Wait a minute, who did this?

I certainly don't remember this being a part of the story.

Hey mom, hey dad! What's up?

It's the tale of Ever After High...someone's changed it, but I don't know who.

Really? Let me see that!

Alright, but it's...rather different from how it's supposed to go.

That's what makes it more exciting! I get to be the first narrator of a brand new tale! Ohhh, I can barely hold it in! Lemme see!

Ok, Ok, here you go, Brooke.

Thanks! Ahem.

Once upon a time...There was a book which held the destinies of all of the fairy tales in Ever After. Every generation, the fairy tales would sign their names and follow in the footsteps of those who came before, ensuring all the famous heroes and heroines had a Happily Ever After.

One day, the Evil Queen did not wish to follow in the footsteps of her own mother. With great ambition, she stole the Storybook of Legends. While her dark minions attempted to subdue Wonderland with a curse, she tried to use the book to claim the mighty kingdom of Camelot.

The battle was fierce, as the king of Camelot, King Arthur himself, wielded the mighty sword Excalibur. With its power, he managed to draw in close to the Evil Queen. With a mighty swing, the sword struck the book, breaking its bindings and sending the pages to the four winds.

Although sundered, the book retained its power. Each page condensed itself to preserve that magic. The Evil Queen was defeated, but it was not without a cost. King Arthur vanished from Camelot that day, leaving his son to rule and his grandson to begin learning his own way to his story.

A story which shall begin retelling many tales.


Ever After High - General Villainy

Raven sat down at her seat in Mr. Badwolf's General Villainy class. It wasn't her favorite class. In fact, she was not any good at villainy, despite her background. She wished she could just drop it but Headmaster Grimm had written up her schedule and since she was destined to become a villainess, he insisted that she needed to be prepared for her evil destiny.

"You don't look too well," Max Dread remarked from his seat next to her. Max was her classmate in General Villainy and Baba Yaga's Home Evil-nomics class. Unlike the rest of her classmates, she was on friendly terms with him. Out of anyone, he seemed to understand she wanted to be anything but a villain like her mother. "Legacy Day?"

"Legacy Day," Raven sighed. "The day when we must sign our destinies."

She had been called to Baba Yaga's office for some counseling, only to find Headmaster Grimm, Apple White, Briar Beauty and her best friend Maddie Hatter waiting for her. It was the headmaster's most recent attempt to persuade her to accept her destiny.

The intervention had ended with him being turned into a chicken-man. It was funny but the mirth only lasted for a bit.

"And our destinies are decided based on who our parents are," Max added. "It seemed so far away when we started the year."

"Quiet down," Came the voice of Mr. Badwolf as he entered the classroom. However, his request fell on deaf ears, causing irritation to well up in him. "I SAID BE QUIET!" He morphed into his wolf form and howled, nearly blowing everyone out of their seats. Seeing he had the students' attention, he changed back and took up a stack of papers. "Alright, class. Today we'll be going over villainous archetypes. But first, here are your pop quizzes back."

Mr. Badwolf walked down the rows of desks and handed the students their quiz papers. Raven had gotten a C- while most of her classmates had gotten A-'s, with the occasional A+. She didn't really care but she honestly didn't believe Max's goblin lackeys could've gotten anything higher than a D-. Regardless of her beliefs in destiny, it still stung to have goblins get higher grades than her.

"Good work as usual, Mr. Dread," Max was certainly Mr. Badwolf's prize pupil, as he was easily the highest average in the class, showing great potential as a villain. "And try to learn something from this class, Ms. Queen. It's like you're not even trying."

At this, Raven sighed ,"Honestly, I just wish something would happen. Something that would make them see the person I can be, want to be. I won't be the next Evil Queen, I just won't!"


Book End - Bus Stop

The bus to the Village of Book End came to a stop before the doors opened. Fairy tales of many shapes and sizes stepped out. Some came out to do a bit of tourism, as it was the place where so many famous stories got their starts. Others had business to attend to, or were students at the famous Ever After High.

One boy in particular would see his story begin there.

The boy who came off the bus seemed like a typical teenager. Many thought of him as one of the Charming families thanks to his short blonde hair and green eyes. He wore blue jeans with red sneakers, and his shirt consisted of a white t-shirt under a red scaled leather vest. He even wore a red and white letterman jacket with spaulders on the shoulders. The letters were of AH with a red dragon circled around it with a crown on the A.

His name was Arthur Pendragon III, the next in line for the throne of Camelot and the stories surrounding the line of King Arthur.

While he indeed had a serious pedigree, Arthur didn't walk with the style of such high royalty. Many Charmings, even the nice ones, did walk with a kind of confidence that being royalty could be. Most noticed it, even subconsciously, and would move out of their way or just watch them go in admiration.

Arthur, although handsome, didn't draw the eye like any royalty did. He didn't put out a glow or an aura of royalty which many would have thought would have come naturally to a member of the Pendragon family. He moved out of the way of other people who were walking on the street and said 'excuse me' when he needed to slip past someone. It was a sharp contrast to other fairy tale royalty who had the way parted for them.

Arthur was an oddity indeed. Whereas one such as him should have exuded natural charisma, the boy was something akin to a wallflower. He didn't like to stand out, and being in front of crowds gave him a severe case of stage fright. How a boy like him was to lead the kingdom of Camelot, one had no clue. But Arthur had one thing going for him, and that was determination. He was determined to brave through his flaws and come out as a man worthy of being called a king, just like his grandfather.

The reason Arthur had come to Ever After was, well, he wasn't too sure himself. His father said that Milton Grimm was declaring the time was close for his students to sign the Storybook of Legends. Hearing of this, and knowing what had happened to the book in the past, Arthur's parents had sent him to investigate. This naturally caught the boy off guard. While he did know some magic, Merlin was the master magician, not him.

'Mom and Dad must be planning something,' Arthur thought as he walked down the street. 'Mom had that gleam in her eyes when she's excited about something and Dad was ready to puff in pride like he does when I accomplish something. The question is: what exactly are they planning?'

He loved his parents, but they enjoyed using his accomplishments to boost their own image. There was nothing wrong with parents being proud of their son, but the way they went about it was embarrassing. He suspected it was some kind of complex, wanting to be just as praised as Arthur's grandfather.

Arthur checked his watch and saw that he was still rather early for his appointment. Not wishing to just wait outside of the headmaster's office, he decided to look around Book End and he could use a refreshment after his long journey. That was when his phone rang. He checked the caller ID and answered.

"Hey, Lance."

"Hey, Arthur, are you there yet?"

"Just got off the bus."

"I really wish I was there with you, buddy."

"It's just official business with the Storybook of Legends."

"I know but you'll be going to Ever After High. I'm seriously jealous. You'll get to meet all those famous fairy tale princesses."

"Is this because Apple White, daughter of Snow White, goes to Ever After?"

"Dude, she's like the fairest girl in the land. Anyway, if you do see her, don't forget to mention your best friend."

"OK, Lance. Gotta go. It was a long bus ride and I need a drink. I'll see you and the guys when I get back."

"See ya, Arthur. Bring back some good stories."

Arthur ended the call. However, his eyes were soon drawn to a flier. Curious, he picked it up.

"'The Stone Monkey Dojo. Learn moves native to the Eastern Lands. Taught by Sun Wukong himself'." This caused Arthur to raise a brow. According to his father, Sun Wukong was a famous hero of the Eastern Lands, known as "The Great Sage Equaling Heaven." Just what was he doing in Book End? As he recalled, the Eastern Land's version of Legacy Day was a few months away. Shaking his head, he put the flier in his pocket and moved on.

His wandering rewarded him as he found a Hocus Latte store. They had one back in Camelot, and it was a rather popular teenage hangout. He and his friends often frequented the place, sometimes together and sometimes separate.

Entering, Arthur patiently waited for his turn in line before he made his order. It didn't take long and he got his drink and found a spot near the window.

As Arthur sat down to enjoy his drink, he took out a red book-like device from his pocket. It had the image of a red dragon on it and was entitled 'Brave Dragon'. His grandfather had left it to him as part of his inheritance.

It had become a lucky charm for him and reading the script inside always soothed him. Though it didn't look like much, the book held unfathomable power he and a select few had been chosen to wield.

Power that would allow them to protect the world.

"AHH! EVIL QUEEN'S DAUGHTER!"

Arthur nearly did a spit take as someone suddenly screamed nearby. Spinning around and reaching into his jacket on reflex, he stopped when he saw several people dash from the shop. At the entrance, a girl was sighing sadly.

She was pale with purple hair and a matching shade of lipstick. She wore a princess-like outfit with a skirt which showed off a bit of her legs. As with any princess, her outfit showed elements of royalty and grace. Unlike most princesses though, her clothes were purple and black with bits of silver. Also she did look downtrodden by the sudden reaction of the people around her.

Arthur did not like to see a girl look so depressed. Sure, he was shy, but one couldn't just ignore someone when they were in distress.

Standing up, he saw the girl had dropped her purse after the patrons took off running, almost shoving her out of the way in the process. Seeing the raven-shaped bag, he picked it up and approached the girl.

"You dropped this," Arthur presented the bag to the girl. "I can't believe there are people so rude here in Ever After."

"Oh, thanks," the girl smiled weakly as she took her purse back. "It's not how people act in general. They just act that way around me."

Arthur blinked, "They actually treat a princess that way?"

"They do when they're the daughter of the Evil Queen," the girl admitted with a sigh.

The Evil Queen. Everyone knew who she was, especially those of Camelot. The villain was supposed to be Snow White's nemesis, but had attempted to conquer lands outside of her story, leaving Wonderland dealing with a dangerous curse which even now was threatening it, As well as her attack on Camelot, which had been stopped by his Grandfather.

If this girl was the Evil Queen's daughter, then it was no surprise people were fearful of her. Still, one of the lessons Arthur learned at his grandfather's knee was that people should be judged by their actions, not by the actions of the people around them. The Evil Queen was indeed a great villain, but so far this girl showed no sign of being a villain herself.

Arthur, rather than push her away like the girl expected, merely smiled, "Well, you're not the Evil Queen, are you? How about I buy you a drink to show not everyone judges people just because of who their parents are?"

The girl blinked, surprised by the offer, "O-oh, um...w-well...I don't want to look like I'm taking advantage of you…"

"Nonsense. As an aspiring knight, I insist on treating a princess right," Arthur shook his head.

The girl nibbled on her lip, holding her purse to her chest, "W-well, i-if you're insisting...um, what's your name?"

"It's Arthur," the heir of Camelot answered. "Can I have yours?"

"Raven," the girl smiled lightly, "Raven Queen."


Ever After High - Front Walk

Arthur couldn't help but smile lightly as he walked through the gates of the famous Ever After High. Raven proved to be very nice company. She was intelligent and rather independant, wishing to be more than her mother even if she didn't outright say it. Better yet, she didn't gush and squeal like so many did when he revealed his full name. She was immensely curious about what Camelot was like, but she kept calm even with the wonder in her voice.

Why couldn't more girls be as calm and cool as Raven was?

Arthur shook the thoughts from his mind, focusing on his appointment and destination. Coming to a stop in front of the school, he took it in. Rather than spread out like many schools did, Ever After High just went straight up. Built around a sturdy hybrid of tree and beanstalk, it was a truly magical-looking place. With the history surrounding the establishment and the number of famous stories who attended, Arthur couldn't help but feel like he was someplace special.

"So, this is Ever After High," Arthur said as he scanned the castle. "Not bad."

It was not unlike Avalon High but while his school prepared students to serve the kingdom, the students here were being prepared for a much higher calling. They were being prepared to accept their fairy tale destinies, to walk in the footsteps of their fairy tale forefathers and foremothers.

INCOMING!"

"Huh?" That was all Arthur could say before his world filled with nothing but pain as he tumbled over, his vision soon being filled with nothing but stars. After he got his bearings, he looked to see who had bumped into him.

The first thing he noticed was the monkey tail. He had wild windswept blonde hair and sideburns, which, along with his rather intense facial features, gave him a wild aura. He had on a golden circlet around his forehead, and he was wearing a yellow tang suit and yellow pants. What was most interesting was the red and gold bracers on his forearms. All in all, he looked like a warrior rather than a teenager.

"Ugh, I'm gonna feel that one in the morning." The monkey boy got up and began to dust himself off, before looking over at Arthur, fury evident in his features "Hey idiot, I told you to get out of the way!"

"Not my fault that you bumped into me with a…floating…cloud." Arthur then took notice of the small cloud that seemed to be floating just above the ground. "Wait a minute…monkey tail, flying cloud… You're related to Sun Wukong aren't you?"

At this, the monkey boy began to smirk. "Ah, so my reputation precedes me." He then proceeded to put his hands on his hips "That is right! You are looking at Mei Houwang! Son of Sun Wukong, and the next monkey king!"

Arthur just blinked as Raven sighed.

"Don't mind him. Mei just moved here and he's already made a name for himself as a practical joker and braggart." Raven then grabbed Arthur's hand and led him up to the doors "See you later Mei!"

Mei watched the two of them enter the school, his focus on Arthur especially as a grin began to etch itself onto his face

'That guy...he's hiding something. I don't know, but I'm gonna find out.'


Milton Grimm, the esteemed headmaster of Ever After High paused in his paperwork and looked at the calendar as he let his mind wander for a moment. Legacy Day was just around the corner. It was meant to be a momentous occasion. However, he heard rumors of rebellious students who wished to reject their destiny.

That could not be allowed to happen. They had to accept their destinies. The stories needed to continue so their world could survive.

Right now, he needed to be prepared for the arrival of an inspector who would check the Storybook of Legends. He would've rejected such an unnecessary thing, especially since it was an outsider, but it was a direct request from Camelot. Their kingdom also recognised the importance of the Storybook of Legends and wanted to make sure it was authentic and had not been tampered with. Especially not after what the Evil Queen was said to have done.

"Headmaster Grimm," Milton's assistant, Trollsworth, opened the door. "You have an appointment. It's Pendragon."

"Thank you, Trollsworth. Please, send him in."

Trollsworth sent Arthur inside and closed the door behind him.

"Mr. Pendragon, I've been expecting you. Welcome to Ever After High," Milton smiled. "Please take a seat."

"Thank you, Headmaster Grimm," Arthur accepted as he took a seat.

"What do you think of my school?" Milton asked, interested.

"Well, I haven't had the grand tour yet, but I like what I see so far," Arthur answered.

"Wonderful, wonderful," Milton preened, always happy to accept praise for his school.

With the pleasantries met, Arthur decided to cut to the chase, "Sir, my parents have informed you why I'm here, right?"

"Yes, to inspect the Storybook of Legends to confirm its authenticity," Milton frowned. "I told your parents that it was not necessary but they insisted."

"Well, the Storybook of Legends is important and vital," Arthur stated. He understood its importance and its power. "After the...incident with the Evil Queen and how she tried to take Camelot while everyone was focused on Wonderland, even trying to steal the book, you can understand why they would be concerned."

"You believe the book may have been tampered with," Milton frowned slightly. He didn't like the insinuation, but he could see why those in Camelot would think that.

Arthur nodded, "It's possible. This inspection won't take too long, Headmaster Grimm."

Milton pursed his lips. He didn't like this line of thought, but it wasn't unreasonable either, "Forgive me for asking, but why would your parents send you and not Merlin?"

Arthur shook his head, "No clue, but I can do the job just as well as Merlin. I've had lessons in magic so a spell to examine a magical object's authenticity should be easy enough."

Milton immediately shook his head, "Oh, that's fine. If you're thought to be so capable by your parents, then I have no arguments. Better than having Merlin running around and causing mischief and headaches for me."

"He tends to do that," Arthur agreed. "So I have your permission?"

"You do," Milton nodded. He stood up from his desk and moved to one of the portraits of his most famous students. He revealed it was on a hinge with a heavy duty safe behind it. Arthur respectfully looked away as Milton put the code in. With the sounds of several electronic locks releasing, the door opened with a hiss.

Milton removed an ornate leather bound book with a red oval in the center and gold accents. Holding it gently, Milton brought it back to the desk and set it down, "Here it is. The Storybook of Legends, the vessel of destiny for all of our stories and the way our futures will continue."

"Yes," Arthur nodded. Standing up, he retrieved a pair of white gloves and gently opened the book. He perused through the pages, seeing the tales as old as time. Snow White, Goldielocks, Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, and even his own story of King Arthur. All of it was there and written in looping script.

And all of it was to a page, absolutely fake.

Arthur's gloves were crafted by Merlin himself. After extensive study of the book, Merlin and by extension, Arthur knew the power of the book. The gloves were a sensory item which would help many identify if the book was the real deal. With the gloves not reacting, it was a sure sign that the book was an utter fake.

"Is it to your satisfaction?" Asked Milton.

Arthur looked at the headmaster. His habit for honesty pushed him to say the book was a fake, but that was a can of worms he could not open under any circumstances. The panic alone if the word got out, or what Milton might do if the insinuated his family's magnum opus was forged, was unpredictable.

"It was as we expected," Arthur nodded with a fake smile. "Thank you for your time, Headmaster Grimm. I'll report back to Camelot that the book is in fine condition."

,

"Ah, wonderful," Milton nodded, taking the book back. "By the way Mr. Pendragon, since you came all this way, would you like to at least have a complimentary tour of our grounds and facilities?"

Arthur stopped to think about the offer. Well, he was in a rather famous place. Why not get a few pictures and maybe meet the children of a few famous folks so he could share with his friends?

"That's very generous of you, Headmaster. I would enjoy that."

"Excellent!" Milton smiled before he hit his intercom, "Apple White, please report to the headmaster's office immediately."

'Lance won't let me hear the end of this,' Arthur reflected, instantly recognizing the princess' name.


?

Meanwhile, assembled inside a study together, the location unclear, were four men.

The first wore a black vest over a sleeveless t-shirt with blue jeans and combat boots. His dark blond hair was as wild as his eyes and fashioned into spikes.

His name was Zoous.

The second member of the group had neatly combed hair but wore a scowl on his face. He wore a red turtleneck with a black leather jacket and matching pants.

This was Legelei.

Their third member, sitting with a book, wore a calm yet dark expression. He wore a ribbon in his dark hair which matched his clothes, consisting of a black dress shirt and slacks.

He was called Storius.

Their fourth and final member was dressed as a dark knight in wicked armor. He sported a purple bodysuit with black siding, although the right side had a long coat-like appearance. His helmet was purple with a gray metal grille visor with red slits. Rising from the forehead was a jagged yellow horn shaped like a sword and a black wing-like ornament on the right side. His chest armor and left shoulder were bolted on, but the right shoulder was shaped like a dragon's head with the same decoration as the helmet. Around his waist was a black belt, the middle sporting an open book trinket depicting the knight's form, focusing on his right arm. On the side was a sword shaped and coloured much like his horn.

He was known by the alias 'Calibur'.

Nearby, there were two strange apparatuses on a table. Both were metal hands holding quills over a pair of thick blank books. The hands were on strings and held above the books, simply hanging in the air.

All of a sudden, the hand of the right lowered to the book and began writing lines in the blank book. The four men all took notice of the activity in the mechanism.

"It's time," Calibur said.

"I'm heading out then," Legelei said as he went to the bookshelf and activated a secret compartment. The shelf split in half, revealing a secret shelf with the same book-like devices like the one Arthur had. He took one and headed out.

"Have fun, Legelei," Storius said, his eyes never leaving his book.

"Don't forget, if he fails, I go next," Zoous reminded Storius.


Huh? Who are those guys? They're not supposed to be in this story.

We'll find out. We just have to keep reading.


Ever After High - Halls

Arthur was familiar with several princesses. Camelot had many who wished to meet him in hopes of being the next Guinevere.

He met nice ones, rather pushy ones, and generally sweet ones. Only the ignorant could really say that all princesses were the same. Arthur really did get to know the differences since so many of them were trying to get his attention in Camelot's constant social functions.

That said, Apple White was perhaps the most cheerful and energetic princess he met to date. She was certainly pretty with long golden hair and wore a fashionable princess dress of red and white. She had her mother's bright eyes and all of her good nature to go with it. There was no doubt that she was Snow White's daughter and would easily be able to take the reigns of her mother's destiny.

"I can't believe I'm meeting the next King Arthur!" Apple giggled as she and Arthur walked through the halls of Ever After High. She had been designated as Arthur's guide through the school. As the campus princess, she knew the entire school back and forth. "Well, I'm going to do everything I can to show the best Ever After High can be!"

"That sounds nice, Princess White," Arthur smiled. There was just something about Apple that just put him at ease. Her warmth and kindness made his bashfulness melt away.

"Please, call me Apple. All my friends do and I hope we can become friends," Apple insisted with a smile.

"I think I'd like that," Arthur nodded. "So, what is there to see in the famous Ever After High?"

"Oooh, there's too much to list!" Apple giggled. It was clear she loved her school and high school life. "I'll try to show you as much as I can. Let's start with our library, one of the largest places of stories and fairy tales in the land!"

(LINE BREAK)

Legelei stood on a building, overlooking Book End. He saw the activity, the peace and joy.

He despised it.

"It's time to write the story our way," Legelei spoke, looking to the book-like trinket in his hand. He opened the tattered cover, showing an image of a sinister golem with chains over the first page. Legelei then turned the chains off the picture.

[rOck kINg gOLem!]

Numerous books flew from the small trinket, stacking together in two pillars before more piled together between the two. The stack rose higher, growing broader before a smaller pillar was at the top. The entire pile then flashed, forming into a humanoid figure in front of Legelei.

The figure was humanoid, composed of metallic plates which seemed more artistic than functional, but looked intimidating all the same. His left hand seemed larger than the right, making it appear slightly misshapen. His head looked like a partially formed clay pot with a pair of stone hands on either side and a growing porcelain face on the front. The biggest splash of colour was a book-like decoration on his abdomen.

"Rewrite these old stories into a better one," Legelei ordered the golem-like creature, placing a blank, white book trinket in his oversized hand.

"As you command, Lord Legelei."


Woah! Okay, that's new!

What on earth is that?!

I don't know, the old stories never mentioned anything about monsters coming out of books.


Apple was really friendly as she showed Arthur around and he found her to be pleasant company. Despite her fame and popularity, she was not a spoiled or entitled princess who rode on the coattails of her parents. She worked hard to be the best princess she could be, exemplified by how she worked to help people in distress along the way. Even stopping traffic to let a duck and ducklings cross the street.

'Mom would love her. She always had a vision for a perfect princess,' Arthur thought to himself.

Suddenly, the mirror screen up in the hallway came on to show Blondie Locke's MirrorCast.

"This is Blondie Lockes reporting live in Book End and it's a scene of absolute chaos! A monster has appeared and is on a rampage!" The golden blonde had her cameraman look to the rampaging monster before it turned and saw them. The hands on its head launched out, eliciting a scream before the feed was cut off.

"They've started," Arthur whispered with dread before speaking out loud. "I'm sorry, Apple, but it looks like we may need to cut this tour short!"

"Huh?" Apple turned to him, but Arthur was already running for the exit.


People were fleeing in a panic as the Golem Megiddo attacked anything and everyone within his sight. He launched the hands from his head, smashing anything they were aimed at. Oddly, when the attacks hit, rather than reduce the targets to rubble, the exterior fell away to show smouldering papers, like pages from a book. Soon, burning paper fluttered everywhere as the Golem Megiddo continued his rampage.

Clenched in his hand, the white book trinket began to turn gray as its edges became tattered.

"With this, this place will be rewritten!" Golem spotted Raven as she tripped and fell while trying to flee. Perfect, her life would make the perfect sacrifice to create a new tale.

The Golem Megiddo stalked towards Raven who struggled to scramble back away from him. The monster snorted as he looked down at her.

"Daughter of the Evil Queen. We should thank your mother for helping us. Still, she too will be rewritten, starting with you!"

Nearby, a large book appeared before it opened onto the street. The pages flipped, showing the running form of Arthur which began moving as the pages flipped. The pages then flipped so fast and Arthur came out to the street in Book End. He immediately saw the Golem Megiddo menacing Raven.

"Hey, blockhead!" Arthur shouted at the monster. "Leave the girl alone!"

The monster stopped, turning to look at the new annoyance.

"Trying to be a hero, boy? You don't look like a knight or a prince!" the Golem Megiddo mocked.

"Maybe not, but I do have this," Arthur replied as he held up his book-like device.

The Megiddo stiffened at the sight of the small red book.

"A Wonder Book!?"

"Wonder Book?" Raven repeated.

Arthur opened up the Wonder Book. Inside was a red image of a dragon blowing a stream of fire. By opening the book, red energy began to flow around the edges, activating a kind of magic.

"Go, Brave Dragon!" Arthur invoked and the book flashed as he summoned a red dragon from the magical object. The dragon roared and lunged at Golem, driving him away from Raven. The Golem Megiddo cried out from the strike, rolling along the ground as his edges smouldered from the blast.

Arthur quickly ran over to her to help her up. He gently took her hand and helped her to her feet.

"Are you OK, Raven?"

Raven nodded, a little breathless from everything happening.

"Y-Yeah, thanks for saving me."

The Brave Dragon continued to breathe fire on the Golem Megiddo, driving him further back as he tried to swat at it with his heavy stone limbs. As it went to take a bite out of the Megiddo, Golem caught its jaws and flung the dragon back at Arthur and Raven.

"Look out!" Arthur cried, wrapped Raven in his arms and shielding her with his body.

The dragon exploded, seemingly killing both teens. The Golem Megiddo snorted, brushing ashes off of his limbs. He prepared to continue the mission and capture the death of the two fairy tales for his book. He expected a source of dark misery, but as the smoke cleared, his hollow eyes widened in shock. He saw a ring of fire had formed around the teenage fairy tales like a protective barrier.

"What?!" Golem gasped.

"Using fire against me is a big mistake,"Arthur retorted. He gently untangled Raven's arms from his torso and stepped forward to stare down the Megiddo. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a sheathed blade. The scabbard was black with three shelf-like slots on it and the sword had a red crossguard.

"A sacred sword!" Golem identified, apprehension in his voice.

"Looks like you know what this is, Megiddo," Arthur said as he put the scabbard on his waist, causing a belt to appear and strap it on.

[Sacred SworDriver!]

"This is my sword and I'll use it to decide the ending!"

[Brave Dragon!]

He opened his Wonder Book again and this time it spoke.

[Once Upon a Time, there existed a dragon who had the power to crush all evil...]

Closing it, he inserted the Wonder Book into the SworDriver's right-hand shelf slot and drew out the sword sheathed in the belt. The book mounted on the belt flipped open, revealing an image of an armoured figure and his right arm covered in red armor styled after a dragon.

[Unsheathe the Flame!]

"Kamen Rider!"

Arthur slashed the air, sending out a flaming X that shot out in front of him as the red dragon merged with him.

[Brave Dragon! Pyro: Volume One! Beware the dragon's furious flames! ]

The young man was now clad in a suit of red, white and black armor. The armor on his right side had a dragon head as a pauldron and a crimson fabric hanging from his belt like a coat. The armor on his left side was black with red trim with a simpler design. Both sides were divided by a wide white stripe going down the middle.

His helmet was in the same three colors with a blade-shaped horn and a yellow visor divided by a flaming X.

The armoured Arthur brandished his sword and took a stance, pointing the blade at the monster. Arhur was now the Red Knight of Fire who wielded the Sacred Sword of Flames Pyro.

"The swordsman of raging flames! Saber!"

"You...You're one of the Swords of Avalon!" Golem identified, his voice growing more serious than the arrogant brute it was before.

"That's right and with this sword I'll write your end!" Saber threatened.

The Golem Megiddo snorted, clenching the tattered book in his hand.

"Then come at me, boy! Your defeat will make an excellent chapter!"

Taking the challenge, Saber charged and swung Pyro at Golem who blocked the strike by crossing his forearms. Grinning, the Megiddo sent Saber skidding back with a shove before throwing its hand-like projectiles at Saber. The swordsman avoided the hands as they tried to grab him before he managed to shatter them with Pyro.

Not giving his opponent a chance to launch another attack, Saber went on the offensive once more. He delivered a series of slashes, his blade cutting into his opponent's body. Golem tried to fight back but found himself no match for his opponent's skill.

Saber sidestepped a bone-shattered punch before he slashed Golem across the torso. This time, the Megiddo had an opening and sent Saber flying with an uppercut. The swordsman cried out as he saw sent tumbling through the air but then he felt himself being cushioned by a cloud of purple magic.

Saber blinked and looked to where the cloud was coming from, surprised to see it being generated by Raven. Her hands were glowing, creating a stream of cloud which created the cushion Saber landed on.

"Thanks!" Saber nodded, hopping off the cloud.

"Anytime!" Raven nodded. "Cream that thing!"

"That's the plan!" Saber nodded, charging back into the fray.

He came at the monster, slashing at Golem with his blade. The Golem Megiddo was large and strong, but he was slow and bulky. Saber was able to dance around the strikes, being faster and more agile.

"HIYAH!" Saber roared, slashing down hard and knocking the Golem Megiddo back. With some breathing space, Saber moved his sword to his other hand and tapped his Wonder Book.

[Brave Dragon!]

"Dragon Wonder!"

Saber charged towards the Megiddo, his arm igniting with orange magical fire before he threw a flaming punch which sent a huge fireball at Golem. The attack connected and exploded violently, almost like a bomb, sending Golem tumbling.

Now, now he was godmother darned furious.

Getting to his feet, the Golem Megiddo roared, creating a gold aura around himself . Waves pulsed from it, causing the stone debris from the damaged buildings to react. All of it was pulled towards Golem, connecting with his body and being absorbed. For each piece he took, the monster grew larger. Soon, it was a match for the local giant as it stared down at the diminutive Saber.

"Uh-oh," Saber gulped as Golem now dwarfed him.

"THE BIGGER, THE BADDER!" Golem boasted.

"Well, the bigger they are, the harder they fall!" Saber countered.

Golem went to grab Saber who scrambled away to avoid his grasp. The Megiddo then started to stomp the ground, trying to crush him. Golem was too big to defeat normally but Saber had a plan.

"Come get me, you big blockhead!" Saber taunted. Golem brought his fist down and hit the ground. Once Saber had his bridge, he leaped onto Golem's hand and quickly ran up his arm to reach his face. He then jumped up and hit Golem with a flaming slash across the face, causing him to recoil.

Saber landed on his feet, landing on the rooftop of one of the nearby buildings. His sword was still effective, thankfully, but he was going to need to pump in some serious power if he was going to be able to finish the Megiddo off before it wrote the Bad Ending. Fortunately, the red swordsman had just the thing.

"It's time to cut you down to size!" Saber sheathed Pyro back into his SworDriver and squeezed the trigger.

[Finishing Style!]

He drew his sword again, igniting the blade.

[Unsheathe the Flame! Brave Dragon! Final Slash: Volume 1! Fire!]

Holding the blade for a ready attack, Saber jumped from the rooftop, launching himself at the rising Golem Megiddo

"Dragon Flame Cross Slash!"

Flames surrounded Saber and Pyro as he launched himself at the Megiddo to deliver a horizontal slash across its midsection, leaving a burning gash. Spinning around, he launched himself at the Megiddo a second time, rising up and slashing vertically as the Brave Dragon overlapped him.

Gravity took hold again, but the Megiddo was now finished, almost quartered by flaming sword strikes. Golem struggled to keep himself together, but the dark fairy tale power which gave it life was failing.

Saber turned his back to the Megiddo, sheathing his sword.

"This is The End for you!" Saber declared as the blade was sheathed with a click. The Megiddo howled as he exploded, rubble falling as it vanished into gold dust.

Saber sighed as he approached the site where the Megiddo was destroyed. Ignoring the flames as they died down, he bent over and picked up the book trinket the monster held. It was partially gray with frayed edges. Taking it in hand, Saber held it tightly, his hands glowing red.

"Let's rewrite this Bad Ending," Saber said. Around him, all the damage the Golem Megiddo had done began to fade. The burning pages mended and came back together, solidifying into what they used to be. In his hands, the corrupted book healed and became a blank white book once again. Once the corruption from the book was gone, so was all the damage the Megiddo had done.

"Thank goodness," Saber nodded, tucking the now white book away again. "Now, how to deal with the rest of this mess?"

The damage had been undone but the memories of the incident would remain. A Megiddo had appeared brazenly in the middle of Book End. There was no way to hide that and everyone saw the damage it caused, even if it was repaired.

"Excuse me! Excuse me!"

Saber saw a blonde and a kid in glasses running up to him, the latter holding a MirrorPad.

Saber did not want to deal with the press so he decided it was best to retreat and find a place where he could change back without being seen. He stabbed the ground, raising a wall of fire which stopped both Blondie and Humphrey in their tracks. When the flaming wall died, Saber was nowhere to be seen.

"At least we've got some footage of him transforming," Blondie groaned. Yes, she could still make the report, but it wouldn't feel 'just right'.

"Um, yeah," Humphrey sweatdropped as he checked the recording. "Not exactly."

Blondie felt her heart sink, "What is it, Humphrey?"

"I kinda dropped the MirrorPad," Humphrey showed the cracked screen. "I think I did it when that monster fired those hands at us."

Blondie simply let off a whine, "Do we at least know what he looks like under his mask?"

Humphrey tried to work with the MirrorPad, but his shoulders drooped, "Sorry, Blondie."

Blondie let off the poutiest pout, "This is anything but 'just right'."

Unbeknownst to everyone, however, up in the sky, on his nimbus, was the smirking face of Mei Houwang.

"Well, well, well, it would appear I was right." At this, the monkey boy laughed, "Interesting! You truly are an entertaining one, Saber! I look forward to whatever you decide to do next!"

In Mei's hand was a red Wonder Book which depicted Sun Wukong riding the nimbus cloud. It was entitled 'Journey to the West'.


Back in the Megiddo's base, the mechanical scribe stopped writing as soon as the Golem Megiddo was defeated.

"That's disappointing. He didn't even finish one page," Storius remarked. Legelei scowled at his comrade for the believed sleight.

"It's fine. So long as we have books, we can pick up where we left off." Calibur spoke, as he stared intently at Saber in the viewing mirror.


Milton felt the stress of the sudden emergency, or rather the paperwork which came afterwards. Somehow the monster had come out of nowhere and went on a destructive rampage. That alone made Milton feel somewhat faint, the homes of so many fairy tales being destroyed, but worse, it was like they were unravelling, turning into burning book pages. What kind of creature could do such a thing?!

Fortunately, a red knight came out of nowhere and fought the creature. He managed to not only destroy it but used some kind of magic to repair all of the damage. Still, the identity of the knight was unknown and the only source of possible information was damaged when Blondie Lockes and Humphrey Dumpty were attacked by the beast. Milton was irked that the identity of the knight was lost, but at least two of his students weren't hurt.

"Finally," Milton sighed, sliding the last of the paperwork to the finished pile. Collecting a cup of tea, he managed to soothe his nerves slightly. After that moment, he pulled his next document and for once found a pleasant surprise.

"A transfer request for...Arthur Pendragon?" Milton read, a growing smile on his lips. "Ah, Apple White must have made a good impression then. Splendid."