England Expects That Even Amanda Will Do Her Duty

Chapter Six - Love and Bravery

As soon as she had left the campfire Hannah had gone to her tent and crept inside to collected her wand and then went to the cave to wait the hour until midnight. Amanda brooded Achilles like in her tent until the time came for her to grab her wand and head out to the rendezvous. Amanda arrived at the cave at midnight. Hannah was sitting just inside the entrance and got to her feet to meet her rival. With a flick of her wrist she extended her wand and Amanda followed suit. Without another word they disappeared into the dim green lantern light of the cave.

A little after Amanda had set foot on the path to the cave Akko and Diana emerged from their tents. Before they left Luna Nova Diana had told Akko of an old legend about a foreign prince who rescued a witch from persecution and proposed to her in Thorn's Cave. This had given Akko the romantic notion of visiting the cave at midnight. Diana had not been too keen,but the lack of opportunity to spend time alone with Akko over the past week meant she was now equally enthusiastic. They spotted each other in the light of the full moon and Akko walked over to Diana who had a blanket tucked under her arm. They had gone to some length to keep their relationship secret and fear of being spotted meant they did not hold hands until they were on their way up the path. A few minutes later Diana and Akko arrived at the cave. "It's so romantic Diana?" said Akko and Diana reached out a hand to brush the hair away from Akko's face and replied warmly "Yes, ever so...it'll be warmer a little deeper inside...I spotted a little nook a little way in. We can wrap ourselves up and get nice and cosy together".

Hannah and Amanda both moved through the eerie green shadows cast by the lanterns dotted throughout the cave and headed further inside. Amanda suddenly pointed up and in a worried voice exclaimed "Bats". Hannah gave a little shriek and crouched down and covered her head. As soon as Amanda started laughing she knew it was a joke and Hannah stood up and walked on. Amanda followed her saying "I was expecting you to run away, I guess you're not a total chicken".

The pair approached the entrance to Hagshole and Hannah pointed to the center of the cave and then to the two signs on either side that stated clearly – NO WANDS BEYOND THIS POINT. Hannah's challenge was spoken slowly with emphasis on every word "I dare you to go the center of the cave". Amanda replied flippantly "Yeah well I dare you to go to the far side". Hannah and Amanda turned to face the green glow of the cave. They lowered their wands and hoped the other would say something to call it off, but neither of them did. Walking into the cave their wands immediately started to glow and with a few steps more a spark of energy shot between the wands. As they reached the center the spark intensified and started to send tendrils around the cave like electricity from a plasma ball.

The lanterns reacted to the danger bathing Hagshole in a ominous red light. The girls looked at each other and Amanda spoke first "Maybe we should..." Hannah interjected "Yeah", they both turned to flee. Before they took another step a great surge of force rippled through the cave's floor.A crack opened from wall to wall and then the floor was split apart like a wave. As Hannah let out a shriek she was knocked through the air to land against the far wall and Amanda was sent staggering backward towards the entrance. The floor near Hannah then started to give way until a great chasm opened up and the cave was filled with a bright glow from the leypool below. Hannah had hit the wall hard and was now lying in a daze on a small ledge that was all that remained of the cave floor near her. "Damn it to hell" shouted Amanda as she ran over to the edge of the abyss and looked over to Hannah. It was not a huge distance, she could probably jump it, probably, but how would she get Hannah back across. Amanda's frustration boiled over and she yelled "God damn it". From the leypool Amanda heard a noise like steam escaping from a old fashioned kettle and then a huge flash of energy escaped from the pool and was gone as quickly as it had come. Amanda knew this was bad, it was the first rumblings of a full jet of magical energy that would take with it everything in the cave.