*
"I feel her, I see her. The sun caught in her raven hair is blazing in me out of all control (verb o et opere)"
**
Noble Bell College - Lecture Hall
All the students from the invited arcane academies had gathered inside of the lecture hall, most quite tired from the fest.
"*yaaawn*" Grim tiredly yawned. "I'm beat after puttin' on that big show. I just wanna go to my room and pass out," he grumbled.
"You must wait. One of the students here asked all social participants to assemble in this hall," Malleus sternly replied.
"I think all the students from the other schools are here too. Perhaps they're going to give us our schedule for tomorrow?" Azul wondered.
Suddenly, the sound of the Bell of Solace ranged again, echoing throughout the city once more, startling most students as they all looked around in confusion.
"Huh?"
"Is that...the Bell of Solace?" Sebek questioned.
"It must be. There's no mistaking that distinctive ring," Silver says.
"I thought the bell only rang at morning, noon, and night. And the nighttime bell has already rung," Riddle says, placing a finger on his chin in thought. "So why is it ringing this late?"
"Hm?" Azul's gaze noticed something in the corner. "Is there some sort of flame in the corner of the hall?"
"A flame...?" Isfrid flinched in surprise. Malleus seemed to also be concerned as he he protective stood in front of Y/n while Isfrid pulled her back.
Idia squinted a bit, taking a better look at the so called flame. "...Looks like a flower, actually."
"Oh look, there's a bunch of pretty red flowers by those pillars," A Royal Sword Academy Student A says, noticing the flowers. "I don't remember them being there when we first arrived," he says as he and his friend stepped closer to the flower.
"They're beautiful," Royal Sword Academy Student B says, admiring the flower's beauty. "I've never seen anything like-" he caressed the flower.
Y/n used her sharp eyesight to observe the flower, and immediately widen her eyes in realization. "Wait...! Stay away from the flower!" she exclaimed, but it was too late.
"Hrk!" Royal Sword Academy B yelped as he suddenly self a wave of dizziness that hit him and his friend like boulders, immediately collapsing to the ground with a thud.
"Uh, did they guy just touch the flower and collapse?" Idia exclaimed, widening his eyes in fear.
"What's happening? I'm getting...dizzy..." Arcane Academy Student A grunts.
"Urgh..." Arcane Academy Student B groaned as both students collapsed to the floor with a thud.
Everyone widen their eyes in surprise when more students fell unconscious. "The students near those flowers are fainting, one right after another," Malleus's breath hitched as those flowers spread around the lecture hall, engulfing the area in a fiery crimson.
"And more flowers are popping up at an alarming rate!" Jamil yelped.
"I dunno if it's just me or what, but...I'm feelin' kinda lightheaded..." Ruggie winced, feeling weak.
"Ugh..." Azul groaned, feeling unable to keep his balance. "It's not just you. I'm having a dizzy spell too, it seems. It appears that the people closest to the flowers are fainting the fastest,"
"What a sinister glow they have. It's enough to give me pause," Malleus frowned, feeling fear for once in forever. "Is it possible...? Am I actually frightened by these tiny blooms?" he questioned. Suddenly, the flowers surrounded Malleus in a fast speed, wrapping around his leges. "Hrk?! The propagating flowers are climbing up my legs...!" he yelped out, trying his best to break free from he was only being pulled down more. "Urgh...What...is this? Strength...fading...The more they cover me...the fainter I feel...I fear...I may...be..." he huffed, being weaken severely as more flowers began wrapping around him.
Familiar footsteps immediately ran over toward him. "MALLEUUUS!" Silver and Sebek shouted in worry, as they rushed to his side.
"Are you all right?! I'll get these flowers off immediately. Sit tight, please!" Silver exclaimed.
"Ghastly plants! How dare you swarm our liege. Begone and wilt!" Sebek shouted in anger as he and Silver pulled the fire lotuses off of Malleus, freeing him.
"Silver, Sebek...You came through for me," Malleus huffed, looking a bit paler than normal for literally having his magic sucked out of him..
"Please step back and allow us to handle this, Malleus," Silver stated.
"Mere weeds dare to harm the great Malleus? My magic shall obliterate you!" Sebek exclaimed as the boys used magic to burn away the flowers.
Isfrid gritted his teeth as he tightly held Y/n in his arms as he unleashed his sword. "Protect her majesty at all costs!" he ordered the four Northern Lights Students. They nodded in response as they each summoned their own weapons. Eden and Moselle materialized their swords while Zephyrine summoned a hand fan in shape of a large leaf. Bruni's tail ignited into flames with a pink-hue to it as he materialized his polearm.
"WITHER, PLANTS!!!" Sebek exclaimed as he shot a spell at the flowers, but they were completely unfazed, surprising the others. "What in the world?!"
"The flowers just absorbed Sebek's magic!" Silver gasped.
"The more spells we fire off, the more empowered they become," Malleus observed, completely alarmed as his eyes looking around wherever flowers bloomed. "Their color...The way they glow...It's almost like fire," he says, growing more worried for Y/n.
Rook noticed flowers near Y/n and Isfrid, causing Deuce to widen his eyes. "Careful, Isfrid. There are flowers sprouting up behind Reine de l'innocence!" Rook warned.
"Stupid lotuses!" Isfrid shouts, immediately turning around.
"Y/n! Isfrid! Get away!" Deuce shouted.
"Rgh...We won't make it in time!" Trein huffed, feeling severely weaken from the flowers.
"Y/n!!! Isfrid!!!" Grim cried out.
"Your majesties" The four spirit-fae shouted.
Isfrid shieled Y/n as prepared his sword as the flowers moved toward them, but the lotuses didn't seem to do anything, causing the others to stare at the twins in confusion, especially on how the flowers didn't attach themselves to them.
"...Hm?" Deuce sweat dropped as Rook widen his eyes in surprise.
"Uh, nothing's happening?" Isfrid questioned in confusion.
"Looks like regular old flowers to me," Y/n bluntly stated.
"What? They ain't doin' anything?!" Grim exclaimed in anger. "Great, you had me worried over nothin'!"
"So you're all right, you two?" Trein asked. The twins nodded in response. The professor observed the Northern Lights Academia students who had a similiar situation to Y/n and Isfrid, and seemed to have realized something. "...Aha! I have it! Everyone, put away your magical pens!"
"Huh? But won't the flowers swarm us if we do that?" A baffled Epel asked.
"Epel, we must listen to our wise professor," Rook stated.
"Silver and Sebek, that goes for you as well. Do as Trein says," Malleus ordered the two.
"Yes, sir!" Silver and Sebek complied.
"They're putting their pens away..." Bruni mumbled, his fire dissipating as the four students weapon dematerialized.
"Hey, look at the flowers," Moselle observed, immediately noticing a change along with Idia.
"The flowers are multiplying as fast now that our pens are away..." Idia says.
"No, watch out! Everybody get back!" Neige suddenly shouted as he got in front of Rook and Epel, shielding them from the flowers that suddenly bloomed. The flowers wrapped around his body, soon collapsing to the floor.
"Roi des Neiges?!" Rook yelped as Epel flinched. "Oh, no! He fell defending us!"
"Riddle, stick behind me!" Chenya stated, shielding Riddle and Deuce who widen their eyes. "You too, card soldier! Don't just stand there!"
"Chenya?! I never asked you to cover me! I can fight!" Riddle sternly stated.
"Ahaha...We're all aspiring mages going to school on the same island. We gotta...help each other...out..." Neige weakly stated.
"Get out while I distract them...Urgh..." Chenya weakly groaned before falling unconscious with Neige.
"It's no use, we can't defend against these flowers! They've already surrounded us!" The Aide yelped, feeling weak.
"This is a disaster! I must notify President Rollo...Ack! Stay away from meee!" The Vice President yelped, eagerly stepping away from the flowers that would only move closer. Soon, the two fell unconscious as more mages collapsed.
"The mages trying to fend off the flowers with magic are getting totally overrun and collapsing..." Idia sweatdropped. "I can't draw any definitive conclusions from just this, but it's a p. safe hypothesis to say these flowers respond to magic,"
"Everyone, gather around me and listen carefully. Whatever you do, don't even THINK about using magic right now," Trein sternly demanded. "Isfrid, Y/n, be sure to cover your noses and mouth along with you four!" he stated. Y/n grew confused but complied as she and Isfrid took out a handkerchief and covered their nose and mouth. Eden, Zephyrine, Moselle, and Bruni did the same.
"Do you know what these flowers are, Professor?" Azul asked.
"Ugh...The flowers aren't targeting us but...the fumes...!" Zephyrine panted, seemingly realizing what these flowers could be.
"If we're thinking what Trein is thinking, then we must not inhale the fumes!" Eden shouted.
"Mm. And I bet the spirits must have figured out what's going on. I don't want to believe it, but given their fiery appearance and ability to absorb magic, there can be no doubt," Trein sweat dropped in fear. "These are firelotuses!"
"Firelotuses? I've never heard of such flowers. Are they common on land?" Azul questioned.
"No, it's the first I've heard of them too...and I know I'd remember if I'd seen one," Jamil says.
"I can hardly blame you for not knowing about them," Malleus says. "Even I didn't recall them immediately. They're plants that thrive on all manner of magical energy,"
"When you say all magical energy, does that mean...?" Epel widen his eyes in realization.
"Yes, that includes the magical energy of mages such as ourselves," Malleus revealed.
"What?!" Deuce gasped.
"When they sense magic, they reach out their vines, much like other plants reacting to the sun. Then they grow roots and absorb the magic," Malleus begun explaining. "They'll continue to sap a mage's magical energy. It serves as nourishment to help them bloom. And once they absorb the last of the mage's energy...The mage loses their magic permanently,"
"THEY LOSE THEIR MAGIC?!"
"A-And that's not all...ugh!" Isfrid suddenly says.
"I-I can't...I think I've might've inhaled too much of the fumes from our magic..." Moselle stated weakly, suddenly fainted as Eden immediately catch her.
"Moselle?!" Eden panicked.
"Moselle! Why did she suddenly faint...?!" Bruni exclaimed.
"Urgh...!" Eden winced, feeling the wave of exhaustion hit him as he fell to his knees with Moselle in his hands.
"It's already taking effect...." Y/n panted, gripping Yuu's shoulder for support. "For us Spirit-fae...these flowers don't absorb our magic...because it's pure spirit energy. But instead, the fumes these flowers release acts like a severe sleeping spell. It first takes away our strength before we fall unconscious. We have no hope to waking up for we fall into eternal sleep that mimics death,"
"I believe it was too late...to cover our noses..." Y/n says weakly as she still covered her nose and mouth.
"It works the same way for us spirit-fae." Isfrid pants a bit. "But the flower's fumes weaken us first. The use of magic must've brought the fumes to us which is why the flowers don't attach to us...but now that those four are weakened..." he gritted his teeth.
"Ugh..." Bruni soon collapsed.
"Agh..." Eden groaned, falling to his knees as he carefully held Moselle. "Just get out of here...with her majesty..." he says before going unconscious.
"Dude, that's a final boss right there!" Idia yelped out. "They must be the most OP enemy in all of Twisted Wonderland! Even affecting the spirits!"
"There's a plant that horrifying growing on land?!" Azul exclaimed in disbelief, feeling his stomach drop at the mention that his Angelfish would soon be in danger as well.
"Wait. This doesn't make sense," Riddle frowned. "If a plant that dangerous existed, surely we would've learned about it in school."
"Firelotuses went extinct centuries ago," Malleus stated. "As I understand it, people back then banded together to eradicate the entire species, in light of its danger. Nowadays, books on the history of magic give the plants only a passing mention, as an old legend,"
"Precisely," Trien nodded.
"But what's an extinct plant even doing here, and why is there so much of it?" Epel asked.
"That would be a better question for him," Malleus says, darkly looking up at the top of the stairs.
"Him...?" Grim questioned as everyone sharply looked up at the top of the stairs, seeing a familiar figure.
"Hmph. So you're still standing," The figure stated as he stepped down a couple of stairs, wielding a familiar feather in hand. "I suppose your wretched academy's reputation is deserved after all. A shame that my dear Saint, Y/n, has to attend such a vulgar academy."
"Mrah! It's you..." Grim widen his eyes.
"You bastard!" Isfrid shouted, glaring at Rollo.
Y/n widen her eyes at the familiar figure. "Rollo Flamme..." she gasped.
"Hey, no fair standin' up there where the flowers can't get you!" Grim shouted as Malleus and Isfrid glared even more harshly than the others at him.
"Was all of this your doing, Flamme?" Malleus frowned.
"Indeed," Rollo wickedly smirked, glaring back at all the NRC students. "What an astute observation, considering what utter fools you are. I feel bad for our dear princess," he insulted.
"Wh...What did you just call us?!" Sebek exclaimed.
"You wish me to say it again? Utter fools. All of you," Rollo said once more.
"Thanks for making him repeat it!" Isfrid slapped Sebek's back harshly.
"He is acting like N/n when she bluntly insults others..." Deuce mumbled in surprise.
"Oh, you can scarcely imagine how hard it was to contain my laughter..." Rollo admitted. "...As I watched you blithely indulge in your merrymaking, completely ignorant of all the firelotuses I was setting out,"
"My, my. That was quite a predictable villain line, you know," Azul smirked.
"Silence! YOU'RE the villains here!" Rollo snapped. "And what's more, you flaunted your magic and mesmerized our good citizens with it...and even exposing Y/n to danger! You mages cannot be suffered to exist! But worry not," he breathed out calmly. "I shall bring salvation to incorrigible villains like yourselves. I shall engulf the world in the fiery crimson of these flowers...And strip every mage in Twisted Wonderland of their magic!"
"Say WHAT?!" Grim yelped.
"....." Malleus frowned deeply.
"....." Isfrid widen his eyes, feeling utterly speechless. 'Perhaps...'
"And there he is, folks! The secret mastermind who was controlling the 'final boss' all along!" Idia dramatically stated. "But what kind of mastermind jumps the gun and shows up their early? Dude has like, zero patience,"
"Could you not right now? You're ruining the moment," Azul pleaded.
"Strip us of our magic? But then I wouldn't be able to become a great mage!" Grim realized. "That ain't cool!"
"What reason could you possibly have for this?" Y/n mumbled.
"Were these plants to spread, Briar Valley would not escape unscathed," Malleus says. "Regardless of Flamme's motivations, I cannot stand by and let this happen," he declared.
"*SIGH* This is exactly why you're all utter fools," Rollo bluntly stated.
"HOW DARE YOU! THREE TIEMS NOW YOU'VE CALLED MALLEUS AN UTTER FOOL!" Sebek shouts. "I've had it with you. Time to teach you some manners!" he demanded.
"Agreed. Rollo Flamme, prepare for battle. We can stop you without magic," Silver says as he and Sebek prepared themselves for a physical fight along with Isfrid and Y/n who clenched onto their swords.
"I'm never a fan of the brute-force option, but I suppose there's no alternative when our foe can't be reasoned with," Azul says, glaring at Rollo.
"Yeah, I can't just ignore an invasive plant species. I'm gonna put a stop to this before it spreads outta control," Idia sternly stated.
"Pfft...Hahaha!" Rollo burst out laughing.
"What's so amusing?" Malleus asked.
"Oh, you're FAR too late for that! My plan is already well underway," Rollo states. "When the Bell of Solace rang for an unprecedented fourth time tonight, it suffused the city with magic. The firelotuses aren't only in the school. They've spread throughout the city, and are sapping the energy from every mage living here,"
"They've spread throughout the city?!" Grim gasped.
"Everyone, look outside!" Jamil shouts.
Everyone gathered at a window, looking horrified from the entire city ingulfed in flowers.
"My word, what a sight...The flowers are glowing brighter and brighter, at the expense of all the people..." Rook muttered in sheer horror. "While the flowers harbor no ill will, I could not possibly call them beauté..." he frowned.
"I thought you were an honorable guy, but no...You're just a dirty, low-down PUNK!" Deuce yelled, absolutely furious. "IT'S ON NOW! YOU COME DOWN SO WE CAN THROW DOWN!"
"Hmph. You Night Raven College students are the only mages here still standing..." Rollo says.
"Stop this madness, Rollo!" Y/n sternly shouted. "I'll be willing to ask the court of patience for a lighter sentence if you're willing to seize this!"
"What would you possibly hope to accomplish by yourselves?" Rollo smirked down at Y/n. "Don't you too also want a world where magic doesn't exist? Especially after what happened 50 years ago?" he revealed. Y/n flinched in surprise.
"Huh? What does he mean by that, my Rose?" Riddle asked as Malleus widen his eyes in surprise, remembering a scene from 50 years ago.
~Flashback Start~
*
50 years ago
"I said stay away!" A female voice pleaded, causing the winds to blow even harder from her emotions. "My magic...it only causes pain and fear...I-I don't want to hurt more people...! Stay away from me! Just let me die here...and I don't be a danger to anyone!"
"Try to get the Briar Valley men to safety!" The general of the Winter Knights, Isleif Frostinelle commanded.
"Lilia! Malleus!" A younger Isfrid shouts. "You should leave as well! At this rate, you'll freeze to death!" he warned.
"I can't...not when she's suffering!" Malleus choked out, ice forming all over his body from the raging magical blizzard.
"Leave....while I still can control myself!" The overblotted female cried out, seemingly fighting with her own body. "Argh!" she screamed in agony, tears rolling down her face.
"No matter what, Isfrid. We will help save Beasty." Lilia says in full determination. "I'll help with the evacuation. I need you guys to stay safe and don't get yourselves killed! We can't...allow her majesty to go through more pain of losing her loved ones!"
"Ugh...Arrrgh...." The overblotted female moaned in pain, ice spreading throughout the snowy grasslands. "Elise...sister...I'm...sorry...." she mumbled before she covered her face with her hands, magical energy appearing in her mouth making Isfrid gasp.
Suddenly his eldest brother and his mages all appear in front of the army. "Create the strongest barrier as you can!" Isdis commanded, holding onto his staff. "Mages in offense! Be sure to attack with your most powerful spells!"
"Yes sir!"
"My love..." The young Malleus mumbled as Isfrid shielded him with his wings. "Please...please quickly come back to your senses for our sake and...be willing to forgive yourself...!"
"Lone in the skies hanging high. Whispers the Moon."
"Now!" Isdis commanded as a powerful surge of frigid wings were blown at the barriers, some of them even beginning to freeze as even fairies and animals hiding far from the scene all turned to ice due to their weak and frail bodies.
"She speaks to show you your fates...Inside a fairy story..."
~Flashback End~
"How did you know..." Y/n asked, widen her eyes in shock and fear.
"How I know? It was you who told me when I was a kid," Rollo revealed, causing Y/n's eyes to widen in recognition.
"What do you know about her?!" Malleus suddenly exclaimed, feeling more pissed.
Rollo smirked seeing Malleus all riled up. "I know all that I need to know about my beloved future wife. Even her fear of using magic." he says with a slight blush, earning many looks of shock. "By all means struggle and fight. You'll curse your own impotence soon enough!"
Something then clicked, confusing the others. "Uh, what was that noise?" Ruggie asked, his ears twitched upon hearing some sort of click.
"What noise? I didn't hear anything," Epel says.
"I definitely hear something. It's a faint, mechanical-sounding...whoa!" Ruggie widen his eyes in shock. "It's getting louder!"
"Hm?" The boys looked confused.
"Allow me to invite you someplace more fitting...so you can CHANNEL your energies appropriately!" Rollo grinned.
"Ack, the floor's gone! I'm FALLIIING!" Grim screamed.
"AAAHHH!"
The others began falling but Y/n then became trapped when the firelotuces attached to her like a web. "....!" she gasped as she struggled from the grasp while she was forced to watch the others fall into darkness.
"Damn it...I can't fly from the fumes!" Isfrid cursed while trying to flap his wings.
"Y/n!" Malleus reached his hand up as he watched Rollo began her, gritting his teeth.
"I find it a shame that I have to expose you to danger," Rollo grinned, suddenly appearing behind Y/n. He grabbed her wrists and forced it behind her back, causing her to wince as she was unable to cover her nose and mouth from the fumes, growing weaker. "I hope you don't mind if I take your beloved Once Upon a Dream, Malleus Draconia!" he taunted down at him.
"Argh..." Y/n grunted in pain from the struggle.
Rollo smirked in glee. "Hmhm...Hmhmhm...Hmhm, mmhmhm, haha!" he burst out laughing as his other hand grabbed Y/n's waist, dangerously close to her breast. "AAH HAH HAH HAH! We'll finally be rid of it! And those accursed mages, with Malleus Draconia foremost among them...They'll all be finished. Enjoy your time down below. Though I think you'll find it quite...draining," he smirkedwickedly before his smile turned more calm. "At lost last...I shall finally mete out my justice and you..." he managed to free a very weak Y/n and picked her up onto her feet harshly before caressed her check, taking in her scent. "You will finally belong to me, my Savior,"
"H-How are you able...to stand...?" Y/n asked, having a noticeable sweat drop.
"Your beautiful feathers. I consumed one of your feathers that protects me from the effects of the firelotuses for a short amount of time. Useful, isn't it?" Rollo says as he puts Y/n's wrists together behind her back.
"Argh...! L-let...go..." Y/n weakly demanded, wincing a bit.
"Not a chance. You're going to have to choose my dear," Rollo smiled he held Y/n by her neck with one hand and her wrists behind her back with another. "Choose me...or else..."
"Not at all. What you're doing...is wrong." Y/n blunt shook her head. "I would rather- mmph?!"
Y/n was silenced when Rollo turned his head and forced his lips onto hers. It was passionate but desperate, as if he is pleading with her to love him as much as he does for her. Y/n held something familiar and widen her eyes when it was the same feeling as finding her soulmate. Rollo moved back, a blush on his face as he smirked darkly toward her.
"Then I'll force it from you as you watch the whole world be engulfed in flowers," Rollo says, suddenly grabbing one of Y/n's wings and...
*Crack*
"Argh...!" Y/n yelled but before she could even do anything else, Rollo harshly turned her to face him. She winced, tears forming in her eyes.
"It pains me to do this to you, my love." Rollo softly says, caressing her face. "But it must be done. I'm the only one who understands you and you're pain...I'll give you one more chance. Choose me or fall."
Y/n clenched her teeth, having a dead look in her eyes as she stared at Rollo. Her breath became more rigid as more fumes were inhaled, flowers beginning to wrap around her ankles. "...." her silence gave Rollo the answer he waited for and gritted his teeth in anger.
"Then burn...until you see that only I am only worthy of your heart." Rollo says, flames igniting underneath Y/n's feet. She let out a fearful yelp as the tips of her wings caught on fire before she felt a sudden push.
Y/n gasped when she then began to fall. She reached her hand out toward him and widen her eyes when she saw tears rolling down his face. 'Rollo...you too have been...'
Rollo watched Y/n's form disappear into the darkness before the floor began closing.
"You'll return to me soon...after being exposed to danger."
~To be Continued~