Book 1G: The Rose-Red Tyrant:
Alicer looked around him once more, finding the blonde girl on trial and scolding the queen on her throne. "And as for you, Your Majesty... Your Majesty indeed! Why you're not a queen, you're just a fat, pompous, bed-tempered old ty... tyrant..." the girl said. The queen was not listening though, and Yuu was against calling the queen fat. That wasn't necessary to the argument, even if the girl did make a good point with the rest of it.
"Mm hmm. What were you saying, my dear?" The queen asked. Then a cat that reminded Yuu of Che'nya appeared on the queen's head.
"Well, she simply said you're a fat, pompous, bed-tempered, old tyrant!" The cat began to laugh hysterically, and Yuu shook his head.
'That cat is such an enabler...' Yuu thought as the queen turned bright red in her anger.
"Off with her head!" The woman snarled. And card soldiers appeared and went after the small girl.
"You heard what Her Majesty said! Off with her head!" One of them cried. Cards blocked Yuu's vision before darkness reigned.
"If only someone had stopped her before it came to this." Yuu muttered, his heart heavy at what he had witnessed.
Before he woke up in his room to be greeted by Grim who was already awake. "Hey Yuu, you're already awake." Grim said.
"I certainly wasn't expecting you to be awake this early Grim." Yuu replied with a cheeky grin, before Ace entered his room.
"Today's the big duel! Let's DO this thing." Ace said with a determined frown. Yuu nodded and got up, shooing them out so he could get dressed and then they all made their way towards the Rose Maze where the duel was taking place. And the students were already talking.
"Did you hear? They say someone's challenged Housewarden Rosehearts to a duel!" One of the boys were saying.
"Riddle Rosehearts? Seriously?! Who ever it is has gotta be out of his mind. Riddle will have his head off in five seconds flat." another one replied.
"Still, it's the first challenge since Rosehearts took power. I'm pumped."
"You're saying Ace and Deuce are challenging Riddle for the Housewarden's seat?" Cater asked Trey in a choked off voice. "Please tell me you're kidding."
"I tried to stop to stop them..." Trey said, shaking his head.
"Of all the stupid... I hope this doesn't make things worse." Cater sighed, rubbing the back of his head.
"You and me both." Trey said as Crowley appeared, Alicer and Grim stayed on the side lines by Deuce and Ace's sides.
"We are about to commence two challenges for the Housewarden position of Heartslabyul House." Crowley informed the crowd that had formed. "The first challenger is Ace Trappola. The second is Deuce Spade. The current Housewarden they have challenged is Riddle Rosehearts." he nodded to both sides as the three called stepped forwards. "Now, in accordance with the duel rules, please remove the magic sealing collars as they would provide an unfair disadvantage." Crowley asked Riddle who did as told.
"Ah! Finally the dumb collar is off!" Ace let out a relieved shout.
"Enjoy your moment of freedom." Riddle said with a look of arrogance. "The collar will be back on soon enough." And Alicer believed it. He didn't think that the duo could beat Riddle, since the boy was a prodigy. But he would still stand by them. "I could hardly believe it when I heard you two intended to duel me. Is this a joke?" Riddle asked them.
"Do I look like I'm joking." Ace asked.
"I'd never purpose a duel as a joke." Deuce added.
"Humph. Have it your way. Let us get this over with." Riddle said.
"Uh, Riddle, what do you want to do about today's afternoon tea?" Cater asked.
"A foolish question." Riddle said. "You know that the rules stipulate that I take my tea at 4PM sharp."
"It's just that it's already past 3:30..." Cater trailed off.
"And you fear that I will be late?" Riddle asked, sounding a little offended. "All the more reason to end this promptly. It appears I have little time to waste." Riddle said primly. "Rather than facing my opponents in succession, I will take both on at once." Riddle told them.
"You can do it Housewarden." One of the students said.
"Knock em dead sir." another called. Alicer sighed sadly at the tremble in their voices. Trey said nothing, able to hear it too and conflicted about it.
"Cowards." Deuce sighed.
"I've got a bad feeling about this." Grim said, and Alicer couldn't agree more.
"At least we've got a plan." Ace said.
"Headmage please give us the signal." Riddle said, feeling impatient.
"When the mirror I've thrown shatters upon the ground, that is your signal to begin." Crowley informed them, holding up a medium sized hand mirror. "Ready... Go!" he called as the sound of shattering glass resonated in the area. The fight didn't last five seconds.
"Off With Your Heads!" Riddle cried, and sure enough, Ace and Deuce were in collars once again.
"Not again. I didn't even have time to finish my spell." Ace cried.
"He shut us down like it was nothing..." Deuce added. Alicer gave his friends a sad smile, knowing they were in shock. Even he was surprised by the speed.
"That was fast." He commented.
"Visualization is the key to spell casting." Crowley informed his newest Prefect, but making sure the other students heard it as well. "The better you are at accurately visualizing your magic's effects, the stronger and more precise it will be. It appears Mr. Rosehearts has finely honed his magic." Despite the situation, Crowley was still proud of his students.
"They didn't stand a chance." Grim said.
"You didn't even last five seconds." Riddle said with a pleased smile. "That was all you had, and you still thought to challenge me? You must be utterly humiliated. I guess my mother was right. A man who cannot follow rules is a man who cannot achieve anything."
"Tch... We agree that rules should be followed. But forcing others to follow nonsensical rules like the ones you've enacted is tyranny." Deuce growled.
"Then you agree that breaking rules is wrong. And in this dorm, I AM the rules." Riddle replied hotly. "Therefore those who cannot abide by my decisions deserve not the heads they use to complain." Riddle said.
"But that's not right either!" Alicer finally shouted. "Some of the rules that get broken are rules that harm no one when they're not followed! If it harmed people, it'd be different. What you're doing is taking their freedom away just like what was done to you!" He replied.
Riddle glared at the non-magical prefect. "I am the one who decides what's right and wrong! What sort of pitiful education have you received that you cannot follow such simple rules?" Riddle's hand was placed on his hip as he continued to give the small boy a condescending look. "Clearly, you were born to parents with no great magical capacity. And as a result... You lack even the basic education necessary to attend a school such as this. It's quite sad." Riddle mocked.
The non-magical boy winced, still not remembering his family, before looking on in surprise when Deuce got angry on his behalf.
"You little..." Deuce smacked a fist into his palm.
"You shut your spoiled little mouth!" Ace shouted, startling all of them when he stepped forward and rammed a fist across the older boy's face. Riddle stumbled back in shock as everyone reacted.
"W-What?" Riddle looked shocked that someone had punched him.
"Ace?" Alicer asked his friend who merely glared at the red head in front of them breathing heavily.
"He had no right to talk to you like that." Ace snarled, eyes not leaving the older boy.
"Riddle?" Trey and Cater cried in alarm.
"Mr. Rosehearts?" Crowley asked, also concerned but making no moves to approach them. After all, Riddle had taken things against Alicer too far.
"Whoa! He just punched the Housewarden...!" Those who were watching shouted in shock and awe.
"Bam! Right across the face!" Grim said with a smirk. 'No one speaks to my henchman in such a way.' he thought.
"A-Ace?" Deuce asked just as confused.
"That's all I can take. Forget Riddle. Forget the duel. I'm done."
"That hurt! You punched me?" Riddle was still in shock.
"Kids aren't trophies for their parents to flaunt!" Ace growled. "And the accomplishments of a child aren't determined by the worth of their parents. It's not your parents' fault you became a tyrant- or any one else's. You've been here a year and haven't even made a friend who will tell you when you're outta line. And that's on you."
"What are you even talking about?
"Yeah, maybe you had some rigid upbringing from a relentless helicopter -mom. Is that all you are? An extension of her? Can't you think for yourself? You call yourself the 'red sovereign'? You're just a baby who's good at magic."
"Baby...? Did you just call me a baby?" Riddle growled. "You don't know anything about me! You don't know anything about anything!" He snarled.
"Nope, sure don't. And I don't need to. Your attitude tells me all I need to know- you're nothing but a spoiled brat!"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Riddle shouted. "My mother was right! And that means that I'm right too!" He cried.
"Riddle calm down." Trey told the boy. "The duel is already over."
"Mr. Clover is right. The challenger has been disqualified due to physical violence. If you do not cease your conflict now, I'll have you written up for breaking school rules." Crowley told the boy.
"Ace is right though! I've had enough of Riddle!" a student suddenly shouted. And then an egg was sent flying and hitting Riddle.
"Who did that? Who threw that egg?" Riddle snarled. No one said anything. Refusing to give the perpetrator away. Riddle began to laugh before he began to shout at them angrily. "You say YOU'RE fed up? I'M the one who's fed up with all of YOU! No matter how strict I am, no matter how many heads I remove, you keep breaking the rules! All any of you care about is doing what you want to do! If the guilty party won't come forward, then I'll pass judgment on all of you! Clearly none of you value your heads! Off With Your Heads!" He growled.
"Let's get out of here!" Several now collared students shouted as Riddle began to laugh.
"How do you like that, hm? Now no one can do a thing to me! Do you see now? My strict adherence to the rules was clearly the correct path!" Riddle said smugly. Alicer was getting sick to his stomach. The negativity in the air was building and the wrongness in the area was becoming suffocating.
"Cease this improper behavior now, Mr. Rosehearts. I expect better from you!" Crowley ordered. 'If this keeps up, all of the students will be in danger. Especially Mr. Rosehearts.'
"Trey, if he keeps using his spell... This could turn ugly real fast." Cater told Trey.
"Riddle stop this!" Trey shouted.
"Wow, way to totally prove me wrong here, pal!" Ace retorted. "I call you a baby, and you immediately throw a temper tantrum!"
"Retract your comment immediately, or I shall skewer you where you stand!" Riddle ordered.
"No way, I ain't retracting squat." Riddle turned red.
"Dude, this is bad! You've G-2-G, now!" Cater called in alarm as magic tore up the garden and a dark aura permeated the area.
"The rose trees! They're floating!" Grim called in alarm.
"This is some serious magic." Deuce said, startled.
"Mighty roses, tear this brute to pieces." Riddle cried.
"Cease and desist at once!" Crowley called, but it was already too late. Alicer saw where the first attack was going and ran at Ace, tackling him away from the first attack. Just as playing cards filled the air.
"We're still alive? And what's with these playing cards?" Ace asked, before turning on the small boy. "Ali, you imbecile! How dare you put yourself in danger like that!" Ace growled.
"All the rose trees turned into cards?" Deuce asked.
"Riddle stop this right now!" Trey shouted.
"Wait, is that Trey's 'Paint the Roses'? But how?" Cater asked.
"All the magic sealing collars are gone!" Grim shouted in joy.
"What did I tell you? My magic can overwrite characteristics for a short time." Trey replied. "So I used it to make 'Riddle's Magic' into 'my magic'."
"You can do that? That's some kinda loophole!" Cater said.
"N-NO! Off With Their Heads! I SAID, Off With Their Heads!" Riddle shouted.
"Riddle, stop. Can't you see how you look right now?"
"He... He was really going to do it!" A student shouted in alarm.
"He is completely out of control." another said, as fear spiked up. Alicer grimaced, this atmosphere was becoming thick.
"He's like some kind of monster."
"What? Was my magic overwritten by yours? Does that mean your signature spell is stronger than mine?" Riddle demanded.
"Of course it doesn't." Trey said. "Riddle, take a deep breath and listen to us." Trey attempted to get Riddle to calm down.
"Are YOU going to tell me that I'm wrong too? After all I've done to protect the rule of law?!" Riddle shouted, sounding a little betrayed by it. "Do you know how much I've suffered for this?! I... I refuse to believe this!"
"Cease immediately, Mr. Rosehearts!" Crowley ordered. "Any further attempt to use magic will leave your magestone completely tainted by blot!" Crowley ordered the boy.
'That sounds really bad!' Alicer thought with alarm as the dark aura continued to build up more.
"But... I'm right! I'M the one who's right! There is NO! POSSIBLE! ALTERNATIVE!" Riddle shouted.
"Riddle, stop!" Trey cried. But it was too late. Alicer stumbled and fell to the ground, as a dark aura flooded the area and the entire area was charged with negativity and tainted magic. His stomach rolled and his head pounded painfully. Riddle changed before their eyes. A black aura manifested and Riddle wasn't Riddle any longer. He laughed at the horrified looks being sent his way.
"You are fools to defy me! You are not welcome in my world." Riddle told them as a large something manifested behind him. One that resembled the Queen of Hearts with a glass jar as a head and a black inky substance leaking from it. "In my world, I am the law. I am order made manifest! The only response I will accept from you is 'Yes, Housewarden Riddle.' All who defy me will lose their heads!" he shouted, laughing manically.
"Dear me, what have I done? I've allowed a student to overblot in my presence!" Crowley cried in shame.
"Overblot? What does that mean?" Grim asked in shock, fearful of Riddle's transformation. Crowley scowled, not at Grim, but the situation. He glanced around, and frowned seeing his charge kneeling on the ground, looking sick and in pain. He rushed over to the boy but he didn't react to Crowley's presence, too overwhelmed by what was happening around them.
'Alicer, what is happening with you?' he wondered before explaining the situation to the freshmen who were listening in. "Overblot is a dangerous condition that mages must avoid at all costs. At the moment, he is overcome by negative energy, and has lost control of his magic and emotions." Crowley explained, helping the small boy to stand, who was still swaying. 'I have to get the students out of here.' Crowley thought.
"Okay, sure... but what does that mean?" Grim asked the man.
"Please explain." Deuce pleaded, also confused.
"To put it in layman's terms, he's in evil berserker mode." Cater told them.
"If he keeps releasing magical energy, we could be looking at a loss of life here- his included." Trey said.
"What!?" Grim shouted. He was ignored as Alicer's eyes widened in horror and shock.
"The well-being of my students is my top priority." Crowley said. "Therefore, I must evacuate them immediately. As for Mr. Rosehearts, we must restore his consciousness before his magical energy runs dry. For as bad as losing him would be, there are scenarios that are far worse..." He looked at the five magical students before him, Trey and Cater keeping an eye on Riddle who was laughing manically. "Listen well: I need all of you to seek help from the other Housewardens and members of the faculty." Crowley told them, only to be startled by Ace's battle cry as he attacked Riddle with his magic.
"HUH?!" Trey, Cater, and Crowley cried in alarm.
"I summon thee, Cauldron!" Deuce cried, joining his fellow freshman in his fight. Followed by Grim's own attack. He still hadn't forgiven the arrogant boy for his treatment of Alicer earlier.
"What do you fools think you're doing?" Riddle asked.
"Hello? 911? We've got an idiot emergency." Cater cried.
"You did hear that part about how real bad things were happening with him, right?" Grim asked.
"That's why we need to stop him now." Deuce added. "I don't want that on my conscience." He added determinedly.
"And I'm not giving up until I hear him say 'I was wrong and I'm sorry.'" Ace added furiously. Alicer took deep breaths as he stood without support. His head still pounded painfully. His stomach still roiled. And he was still overwhelmed by the overflow of negative emotions and tainted magic around him. But they needed him to be strong right now. And feeling the determination, despite their fear, added to his own.
Trey sighed. "All right, let's do this. I can overwrite his magic for a little longer. In the meantime, do what you can." He told Ace and Deuce. Then he looked at Crowley. "Headmage, please evacuate Ali and the other students." Trey requested.
"No, I'm staying." Alicer said firmly. They looked at him in alarm.
"Absolutely not! You don't have magic!" Crowley said.
"I'm not leaving my friends on their own." Alicer looked Crowley in the eyes. "And I'm not leaving Riddle when he's in so much pain!" Eyes all around them widened at the determination in his voice, and they realized there was no forcing the boy away.
"This is dangerous." Crowley insisted.
"Are you S-R-S, Trey? You can't beat Riddle." Cater said.
Ace turned his eyes on Cater. "So what, you're not even gonna fight unless you KNOW you can win?"
"Yeah, he's right. That's weak." Grim agreed in disapproval.
"This is the only way we can think of to snap him out of this!" Deuce agreed.
"Yeah... I don't want to loose him." Trey agreed. "They're too many things I've left unsaid."
"If we work together, we can stop him." Alicer said with such confidence, the others felt their own confidence raise.
"Ugh, I do NOT like or subscribe to this, but fine." Even Cater was willing to go through with this.
Crowley gritted his teeth. "Very well, you stubborn children." He finally gave in. "I'll be back as soon as I've gotten the students to safety. Stand firm until then. And please, be careful." He told them before he disappeared to do that.
"Such defiance, from every last one of you!" Riddle raged. "I shall take all of your heads!"
"Riddle's body can't take much more of this. We need to stop him before it's too late!" Trey said. And the fight began.
"Paint the Roses." Trey called, replacing Riddle's spell once more.
"Confound it all Trey! You dare defy me too?" Riddle raged.
"We have his collaring magic locked down!" Trey called back to the others, Cater by his side.
"But not for long, we're in a tight spot here still!" Cater informed them.
"So get this done quickly." Trey said. And the fight began. Cater and Trey kept their eyes on Riddle, doing their best to keep him from the freshmen. Alicer kept his eyes on the fight from the side of the battle. His friends all had very good instincts. But Riddle sometimes sent unexpected attacks their ways that Alicer called out for them to dodge. This lasted several minutes, when there was a lull.
"Shouldn't he be outta magic by now?" Ace asked. Alicer shook his head. There was still so much magic in Riddle, but it was dwindling fast.
"I'm absolutely positively right. I have to be, otherwise what was all of it for!?" Riddle cried.
"Riddle..." Trey muttered in despair. Alicer gave a sad look at the boy.
"Trey focus!" Cater told him. "Any distraction now gives him an advantage!" Cater snapped.
"Sorry." Trey said, refocusing. Alicer called out for them to dodge when a wide attack was sent at all of them.
"Gah!" Trey groaned, restrengthening his own magic.
"Trey."
"I'm fine."
"Ace dodge to the left!" Alicer called out in alarm, feeling the buildup of energy sent Ace's way. Ace barely dodged the blast of fire sent his way. Riddle gave a growl and in his fury sent a wave of thorns at his opponents guide, who was on the side. Eyes widened.
"Ali move!" They shouted in alarm. He tried, but he was still off kilter from the overwhelming negative and tainted energy. The thorn branches crashed into him, sending him falling to the ground out of breath. "ALI!?"
He looked up and his eyes widened. "Cater to the left!" he shouted out the warning. Cater dodged, and sent a counter attack at the younger boy. Alicer stood back up, ignoring the deep cuts and scratches that now littered his arms and torso. He flinched at the enraged cry that came from Riddle. "Guys all at once with a water spell!" he shouted as he felt a burning energy build up, stronger than all the others.
Riddle fell to the ground and gave an enraged cry. "I can't be wrong!" He shouted angrily. Alicer's eyes widened at the tears leaving the boys eyes as a thorn wall began to form around him.
"Riddle!" Trey shouted desperately trying to get through to the boy.
'We can't lose him! Not when we're this close!' Alicer shouted in his mind. Then, as the wall began to close, Alicer felt a sharp stab of pain in his chest not his own and his eyes widened. 'This is what Riddle's feeling right now?' he wondered, looking at the distraught and possessed boy. The one who was almost separated from them by his thorns. Alicer's gaze became determined as he stood and ran towards the boy.
"Ali? No!" Ace cried, but they were too late to stop the boy who pushed through the thorn wall and rushed at Riddle.
"Riddle snap out of it!" He cried as the thorns closed around the two of them just as he closed his arms around the boy's waist and dragged them both to the ground and then into darkness.