. "Do you remember? This place was once used for school activities, such as races and treasure hunts. These were a part of those recreational activities."

Diana turns Akko around and observes the spot on her back. One of the balls had exploded in a splash of purple paint on her robes and stained the ends of her hair as well.

"This was a 'trap' of sorts for one of those games. If a participant wasn't quick enough to react, she would be marked by one of these, and therefore disqualified."

"...S-So it's just a paintball?"

"It would appear so."

"...Oh." Akko lets out a huge sigh. "Geeez, why couldn't all the obstacles be this simple and harmless?"

"They likely once were," Diana says. "Creatures like that Minotaur were never originally a part of the experience. But you have to remember these tunnels have been out-of-use for two centuries now. It is only natural that other species have found use for them now that witches have left them behind." She dusts Akko off a little and helps her straighten up. "Are you all right?"

"Y-Yeah..."

"Then let us continue."

Akko nods and takes up her prior position, holding her wand with one hand and Diana with the other.

They continue on their way. Unlike before, they find only one tunnel ahead of them now, one that doesn't branch off.

/Then this has gotta lead us to the exit eventually, right?/

After a few minutes of cautiously advancing, Akko looks over her shoulder to check on Diana. She's gone back to holding onto her bad shoulder again. Akko feels a fresh prickle of concern in her chest.

/She must be so exhausted. She's still got that bat poison to worry about, too.../

Akko knows she must be in pain. But Diana does her utmost best not to let it show. She doesn't make so much as a whimper as they follow the tunnel.

But it isn't long before Akko realizes Diana is beginning to falter. Akko consciously slows her own pace, hoping Diana won't notice the intentional lag and feel guilty about slowing them down. Diana is stubborn, but Akko knows she needs to rest.

She's just about to suggest they stop for a moment when something catches her attention.

"What's that...?"

Ahead of them, something is glinting in the green light produced by her wand. It seems to be hanging on the earthen wall, and it isn't moving.

Akko pauses, and Diana comes up beside her.

Now, with a crushing sense of dismay, they realize the path before them is a dead end.

Akko staggers back a step.

"N-No way... we walked all that way... now we have to go back...?"

"...Perhaps not," Diana mutters. "Look." She coaxes Akko a few more steps forward, so the light may illuminate what is before them.

It isn't just a dead end in the earthen tunnel.

In fact, two massive, closed doors stand in their way now.

Akko's jaw drops.

"It's... part of the labyrinth?"

"It would appear so."

Akko gets closer and looks the doors up and down. Just for the heck of it, she gives a push, but of course, they don't budge.

"I-I don't get it... d-do we have to find a key or something? If we have to go back and fight that Minotaur for it, they can forget it!"

"Not a key..." Diana murmurs. She steps closer, focusing on the object that had glinted in the light. It is a small plaque on the side of the door. "These are... instructions?"

"Really?" Akko pops in beside her, but quirks an eyebrow. "W-What language is this?"

Diana reaches out to wipe some of the dust and grime away from the letters and reads the lines over.

"It is an ancient language."

"...Y-You're kidding..."

"Fortunately, it is one I am familiar with."

"Oh, thank goodness." Akko holds the light a little closer so her classmate can read. Diana scans the words for a moment, translating in her mind as she goes.

"Rather... these are not exactly instructions, but... a riddle."

"Haaah? We gotta solve a riddle to get through here? That's... kinda lame."

"Would you rather we face another monster?"

"N-No, definitely not!" she yelps. "W-What's the riddle?"

Diana reads it out loud for her:

"That which accumulates unwanted things...

cleanliness and fresh air it brings."

When she's finished, silence ensues.

Akko blinks.

"...Eh? Th-That's it?"

Diana traces her hand further down, but the plaque has indeed come to an end.

"I can find no other pieces to it. That appears to be all that is available to us."

"N-No way..." Akko grimaces and lightly knocks her fist against her head. "Ahh geez, why does it have to be so complicated? Do you know what it is?"

"If I did, do you presume we would still be standing here without having gotten through?"

"Oh... guess not..."

"'That which accumulates unwanted things'..." Diana repeats. "A dragon? Hoarding discarded objects as its own treasures?"

Akko shivers.

"P-Please no... no dragons..."

Diana continues thinking out loud.

"'Cleanliness and fresh air it brings'... Typically, sprites and faeries are known for repairing and cleaning things by nature."

But even as she lists all of the answers she can think of, none of the words seem to trigger the doors to open. Akko shakes her head and hums aloud.

"If only it was worded normally... Diana, can you read it again?"

Diana sighs, but repeats the riddle.

"That which accumulates unwanted things...

cleanliness and fresh air it brings."

Akko thinks it over for a moment. Diana has translated it from an ancient language, but Akko needs to translate it into a language she can understand.

"Hm... so basically... 'What gets dirtier and dirtier the more it cleans'...?" She closes her eyes and hums. Then: "Oh! A broom!"

And just like that, a loud creaking sound rattles the air as the doors begin to part.

Akko and Diana watch as the heavy doors open inward, and then are still.

Both witches blink in disbelief. Diana can hardly believe her eyes.

"...Well done, Akko."

"I... I did it...? Seriously?! All right! Let's go, let's go!" Akko excitedly grabs her hand and pulls her through the doors.

On the other side are more dark tunnels. Akko's mood comes crashing down.

"Aww, man! I thought that was the exit for sure!"

"I am sure we are getting close to it," Diana assures her. "Rather, I truly hope that we are..."

"I hope so, too..."

Akko knows Diana wouldn't say something like that unless something is really troubling her.

Of course, being trapped inside such a dark, dangerous place not knowing when or if help will even come to them is enough to make anyone worry.

But Diana hasn't said anything like that before, not even when they'd been hunted by the Minotaur.

Akko doesn't walk very far before she halts and turns back to look her over.

Diana is getting worse by the minute now.

Before, her condition had seemed fairly stable.

But they've been down here for hours now, and the poison has been trickling through her bloodstream all the while. With each stressful event piling up on top of the last, everything is beginning to take its toll.

The most worrisome thing now is that Diana has stopped holding onto her shoulder, and has resorted to clutching her chest instead.

/The poison is traveling.../

Akko reaches out to support Diana's side, and finds her trembling against her will.

"Diana..." she whimpers. "Y-You should rest for a minute."

But Diana shakes her head.

"We cannot afford to stop... We must be getting close to the end..."

Akko knows she's right. The sooner they get out of here, the sooner Diana can get treated.

But she hates to make her continue through these tunnels. It's difficult to breathe as it is down here, but Diana is just getting shorter and shorter on breath.

Akko opts to walk beside her now, slinging Diana's arm across her shoulders to help keep her on her feet.

/Come on... this has gotta be almost over, right...?/

They limp onward, Akko keeping hold of her wand and their light as well as Diana. She listens as best she can for more noises, anything that could suggest the presence of another creature down here. She just hopes if she hears anything else, it'll be the sounds of professors calling out to help them.

At the very least, the ground doesn't cave in beneath their boots anymore, nor do any other traps get triggered, or any other creatures emerge to delay them any further.

Akko makes sure to be mindful of Diana panting beside her. She's worn out, but she's actively fighting against the fatigue threatening to take over.

There's a light in her eyes, one that reflects the glow of Akko's wand, one that is determined to finish what they've started.

Akko feels a similar conviction flaring up within her own chest.

/We've come this far... We've gotta make it to the end!/

They trek onward and onward down that single tunnel. Whenever Diana staggers, Akko waits for her to catch her breath. Whenever Akko stumbles, Diana hoists her back up.

And finally, they see something up ahead in the shadows.

It is very similar to the previous obstacle they have bested; another set of large doors.

But these look very different from the ones from before.

These doors have hundreds of intricately-wound patterns running all across them, twisting and tangling over, behind, and around each other, covering every inch of the doors.

The girls come to a halt and stare as they collect their bearings.

Akko moves her wand around, illuminating all that she can. There's a large chain wrapped horizontally around the doors, and within seconds, she spots a heavy, square block hanging in the center.

"A lock!" Akko blurts out. "B-But where's the key? Aaaagh, I am not going back to fight that Minotaur for it!"

"You will not need to," Diana reassures her again. "Because this situation is similar to the last." With a nod, she indicates another small plaque with writing on it.

"Oh!" Akko perks up. "So it's just another riddle! That shouldn't be too bad! What's it say?" She moves her wand over so Diana can see the writing. After wiping the dust off once again, Diana observes the text.

"She who enters alone shall not easily leave."

A beat of silence follows. Akko taps her boot.

"...What else?"

"That is all it says."

"Haaaah?! What kinda riddle is that? It's not even a riddle! It's a statement! And a really foreboding one at that!"

"Indeed..." Diana looks once again to the door and all of the twisting lines coiling around it. "Whatever sports these tunnels were used for were not intended for solo participants. Teamwork was essential. It makes plenty of sense that one person would not easily be able to leave on their own."

"Okay, so then why is this riddle telling us something we already know? What's there to solve?"

Diana is quiet for a moment. With her eyes, she traces some of the paths of the patterns on the door, singling out one of the many and following it as far as she can.

"Perhaps... it is not a riddle at all..."

"Hah? Then what is it?"

"Perhaps... it is a puzzle."

"A... puzzle...?"

Akko looks back up at the door, tilting her head to one side.

"Yes," Diana reiterates. "A puzzle is a labyrinth of sorts in its own regard. And it appears this one requires more than one person to solve it. If we can complete the puzzle, in theory, the door should open."

Akko blinks and takes in the hundreds of interwoven patterns before her.

"Ehhhh?! W-We have to solve this?!"

"It would appear so."

Taking a step forward, Diana scans the side of the doors until she finds exactly what she'd expected to. A small circular piece sits on the end of one of the pathways engraved on the door.

"These are our pieces. It appears this one needs to be moved to the slot on the opposite side of the door. If I am not mistaken, there should be a piece on that end that will fit into this one." She indicates a small circular hole on this side of the door.

Akko hurries a few steps over to the other side, and finds a movable circle just as Diana had suggested.

"There's one here!" she calls out.

Akko remains on the left side of the doors, and Diana lights her wand and remains on the right side.

"All right. Then if we can move these pieces across the maze, and place them into their respective slots in unison, theoretically, the lock should come undone and the doors should open."

Akko gulps. It certainly looks like it's going to be a daunting task. And who knows if there is anything making its way down this tunnel after them. She shakes her head and steels herself right away.

"All right! Let's do this, Diana!"

With a nod, her classmate waves her wand. Akko follows suit.

They both enchant their playing pieces and use their wands to direct and move them along the maze. Akko ends up trapping herself several times over right off the bat, while Diana calculates her paths and anticipates which one is least likely to put her at a dead end.

Despite everything hindering her, Diana manages to get her piece across the maze. She halts it early, however, about a foot away from the designated slot, and directs Akko on moving her piece. She reads each path quickly and instructs Akko on which one to follow, until finally she's made it across to Diana's side of the door.

"Okay!" Akko lets out a huge sigh. "Let's do this! Count of three! One..."

"Two..."

"Three!"

With the simultaneous shout, they both slide their pieces into the appropriate slots.

There's a loud clicking sound, and both girls move back a pace to watch the mechanics of the door. The little ball pieces roll down each end of the chains until they convene on the lock in the center.

Instantly, a bright yellow glow lights up the tunnel, far brighter than both of their wands combined. Anxiously, Akko and Diana wait for the doors to inevitably unlock.

But...

"...Hah?"

"What... is the meaning of this...?"

Nothing happens.

The lock stays secure, and the chains don't fall away from the door or allow it to open.

The two witches are just as trapped as they have been all this time. The only thing that's different now is the addition of the yellow light.

A wave of despair rises up in Akko's stomach. She staggers back in disbelief.

"No way..."

Diana limps to her side, unsure of what to say.

"It... should have worked..."

"W-Why didn't it?!" Akko cries. "How else are we supposed to get out of here?"

They could simply stay here and wait until the professors come to find them. But the fact that Diana is still facing the dangers of the bat's poison is all too despair-inducing.

As if to confirm Akko's worst fears, Diana suddenly chokes and presses a hand to her chest.

"D-Diana!"

Diana's body begins to tremble, her expression flinching.

"The... The pain is much worse suddenly..."

Akko feels as though icy claws have sunk into her gut.

/The poison is reaching her heart.../

"Oh no..." Desperately, Akko holds onto her classmate, urging Diana to stay on her feet. "J-Just take deep breaths, Diana! S-Stay with me- uwah!"

A sudden tremor rattles the tunnels around them, and nearly knocks them both off their feet. Akko clings to Diana to prevent her from falling and whips around to face the tunnels.

"W-What was that?"

But only seconds later, the familiar pattern of enormous footsteps continues.

Akko feels as if the blood's drain from her body.

"Oh no. No, no, no, no... I-It's following us..."

From what she can tell, it's still far off. But this is the only path available, and it leads right to them.

Akko knows they can't possibly fight it again, not when Diana's in such bad shape.

She feels Diana gripping her sleeves and looks down. Her companion is paler than ever, the pallor of her skin now matching the ashen color her hair.

"Akko... that Minotaur..."

Akko swallows.

"Y-Yeah... it's coming..."

Every second is another shudder of the earth around them, another step closer the beast is getting.

/Our only hope is getting out through this door... B-But how? We've completed the puzzle and it still won't open.../

"Th-There's gotta be something else we have to do to open the lock..."

Squeezing her eyes shut, she rakes her brain for an idea – for anything.

/Diana said this place was used for games and treasure hunts... it's all about teamwork... a-and the instructions on the door said "She who enters alone shall not easily leave"... There's gotta be something else we have to do together, b-but what...?/

The footsteps are getting closer by the second, and Diana can barely stand on her own. Akko's heart is thudding as loudly in her skull as it is in her chest. A jumble of thoughts swarms her mind like a hornets' nest, all knocking against each other and making her dizzy-

And then, in an instant, it all clears up, and the answer hits her.

With a gasp, she frantically pulls away from her classmate.

"D-Diana! I think I know what we have to do!"

Diana lifts her face, her eyes glazed over and clouded with a mixture of fear and anguish. But it's almost as if she can read the solution in Akko's eyes.

"Of course... Why didn't I realize...?"

"That doesn't matter! We've gotta try it now, Diana! Can you do it?"

With a grunt of effort, Diana straightens her posture as best she can manage, and draws her wand.

"Let us do this, Akko."

"Mm!"

Keeping one arm around her companion to support her, Akko raises her wand and crosses it with Diana's.

For a moment, both of them are silent, eyes closed, minds focused. They synchronize their breathing, trying to remain as calm as possible. They need their hearts to be in tandem, their intentions to be perfectly matched.

They've each cast this spell before, but never with each other.

They're both equal amounts terrified and excited, adrenaline coursing through their veins, blood pounding. The beast is approaching behind them, and they can hear it grunting now, feel the heat of its breath.

But they don't let it distract them.

Something intangible sparks between them, and at the same second, Akko and Diana lift their wands in unison, maintaining the X formation.

Together, they breathe.

In. Out.

And their hearts connect, in a powerful, resonating way that's nothing short of magical.

Akko recites the first line of the spell that will nullify the lock:

"Ein Ein Sof!"

Next is Diana's turn:

"Ein Sof Ohr!"

And finally, their voices ring out as one:

"Luna Lana!"

Two brilliant strands of golden light pour from their wands and flash out in parallel streak of magic. The bolts of light entwine, then shoot perfectly into the keyhole of the lock. The lights of the spell combine with the lights of the chains.

With two loud clicks, the ball pieces of the puzzle shift and come together as the magic takes the form of a key.

And then, the chains fall to the ground, and the doors push open.

Beyond, is a forest shrouded in night, and a starry sky above.

Both witches stare in awe at the outside world, bewildered.

"We... We did it!" Akko squeals. "We did it, Diana!"

"Then let us get out of this labyrinth!"

With a swift nod, Akko grabs her hand, and together they run through the doors.

Their boots go from thudding over underground soil to meeting with soft grass and leaves. They stumble out into the forest and collapse amongst the trees just as a thunderous roar sounds behind them.

They turn back around in time to witness one of the bulls' heads charging at the doors just before they slam closed once again.

And just like that, the doors vanish into thin air, and all is quiet as though it never happened at all.

Akko and Diana lie there in the grass, still wheezing for breath, eyes wide - dumbfounded. Akko shakes her head, then pinches herself, only to find this is indeed reality.

"We... We did it! We did it, Diana! We made it through the labyrinth!"

"It... would appear so..."

They both need a moment to catch their breath in the fresh air of the surface, and collect their bearings again.

It's over. They've made it out.

But a whimper from Diana reminds Akko that not all of the dangers have passed.

She whips back around and grabs Diana's hand to prevent her from falling back.

"D-Diana! W-We gotta get you back to the school-"

Akko scrambles for her wand with her other hand, startled to find the battery is almost drained now. Thinking quickly, she uses the last bit of her magics to send a flare up through the treetops.

Immediately afterward, her wand goes dead. A glance at Diana's sash shows that her wand is drained as well.

Akko's not sure how far they are from the school, but she isn't about to just sit here and wait for the poison to reach Diana's heart.

"C-Come on! We survived that much, we're almost home-free!"

She hoists Diana to her feet and slings her arm across her shoulders. By this point, Diana can't keep her eyes open, and she can barely breathe, let alone walk. After taking one step, Diana falls to her knees and Akko goes with her.

"D-Diana! P-Please, you can't give up! Y-You can't-!"

Overwhelmed, Akko feels the tears burning behind her eyes. All this time she's been trying to hold her emotions back.

They're so close now.

But...

"D-Diana..." Akko pleads. "Y-You can't... please..."

She can feel Diana trembling, becoming weaker by the second. She only glimpses a faint flash of blue from Diana's eyes before they close for good, and a feeble breath falls from her lips.

Akko chokes when she realizes what's happening.

"D... Diana...?"

She combs her fingers gently through Diana's messy bangs, but she's unresponsive. Akko drops her head down and presses her ear to Diana's chest. Her pulse is faint, so faint...

Akko pulls back and looks her over, tears streaming and falling down to seep into Diana's clothes.

"D-Diana! Y-You can't! Please! A-After all that... after we did all that together... I-I don't know wh-what I'll do if you... if you don't wake up... Please..."

She doesn't think. She just acts.

On what she's been feeling for weeks and weeks now.

On what she's been feeling all night.

On what she's still feeling, and what she knows she'll always feel.

She dips her head, resting her forehead against Diana's, her tears transferring onto her pale cheeks.

Akko bumps their noses together.

And then their lips.

Just a little. Just lightly.

She doesn't even realize what she's done until after she's done it.

But she doesn't regret it. Not one bit.

"Diana..."

There's... nothing else she can do...

Akko slumps forward, pulling Diana close as she sobs into her shoulder. She can still smell the blood that's dried into her robes.

"Diana... Diana..."

She cries, clings to her, and chants her name like it's a prayer.

The night is quiet around them. The wind tugs at her hair and takes the sounds of her whimpers away with it.

All she can do is cry.

All she can hear is herself, and the silence.

And then...

Something else.

"Mmn..."

It's so quiet, such a small sound. But Akko hears it.

Jolting, she pulls back and frantically searches Diana's face. Biting her lip, she prays that she isn't just hearing things.

And like a miracle, Diana's eyelids flutter open, just a little. A thin gasp tumbles from her lips, and her eyes shift in and out of focus. Akko can barely speak past the lump in her throat.

"Dia...na...?"

This isn't a trick. She can feel Diana's fingers curling into her side now, can hear the tremor in her breath.

"A...kko..."

Akko doesn't know what's happened. But she isn't about to question it. She's just overcome with relief that Diana is still alive.

"D-Diana... the poison... y-your heart..."

She can't finish. She can only rest her hand over Diana's collar; she can feel a steady pulse beneath her palm.

Diana shakes her head.

"The pain... is gone..."

"...Eh?" Akko blinks, and two more tears fall away. "B-But-"

"Akko! Diana!"

The sounds of distant voices calling their names cause both girls to freeze.

Akko instantly recognizes Professor Ursula's voice, then Lotte's and Sucy's. She can even decipher the matching, chanting voices of Hannah and Barbara.

Without wasting another second, Akko pulls away from Diana and calls for them at the top of her lungs.

"W-We're here!"

And she can hear them approaching rapidly, calling out for them.

And this time, it's really over.

Akko hugs Diana in relief, and then feels her own conscious slipping away.

She only gathers bits and pieces of what happens after that.

Professor Ursula reaches them in a fluster with the lantern sprite on her shoulder. She kneels down and gathers both girls into her arms.

"Akko! What has happened to you two?!"

Akko struggles to explain the bare minimum to her, forcing herself to stay awake just a moment longer.

"Th-The labyrinth... Diana... got bitten..."

And that's all she can manage.

She fades in and out of consciousness after that. She catches glimpses of things here and there.

Hannah and Barbara are both crying, the former carrying Diana's broken broom and the latter carrying the lantern. Akko can hear Lotte and Sucy calling her own name, and then Professor Ursula giving instructions.

The professor herself carefully lifts Diana into her arms and takes off on her broom.

Akko can discern she herself is in Sucy's lap, leaning against her as they take off right after. She can tell Lotte's talking to her, but she can't make sense of any of the words.

All Akko can think about is Diana.

Please... let her be okay...

The starry night sky is the last thing she remembers after that.

-----------

														Epilogue

When Akko wakes, she finds herself in a bed she's never slept in before.

It takes a lot of effort for her to open her eyes, but when she finally manages it, she's staring up at a white ceiling.

The lights are turned off, there are windows to her left side, and the curtains are drawn. But she can discern by the very faint sunlight leaking in that it must be extremely early in the morning, probably still before sunrise.

She takes a moment to breathe, feeling an ache in her head as all the memories come flooding back.

/So it... wasn't just a dream... or a nightmare.../

The soreness in her bones is proof enough.

"Ah-hgk!" When she tries to make a sound, her voice hitches dryly in her throat, and she's forced to clear it. "Ugh..."

She shifts a little, and discovers she's been changed out of her uniform robes and into clean, white ones instead. The fabrics feel nice on her skin, and the bed and blankets are soft...

But she doesn't enjoy those sensations for long, because even more poignant feelings quickly surface in her chest.

/Diana...!/

Wincing, she turns her face to the opposite side, eyes wide and searching.

Luckily, she doesn't have to look far.

In a bed not five feet away from her own, Diana is lying quietly on her back. She, too, has been dressed in white robes.

White blankets, white robes, white skin, white hair.

She just looks so frail, so breakable...

Akko knows Diana is tougher than that, but she can't get rid of those memories - the memories of her gasping meekly in her arms, shivering.

"D-Diana..."

Akko rasps her name, but Diana doesn't react in any way. She doesn't even stir. Akko can't even tell if she's breathing.

/No...! The nurse must have healed us. She wouldn't have left us alone like this last night if we weren't both in stable condition... right...?/

The rational part of her brain wavers when the memories flash through her mind again. She watches the bats swarm Diana all over again, watches them bite her, watches her collapse...

Akko can't take it anymore. She needs to go to her.

Grunting, she pushes herself up, letting the blankets fall away into her lap.

"Ahhh ow ow ow..."

Despite the fact that Diana had healed her fractured arm before, it's exceptionally sore now that it's had a while to settle.

One at a time, she slips her legs off the edge of the bed, but doesn't make an immediate effort to stand.

First, she glances at the small table in between the beds. There's an open book there, a thick tome with an image on the open page. From where she sits, Akko can't tell what it depicts.

There's a chair pushed up to the table, and that's what she focuses on now.

Carefully, she drags the chair out just enough, then uses it to support herself as she staggers to her feet. Given her splitting headache, she can only manage a few steps, but that's all she needs.

She plops heavily down into the chair and pulls it up to Diana's bedside, until there are only mere inches between them. Akko can already feel the tears brimming again, and she reaches out to touch her.

"Diana..."

One hand, she rests atop Diana's stomach. With the other, she brushes the backs of her fingers gently against her cheek, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

Sniffling, Akko dips her face into her sleeve and wipes her eyes as best she can. She tries to listen, but she can't tell if Diana's breathing or not. Akko feels nauseous with worry.

Gradually, gently, she lowers herself and rests her head on Diana's chest. She closes her eyes, bites back the sobs, and tries to listen.

/Please... please.../

It's fainter than she remembers, but it's there. Her heart is beating, slowly but surely.

Th-thmp... th-thmp... th-thmp...

Akko chokes back a sob of relief. She drapes her arm further across Diana's stomach and side, and nestles closer to her collar to listen. Just listen.

The rhythm of Diana's pulse never falters or fades. Even after Akko's tears have stopped, the sound of Diana's heartbeat remains. She can hear the faint rush of air filling and leaving her lungs, feel her chest rising and falling beneath her cheek.

For a while, Akko simply relishes those feelings, those sounds.

But soon, it isn't enough. She wants to see her eyes again. She wants to hear her voice.

Akko eases herself upright, dipping her face into her sleeve once again. Keeping the one hand on Diana's stomach, she draws the other away from her cheek. Instead, Akko reaches for the book nearby and turns it slightly so she may read it.

Now that she's closer, she can see the book is an encyclopedia of magical creatures. The page it's turned to depicts a bat, an image that's hauntingly familiar. Akko shudders just looking at it, but reads over the text nonetheless.

"The Snow-White Vampire Bat... When exposed to sunlight, their brown fur instantly turns white. For the purpose of camouflage, most of them live in dark places, sometimes in underground caves... Their fangs produce a poison that, when injected into the bloodstream, will steadily paralyze the victim..."

She chokes up, and her eyes wander back to Diana's sleeping form. Akko swallows hard, then continues reading.

"H-However, this poison is not fatal. It will merely slow the pulse and freeze the bodily functions over time, putting the victim into a temporary state of apparent death..."

She has to wipe her eyes again, because her tears are seeping through the pages.

"To cancel the effects of the poison, all that's required... is a kiss..."

When she finishes the passage, Akko feels a sudden warmth flare up in her cheeks.

She'd almost forgotten about that.

She's... always sort of... liked Diana.

The hectic events of last night had just made her realize that she... really likes her.

The thought of any of her friends getting hurt makes Akko feel sick.

But the thought of Diana getting hurt...

Her heart clenches. She can't bear to consider it.

Turning away from the book, Akko looks to her classmate once again, still quiet and unmoving, save from the very faint rise and fall of her chest. She leans over her, brushing her fingers through that soft white hair once again, clearing it away from her face. Even in the darkness, she can discern that Diana's porcelain skin has regained a bit of color.

Gingerly, she slides both hands up to either side of Diana's face, brushing her thumbs over her cheeks.

"I was so sacred..."

Sighing, Akko rests her forehead against hers once again, feeling the bump of their noses touching. She closes her eyes and breathes her in, feeling her lips naturally being drawn to Diana's.

Softly, lightly, she kisses her again. Just for a second.

After all, this is the only proper way to wake a princess.

For a moment, all remains quiet. Akko feels a tear drip down from each cheek, and they seep into Diana's robes.

Then, she feels a small rush of air fanning out on her lips.

Easing back, Akko finds herself looking into a familiar gaze of beautiful blue.

There's surprise in Diana's eyes, and plenty of confusion. Blushing, Akko realizes what she's done, but she can't feel bashful about it for long. She's too relieved.

"D-Diana...!"

Her fingers tremble on either side of Diana's face, and more tears rush down her cheeks. They land on Diana's lips, and Akko gently wipes them away.

Diana draws in a deep breath, then releases it with her name.

"Akko..."

Akko nods, offering a wobbly smile.

"Yeah... I'm here, Diana..."

"Are you... all right?"

"Yeah... What about you? Does your chest still hurt?"

Diana takes in a deep, experimental breath.

"Not at all."

Akko whimpers with relief.

"That's good. I'm so glad..." Akko presses their foreheads together once again. "Sorry..."

Puzzled, Diana blinks up at her.

"Whatever for?"

Akko pulls back a little, and her eyes flash sheepishly to Diana's lips.

"I didn't ask..."

She watches as a blush rises to Diana's cheeks. The white-haired witch opens her mouth, but closes it again, trying to think of a response. Akko waits nervously until Diana can find the proper words.

"There is no need for apology... I do not mind..."

A tiny, hopeful gasp slips from Akko's mouth. Her eyes search Diana's before the other girl looks away bashfully.

"Diana... R... Really...?"

"...Really."

Akko's lips break into a wide, tearful smile. She lets out a squealing giggle and gently slips her arms beneath Diana's shoulders to hug her softly. She buries her face in Diana's chest to hide her blush and stifle the sounds of her elation.

Diana moves her arms free of the sheets so she may wrap them around Akko's shoulders.

The first ray of golden morning sunlight slips into the room just then, illuminating everything in a milky, warm glow.

Moments pass, and they count them in heartbeats.

When Akko pulls away again, she meets Diana's eyes. Both of them are blushing equally.

"Diana...?"

"What is it?"

"M...May I...?"

The corners of Diana's lips curve upward, just a little.

"You may."

With another soft squeal, Akko dips down to kiss her lips. This time, Diana kisses back.

Their hearts flutter together. It feels almost as though they are using Luna Lana again, only it's a different kind of magic. This is something even stronger.

At last, Akko eases back, letting out a sigh. Diana keeps her voice low.

"You should get some rest," she murmurs. "We can... revisit this once we have both recovered."

"Revisit it...?" Akko parrots. She brightens up when she realizes what that means. "O-Okay!" She gives an excited little bounce in her seat, absolutely bubbling with delight. She feels a little lightheaded, but in a good way this time. But before she makes a move to get up, Akko checks on Diana one last time. "So... you're okay?"

Diana nods.

"I am. Get some rest, Akko."

"Okay."

Relieved, enthralled, and elated, Akko gets to her feet and makes her way back to her bed. She lies herself down, heart still soaring, and steals one more glance in Diana's direction.

They share a smile and a blush before they both look away and close their eyes.

They'll have to recover for a few days.

But Akko certainly can't wait to go revisit these things.

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A/N: Back at the start of the anime, I'd been saying how badly I wanted something like this to happen - to have Akko and Diana trapped together somewhere where they have to work together past their differences. I wanted them in a situation where each of their weaknesses are where the other is strong.

I also really wanted them to use Luna Lana together. I'd thought that was how the 2nd OVA would go and was disappointed it didn't happen between Akko and Diana. So I took it into my own hands.

It was so much fun coming up with these different trials for them, especially conjuring up the idea of the Cerberus Minotaur Chimera (three-part name for each of the three main heads).

In all honesty, I wasn't originally planning to have things get romantic in this one, but... it just happened. They went through so much together. Let them (me) have this.

Thanks for supporting me!