\9/
The Rose with Thorns
Clarissa paced in the Headmasters Tower as she uneasily read the story being written out. They were just boys. And she couldn't help. She couldn't scream at Lily to go and help. She couldn't yell at Cedric to go to the tree and grab the antidote. She couldn't yell at Beatrice to try and get Rose out of the Obsidian Castle. She could only watch.
Sophie stepped in, "You are always in here. Don't you have other things to do? Like teach a class? Make sure your students are behaving?"
Clarissa glared at her, "My students are good. They seldom misbehave, Sophie."
Sophie stuck out her tongue. She quickly put it back where it belonged, but only to speak, "I think Hawthorn will win. Hawthorn is the best student the School for Evil has had since me." She patted her hair, making sure it was perfect. "So what are you doing then?"
Clarissa let out a sigh, "Just watching. Only watching. It's all I can do."
"The balance is restored, Clarissa. My students have the opportunity to find their Never Afters just like your students have the chance of finding their Happily Ever Afters."
Clarissa sighed again, "I know, Sophie. You will never let me forget, I am sure, though. You haven't since Hort found his Never After."
Sophie flinched slightly. Clarissa couldn't help but feel satisfied with the reaction, though she knew she shouldn't have.
She turned back to the book opened and watched the Storian sketch a new picture of Rose wandering through the Obsidian Castle.
Rose was getting increasingly frustrated with the castle that never seemed to change. Every room he went into was the same and he had no idea where he was in the building now. He contemplated trying to break through a wall to see how that would help. But decided against it. He needed to find Raven, not escape.
Rose entered another room, though one would think he had never left the last one. Same table. Same paintings. Same chairs. He headed straight for the only other door and frowned when he entered. This room was different.
There were no furnishings. All around the room was just black stone. In the center was the faux Raven from earlier. This Raven now had a bandage wrapped around his head. Rose glared at him. He just wanted his Raven.
"Charming to see you again," the impostor said. He hoisted a mace onto his shoulder. Another reminder that this was not Raven. And a little reminder that Rose missed Raven's grace.
"Just let me have Raven."
"I am Raven."
"You are nothing more than a Raven-want-to-be," the malice in Rose's voice surprised the imposter. But he had meant it, which surprised Rose.
The imposter let out a sly smile, "How about this, if you best me, you can see Raven. Do we have a deal?"
Rose knew better than to trust a Never, but he did not want to continue wandering aimlessly through the rooms. Besides, he had been training for a fight with Professor Espada. "Deal."
Rose held his staff out and the imposter laughed, "You're going to fight with a stick?" Rose did not waver. He knew his advantages. The imposter shrugged, "suit yourself. He came at Rose with the mace swinging down where Rose's head was. Rose tapped it aside with his staff letting it smash down into the obsidian floor. Faux-Raven rolled the ball of the mace towards Rose who stepped aside easily.
Faux-Raven screamed in rage and began to just beat the mace down upon Rose repeatedly. Rose held up the staff with both hands perpendicular to the mace and blocked it continuously. Rose noticed too late as he saw Faux-Raven's finger glow and the mace and busted Rose's staff into half and Rose stumbled back to avoid the mace from hitting him.
The mace continued to torrent down upon Rose as he danced around the sharp metal. Another swing of the mace and Rose fell back as it smashed down between his knees. Rose summersaulted backwards and let his finger glow in anger and half of his staff erupted into vines and wrapped around Faux-Raven's legs. Faux-Raven sneered and cut at them with his mace as Rose grabbed the other half. Rose's finger glowed again until the green of the staff shined into a metal blade. Rose placed the sword in his right hand and launched a volley of attacks at the imposter. The imposter had to stop cutting for a moment to block Rose's offense.
Rose kept Faux-Raven busy, leaving the vines wrapped around his legs immobilizing him. Rose noticed the imposter straining against the vines, though, letting them strain and snap little by little. Rose continued to attack for Raven.
The metal of Rose's sword and the metal of Faux-Raven's mace screeched as they clashed together constantly. A snap of the vines and Faux-Raven was free. It wasn't long before the smashing of the mace left Rose on the ground again desperately blocking the blows. A glow of Faux-Raven's finger and the mace came smashing down into the ground blasting Rose back. Fortunately for Rose, the impact blasted Faux-Raven back as well, leaving the mace where it had impacted the floor leaving a crater in the obsidian. Rose picked himself up and ran for the mace. Faux-Raven did as well. Rose's finger glowed and let the remaining vines from the other half of the staff envelope the mace entirely. Faux-Raven reached the mace first, but couldn't tear through the vines. Rose held his sword to Faux-Raven's neck.
"Yield."
Faux-Raven spat, "I Yield."
"Take me to Raven."
He grinned, "I am Raven."
"Take me to the real Raven. You promised."
"Perks of being evil, aye? We break promises."
Rose let the steel of his sword kiss Faux-Raven's skin and red blood tarnished the blade.
Faux-Raven glared at Rose, "I said I yield!"
"You also said you'd take me to Raven if I won."
Faux-Raven smiled, "I said I'd let you see him. And he's right here."
"You look nothing like him. Take me to him." Rose pressed a little harder and Faux-Raven trembled slightly.
"Fine. I'll take you to him," he glared at Rose some more.
Rose lifted his sword from his neck, but kept it pointed at him.
