Chapter 53
"Vil, Oh fair Vil please wake up." Rook cried out.
Odette got up and went to Rook and Vil. Rook had Vil's head in his lap. Odette sat the same way and reached for Vil's head. "He'll come around soon." Odette whispered.
The other began to form a circle around Vil as began to come around. "Ugh, how am I?" He asked as his eyes fluttered open.
"Vil, oh thank the sevens the light is back in your eyes." Rook smiled down at Vil.
"What a relief, Vil I was so worried." Kalim sniffled beside Odette.
"Why are you the one crying Kalim?" Jamil sighed.
"Phew, I was afraid I'd hit you in the wrong place." Deuce sighed.
"I'm sorry, you had to see that undignified display. Only 3rd rate people throw temper tantrums and take their problems out on others. My conduct was the most unbecoming of all." Vil apologized as he looked at everyone.
"Ya right about that I thought you said people grow outta temper tantrums by the time they're three." Epel reminded him.
"Is now really the time to bring that up?" Odette asked shaking her head. 'What is it with people in this and being the first to say something inappropriate?' She wondered as she thought back to Floyd and Azul's over blot.
"Yes, you're absolutely right Epel. I'm no longer fit to be your leader." Vil sighed.
"It would not do to flatter yourself Roi Du Posion, as you see none of us are lying prone, just you." Rook pointed out.
"What?!" Vil exclaimed as he slowly sat up and look at everyone again.
"Rook's right. You haven't actually hurt anyone. You haven't stepped over the brink yet, Vil" Kalim reassured him.
"Listen, Neige LeBlanche is out there right now dancing happily with his 7 dwarfs friends." Jamil said as they all listened to the cheers outside the coliseum.
"After the way you ran us through the wringer training us to get here there's no way we're letting you pull out because of a few bruises." Ace grinned.
"It's a stretch but let's just say we got a little overly worked up in our practice and got into a team brawl." Jamil muttered.
"All of you. You just want to pretend none of this happened?" Vil asked.
"Now I never said that. All I'm saying is that we can hold off on explaining this to the faculty until after the competition." Jamil stated.
"Jamil you are truly wicked. Ugh" Vil began to chuckled then winced in pain.
"Vil!" Rook gasped.
"Oh stop I just stumbled a bit. Spare me your plaintive cries." Vil said as he slowly tried to get to his feet.
"Your injuries are no small matter. Please you mustn't strain yourself here lean on me." Rook pointed out as he helped Vil to his feet and let Vil lean on him.
"Oh, by the way, Deuce what was up with that blast of magic you hit Vil with at the end?" Ace asked turning to Deuce beside him.
"That was one seriously powerful shot. When did you learn to pull off a spell like that Deuce?" Grim asked from Odette's shoulder.
"I wasn't the one who made it so strong Vil was." Deuce said.
"How so?" Kalim asked tilting his head to the side confused.
"That spell stores up all the damage I take from someone then hit back with it all at once. So it was only potent because Vil hit me with really potent magic to start with." Deuce explained looking very serious.
"What kinda spell is that? So it's just a way to get payback for when you get into fights." Ace asked looking skeptical.
"Don't make it sound so violent. The first time I pulled it off was when I took Epel to the beach and a gang attacked us. All I was doing was taking hits at the time through. It kinda just of slipped out." Deuce explained.
"You should really know better than to use magic against the towns people that can get you suspended." Jamil sighed.
"Erek sorry. Anyway I kept trying to do it again afterward and it just wouldn't work. It only clocked for me when Vil was giving us a serious pounding." Deuce said.
"You see that hard head of yours. That's your signature trait." Kalim laughed.
"Signature? Oh wait! You mean that's my signature spell?" Deuce exclaimed.
"Deuce that's great! You didn't realize it?" Odette said as she gave him a quick hug then pulled away to look at him confused.
"No, I was so desperate, I barely remember what I did. Did I recite a spell? Gha! I can't remember at all. Tell me what it is later Odette." Deuce sputtered as he blushed.
"Marvelous! Merveilleux! You have broken out of your shell in a spectacular fashion Deuce Spade. Behold Vil is awestruck and weak kneed from the sheer splendor of your blow." Rook sang out.
"No, I'm just beaten up head to toe. Credit where it's due though that last blow of yours struck soundly. Nicely done Deuce." Vil smiled at him.
"Thank you sir." Deuce grinned back.
"So wait if you hadn't succeeded at pulling that spell off once what possessed you to yell everyone get down? With so much confidence? It's all well and good that the spell worked but what would you have done if it hadn't?" Jamil asked.
"Psh, don't sweat it Jamil. It worked and in the end isn't that what matters?" Kalim pointed out.
"Good grief. I will never understand the way you impulsive types think." Jamil stated.
"Not everyone is as forward thinking as you Jamil. Let's just be thankful it did work." Odette reminded him.
"Deuce mastered a signature spell before me? Are you serious?" Ace whined.
"Yeah, I was never expecting Deuce of all people to beat me to the punch at something." Grim said as he floated over to Ace.
"You're both being rude." Odette reprimanded them.
"Sounds like we've got some catching up to do. Epel laughed.
"The question now is what do we do about the stage? It's a complete wreck. We're fortunate that Vil's poison mist is covering the whole coliseum. It's means we're only witness to the scene. In that sense it's actually a good thing for us Vil's signature spell lasts so long. I'd prefer to fix the venue up, dispel the curse and get out of here but,..It's not feasible for us to fix everything up the way it was with what power we have left. Every scenario I run through my head hits the same brick wall. I'm not sure there's any getting out of this mess." Jamil sighed as they looked around at the damage surrounding them.
"He's right." Grim groaned.
"Oh no Does this mean SDC is canceled?" Epel asked.
"Well well what have we here?" A voice said as a tall figure made his way to the group.
Everyone gasped only Vil managed to say anything. "You're,…."
"I thought I'd arrive a bit early and what do I find but a stage laid to waste." Malleus said as he looked around at the destruction.
"Tsunotaro? There's still 2 hours until SDC opens up." Odette informed him as she walked towards him.
"Tsunotaro!?" Everyone behind her gasped.
"Oh hey so you're that Tsunotaro guy who wanders around the Ramshackle dorm garden late at night. I heard about you from Odette. You really do have horns growing outta your head." Grim began but Deuce quickly covered his mouth.
"Grim are you nuts? Y-you can't just talk to an upperclassman that way." Deuce warned.
"Odette! You're really calling THIS guy Tsunotaro!? Do you have a death wish?" Ace exclaimed not moving any closer.
"Don't ya know who this is? Epel asked.
"He told me to call him what I wanted and he wouldn't tell me his real name when I asked. I call him Tsunotaro and Sebek calls him Waka-sama so what does it matter what I call him if he's okay with it?" Odette shrugged.
"Roi Des Daragons, how did you get into the coliseum?" Rook asked.
"I was invited by the child of man living in the Ramshackle Dorm. I have my invitation right here." Malleus said producing a ticket.
"That's not what I was asking. The entire venue is still enveloped in the cursed poison mist generated by Vil's signature spell. There's no way anyone coming into contact with that curse would come out unscathed." Rook stated.
"Oh yes, I suppose there was some sort of cantrip up when I came in. but no curse no matter how powerful will work on me." Malleus informed them.
"Mph, I see you've taken advantage of Odette's ignorance to have a bit of sport. Housewarden of Diasomnia the dorm based on the lofty spirit of the Thorn Fairy, Malleus Draconia." Vil informed Odette as he stood beside her.
"So that's what M D stood for Malleus Draconia. Now I know your full name." Odette smiled up at him.
"Indeed, I am Malleus Draconia soon to be ruler of Briar Valley." Malleus informed her.
"Oh that explains the Waka-sama. I thought Sebek was just really devoted to his housewarden, with the other like they are I thought it was normal." Odette chuckled.
"Myah, you guys were talking about this crazy powerful guy at the Spelldrive Tournament. You mean to tell me that was Tsunotaro all along!" Grim exclaimed finally free of Deuce's grip.
"I trust you see what I meant now when I said not knowing my name was for your own benefit. By the way Schoenheit. You seem to have had a bit of sport yourself. However did you become such a mess? You're hardly living up to the Fairest Queen's spirit." Malleus asked.
"You're not wrong." Vil sighed as a few winced.
"What's the trouble? Tell me children of man." Malleus said.
"Well since you asked." Odette said then began to explain everything to Malleus.
"Now I understand what happened. I must say though. I'm impressed. A magical reaction on the level of an over blot. And not a single one of the many mages on campus myself included took notice of it." Malleus said.
"What? You mean there's no panic outside?" Kalim asked.
"No, the Royal Sword Academy students are singing near the gym a short ways off from here. They've attracted a considerable throng but the other than that." Malleus shrugged.
"This coliseum plays host to the SpellDrive games defensive magic exams, duels for the seat of housewarden and more. I've heard from the faculty that it's imbued with a special field that makes it harder for damage to spill out." Rook muttered.
"So then if we hadn't gotten Vil back to normal,…" Epel began but stopped.
"Help wasn't even on the way? Yikes!" Ace stated.
'That doesn't surprise me.' Odette thought as she rolled her eyes. "Good thing we handled it on our own than." She said.
"Mh, I suppose it's immaterial at the end of the day. You owe me Schoenheit." Malleus informed him as the air began to shift.
"What?" Vil exclaimed as the soft rambling to fill the air.
Slowly debris began to float in the air.
"What's going on? All my hairs are standing on end." Grim said as the air began to crackle with what felt like static. You could see small green lighting cracks.
'The pressure and static, make it feel being in storm.' Odette thought as she looked around.
"Children of man. I shall bestow upon you a gift." Malleus informed them all as Odette's eye fall back on to him.
"What are you doing Malleus?" Vil gasped.
"This is even more trifling of a task than reweaving unraveled fabric. Come! Return to your proper place. Revert to your proper shape." Malleus stated as everything returned to normal as the rambling got louder and the green lighting cracks increased in number.
"W-what just happened? No way the whole coliseum is back the way it was before, in an instant." Epel exclaimed.
"Right! Amazing! Did you do that with magic, Malleus? That is so cool!" Kalim cheered.
"Whoa, I've known it since I saw him in the Spelldrive tournament but boy he's ludicrously beyond our league." Ace sighed.
"Roi Des Dragons, cest magnifique. Your magic never crease to amaze." Rook applauded.
"With the stage restored, I can watch you perform now. That's the extent of my interest in this matter." Malleus stated.
"Thank you so much Tsunotaro!" Odette cheered as she looked around then back to him.
"You know who I am now and still you stick to that pet name?" Malleus chuckled.
"Should I not? It's force of habit." She asked.
"It's fine. I don't mind. I've set the stage for you, Schoenheit. I trust you will keep me suitably entertained." Malleus informed them.
"Hmph, I hardly need your urging to put on the finest possible show. You'd best be ready for a standing ovation." Vil smirked.
"I'd except nothing less, if you'll excuse me then. I look forward to the show." Malleus stated then without warning disappeared.
"I was hardly excepting the Roi Des Dragons to give us his personal blessing. Lady Luck truly is on our side. Now is the time for us to show the NRC tribe's unity." Rook grinned.
"Yes, I'll take full responsibility for explaining this to the Headmage Crowley and whatever follows. For now we have a SDC to win." Vil said turning back to the group.
"Yeah!" They all shouted.
We're finally over the hump and near the end of this arc. We finally found out who Tsunotaro is. I will probably referring to him as Malleus from now on just because it's easier. I hope you enjoyed the is chapter. Thanks for reading. I hope you stick around.