Through The Blaze (ch10)

FOR MY $10+ PATRONS!

We are far from finished, my friends~ My bad on the notes last week, this isn't the final chapter! You'll see why...

Disclaimer: I do not own Little Witch Academia.

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													Chapter 10. Resurfacing

Just as she'd said, Diana takes one more day of rest, with the same arrangement of Hannah and Barbara taking turns to sit with her. By the following day, she's back in class.

Akko's so happy to see her again, dressed in her uniform and arriving early just like always.

Akko, too, tries to keep up her good record and gets to her classes on time, though it might be more for the reward of getting to see Diana rather than keeping her attendance slate clean.

Gradually, things return to normal at Luna Nova, with Akko still trying her best to participate in classes and then partake in her extra lessons afterward. As the days pass by she meets all of her friends for her tutoring sessions again; Sucy helps her with potions, Lotte helps her with homework, Amanda helps her with her broom...

And finally the day comes when she'll have her library session with Diana again.

Akko's gleefully on cloud nine that day just thinking about it. It's been over a week since their last session, and it'll be the first time since the incident when she'll get to have some time alone with her girlfriend, aside from some very brief private moments in the hallways or outside their dorm rooms.

Akko all but sails through the school day in her excitement about the afternoon, and when it finally arrives she wolfs down a quick supper, wishes her teammates goodbye for the time being, and scampers off toward the library. She skips in through the doors with a huge grin on her face.

"Finally!"

Her loud voice earns her a hiss from the librarian.

"Miss Kagari!"

"Eep! Sorry!" Akko immediately lowers her voice and scuttles away in between the bookshelves for cover. She weaves her way toward hers and Diana's spot with practiced movements, hurrying along the shelves and around the tables until she finally turns the last corner and-

"Dianaaa~!"

And there she is, already sitting and waiting for Akko as always, with several books piled at the center of the table. Diana lifts her head and gives her a gentle chiding.

"Please lower your voice."

"Y-Yeah! Sorry! Couldn't help it!" Akko glides over to her and bends down to steal a kiss.

And normally Diana would make her wait until they were finished, but all things considered this time around, she allows it. But as soon as they part, she gets right to business.

"All right now, have a seat. We've got some things to catch up on."

"Yeeees~" Akko happily plops down in her chair, and the lesson begins.

She does her best to actually focus, and it's a bit challenging this time around, simply because she's basking in her joy of having Diana back. But a few pointed grunts from her girlfriend eventually have Akko buckling down again and concentrating on her work.

Over the next few hours, they go over a lot of things. The topic Diana has chosen for this evening is a certain period of history in the magical timeline, a portion that discusses the influence of witches and magic on wartime. Being she knows much about the wars from her own family history as a Cavendish, Diana has a lot of information to offer.

Akko is very attentive, especially when Diana gets to talking about her own family's recordings and stories of their experiences in the medical field during the fighting. It's the first time Akko's ever been half as intrigued by history as she normally is inclined to be. She takes notes, asks questions, offers insights and opinions, and actually learns a great deal.

And Diana does get a little carried away in speaking, considering her particularly extensive knowledge on the topic.

They read through several books together, with Diana offering personal experiences and connecting timelines. Akko really enjoys the library time, but the history is only part of it. The other reason is that she just loves listening to Diana talk, especially if it's something she's so passionate about.

After a few hours, the library begins to get quieter and quieter as more and more people leave for the night. Diana and Akko keep saying they'll finish up soon, until one more interesting topic arises, and then another.

Before they know it it's almost curfew. The librarian stops by their table to dismiss them for the night, then heads off herself.

At last Akko stands up from her seat and stretches both arms out high above her head until her shoulders crack.

"Wow! That was a really fun lesson, Diana! I had no idea that witches were so involved in the wartimes. Well I mean, we learned about it in class, but never this much!"

Diana looks up at her from her seat with eyes that glimmer with affection.

"I am very glad you enjoyed my lesson." She begins gathering the books they'd read into a neat pile, stretching herself out a bit in the process. "Now then, we'd best put these back. Curfew is upon us."

"In a sec," Akko grins. "One more thing first. I gotta thank you for the lesson." She leans down over Diana and plants a quick kiss on her lips. Diana sighs, but is more than willing to accept the reward for this extensive study session. When Akko steps back she grabs a few books.

"I'll start putting these away!"

Diana nods and picks up the remaining books.

"Then I'll do the same."

Akko spins around and scampers off, not worrying about being too loud or running in the library at this hour. She wants to get back to Diana as quickly as possible and walk back to their rooms together, but Akko makes sure she does a good job of putting the books back properly, or else her girlfriend will probably scold her.

It only takes her a few minutes, and then she heads back to the table.

She's wondering about asking Diana if they can stay out just a little past curfew when a strange noise makes her flinch.

It sounds as though several books have fallen off their shelf or something, a dull thud followed by a few smaller ones. Akko returns to the table to find Diana and the remaining books gone. She begins searching through the aisles.

"Diana? What was that noise? Did you drop something?"

She peers around the corner of a nearby shelf and stops dead in her tracks.

Diana is lying motionless on the floor with several books scattered all around her.

Akko's heart seizes, but her legs have never moved faster.

"Diana?!" She rushes to her and drops to her knees in sheer panic, reaching out for her. "Diana-? Wh-What happened-?"

But as soon as she makes contact with her, Akko is repelled by a familiar stinging heat. She just barely manages to turn Diana onto her back and pull her into her lap. Akko tenses up as the gripping dread begins to consume her.

"N-No... Not again..."

Diana's skin is hot with fever once more, her breath coming in clipped and shallow, her eyes closed tightly in pain. It's as though Akko's been brought back in time to a few days prior, as if they'd never gotten her the antidote in the first place.

"No, n-no, this can't be- D-Diana...?"

It has to be a nightmare. Had she dozed off at the table and is just dreaming now? Akko hopes so. She wants Diana to wake her up right now.

But the reality just keeps solidifying itself as nothing changes. Heat pools off of Diana's body and makes Akko sweat as she holds her. She brushes her palm over Diana's forehead and flinches at the intensity of the fever.

How though? Did the antidote not work? I thought it was supposed to fix this! And why so suddenly? She seemed fine two minutes ago!

"Diana, c-can you hear me? What happened? W-Why is this-?"

Akko feels her eyes growing heavy with the weight of tears and she bows her head forward. When she does, she notices Diana's eyelashes fluttering, struggling as she fights for consciousness. With a gasp she manages to open her eyes, but only barely.

"Ah... Akko..."

"Diana! What's going on?! Why is this happening again?"

She can feel Diana's hands gripping her sleeve. Her hands are shaking. Her eyes are terrified.

"I am... not sure..."

And just like that the illness saps away the last of her strength. Diana's eyes fall shut once again, and her voice tapers off in another painful gasp. She doesn't say anything else.

"D-Diana-?" Akko clutches her hand, but Diana doesn't return the contact. She's gone limp. "No, no, no! Wh-Why is this happening?! Why didn't it work...?" Tears drip down one by one onto Diana's flushed cheeks. Akko ignores the heat and pulls her up into a desperate hug. "Wh-What should I do? Diana..."

She's so confused, so scared. But some part of Akko understands that she can't just sit here all night and cry as Diana gets worse by the second.

The fear in her heart causes her mind to start working, and her mind forces her body to move. She gets into a crouch and pulls Diana's wrists over her shoulders, then reaches back to grab onto her legs. Keeping her weight forward, Akko slowly rises with Diana on her back.

She hasn't even moved yet, but just in doing this much she can already feel the terrible blaze of her fever. Diana's entire body is engulfed in it, and her heart beats frantically up against Akko's back.

I've gotta get help-

So Akko goes where she always goes when she needs help.

She takes off through the library and down the halls, through the building and out the doors. No one is awake to see her or offer their assistance.

She runs to the tower where her most beloved professor resides, stumbling up the staircase until she reaches her door. By this point Akko is breathless and sobbing as she cries out.

"P-Professor Ursula!"

In a matter of seconds there's a flurry of footsteps just before the door swings open.

"Akko?! What's-" Ursula's eyes go wide at the sight before her. She'd just taken off her glasses in preparation to go to bed, but now she yanks them off of her shirt collar and pushes them back onto her nose. But to her dismay, her eyes had been correct the first time. "Heavens, don't tell me-"

Akko shakes her head.

"I-I don't know why it's happening again, b-but she's burning up!" Akko can hardly see past the tears any longer, and her legs are shaking with how hard she'd ran and how scared she is.

Ursula quickly snaps herself into the reality and acknowledges the severity of the situation. She ushers Akko inside right away.

"Lie her down on the couch. Alcor! Water please!"

Akko staggers to the couch and Ursula helps her lie Diana onto her back. When Ursula can see for herself just how bad a state she's in, she begins to mumble.

"This is terrible... How can it be...?"

Alcor swoops in next to her, holding a teacup full of water in his talons. Ursula thanks him and turns to her pupil.

"Akko dear, have a seat and drink this."

Akko wipes her eyes and accepts the cup, shakily sitting herself down on a chair nearby. She takes a sip of the water – it's warm and tinted with a calming flowery flavor. It soothes her just a little bit.

"I-I don't understand... She was fine. All afternoon she was fine! Last time there were signs she was sick leading up to it, but this time-!"

"I understand." Ursula rests a hand on Akko's shoulder. "I will do my best, Akko. Please try to calm down."

With this Ursula walks over to the couch where Diana is trembling beneath the weight of her fever. Ursula closes her eyes and reaches out her hand, murmuring a few magical words. It's a technique used to assess the levels of magic residing in another person.

Diana's magics have always been fruitful. But now they are sheerly chaotic.

Where it had once been a controlled and steady environment, now everything is in turmoil. The fever is assaulting her nerves and her internal organs. Her magics are flaring and fluctuating at alarming levels, enough to make Ursula pull away.

"This isn't good. It's even worse than before."

"Wh-What do we do?" Akko cries. "D-Don't you still have some of the antidote left? Y-You didn't use it all last time, right?"

But Ursula shakes her head as she hurries across the room.

"That won't do her any good now. The sickness has resurfaced tenfold, and it can't be cured by a mere potion." She grabs her broom and struts back across the room. "The only way to help her now is to have her treated by a powerful healer."

"Healer?" Akko's panic rises up into her voice. "B-But where? How?"

Judging by the way Professor Ursula is acting, something tells Akko that their own healer Nurse Isabella isn't going to suffice for this. Her professor's expression is tight with both concern and dismay as she looks Diana over once again.

"I'm afraid she must be taken to the Eternal Forest to seek out a spirit there. It is a great and ancient being that will have the knowledge and the power to heal her. When witches' magic and all else has failed, that spirit is our final hope."

Akko's tears have slowed to a stop as she listens. Having taken a seat on the couch next to Diana, she holds onto her sweltering hand.

"Our... final hope...?"

Ursula's face remains grim.

"I'm afraid so. With the condition Diana is in now – how quickly and severely the illness has returned... if she isn't treated properly and soon... she won't survive."

Akko had been aware of the possibility in the back of her mind until now. After all, it had been said before that the illness could be fatal if left untreated.

But actually hearing the words from Ursula's mouth now really forces that reality to set in for her.

A sickening surge of dread slithers up through Akko's spine and grips at her heart.

But oddly enough it doesn't last for long. Confirming the severity of the situation solidifies just how real it is.

Diana could die. She will die if Akko doesn't get her the help she needs.

It's disillusioning in a way. It's such a horrifying concept it all but kicks Akko's defiant spirit into action.

"I'll take her!" she cries. "I'll take her to the Eternal Forest, Professor! I'll do whatever I have to! I won't let her-" She doesn't say the word out loud, as though doing so could produce an ill omen of sorts.

In spite of the situation, Ursula manages a small smile.

"I know you'll be able to make it, Akko. If anyone can, it's you." With this she hands Akko her broom. "You'll have to use this. It's a bit rusty, but it flies as well as any other." Here, her eyes become downcast. "I wish I could accompany you and keep you both safe, but I'm afraid I still cannot fly. As I am now, I would only slow you down."

Akko straightens up her back and puffs out her chest as she accepts the broom.

"It's all right! I can do this, Professor!"

Ursula ruffles her student's hair.

"I know you can. I'm sending Alcor with you to help." With a nod to her familiar, the old white crow flaps over to them and lands on Akko's shoulder. Akko reaches up to pet him briefly.

"Hi, Alcor. I'm counting on you."

He caws.

A sudden jolt and whimper from Diana has them moving along quickly. Akko mounts the broom while Ursula picks Diana up, flinching at the heat she can feel from her in doing just that much.

It's clear Diana won't be able to hold onto Akko from the back of the broom, so Ursula lies her across the front in Akko's arms. Akko supports her back with one hand and grips the broom from over her chest with the other to ensure she won't slip off.

Ursula grits her teeth and draws her wand.

"You need to go immediately. I'll open the leyline for you."

"P-Professor," Akko says. "Sucy told me there were these... shadowy creatures there. H-How will I be able to use my magic if I have to?" She won't be able to grab for her wand without the risk of letting Diana go.

But Ursula rests a reassuring hand on Akko's head.

"Don't forget you'll have Alcor with you. He's still got a lot of very good magic and tricks under his wing. And don't worry about those creatures, Akko. I'll tell you something about them..."

Akko listens to what her professor has to say, and finally takes in a deep breath.

"Okay. One last thing; how will I know where to find this great healing spirit? I gotta get there as quickly as possible, right?"

For this, Ursula bites her lip slightly.

"There is no surefire way to know when and where the spirit will appear. You'll simply know. That's all I can say about it." She sighs. "I'm sorry. I truly wish I could be of more help."

"No! This is fine, Professor! You've helped so much already! From here on out just leave it to me!"

Ursula nods.

"I know you can do this, Akko. Please take care of Diana, and be safe." She looks to Alcor and gives him a gentle pat on the head. "I know you'll protect them with your life."

He coos and ruffles his feathers.

With everything ready, Ursula raises her wand to the large circular window where the full moon's light is pouring in. She opens a glowing green leyline right then and there.

"Go, Akko!"

"Right!"

Akko ensures her grip on Diana is secure, pulling her close to her chest as she gives the broom her command.

"Tia Freyre!"

They lift off, and Alcor spreads his wings to guide the way into the leyline, and whatever lies beyond.

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A/N: Originally I was going to have only 10 chapters for this, but then the finale would have been excessively long, so I decided to break it up. The next chapter will be the last main one!