Black Clover Trivia #9: Mimosa is a type of herb and shrub, fitting as Mimosa uses Plant Magic. It is also a cocktail made with champagne and citrus juice.

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The quartet watched horrorstruck as the spatial magic engulfed the strategist, taking her away from their sights.

"Delphia!"

Seconds after her disappearance, the providence world Delphia had created shattered. The magic knights faltered, feeling momentarily weakened as their abilities returned to normal once more.

Nozel looked up in alarm as the apparition of the twenty-first trump card disintegrated. He scowled, eyes narrowed at their opponents, anger beginning to well in him as he focused on the current situation at hand. First, they had to take out these mages and ensure the civilians' safety. He'll seek out his petulant vassal once he's done. He still had to have words about her stay in headquarters and her disregard for his summoning.

Prepare yourself, Delphia. I will not let you escape me this time.

| Northwest District |

Floating above on her a broom, a witch watched with a smirk, impressed that the magic knights were able to avoid their trap. Seeing her allies join her through the portals, she licked her lips in excitement.

"Looks like I get to play after all," She cooed, "Now, then... I'd better use this time to get some nice, young mana."

Ash Curse Magic: Ash Absorbing Formation

The citizens watched in fright as the magic reached out for them as they ran. Before it could touch them, a blanket of sand appeared from above, shielding them from the curse.

"Not while we're here!" Alecdora proclaimed, "Mimosa, the civilians!"

"Yes, sir!"

The support mage quickly ushered the citizens away, giving directions using her magic flower guidepost to show them the best routes to avoid the attacking mages.

Catherine clicked her tongue, frowning as she took in her opponent.

"Ugh, so not my type," She huffed, "Probably one of those bootlicker boys that does everything in the name of their so-called god. Been there, done that. Those types definitely aren't what they're rumoured to be."

Alecdora gritted his teeth, a vein throbbing at his temple at the witch's words.

Sand Creation Magic: Sand-Armoured Dreadnought Guard

The witch laughed as she dodged the sand golem's swings, smirking at the irritated green-haired mage.

"You got to be faster than that~" She jeered.

Catherine activated her curse magic once more, giggling in satisfaction as Alecdora was held back by her allies, several of them throwing their own spells and forcing the Golden Dawn knight to defend himself. Glancing over her shoulder, Mimosa gasped, seeing the incoming curse, pushing several people into a nearby alley to hide. Her eyes widened as she witnessed some citizens begin to age rapidly.

She's- She's sucking up their mana!

The witch tilted her head, catching sight of the young royal.

"Oh? What do we have here?" She clicked her tongue, face irritated as she gave Mimosa a once over, feeling her irritation grow at the determination in the mage's eyes as she moved to protect the aged citizens. "Don't go acting all cute! I hate it!"

Seeing the curse move towards her, the Vermillion braced her arms out to protect herself, just as a tornado formed between herself and the witch. Mimosa's eyes brightened as she caught sight of her fellow rookie.

"Yuno-san!"

"Stay back! Take care of them!"

Hesitating momentarily, Mimosa nodded, donning her princess-healing flower robe before casting her dream healing flower basket. She may not be able to fix their ageing, but she'll heal them as much as she could!

The determination within the royal began to swell as she became resolute in her plans. Right now, the best she could do was heal, but next time- next time, she won't just get in the way! Next time, she'll be able to protect her country and comrades too!

The witch clasped her hands in front of her chest excitedly as she stared at the young wind user.

"My, you're hot, and my type," She cheered, "Say, want to have some fun with me?"

"Get away from those people," Yuno ignored her invitation, "you old hag."

Catherine's eyebrow twitched, the words ringing in her ears before her eyes snapped open in anger.

"I'll murder you!" She cursed, "Who are you calling an old hag?!"

Ash Curse Magic: Cheerful Ash Destruction

"These are curse bullets with various curses inside," Catherine explained as she shot her spell towards Yuno, who dodged using his wind to increase his mobility, "You won't know what you'll get until they hit."

Yuno winced as several spells hit him. The attacks keep coming. She has a tremendous amount of magic. These ash bullets themselves don't do much damage, but...

"Oh, dear, are you all right?" The witch mocked, "It looks like you're having a hard time getting around. I wonder what you've been hit with."

Mimosa watched in worry as Yuno was hit before they were soon out of her line of vision. She gasped as several mages suddenly came out from the alleys, aiming their wands at them.

Oh no! I won't be able—

Her eyes widened, hair whipping around her form in time to witness Alecdora's entrance as the group of mages were tossed back by a blow from a golem of sand.

"Alecdora-san!" She breathed a sigh of relief, "You made it just in time! Thank you!"

"I'm just doing my job," Alecdora sneered, "Focus on healing the citizens." He ordered, eyes focused on the mages that began to surround them. "Where's the peasant boy?"

Mimosa frowned minutely at her senior's way of addressing her fellow rookie but kept quiet.

"Yuno-san is handling the witch right now, Alecdora-san."

The two Golden Dawn members perked up as they felt a sudden concentration grow nearby. Mimosa gasped as she saw powerful currents of wind beginning to form. Her eyes stared off to where she could sense the source of the growing mana.

This mana and sensation! Could it be... the spell Yuno cast in the dungeon!

"Let me just tell you one thing about me," Yuno began as he focused on the mana surrounding him, "I hate losing more than anything else!"

Wind Spirit Magic: Sylph's Breath!

Catherine cried out as the torrent of wind hit her, throwing her across the city and crashing into one of the buildings. Yuno was quick to follow her despite his mana reserves being near empty.

This mana... that woman must still be alive.

His eyes widened as the witch suddenly came flying out. Catherine was soon restrained by a few of Clover's mages, some of the mana she had collected leaving her and returning to their original hosts.

Mimosa and Alecdora watched in surprise as the citizens regained their youth.

"Ah, it looks like Yuno-san was successful!"

Mimosa smiled happily as she continued her work, healing and escorting the civilians away. Simultaneously,  Alecdora protected them with a barrier of sand and held back their attackers with his golem.

| The King's Quarters |

"It's rather noisy out there," The king complained, his head resting on the lap of one of his paramours, "Could you shut them up? It's time for my royal nap."

"I'll look into it," Marx assured before marching out.

The blue-haired advisor was worried about the situation outside, hand clutching the communicator in his hand. He had yet to receive any reports from Delphia, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding as he recalled her expression when she had last called him. Marx shook his head. Now wasn't a time to be worried. Besides... He should be back any moment now.

| North District |

"You bastard! What have you done with Delphia!?"

Rades cackled, giddy at the despair on the quartet's faces.

"Leopold! He's not the spatial magic-user," Noelle said, supporting Asta, "That spell pinpointed her, so there's no way the spell caster could've cast it from far away. Where could they be?"

Asta pushed off Noelle, much to her confusion, before he suddenly began running at one of the piles of corpses.

"You're right there!" He cried, swinging his sword.

The siblings and Noelle's eyes widened in disbelief as one of the bodies travelled through a spatial portal.

"He was hiding among the corpses?!" Noelle breathed.

"I'm impressed you found me. I figured I'd be found if I used magic to transform, so I went to the trouble of making this filthy disguise. What are you, an animal?" The spatial user stripped off his disguise as he smirked down at the four, "But it appears that it's over now."

"Over?" Asta repeated.

"What's over?" Leopold questioned.

The group watched warily as another spatial portal was opened. Their eyes widened as a body was dropped, blood beginning to pool beneath it, staining violet hair.

In his shock, Fuegoleon's restraining spell began to vanish. Noelle was frozen, eyes gazing into sightless cyan before she screamed, Asta and Leopold following with their own cries of shock and anger.

Fuegoleon nearly stumbled on his feet, eyes wide as he stared at the woman's unmoving body.

"...Delphia," He gasped out, nearly breathless.

The royals were quick to rush to her bleeding form, Asta trying to follow only to be held back by his wounds. He stared in horror and shock at his vice-captain's vulnerable state.

"But..." Asta was in disbelief, "But she's so strong. That's... impossible... she should've seen this! Why didn't she avoid it!?"

Noelle was frozen, standing beside her idol's body. Blood was pouring from her like a river, and her usually pale skin was deathly in tone.

"H-her stomach..." Noelle stuttered, eyes gazing at the massive wound. It was as if someone had impaled her.

Fuegoleon was silent in his despair, hands nearly shaking as he stared almost dazed at the youngest member of their trio. His mind flashed to the day they had first met, their training, and their most recent spar. To the times they'd bicker between each other and the days they'd find comfort together, away from the pressures and expectations of their kingdom.

"Delphia... my Lupa..." His thoughts seemed to echo Asta's words. Delphia had definitely seen this. So why didn't she avoid it? His mind flashed to her determined eyes and parting words.

Sorry, Leone, not this time.

He cursed, clenching his fist. Damn you, Delphia... that was my choice.

Noelle's attention was brought to a falling object.

"Lady Rotta's grimoire..." She perked up, "It's still intact, which means... she's still alive!"

Noelle was quick to kneel, ripping a piece of her skirt. "We have to stop the bleeding!" Leopold followed after his cousin, ripping off his cloak and pressed down on the wound with Noelle to stem the flow.

"If only Mimosa were here..." Leopold cursed.

Noelle's eyes widened as she witnessed Delphia's grimoire beginning to disintegrate.

"Oh, no... Her grimoire is breaking apart!"

"Aniue! Help us! She's bleeding out!" Leopold began to panic.

Rades cackled, overjoyed at their expressions, "That's what you get for talking down to me earlier!"

Rades words snapped Fuegoleon out of his shock, but in its place came a fit of righteous anger. The younger three snapped their heads up as his mana expelled out in waves, flames seemingly wavering off his form. Leopold gulped, staring warily at his brother as he walked almost calmly towards the cackling necromancer.

"We've completed our mission," Rades looked up towards his ally, "We're leaving before the other Magic Knights come back, Rades."

The necromancer clicked his tongue as a spatial portal opened beneath him.

"Hold it... right there."

Rades blinked, turning to the anti-magic brat.

"Asta, wasn't it?" Rades sniffed, "I'll eventually kill you and make you into one of my toys. Look forward to that, you little brat!"

Asta gritted his teeth as he rushed forward. This distance... I'm not going to make it.

"Asta, don't!" Noelle cried. If you move any more while you're bleeding that much-!

Not yet! The ash-blond didn't stop despite the pain coursing through him. The Captain of the Crimson Lions just taught me... I need to think calmly! How can I stop him? That spatial magic... Asta's eyes widened as he thought of a plan. Not giving up is my magic! And my sword- He grabbed the hilt of his weapon, pulled it from his grimoire, and tossed it at Rades' feet.

"-can erase magic!" The spatial portal vanished as it came in contact with Asta's anti-magic sword.

"What?!" Rades gaped.

Asta war cried as he swung at Rades, slicing his cheek with the tip of his sword.

"Ow!" The necromancer cried, clutching his wounded cheek, "What the hell are you doing, you little shit?!"

Rades could only cry out once more, as a blast of condensed mana was suddenly thrown at his side. Glaring, he choked back a yell as he met burning purple eyes. Rades took an unconscious step back as the eldest royal came closer.

W-what is this pressure?!

"You have injured my comrade," Fuegoleon glowered, "Do not assume you will escape unscathed after that."

Leopold, Noelle and Asta watched in awe and fright at the Crimson Lion Captain. Leopold was grinning despite the nervous sweat trailing down his temple as his eyes were trained on his elder brother.

He's never seen his brother so angry before, but he's heard stories of the day Fuegoleon had challenged their sister to a spar. The confrontation had become known as The Tuesday of Blood and Flames. He could only imagine that this was the man they had witnessed that day.

"Valtos! Do something!" Rades cried.

"If I could, I would've by now," The spatial user scoffed. That anti-magic is more troublesome than I'd imagined. "Looks like we're going to have to take care of him first. That is if the Crimson Lion Captain doesn't turn you into ash beforehand."

Noelle cursed as she wrapped the cloths around Delphia's waist as best as she could, but she continued to bleed through. Glancing up at the battle, her eyes widened as spatial portals suddenly came to life around Asta and Fuegoleon. Her eyes were concerned, as Valtos began gathering mana into his hands.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she turned to meet the assuring eyes of her elder cousin.

"We can leave it in their hands, Noelle!" Leopold grinned, "For now, let us take care of Delphia!"

The Silva was hesitant, but one look at her vice-captain was enough to agree and was only assured as Fuegoleon was successful in stopping the spatial mage's attack. If only one of them knew even some recovery magic—

Noelle brightened as she recalled the communicators Delphia had given each of the groups. Saying a quick apology, she reached through her pockets, gasping in relief as she found it.

| Northwest District |

"-osa. Mimosa, come in! Answer us, please!"

Alecdora cursed as he quickly restrained his opponents, staring down at his communicator in irritation. "Who is this?! What do you need?"

"Mimosa! Hurry to the North District, please!"

Mimosa stared up from her healing work, staring at the communicator in her senior's hand in confusion, recognizing the panicked voice as her cousin.

"Noelle?"

"Please, Mimosa! We don't have much time! Lady Rotta— Delphia is dying!"

Mimosa gasped, Alecdora's own eyes widening at the information.

Unknown to Noelle, Delphia's communicator was preset to connect to all the communicators due to the attack, unless she manually disconnects them. She had not realized that she had announced Delphia's status to all magic knight parties present.

Nozel's eyes were wide in disbelief as he stared at the communicator in his hand. Delphia? Dying... His head snapped towards the north district, his heart beating rapidly against his chest. Was this your plan...

Marx's hands shook as he stood frozen in the halls of the palace. Cursing himself, he rushed to the medical ward to have healers on standby and a room prepared for the tarot mage. That idiot! Why didn't she-

"Alecdora-san!" Mimosa stood, eyes determined.

The sand user nodded. "Go. I can handle it here. We can't lose the kingdom's best asset."

Mimosa nodded and began to run towards the north district.

* * * * *

Valtos frowned as he stared down at their opponents. With the Crimson Lion's Captain escaping their original plan, the situation was far from desirable.

"This isn't good..." The spatial mage mused, "We can't afford to lose Rades, too."

"D-Damn you all! Get away! Stay back!" Rades cursed, stepping away from the threatening forms of Asta and Fuegoleon.

"Pathetic," The magic knights tensed at the new voice, "We received orders from Master to come here, and look at you... You're struggling against this lot. How pathetic."

A gale of wind suddenly surrounded them, causing Leopold and Noelle to move into a more defensive stance around Delphia's vulnerable form. The Silva's eyes widened as five robed figures were suddenly present. Such piercingly cold magic...

Leopold's eyes snapped around them, gritting his teeth. There are five new enemies!

I was only scratched... but thanks to that curse, the bleeding won't stop. Asta gasped, wincing. If I lose any more blood, I'm in trouble.

Fuegoleon's eyes narrowed. If they don't have them restrained soon- His eyes glanced over at Delphia, his frown deepening, -we won't make it on time!

"No one asked for your help!" Rades clicked his tongue.

"Aw, you should be thanking us," One of the robed mages complained, "If we hadn't arrived, you definitely would've been captured and dissected alive. And if you're gonna be dissected, I want to be the one to do it."

"Shut up! Anyway, it looks like the tables have turned!" Rades frowned as Asta chuckled.

The ash-blond smirked as he struck himself with his swords, releasing himself from the curse on his wounds.

Noelle and Leopold stared in shock while Fuegoleon smirked, nodding his head in approval, understanding the boy's actions. Even in his anger, he was impressed by the boy's quick deductions despite his rash actions.

"Now, I can keep fighting!" Asta declared turning to Delphia's fallen form, "Please watch me, Phia-senpai!"

"Wow, he's fun," The same robed mage laughed, eyes wide in interest, "Can I dissect him later?"

"Quiet."

"Boo. You're such a spoilsport," She pouted, her hand powering with mana, her allies following soon after as they aimed at the group.

"All I've ever faced since I was born... was adversity," Asta began, "No matter how many come at me, no matter what happens, I'll blast them all away! All right! Come at me!"

Fuegoleon smirked, his own hands bursting to life with his flames. It wouldn't do to be outdone by a rookie after all. Plus, he had his own anger to feed.

You'll be fine, Lupa... For now, just hang in there, you stubborn child!

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A/N An update? So soon? I know right! It's honestly mainly canon with minor changes, so this chapter is pretty boring tbh. Sorry. 

But I totally believe that Fuegoleon would call Delphia a child, especially when they have like a nine year age gap I'm pretty sure. 

Thank you for all the comments! The next chapter will definitely be better! Promise! 

Question: If you could join a squad, which would it be and why? 

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UPDATED: 19/06/20