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Chapter 5: Excuses, Excuses
The sound of the door to CJ's room slamming open echoed through the empty hallway.
She was barely looking where she was going and her heart was beating fast as she took in the mess of items that were still strewn across her floor. She tried to consider what to take with her, but could not think straight. Her hands trembled and her mind was still racing as she processed everything that had happened over the past hour. Tears silently dripped down her cheeks, and she kept stubbornly wiping them away. It had been one hell of a chore to keep her emotions in check in front of her friends, and now she finally could not stop the bucket from overflowing.
Dropping to her knees, she allowed herself to let out one loud wail. That did her good. She punched her mattress a couple of times for good measure as well, just to take the edge off. Her breathing was still fast and irregular, but she forced herself to get it together. People were counting on her.
The first order of business was grabbing a change of clothes. She opted for her standard red leather coat and high-heeled combat boots, as well as a chainmail shirt and wrist guards once given to her by Archer. She tossed some basic necessities into a small bag – a compass, water bottle and cell phone were some of the primary items. She fastened a scabbard around her waist and sheathed the gorgeous new sword Archer had gifted her only two days ago. It seemed as though she might get a chance to try it out for real after all. She felt another stab of panic and sadness, but powered through it. She finished off her preparation by tucking her favorite dagger into one of her boots and re-braiding her hair. After exhaling for what felt like the first time in minutes, CJ looked at herself in the mirror.
This was somewhat of a familiar look for her, given that she had had to run off into combat numerous times in her past. She tried to remind herself of the fact that, every time she had previously joined a fight, she had come out on top. The stakes were never as high as they were now, though. Archer's life, and that of countless others, could very well hang in the balance.
Looking down, CJ noticed one of the bags Archer had brought lying open on the floor with some of the books concerning dark magic spilling out. CJ's breath got caught in her throat as she immediately knelt down and emptied the bag, letting its contents fall onto the floor. She began rifling through the tomes, thinking that maybe, just maybe, one of these books held the answer as to how they could unfreeze their friends.
'Creature Feature – Harming your Enemies with Claws and Teeth'. No, that didn't seem useful.
'Earning More by Doing Less – Swindling and Cheating your way to the top'. Celia might find this interesting, but it didn't have anything to do with their current predicament.
'Elemental Mastery – Make the Ground and Sky do your bidding'. Hmm. CJ remembered how the lightning had flashed and the thunder had cracked as everyone had been turned to stone. Perhaps this could offer some answers.
'Potions, Poisons and Concoctions – Harmful Recipes'. No, this wasn't a potion or something like that. Even CJ knew enough about magic to know that this had been a powerful and malicious spell, not something brewed in a cauldron above a fire.
She picked up the last book. 'The Trials and Tribulations of Dark Magic – A Taxonomy'. She had no idea what that meant, so she browsed through a few of the pages. It looked like some sort of encyclopedia regarding dark magic. CJ perked up. Surely, if the answer as to what the spell they were dealing with was and how to combat it could be found anywhere, it was in this book.
Satisfied, CJ stuffed the two books into her bag and was about to stand up, when she noticed something else. Along with the old, leatherbound books, a small square box had fallen out of Archer's bag.
CJ stared at it for what had to be a full minute. She gulped loudly as she reached out to it, her hands trembling uncontrollably once more. She clicked the box open, revealing a small, golden ring. Her breath got caught in her throat as she examined it. It looked very similar to the engagement ring Mal had once showed her, except this one had a small ruby in the center.
A hundred thousand thoughts and questions whirled through CJ's mind as she kept staring at the ring. It became extremely obvious why Archer had been so desperate for her not to examine the contents of this bag a few days ago. She finally realized what he had been trying so hard to keep hidden.
He wanted to ask her to marry him…
He wanted to ask her to marry him?
He wanted to ask her to marry him!
Suddenly overcome by shock and fear, CJ immediately closed the box and tossed it back into the bag. Tears were once again freely streaming down her cheeks, and she hastily wiped them away. There was no time to think about this! Her friends were waiting for her!
CJ's legs nearly buckled as she stood back up and headed out the door, not looking back a single time. She kept stumbling as she made her way past hallways and down stairs on her way out.
'When did he want to ask me? How did he want to ask me? Did he have something planned for the occasion? Oh, he must have… He's Archer, after all… He loves that mooshy, romantic crap…'
"Stop it!" CJ smacked herself in the head, feeling a shiver of fear, excitement and disgust pass all the way from the top of her head down to the tips of her toes. She had never been a girl who cared about this kind of stuff, and this was a situation of life or death, so why did this affect her so much?
As she made her way past the courtyard, CJ still did not run into any of her friends. They must have already made their way to the edge of the property, where they'd agreed to meet. She reached Archer, and could not help but halt for a minute as she stood in front of him.
"Archer…" She began after making sure there really was no one around to hear her speak. She looked up at him, hoping against better knowledge that his dull grey eyes had reverted back to their original beautiful blue again. "I have to go now… But I'll be back…" She went on, grabbing his stiff, outstretched hand into her own. She did not feel any of his usual warmth. "I will fix this… I will fix you… I will make sure you wake up, a-and then… And then you can ask me, okay? Ask me and I will say yes… I will say yes, but you have to get back to me to do that… Do you understand, you stupid idiot? Why did you have to get your stupid ass frozen anyway? You're making this so much harder than it was supposed to be…" She leaned her head against him for a few seconds. She could not hear a heartbeat. "Goodbye, Archer… For now, at least… I love you…"
More tears dripped down and onto his petrified chest. In all honesty, CJ did not have any idea how to get Archer back yet, but she also could not allow herself to think that this was the end of their relationship. No, everything would turn out for the best, eventually…
Voices.
CJ whipped up her head so abruptly that she bumped against Archer and nearly caused him to tumble over. She held him steady and listened.
The voices grew louder. She heard laughing and cackling. These were not the voices of Carlos, Royce, Celia or any of her unfrozen friends. Were there other survivors? Or…
CJ made a split decision and hastily raced across the courtyard before hiding around a corner. She knelt down and tried to get her breathing under control, also placing a hand on the hilt of her sword just in case.
"There he is! There he is! Haha, look at him! Look at the big frozen doofus right here!" A cackling voice echoed across the courtyard.
CJ peered around her corner, and saw a girl with red and lilac streaks in her curly hair bounce over the grass and towards Archer. CJ immediately recognized her. This girl was one of Levi's cronies! Archer had told CJ that her name was Mabel, daughter of the Mad Hatter!
A sickening anger boiled up in CJ's stomach as Levi and the rest of his band entered the courtyard. They looked dark and menacing as they sauntered ahead, each of them carrying weaponry.
"Finally!" Levi called out, clapping his hands as he went to stand right in front of Archer. He looked at him with hungry eyes and a maniacal smile. "How do you like me now, Archer boy? Huh? You don't have such a big mouth now, do you? Turns out you just weren't fit to stand against me or my band…"
CJ felt a mix of shock and pure repulsion bubbling up. She squeezed the hilt of her sword so tightly that her knuckles paled. So, it was Levi and his cronies who were the culprits… Naturally… The question as to why they had done this was pretty obvious. Levi hated Archer and wanted revenge. Apparently, he was angry enough to freeze the entire school. But how? How had they done this? If either Levi or his associates were dangerous enough that they could perform this sort of dark magic, then the likes of Archer or Lancelot would have definitely treated them with more apprehension, right?
"Is this why we came here, Levi? So you could gloat to your frozen nemesis?" The green-haired girl CJ recalled as Nera asked in a bored tone. She was leaning against a long staff, clutching it tightly. CJ squinted, and then her eyes widened when she realized what she was looking at. This wasn't just any staff, it was Maleficent's scepter!
"It is pretty fun." The short and broad-shouldered Gordon chuckled as he walked over to Lancelot and kicked him in the back of his frozen leg.
"They are still alive, right?" The tall and oafish-looking Johnny turned his head from side to side as he examined Archer.
"Of course, they are." Nera spat in a tone that made it obvious that they had discussed this already. "They are frozen. They cannot feel, hear or see anything… It is as if they are asleep… If I were to reverse the curse, they wouldn't even know any time had passed…"
"Let's make this interesting…" Levi's eyes shone as he rubbed his hands. "Nera. Unfreeze our dear Archer, will you?"
CJ's heart jumped.
Nera exchanged a look with her other compatriots. "You want me to do what? I only performed the spell barely an hour ago… Why would you want-"
"Just do as I say!" Levi hissed. He seemed extremely eager.
Nera rolled her eyes before she raised Maleficent's scepter.
"Everyone back up!" Levi ordered, and they stepped back a few feet, still right opposite Archer.
The tip of Maleficent's scepter glowed a bright green, bathing the scene in an eerie light. Not a second later, Archer suddenly crumpled to his knees, breathing deeply and heavily. He started coughing and trembling, looking around in a panic with wide eyes.
CJ had to practically force herself not to run at him straight away, knowing she would probably not stand a chance against Levi, his cronies and their combined magical might. As horrible as it made her feel, she had to stay hidden, listen and hope she would get a chance to learn more or even help Archer escape.
"W-Wha… C-CJ… CJ!" Archer's voice was raspy as he unsteadily climbed back to his feet. He blinked rapidly, like he was suddenly looking into a bright light.
"Aww… Look at him… Like a baby deer taking its first steps…" Levi chuckled.
Archer immediately went rigid when he noticed Levi and his cronies. His breathing steadied somewhat, though his nostrils flared in anger. He looked around, obviously noticing the frozen figures all around the courtyard, including Lancelot. "Oh my god… What did you do?" His voice was rough and gravelly.
"Care to take a guess?" Levi kept smiling in that insufferably superior fashion. Archer took a threatening step closer, so Levi raised a finger. "Ah, ah, ah… You might want to think twice about that, Archer boy…"
Nera pointed Maleficent's scepter in Archer's direction, not a single emotion visible on her face.
Archer froze and his eyes widened. He scanned over Levi and his band more thoroughly. "M-Maleficent's scepter? Why? How?"
"Oh, you must have a million questions, don't you?" Levi replied with obvious delight. "Well, this is your lucky day! I don't really want anything from you, Archer. I just want you to stand there and listen… I want you to slowly realize how helpless and outmatched you are… I want to look into your eyes as all my wildest dreams and all your gravest fears come true…"
Archer kept looking around. CJ noticed his gaze resting on the exact spot where she and her friends had been shielded from the freezing spell by Lancelot's barrier, the protective circle still vaguely visible on the grass. A look of realization appeared on his face, and he notably relaxed a little. He must have understood that CJ and the others had safely escaped. Levi and his band were too busy gloating to notice. "Well, actually my gravest fear is listening to you talk, so…" Archer eventually replied.
Levi's look soured so quickly it was almost comical. "You dare run your mouth now? You do realize I only have to wag my finger at Nera, and she will freeze you again in an instant!? You do realize that I am currently in control of everyone you know!?"
"Everyone I know?" Archer latched on to that final declaration. "What? This spell is kingdom-wide?"
"Worldwide!" Levi shouted with an air of showmanship.
CJ could not help but let out a slight gasp, which luckily went unheard. Had Levi and his stupid friends really frozen everyone in the world!?
"Worldwide? You cursed everyone? Even your own people? Children?" Archer continued in a voice lined with malice and hatred.
"Necessary sacrifices have to be made for the greater good…" Levi bit his lip. "Everyone is frozen… It was the only way for the spell to work… But everyone will come to understand… No one will stand in my way now…"
"Impressive…" Archer mockingly replied. "Honestly, I did not expect you to complete your villain arc so soon…"
Now it was Levi's turn to take a step in Archer's direction. "I will not allow you to besmirch me with that moniker!"
"What? Villain?" Archer kept looking around, and CJ knew he was both searching for a weapon he could optionally use against Levi, and seeing if he could spot any of his unfrozen friends. "Dude, you've just admitted to freezing everyone in Auradon… You've got Maleficent's scepter for crying out loud…"
"Ooh, that's not all we got…" Levi's eyes shone once more as he reached behind his back and took out a strange, pointy golden object. He held it out in front of him, and a few blue sparks jumped from the object's tip.
"Zeus's lightning bolt…" Archer gasped. "How dare you?"
"We're still not done, Archer boy. Gang, show him what you're packing!" Levi went on as he playfully twirled the lightning bolt in his hand, causing more sparks to rain down.
Gordon stepped forward and unsheathed a curved, serrated sword with a hilt that resembled two intertwined dragons. CJ recognized this sword. It once belonged to the warrior princess Raya, and was counted as a relic. "For slicin' and dicin'…" Gordon laughed.
Johnny held up a large and obviously old axe, yet there was something in the shine of the metal that made it look more sinister than expected.
"The huntsman's axe." Levi pointed out. "I didn't expect much of it, but that thing can even cut through dragon scales… It's astounding…"
"Don't forget me!" Mabel was practically bouncing as she reached into her pocket and took out a large, golden pocket watch. She waved it around on its chain, as if attempting to hypnotize an invisible audience, and admired it with reverence.
"The White Rabbit's pocket watch?" Archer inquired, seemingly intrigued. "I have to admit, that's quite bold…"
"Yes, me and my band, we all upgraded our gear significantly." Levi proudly bragged, still flaunting his newly-acquired lightning bolt.
"You mean you stole." Archer corrected him. "From the museum of cultural history…"
"We did what was necessary." Levi's look darkened.
"When did you even do this?" Archer scoffed. "If there was a break-in at the museum, I would have heard about that. All these relics are kept under tight security and constant guard."
"Well, you are not wrong…" Levi shrugged. "Except that, sometime last year, something happened that made everyone in Auradon not pay that much attention to the relics they were supposed to protect…"
"What? You stole these during the war?" Archer looked genuinely shocked. "But… They were never reported missing…"
"Because we left copies in their place, dumbass!" Gordon barked, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"After the war was won, yes." Levi nodded. "After we realized that there was still some good to be done with them…"
"So, while brave men and women gave their lives for the kingdom, you were out stealing relics?" Archer scoffed.
"Don't belittle us! We did our duty! We kept the frontlines safe! We fought! We did all those things while you died, Archer… You died… You left us to fend for ourselves… You can't even begin to imagine how demoralized the troops were after the news reached us… I tried to pick up the pieces, but no, no one believed that anyone but the great, blessed Archer could ever save us!" Levi spat, quickly turning red.
Archer did not interrupt him, and CJ could spot at least some regret in his eyes.
"I did what I had to do!" Levi went on, pacing back and forth. "The villains were coming… That bloody maniac with the black cauldron… Our… Our troops were disheartened… Only me and my band still had the courage and strength to fight for our kingdoms… But I wasn't stupid… No… No, I realized we did not possess the necessary might to take on the undead army… But… We were positioned very close to the museum of cultural history, where innumerable powerful treasures were kept under lock and key… I still can't believe how none of our leaders ever considered using them… Our own unbeatable arsenal, right at our fingertips…"
"Relics can deceive." Archer interjected. "They can corrupt! Their use and the ensuing results are beyond our control… There is a reason we as a society chose to step away from magic, Levi… Because it primarily brings trouble and unforeseen misery…"
Levi dismissively waved his hand. "You were all either too proud or too weak to do what was necessary. No, me and my band took matters into our own hands. We took the relics you see before you, yes, but with the sole aim of pushing that mass murdering maniac back to that disgusting island where he belonged!"
CJ felt yet another stab of anger. It was taking a lot of restraint to not simply rush out and start hacking and slashing at Levi's insufferably smirking face.
"Alas…" Levi sighed, and he seemed genuinely disappointed. "You came back from the dead and Auradon's enemy was vanquished before we had a chance to try out our new toys… But… But Auradon had almost been defeated… We had almost all perished, all because of those wretched villains and our pathetic king's inability to properly deal with them!"
"Do not insult Ben in my presence!" Archer shouted, his fists balled and his eyes momentarily glowed bright blue.
Gordon, Johnny and Mabel all seemed somewhat intimidated and took a step back, but Levi just kept on laughing. "Ooohh… You still think you're tough, hmm? Not without Excalibur, you're not… And, no, you are not gonna do anything, because Nera here will gladly petrify you all over again…"
Archer's eyes flashed towards Maleficent's scepter, which Nera still pointed at him, and he slowly lowered his hands.
"Good boy." Levi grinned, putting away the lightning bolt and casually cracking his knuckles. "Now, are you not at all curious about my genius masterplan?"
"I'm quaking in my boots." Archer sarcastically sneered.
"You should be." Levi pointed a finger. "No one in history has ever dared to dream as big as me… Our kingdom has fallen into stagnation and disrepair… We were once destined for greatness, but all of that changed because of our own weak-willed rulers and barbaric villains freely crossing our borders… I always said so… I always said we should have just eradicated that entire pest-ridden island… We should have gotten rid of those villains for good… No one listened… Well, I got sick of it… I know what is best for Auradon… I am tired of waiting… I am taking control…"
"You are taking control?" The disgust and mockery were dripping from Archer's voice. "What? By stealing some relics? By freezing everyone? It's not much of a kingdom if none of its inhabitants can move…"
"This is just a precaution." Levi argued. "I realize that, if I go through with my plans, not everyone in Auradon will take kindly to it… They're too weak-minded and brainwashed by years of pro-villain propaganda to realize that what I'm doing is what's best for everyone!"
"Levi, please listen to reason!" Archer pleaded. "Whatever it is that you're planning, this is not the way to accomplish it! Auradon was built on a foundation of trust and unity, not violence…"
"Violence is sometimes necessary!" Levi retorted. "The villains were not defeated through trust and unity. Sometimes blood needs to be spilled… Sometimes feelings need to be hurt… Sometimes people need to be swept aside… It's all for the greater good…"
"You're a tyrant!" Archer spat.
Levi's eyes notably darkened. "That's an insult often reserved for great rulers by the vermin squashed underneath their boots… But the people will come to see that I was right… I am not cruel, Archer, no matter what you might think of me… Everyone who's frozen now, I will free them once my preparations have been completed…"
"Preparations for what? What else are you planning? Is this not enough to quench your thirst for power?" Archer's voice became more and more desperate.
"This is but a start…" Levi went on. He snapped his fingers at Nera, who reached for something she carried in the satchel around her waist. "As I already said, when I do release the people, some of them will undoubtedly try to rise up against me… I am not so arrogant as to believe I can stand against the whole of Auradon, even with the relics I now possess, so I need some reassurance… Someone powerful to have my back…"
Nera then took out a large, leatherbound book from her satchel and handed it to Levi. Numerous golden decorations as well as a large blue gemstone adorned the cover. The book looked ancient and exuded a faint, green-ish glow. CJ noticed an almost hungry look in Levi's eyes as he opened the book and gently ran his fingers along the pages.
"No…" Archer gasped. CJ could not remember ever hearing him sound so scared. "Not that book… H-How did you even… It doesn't open for anyone…"
"It called to me." Levi began to explain, resuming his pacing back and forth. "Trust me, I did not plan on trying to take this book when we broke into the museum… But… When I passed by it, I felt a pull… The book opened to me… I thought I was hallucinating… Everyone knows Magnifico's book only ever opened for him, so we could never learn his secrets… Imagine my surprise when it did open for me and showed me all its wonders…"
Archer looked both frightened and somewhat intrigued. "What did it show you?"
"All sorts of wonderful things…" Levi's eyes gleamed. "The power that these pages contain… It's astonishing… Sure, Magnifico turned out to be a selfish prick, but in the right hands, someone can change the world with this book…"
"Levi, listen to me!" Archer urged, raising a hand. "That book is malevolent! It influences you! It corrupts you! Whatever it showed you, please don't follow through with it! The forces inside that book do not care about your desires or about what's good for Auradon… You're being lied to!"
No one on Levi's side spoke for almost a full minute. Johnny looked confused. Gordon appeared a little hesitant. Even Nera seemed to consider Archer's words. Only Mabel was still smiling.
"A fine speech." Levi nodded. "But you seem to forget something, Archer… I am not one of your groveling fans… I see right through you… You try to hide behind your smile and your parents' legacy, but you yourself are nothing but an irrelevant pawn… You try to preach wisdom, but all I hear is arrogance and ignorance… You claim to be so righteous and all-good, yet at the same time you shamelessly associate with villains… Hell, you even claim to love one! You were always a pest, but I just know that Hook girl warbled your mind even more…"
CJ wanted to scream and yell at Levi. She wanted to hack him into little pieces. But she stayed put. She knew that exposing herself and getting caught would help no one.
"You don't know what you're talking about." Archer replied, feigning calmness. CJ could tell from the increasing red color on his face that Levi's insult regarding her had truly angered him. "You never even tried to get to know any of the villain kids we brought over from the Isle…"
"Because they are villains." Levi countered, like it was the most obvious answer in the world. "It's so rich that you condemn me for stealing and using Magnifico's book, when you yourself have been getting influenced by villains… Face it, Archer! You have been compromised! Luckily for you, and for Auradon, I am going to set things right…"
Archer looked like he really wanted to continue debating Levi, but he probably also realized his time was running out. "So… Previously, you said that someone powerful had your back… Who are you talking about? I can't imagine any ruler would go along with your insane plan…"
"Well, I didn't really bother checking up on any of them… Especially since they were apparently all too glad to see me exiled… No, I wasn't talking about any ruler, you simpleton. No… This book is the key to reaching powers beyond your wildest imagination… Primordial forces that can reshape the world as we know it on a whim…" Levi's tone became more and more maniacal. "Through this book, I don't just know how to free them and summon them, but I know how to control them… I can make them do my bidding… Through them, I can enact my influence on Auradon… I can keep our kingdoms safe and prosperous… Like they used to be…"
"You're talking about demons…" Archer was visibly shocked. "Did you never pay attention to any of the stories our parents told us? Doctor Facilier's friends on the other side… Judge Frollo's devils… The Druun… The Titans beneath Tartarus… Te Ka from below the sea… Nothing good comes from dealing with demons!"
"I am not just talking about any demon, Archer boy." The corners of Levi's mouth twitched. "I am talking about the one who stands over all of them… When I will rule over Auradon, I will do so with Chernabog himself at my back…"
CJ's eyes widened. Chernabog. She knew that name all too well. Back on the Isle, some of the more devoted and insane villains had erected entire shrines dedicated to Chernabog. A lot of villains refused to even utter his name out of both fear and respect. Beyond all the human villains, with their magics and potions, Chernabog stood as the biggest bad of them all.
Archer's face turned pale. "C-Chernabog… Levi… You cannot be serious… You cannot hope to control him…"
"This book holds all the answers." Levi happily continued turning the yellowed pages of King Magnifico's old tome.
"That book was most likely written by the worshippers of Chernabog! They want you to try and release him!" Archer pointed out. "Levi, you cannot possibly believe that it contains the absolute truth! Even if the book accurately portrays how Chernabog can be freed, it probably lies when it says you can control it… Think about it… Why would a dark tome otherwise release such information to you?"
Even Levi seemed a little brought about, judging from the blush creeping up his cheeks. "I-I… I cannot sit idly by… Not anymore… The book has not lied to me thus far… I am going through with this… I know that what I'm doing is right… Everyone will come to see that too… Eventually…"
Archer bit his lip, obviously incensed by Levi's refusal to hear him out. "So, you plan on restoring Auradon to its former glory, right? So, what does that mean for all the people who will resist? I can't imagine all the kings and queens of Auradon will meekly step aside, not to mention the gods of Olympus or the emperor of Northern Wei…"
Levi rolled his eyes. "In time, they will come to their senses… And if not, well, I am generous… I will imprison them. Hell, I can always just move some others up in their stead… Not everyone is as blinded by misguided ideals as you, Archer…"
Archer looked more disgusted than ever. "And what about the villains, and the kids we already brought over from the Isle?"
"They will all perish." Levi smiled. "Naturally. I hold no sympathy for them, and I will hunt them down like dogs, if necessary. As for the Isle of the Lost, I'll let it sink into the abyss…"
Archer turned a little pale. His eyes started glowing slightly. "You would kill innocent people?"
"Only in a twisted and unjust world could those monsters ever be seen as innocent!" Levi protested. "No, Archer, I will not kill innocent people… I will kill villains… How about I start with that pretty girlfriend of yours… It'll surely make my father proud…"
Archer's eyes flashed, but he still did not attack. Nera tutted as she raised Maleficent's scepter a little higher, pointing it at his face.
"Hey. Where is his girlfriend anyway?" Johnny suddenly spoke up, looking around the courtyard.
"What?" Levi snapped, his eyes still not leaving Archer.
"That blonde girl we saw in the arena yesterday, right? I didn't see her out near the fields, or in the school, and she's also not here in the courtyard…" Johnny went on. "So, where is she? Should she not be near Archer?"
CJ slowly and quietly retreated a little further, still making sure she could keep an eye on both the villains and Archer without them being able to see her.
Now Levi and the rest of his cronies also looked around. They took in the numerous frozen figures in and around the courtyard, most notably Lancelot.
"She is indeed not here." Nera hissed.
"Where is she?" Levi asked Archer in a sharp tone. His face was quickly turning as fiery as his hair.
A slight smirk appeared on Archer's face. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
"I am not playing around here, Archer!" Levi snarled, handing Magnifico's book over to Mabel before unsheathing his rapier and pointing it at Archer. "You will tell me where she is!"
"And what are you going to threaten me with?" Archer lazily countered. "You are planning on freezing me again anyway, right? You're not gonna kill me, because that would truly make you a villain… Why would I ever point you in CJ's direction? I love her. And wherever she is, I know that she is already working on bringing you down… She's very capable, you know? When she sets her mind on something, no one can stop her… Especially not you…"
CJ felt a familiar warmth in her heart. She didn't know if Archer knew that she was right here and heard his every word, but to hear him speak about her with such confidence and pride gave her all the motivation she could ever need to keep going, to keep fighting.
"Freeze him!" Levi barked, pointing a finger straight at Archer's face.
Archer immediately jumped into action. His eyes glowed brightly as he desperately lunged at Levi, his fist raised and a furious expression on his usually kind and handsome face.
A flash of lightning followed by the familiar sound of a thunderclap. A plume of brown smoke rose up in the air from the exact place where Archer stood. When the smoke dissipated after a few seconds, Archer was once again revealed to have been petrified, his eyes a dull grey.
CJ closed her eyes, having to refrain from angrily pounding her fist against the wall. She knew that there was nothing she could have done. Archer had similarly accepted his fate, but that didn't make having to lose him to that malicious freezing spell for the second time any easier.
Levi was breathing heavily, his hands trembling as he sheathed the rapier that once belonged to CJ's father. "H-He was bluffing…" He muttered to his subordinates. "T-There's no way the Hook girl could have somehow endured the spell… She has to be around here somewhere… All of you, go around the school and take note of who you can spot… I want every member of Archer's friend group accounted for, got it?"
"What if we can't find her?" Johnny asked in a small voice.
"We have to find her!" Levi roared, almost looking insane. "We have to! M-Mabel! Please tell me you have finally gotten the hang of the Pocket Watch…"
Mabel pulled a face. "I told you it's hard… This freaking thing keeps acting up… I still need to practice… Give me some time, and I'll make it work… I promise…"
"Useless…" Levi groaned. "Nera… At least you can fly up and look at things from above, right?"
"I guess…" Nera shrugged. "But if that girl is somewhere inside the main building or the arena, then I won't be able to spot her, right?"
"Right…" Levi reluctantly conceded. "Fine then… Everyone, split up! I want you to scour every inch of the grounds! I-I will not allow an insignificant worm like that Hook girl to possibly derail my plans! Now, go! Go! And don't come back to me until you find her!"
The others softly muttered in agreement. They did not seem entirely happy with being ordered around like a pack of dogs. They nevertheless did as they were asked, splitting up and heading into different directions in search of CJ and any others whom were not yet accounted for. Thankfully, none of them headed towards her, meaning she did not have to leave her hiding spot yet.
Levi took a few steps closer to Archer, still with that furious expression on his face. "You do not win every time!" He hissed. "I will make sure of it… When this is over, I will have you watch as I feed your girlfriend to the crocodiles… I will have you kneel at my feet… You, and everyone who ever doubted and belittled me…"
Archer's frozen form just stared ahead.
Levi visibly had to resist the urge to deliver a sharp backhand to Archer's face, and eventually he too took his leave.
CJ carefully breathed out as she processed all the things she had just heard. Boy, she and her friends were truly in deep shit. Not only were they facing off against a psychopath and his band of lesser-psychopaths, but their enemies also possessed several powerful relics and were intending on releasing a powerful ancient demon…
After making sure that Levi and his band were truly gone and out of earshot, CJ quietly left her hiding spot. She looked back at Archer one more time before taking off. Images of the golden ring in the small square box flashed through her mind. Did CJ and Archer still have a future together? They must have, right? Well, in order for that to happen, she needed to deal with these pesky villains! The first order of business was to reconvene with her friends and use this newly-garnered information to come up with a new plan.
CJ truly hoped that Archer was right when he had praised her. She had set her mind on something – stopping the villains and freeing Archer – and no one was going to stop her!