Battle Near Wagandea

**Battle Near Wagandea** is the skirmish between Ursula and Shiny Flash against Croix, Abadonn, and Nidhoggr clone.

## Plot Overview

### Beginning of The End

Deep inside New Moon Tower, Croix, Hel, and Trechres discussed how much easier their plans would be now that they had enough data and resources needed to create Noir Rod in spite of creating a fully-functional one. Trechrea questioned their organization's recent actions, specifically the loss of their core members, but Hel insisted it had all been worth it to advanced their plan. And now the remaining concerns are Witches of Midgard, especially Akko and Biri Biri. Hel was about to give advice to Croix about the best way to deal Fallen Volkar, Chariot, and Vermilion Valkyrie, but Croix had guessed it: They must attack their hearts first before finish them off, though Akko must be the main priority due to her recovering Primordial Magic.

### The Sixth Word

At Luna Nova, Akko and Biri Biri showed the Shiny Rod to Ursula and both were surprised that another word has been awoken and Akko finally able to form the fourth Homing Star during her time at Diana's home. Since another word has been completed, Akko asked what the next word was which is Lyonne, the last word Chariot Du Nord has gained. Ursula felt disheartened at Lyonne for a while until Akko asked what it meant. Ursula insisted to Akko to find it on her own and keep up in recovering her Primordial Magic, which prompt Biri Biri gives Ursula a bummer look.

Accompanied by her familiar, Akko head to the library to find answers for the Word before another practice with Primordial Magic but to no avail. Before they could continue, Hannah and Barbara arrived to see the duo. The annoyed Akko and Biri Biri asked what they want only to be surprised that they wanted to thank her for bringing Diana back to the school. Akko didn't mind doing that and as the two left, Akko smiled, proud of herself. Biri Biri commented that Hannah and Barbara does Diana's actual friends after all. Just as Hannah and Barbara gone, Croix approached Akko and Biri Biri. Since Croix was friends with Chariot, Akko happily asked if the former ever heard of Lyonne which she did. Croix mentioned it was related to Wagandea, prompting her browsing through it and found that it is a legendary tree located somewhere in the Arcturus Forest. As the duo left for Ursula's office, Croix wrote a letter before summons a lizard-like magitronic monster and have it eat the letter before following the duo.

### Isolated Souls

In Ursula's room, Akko asked Ursula to let her go there but she refused since the Wagandea tree released a pollen that could strip any witch of their magic. The time the pollen last varied from months to years but Akko decided to check there to confirm it. Seeing that Akko wasn't letting it go, Ursula had to be strict to her student and scolded her for forgetting the lesson of patience and that she must learn that and the other lessons in order to become a proper witch. With that, Ursula won't allow Akko to go there, leaving Akko saddened. Having enough, Biri Biri gently asked Akko to wait for him at her dorm due to him wanted to have personal chat with her teacher, and Akko left without a word.

Once Akko gone, Biri Biri confronts Ursula about them hiding secrets from the young witch for too long and had pushed all their hopes and dreams to her. Ursula argued that she tried to put Akko out of harm's way, which infuriated Biri Biri and accused her ignorance to his master's well-being and letting Croix using secrets against the duo and the world. After a short exchange, Biri Biri left the room, but not before tell Ursula that both he and Akko had been isolated long enough. By that point, Ursula realized that Biri Biri had looking after Akko not as a mere master, but as younger sister he never had due to similar circumstances they gone through upon entering world of witches.

### Valley of the End

While her roommates and Diana advised her not to go there, Akko, who was nearly deciding to accept, meets Croix again who was willing to help a thrilled Akko to take her there. As this happens, Alcor informed Ursula about events that transpires and simultaneously, Biri Biri was ambushed by Croix's magitronic lizard at Akko's room. After dispatching the monster, the weasel found that it carry a letter made by Croix herself which said:

*Biri Biri, or should I called you Shiny Flash, by the time you read this letter, you must be wondered how did I see through your disguise as Akko's familiar. But it doesn't matter, as of now, I have your beloved master with me. If you wanted to see her again, meet me near a Wagandea tree at Arcturus Forest and bring Chariot with you.*

Alarmed that Croix up to something again and this time she may held Akko hostage, with Croix now know his true identity, Biri Biri set out to warn Ursula about it. The lightning weasel hastily wore his eyepatch over his right eye and revert the tip of his tail back to red as he jumped out of the window, unaware that Diana saw him doing this from below. Catching up with Ursula just as she entered a Ley Line Portal that led to Arcturus, the weasel told her about Croix's message to them and warned that they must stay alert, as Croix's next move would be more aggressive than the last.

As the two traveled the Leylines, Croix wondered what Akko would do with the Grand Triskellion once it is unlocked. However, Akko didn't think about that and that she only took the Quest to find Chariot. Akko wanted to meet Chariot and thanked her for inspiring her dream to become a Witch.

Arriving on the tree they looked for, the duo inspected the tree whose buds are perfectly shut. During that point, Akko notices remains of a giant golem and giant magitronic dragon that now covered by vegetation, and she recognized them from her dream back when she on board of the train for Glastonbury. Croix confirmed that the pollen won't be released for a long time. Although Akko was relief, Croix decided to manipulate the girl by questioning why Ursula was insistent on keeping Akko from going there and she should not trusted her familiar. As Akko listened on, Croix revealed to Akko that she hasn't heard of an Ursula Callistis or that Chariot has never met a person of that name before and she is too naive to believe that Biri Biri won't turned against her. Akko was getting nervous to terrified at the implications and weakly tried to deny them by providing explanations of her own. Regardless, Croix asked Akko how willing she would go to achieve the goal which the latter accepted she would do anything.

True to his warning, when Biri Biri (now under identity of Shiny Flash) and Ursula arrived at the Arcturus Forest only to be ambushed by Croix, Trechres, and her Apollyon steed Abadonn. As the duo recovers and recognized their attackers, they had a flashback near the seal of Grand Triskellion. Stood in front of the seal, accompanied by lightning weasels of Nova Clan with younger Shiny Flash among them, Chariot and Croix prayed to have their dreams come true: Croix wanted to become the greatest Witch while Chariot wanted to make people happy. The stars of the Big Dipper responded and bestowed Chariot the Shiny Rod leaving both girls in shock. Woodward appeared and informed both Shiny Flash and Chariot of their destiny both to restore magic forces in the world and stopping the Second Ragnarok, leaving Croix hurt and angered at what had happened after the Shiny Rod refused to allow her to touch it, robbing her of her dream. Another flashback shows Shiny Flash, who ride a giant Thunder Golem he summoned, fought Croix who rode her magitronic dragon where the battle greatly scarred the forest, resulting a new valley formed from the destruction they left behind.

Ursula ignored Croix to find Akko but was pushed down by the magitronics. Croix watched but Ursula spoke against her old friend that she was afraid that Akko would get the Grand Triskellion and Biri Biri added that even if she make Akko astray from the journey, Croix will never get it. Croix was slight angered but calmed herself and rebuffed that the Shiny Rod chose the wrong wielder as it did before a decade ago and that she didn't need the rod anymore since she already built something that could get the exact result and added that they never agreed. Croix then taunted Ursula and Biri Biri the reason why she left Akko alone at Wagandea and lured the duo to the tree is Akko was the last hope of Ursula's dream and her death marks the beginning of Second Ragnarok before unveiled her latest creation, the very clone of Nidhoggr, monster that terrorized Midgard long time ago. This causing Ursula and Biri Biri to be horrified at both her intention to forcefully rebuild the world and what she had done to Akko.

### The Battle

Biri Biri mused angrily that Croix now intended to kickstarted Second Ragnarok in her own way, and Croix not denied it, revealing her pessimism about purpose of Grand Triskellion in restoring Yggdrasil just so most of the tree's powers would be sacrificed to destroy the cosmic serpent, which made her come to believe that both opposing forces should be best to be put into controlled coexistence before letting the beast started its rampage. Though it looked malformed and smaller than the original cosmic serpent, Nidhoggr clone proved to be a terrifying advesary, as it attacked both Ursula and Shiny Flash before they could do anything. Knowing that the pollen would be released in no time, Shiny Flash urged Ursula to catch up with Akko as he hold the monster off. Abadonn tried to stop Ursula before she could reach her student, but is shot down by Shiny Flash from below with his Shiny Ball that obliterated one of its wing, causing it to fall to the ground below. Meanwhile, Akko continued her journey climbing Wagandea, receiving several bruises along the way. She reaffirmed to herself that she will meet Chariot while unknown to her, the buds are about to open. Akko encountered a super apollyon secretly left by Croix to attack her. Akko screamed as it reached to her only for Ursula, arriving on time to destroy the abomination. Ursula flew to Akko who has become afraid of her. Ursula asked Akko to take her hand but her student simply slapped it away. Akko refused, having gone this far and refusing to believe anything that her mentor has to say after what was told to her, assured that the pollen isn't active. Ursula desperately attempts to convince her student to believe her as any moment the buds will open but Akko maintained her stance. After one final plea by Ursula, all the stress and fear that was building up inside of Akko finally caused the girl to lashed out at her teacher. Akko cried to her that she didn't want the Words or the Grand Triskellion and that her entire goal of this entire journey was to meet her idol and restoring her crippled Primordial Magic so she can summoned her childhood guardian angel back. Akko had done what Ursula has told her to do and whatever attachment was left between them, begged her why is she stopping her from achieving both and called her out not for realizing how lonely she was. Ursula could only stood motionless all the while clearly distraught on how much suffering her student was in and what Flash said to her was true.

Croix intervened and asked Akko to continue while she explained everything to Ursula. Suddenly, the Nidhoggr clone, who unexpectedly climbed its way for them due to attracted by energy within Shiny Rod that Akko carried, jumped past the three witches and landed above Akko. The monstrous clone then lunged toward Akko to devour her, but at the last moments, Shiny Flash tackled the beast aside, saving her life and sent both it and himself plummeting to the forest far below. Unfortunately, to Akko and Croix's horror, the process also caused one of the clone's tail knocked Ursula unconscious on her broom and sent her fell below. Realising this, Croix shouted at Ursula to wake up while Ursula was reminded of the time she went to Wagandea. Ursula finally awoke slowed her descent.

Assured she was safe, Croix advised Ursula to don't go after Akko since it would be too late and the world they know will soon come to an end. Ursula didn't relent and continue to affirm that she and Biri Biri will protect Akko no matter what before take flight, much to Croix’s shock that she decided to call off both Trechres and her magitronic weapons, but choose not to do something to aid Shiny Flash. Once ordered to stand down, Trechres told Flash to survive to settle their score at another time before retreating, leaving him on mercy of both Nidhoggr clone and Abadonn.

### Sacrifice

Akko climbed the tree and continue to maintain her goal in finding Chariot. However, Akko looked back and see nothing leaving Akko to nearly dropped to the ground. Soon, the buds opened and Akko was scared as it converged towards her. This caused Akko to slip and fell.

As this happens, Akko saw Shiny Flash who still fighting Nidhoggr clone just as Abadonn, who just regenerated its destroyed wing, join the fight and helped the clone overwhelmed the weasel. Down below, Shiny Flash only able to watch his master plummeted to her death and unable to do anything with himself being overwhelmed by his opponent's assaults. Although, the sight of Ursula who flew to save Akko and even used herself as the shiled to protect her all the while begging Wagandea to don't take Akko's future away as her glasses cracked made him realized that as Akko’s current familiar and Ursula’s best friend, he should demonstrate the same resolve: As Nidhoggr clone and Apollyon lunged for him, Shiny Flash summoned a huge Shiny Ball he slammed to the ground, detonated it and resulted them consumed within a huge ball of light, incinerated them all in process. Though the blast didn't reach Wagandea tree, the resulting shockwave dispersed the cloud and caused Akko and Ursula crash-landed far from the ground zero.

### Lyonne

Some time later, Akko awoke and found her teacher. Shouting her name, Ursula woke up as well to smile at seeing Akko. As Ursula asked Akko if she was safe, Akko cried at what hash happened and begged Ursula for her forgiveness for saying all the terrible things to her. As this happened, Ursula remembered the time when she as Chariot apologized to Croix for taking her dream away. Despite everything that has happened, Croix hugged her friend and persuaded her to begin the journey to collect the seven words. Another flashback showed her when she reunites with Flash during his exile after saving her from 2 hungry cockatrice long ago.

Returning to the present, Ursula hugged her student and sadly asked Akko to forgive her, realizing that Akko didn't chose to be the wielder of the Shiny Rod nor even made contract with Flash on her own volition just as she was long ago. It was wrong of her to push all her hopes and dreams onto Akko and should have understood how her student felt and how strong the bond between the young witch and her familiar. Akko reassured to her mentor that she didn't force her on anything and that she chose to go through all of this. And yet despite everything she went through, she has yet to mature. Tears flowed from Akko's eyes and informed Ursula of all the times she has been there to look after her and always at her side. Lastly, what Akko wanted to tell her mentor was thank you. One of the tears dropped onto the Shiny Rod which activated. Akko realized what Lyonne meant while Ursula remembered when she unlocked the word. Akko spoke the word and the rod released tendrils that healed both their wounds. As Ursula kindly explained that no one has ever reached the top of Wagandea before displaying how proud she was of Akko for her maturity, the teacher and her student realized that some of the tendrils moves for a pile of charred mass not far from them. From the mass, Shiny Flash rose from the pile with his injuries from using Shiny Ball Suicide completely healed by the tendrils, but still weak that he barely able to stand. Fortunately, he able to use enough magic energy to turned the red of his tail gray and tossed his eyepatch away before feign unconscious seconds before Akko and Ursula found him, which led the duo found him as Biri Biri.

### Advent of Ragnarok

As Croix and Hel observed the construction of 13th Noir Rod, Trechres reported that Biri Biri, Ursula, and Akko still alive, much to Hel's fury. Croix however, reassured that Ragnarok Plan will goes as planned. Unbeknowist to the duo, Diana and Pongo overheard their conversation and realized that they up to no good for everyone...