Chapter 3-8: Fire Lotuses
"WITHER, PLANTS!" Sebek shouts and uses his magic to destroy the plans.
However, the plants are unharmed by the magic. In fact, they absorbed it.
"What in the world?!" Sebek says, shocked.
"The flowers just absorbed Sebek's magic!" Sebek says.
"The more spells we fire off, the more empowered they become," Malleus says, "Their color... The way they glow... It's almost like fire."
Rook calls out, "Careful, Sereia. Grim. There are flowers sprouting up behind you!"
Deuce calls out, "Tanzanite! Jasper! Get away!"
Silver notices, "Briar, more flowers are coming behind you."
Briar and the others turn to see more flowers are coming at them. The others panic and gather to the others. Even Trinket gathers behind them. Briar tries to get Malleus away from the flowers but is still a bit weakened.
"Rgh... We won't make it in time!" Trein says.
"Briar!" Grim cries out.
"Look out!" Sereia cries out.
Briar then uses herself as a shield to protect Malleus and let the flowers get to her.
"Briar!" Malleus cries out.
So far, nothing happens so far. Briar looks to see the flowers are like staying anyway from her.
"Nothing happened," Sereia says.
"What? They ain't doin' anything?! Great, you had me worried over nothin'!" Grim says
"So you're alright, Briar?" Trein says.
"I... I think so... but... but how?" Briar asks.
"Hmm..." Malleus thinks and remembers, "Briar, are you still wearing your medallion?"
"Yes. I'm still wearing it, but I kept it hidden," Briar says.
"Seems that your medallion is able to protect you, and Malleus didn't get attacked again because of it," Jamil says.
"Maybe, but her medallion might not last if this keeps up," Briar says.
Malleus smiles and says, "Still, I'm glad to see you're still safe."
"Um yeah. I think it also helps that I haven't used my magepen yet. I was too busy trying to help you," Briar says.
That's when Professor Trein realizes, "...Aha! I have it! Everyone, put away your magical pens!"
"Huh? But won't the flowers swarm us if we do that?" Epel asks.
But then Rook says, "Epel, we must listen to our wise professor."
Malleus says, "Briar, Silver, and Sebek, that goes for you as well. Do as Trein says. Briar, make sure to keep your medallion hidden."
"Yes, sir!" Silver & Sebek says.
"Okay," Briar says.
Everyone hides their magical pens and Briar hides her medallion under her clothes.
Soon, the flowers aren't as effective at attacking them like before.
"The flowers aren't multiplying as fast now that our pens are away…" Idia says.
Suddenly, the flowers appear behind Rook and Epel.
Neige cries out, "No, watch out! Everybody get back!"
And with that, Neige saves Rook and Epel, but the flowers begin absorbing his magic until he collapsed.
Rook cries out, "Roi des Neiges?! Oh, no! He fell defending us!"
Chechnya also saves Riddle and Deuce as he calls out, "Riddle, stick behind me. You too, card soldier! Don't just stand there!" and collapsed on the ground.
Riddle cries out, "Chenya?! I never asked you to cover me! I can fight!"
Neige soon smiles and says, "Ahaha... We're all aspiring mages going to school on the same island. We gotta...help each other...out…"
"Get out while I distract them... Urgh…" Checnya says.
Neige and Che'nya soon lose consciousness.
Everyone soon begins to hear screaming and look to see the many students try to defend themselves from the flowers, but they end up collapsing after they have been swarmed.
Adie cries out, "It's no use, we can't defend against these flowers! They've already surrounded us!"
"This is a disaster! I must notify President Rollo…" The vice president says, but the flowers swarm him as well, "Ack! Stay away from meee!"
"The mages trying to fend off the flowers with magic are getting totally overrun and collapsing… I can't draw any definitive conclusions from just this, but it's a p. safe hypothesis to say these flowers respond to magic," Idia says.
Trein calls out, "Everyone, gather around me and listen carefully. Whatever you do, don't even THINK about using magic right now."
"Do you know what these flowers are, Professor?" Azul asks.
"Mm. I don't want to believe it, but given their fiery appearance and ability to absorb magic, there can be no doubt. These are fire lotuses!" Trein answers.
"Fire lotuses?" Briar questions.
"I've never heard of them," Tanzanite says.
And Azul says, "I've never heard of such flowers. Are they common on land?"
"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. Even I didn't recall them immediately. They're plants that thrive on all manner of magical energy," Malleus says.
"When you say all magical energy, does that mean...?" Epel asks, worried.
"Yes, that includes the magical energy of mages such as ourselves," Malleus says.
"What?!" Deuce cries out in shock.
Malleus explains, "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. 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."
Everyone cries out in shock, "THEY LOSE THEIR MAGIC?!"
"THAT'S AWFUl!" Briar cries out.
Even Trinket expresses her shock and distress, seeing that it will be a problem for Faries as well.
"Dude, that's a final boss right there! They must be the most OP enemy in all of Twisted Wonderland!" Idia says.
"There's a plant that horrifying growing on land?!" Azul says.
But then Riddle says, "Wait. This doesn't make sense. If a plant that dangerous existed, surely we would've learned about it in school."
"Fire lotuses went extinct centuries ago," Malleus says, "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," Trein says.
"That's our Malleus! Your erudition knows no bounds!" Sebek says with a smile.
Which annoys Grim, "That guy just never stops…"
"But what's an extinct plant even doing here, and why is there so much of it?" Epel asks.
"You're right. There are too many flowers for it to simply grow out of nowhere," Briar says, worried, "That could mean that, someone brought them here."
But then, Malleus says, "That would be a better question for him."
"Him...?" Tanzanite and Jasper respond, confused.
Suddenly, they hear a familiar voice, "Hmph. So you're still standing. I suppose your wretched academy's reputation is deserved after all."
Everyone turns to the source and is shocked to see who it is.
Grim cries out, "Mrah! It's you…"