Chapter 24
*Savanaclaw Dorm*
“The players should be reaching' the stadium soon.”
“Everything's set. We're ready to go whenever.” Ruggie said.
Leona smirked. “Last year's champion will be up first—that's Diasomnia. Hah! My heart's pumping now.”
The hyena laughed. “Shishishi ! Then let's get going!”
*Side Street – Festival*
“*ahem*... Welcome, one and all, to the Night Raven College interdorm Spelldrive tournament! Thank you for your patience. The players will be entering the stadium momentarily!”
The Audience cheered. “WOOOOOHOOOOO!”
“First up will be last year's champion. But can lightning really strike thrice? Give it up for the Reigning Light... DIIIIIAAAAASOOOOOMNIIIIIAAAAA!”
The Audience cheered again.
Ruggie looked at the crowd. “Ooh, what a crowd! It should be plenty large enough... Shishishi ! First, to drink Azul's potion... Urk?!” He gaged at the taste. “Blech! What IS this?! It's awful! It's like...stew someone aged in gym sock. Urgh... Okay, get it together, Ruggie. Let's go. Time to fire off my signature spell... Let's send the audience running like a stampede of wildebeests! Okay, folks... "Laugh With Me!"”
*DOOM**DOOM*DOOM**DOOM*
“Huh? What's that sound?”
“What is going on over there? There's a whole bunch of people charging at the players!”
“Wh-Whaaaa?! My body, I can't control— Ah! Out of the way! Out of the way!”
“EEEEEK! Don't push me!”
“Run! Before you get crushed!”
“AAAAAAAAAH!”
“What?! What's happening?! Spectators are converging in some sort of reckless stampede! Everyone please, calm down! I beg of you!”
“WAAAAAAAAAH!”
“Whoa... Azul's potion is insane! Look at how many people I can control at once! *pant* I don't know how many more... *pant* ...I can handle, but this...should be enough! Let's see what you do now! Surely you wouldn't use magic against civilians? You're the Prince of the Fae, Malleus. Even if you wanted to, you wouldn't dare! So get squashed instead! Shyeheehee!” Ruggie laughed.
“The rush of stampeding spectators is headed right for the Diasomnia players...! Everyone, run away! Please, run awaaaaay!”
Audience Members continued to scream. “WAAAAAAAAAH!”
Silver looked panicked. “If they keep coming, we're gonna get crushed! Everyone, protect Malleus!”
Sebek had the same panic look on his face. “This way, Housewarden! Malleuuus! N-no! We're too late! Oof! We're getting crushed!”
“AAAAAH! MALLEUS, NOOOOO!” Silver screamed in horror
Ruggie smirked. “It worked! Exactly as we planned it!”
*On the other side*
Roxana sighed. “That was horrible acting, I can’t believe they fell for it”
*Savanaclaw Dorm – Spelldrive Stadium*
“*Pant*... *Pant*... Leona, I did it! Did you see the broadcast?” Ruggie said as he stopped in front Leona to catch his beath.
Leona grinned. “Yeah. That was nice work, Ruggie. So long, Malleus. This year, the throne is mine.”
Ruggie grinned. “Long live the king! Shishishi”
“Long live the king! Hooray!”
“I believe we've heard enough.” Riddle said as he came out of the shadows.
“Long live the king, but off of the cliff with him too” Roxana said from besides Riddle.
Ruggie and Leona turned around in surprise.
“Well, well, if it isn't the Heartslabyul kids, the female. And is that Jack? You transfer to Heartslabyul on us, frosh?” Leona said.
Jack frowned. “Nah. I just don't feel like celebrating the underhanded accomplishments of a bunch of cowards.”
Leona growled. “You filthy traitor!”
“You have tarnished a proud Night Raven tradition.” Riddle said. “As housewarden of Heartslabyul, a dorm focused on orderliness, I cannot possibly overlook this.”
Leona rolled his eyes. “Listen, kiddies—save your heroic speeches for someone who cares, all right?”
“Honestly, coming into our territory with only a handful of people... It's like you WANT a beating.” Ruggie said.
Savanaclaw Student looked at Leona. “You want us to take care of 'em, Boss?”
Leona grinned. “Sure. Have a little fun with 'em.”
Riddle took out his pen. “Off With Your Heads!"
Savanaclaw Student got collared and their magic bound.
“Urk... He's so strong.”
“Man, housewardens are no joke.”
“Hmph. Nothing but a lot of hot air. Ace, Deuce, are you all right?”
Character Ace Dorm Uniform Icon.png
Ace nodded after he took out his opponent. “Yeah. That was nothin'.”
“You bet, sir!” Deuce said, he turned to Roxana. “And you Roxa…oh”
Roxana patted her clothes to clean her uniform from the invisible dust, two guys were on the ground unconscious.
Not all animal kingdoms have matriarchies, the ones who attacked me are who’s animal counterpart are loners. Roxana though. In other words not everyone in Savanaclaw held women in a high regards unless they were born in Afterglow Savannah, rare but still there.
“Tch. I knew those chimps’ be no match for Riddle.” Leona frowned.
“Shyeheehee! Maybe not! But this doesn't change the fact that they were too late to save Diasomnia.” Ruggie laughed.
“Funny now that you mention it” Roxana said. “Lilia would you do the honors ?”
Lilia came out from the corner followed by Sebek and Silver. “Oh? That's quite the interesting claim.” He said while looking at Ruggie.
“They seemed right on time to me.” Sebek said while frowning.
“Indeed. It's thanks to her information and plan that not a single one of Diasomnia House's players got hurt.” Silver said before he gave a grateful look at Roxana who smiled at him.
Ruggie’s ears flattened on his head. “What? How?! I saw you get swallowed up by the stampede!”
Cater appeared at that. “Oh! About that...” He smiled. “So it turns out those were actually duplicates of me, made with my signature Split Card spell.”
Leona froze. “What?”
“I must admit, I really dig those Diasomnia House outfits. They're so extra!” Cater said. “I'll DM you some of my selfies later.”
Lilia laughed. “Is that right? If I knew you were such a fan, I'd have gladly loaned you mine.”
Cater laughed a bit. “Such a sweetheart! Though I think yours would be a little small for me.”
“All right, can we get to the point?” Leona cut them off.
“Roxana told me everything, and she set up a plan” Lilia said.
“I just had to ask Cater to use his Unique Magic and make some of the others spy on you for a bit, I knew about your plan a long time ago and send Lilia a warning in advance, so we had all the time to make you fall in our little trap” Roxana gave them a fake sorry look. “Honestly, it’s not my fault that you make it so easy for me to find about your secrets” She smirked. “Mental defense is a thing that you lack”
Ruggie’s shoulders dropped. “So, then... Malleus?
Sebek sneered at hi. “Oh, he's in top-top shape, of course! He's been clearing up the chaos, using his magic to guide all the people safely back to the coliseum. You can thank him later.”
“Sebek inside voice please” Roxana said, honestly she was standing besides the boy and his voice was not a mercy on her ears.
Ruggie eyes widened. “H-how could this happen?!”
“...Tch. Whatever. I don't even care anymore.” Leona said while glaring at the floor.
Ruggie looked at him in shock. “What?”
“I'm done. It's over.” The lion said.
Ruggie looked at him taken aback. “Boss, what are you saying?!”
“Are you even paying' attention?” Leona shouted. “If Malleus is able to take the field then we got no chance of winning. There's no point even trying. I'm out.”
“Y-you can't just...!” Ruggie greeted his teeth. “Malleus might still be in the game, but we took out all the other dorms' best players, right? But without you on the field, I don't even know if we'd have a shot at the top three! You're just going to abandon our dreams?”
“For all the talk about "the world watching," this is still just schoolkids playing' a game. All you wide-eyed tenderfoots talking' about your dreams... Pfft. The whole thing amused me, so I threw you a bone. That's all this was.” Leona said.
“What do you mean? What happened to working together to "turn the world upside down"?” Ruggie said his clenching his fists.
“Are you seriously still going' on about that?” Leona sneered. “All right, fine. You wanna hear the truth? You're a hyena who grew up in a dump, and I'm a second born prince who won't ever be king. And there is NO turning that around!”
Roxana raised her eyebrow. “That’s what’s all this about……”
“It’s not as easy as it sounds” Lilia said.
“Do you know how easy it is to kill the first born when there’s only two kids ? I have a list of ways and all of them can pass as accidents, don’t ask me how I know” Roxana said the last part when Lilia gave her a look.
“What? You gotta be kidding me! What is this? You can't just quit after we've come this far!” Ruggie screamed.
“You can't do this to us, Boss!”
“You're gonna play, even if we gotta drag you out there kicking and screaming!”
“Bah, I'm so sick of this nonsense. Shut UP, you nobodies!” Leona shouted as he grabbed Ruggie by the arm.
A sand storm started to form.
“AAAH...” Ruggie screamed in pain.
“Gwaaah!”
“What?! My nose is drying' out... M-my eyes hurt!” Grim cried.
“Everything the housewarden touched is turning to sand?!” Jack said while looking at the sand that formed from Leona’s touch.
Leona scoffed. “That'd be my signature spell. "The King's Roar." Ironic, isn't it? Nothin' the savanna hates more than a drought. Yet its prince's magic desiccates everything—reduces it to sand.”
Ruggie tried to free himself from Leona’s grasp. “B-boss... It hurts...!” He cried.
Deuce looked at the hyena’s arm in horror. “Ruggie's arm! The skin is cracking!”
Ace looked at it in horror too. “Your spell can legit dry out a HUMAN BEING?!”
“Leona, I cannot allow this to continue! Off With Your Head!” Riddle casted his magic but it bounced off Leona’s defense.
A shield, smart move. Roxana though.
Grim looked surprised. “Myah?! Riddle's collar bounced right off!”
“Maybe you're some kinda prodigy, kid” Leona sneered at Riddle. “But don't go thinking' you're smarter than your elders. I aced my Protective Magic classes in my sleep.”
Riddle frowned. “Tch!”
Leona looked down at Ruggie. “Hah! How do you like that, Ruggie? Does it hurt? Is your mouth too dry to keep licking my boots? That was your finest talent, too.”
Ruggie looked like he was much more in pain than before. “Nngh... G-gaah...”
Jack looked panicked. “If we don't stop him, Ruggie's gonna...!”
Leona got suddenly blasted away while Ruggie got summoned by his clothes away from Leona.
Lilia turned to look at Roxana who was already healing Ruggie’s arm.
“That broke Leona's concentration! "Off With Your Head!"” Riddle quickly acted and collared Leona.
“GAAAAAH!” The lion screamed as the collar shut around his neck.
Ruggie coughed in Roxana’s arm.
“Here drink this, it will help with your throat” Roxana said as she passed him water.
Cater grinned. “That was beautiful, Riddle! You stopped Leona's magic cold!”
“Sebek, let's get the wounded somewhere safe.” Silver said.
“Do not presume to order me around, Silver!” Sebek screamed.
“Your boy should really make a difference between an order and an emergency request” Roxana said while giving Lilia a side look.
Lilia sweat-dropped. “Ehe, I can’t help with that”
Leona growled. “No... NO! You can't collar a lion!”
“I understand the irony of me being the one to say it, but it pains me to see you like this. You'd be wise to confine yourself to your room and try to calm down!” Riddle said.
“What do you know about how I feel?!” Leona shouted at him with a glare.
“Would that the lion king of the savanna could witness this absolute farce.” Lilia said. “No, if you ask me, the collar suits you far better than a crown ever could.”
Leona froze. “...Huh?!”
“You may bemoan the fact that you're not higher in line to be king. But with that sensitive ego of yours? That so quickly directs all your petty anger at your retainers...Well, the idea of you ever contending with a REAL king like our Malleus—is absolutely laughable. Even if you COULD defeat Malleus, so long as that's how you choose to conduct yourself? You would never be fit to rule!” Lilia said.
“A ruler like you would most likely lead his kingdom to ruins especially with that inferiority complex you have” Roxana added.
Leona gave a crazed laugh. “Ha... Haha. Yeah, you're probably right. No, you're EXACTLY right...! Ha hahaha! I will never become king. No matter how hard I try!”
Grim shivered. “Myah?! All my fur's standing on end!”
Riddle panicked. “The magic power within Leona is surging... I don't think my collar can hold it!”
“No. That isn't magic power. That's negative energy, which means...” Lilia got cut off.
“Everybody, get down!” Cater screamed.
Roxana put a shield to protect everyone from the magical explosion and the sudden sand storm.
“Riddle's collar flew off?!” Cater turned to Roxana. “Thanks for the shield BTW”
“No need to thank me”
“I've been loathed since the day I was born. I've never had a place, never had a future! None of my hard work is ever rewarded! How could any of YOU possibly understand? MY disappointment?! MY pain?! AAAAAAAAAH!” Leona glared at them as he got cocooned by the blot.
A roar echoed through the stadium; Roxana narrowed her eyes at the now Overbloted Leona.
“What's happening?! Some kinda giant shadow is coming' outta him!” Jack said while shivering from the stare the Blot monster was giving them.
Deuce stood beside him. “That's the incarnation of his blot!”
“Is he going' into evil darkness berserker mode like Riddle did?!” Grim shouted.
“At this point it’s became a tradition I will not be surprised if there’s a third one” Roxana said. “Or more
“If you can move, seek shelter! Ace, Deuce, help me take the wounded outside!” Riddle said. “Lilia, please get help from the faculty!”
Deuce and Ace nodded. “On it !”
“Understood. Stay strong until I return!” Lilia said.
Leona roared.
“Why does this keep happening to us? This is sooooo not my #brand!” Cater grimaced.
Riddle gave him a look. “If you're afraid, feel free to run.”
“Trey wouldn't let me hear the end of that. We do this together, Housewarden!” Cater said.
“I dunno what's going on, but if we hit Leona hard enough, maybe we can snap him outta it?” Jack asked.
Ruggie stood up. “I... *cough* I'll help too... *cough* No way am I taking what he said lying down!”
Leona glared at Ruggie. “So even the lowly hyena turns against me? Hahahaha! What a total joke!”
The real joke will be on you. Roxana thought.
“If I can't overthrow the world, I'll turn it to sand! It's pointless—all of it!” Leona growled.
Ruggie looked at him with something akin to pity. “Have you always felt this way? All this time...?”
“Ruggie, let's hit Leona hard and knock some sense into him, fast!” Jack said.
Leona’s attack collided with Roxana’s shield, she send a blasting curse his way, blasting him to the wall.
“I thought you were magicless ! And where is your pen ! You can’t use magic just like that !” Ruggie said.
“I don’t need a pen to use magic, nor do I need a wand anymore, and who do you think put those Savanaclaw in the infirmary with those weird symptoms ?” Roxana smirked.
Jack and Ruggie looked at her in fear.
“That was you….” Jack said in a whisper.
“Women are terrifying…” Ruggie gulped.
“YOU WON’T STOP MEEEEEEE !!” Leona roared.
“I will… and more” Roxana said.
She threw a fire spell at him, and he countered with a shield before he send a sand attack at her which she redirected it back at him.
“GAH !” Leona growled when that sand got into his eyes, he opened his eyes in time to dodge a fire tornado.
But since Blot monsters use their creator as meat shield, the monster got hit in Leona’s place.
“Woah that’s a powerful attack” Ruggie said while the blot monster was roaring in pain. “It nearly burned that thing in half !”
The blot monster jumped behind Leona the moment Roxana was going to use slicing spell.
“Oh, this one is crafty” Roxana said.
Riddle’s blot didn’t use Riddle as a meat shield again even when it had the time to do so, but this one doesn’t hesitate into hiding behind Leona. She tsk-ed. For something so big and that seems easy to kill, it knows that hiding it glassy head behind Leona would protect it for a while, in that case, I just have to attack from above.
“Ruggie, Jack, distract Leona” Roxana said. “Win me some time, I have a plan”
“Alright !”
The witch apparated up on the rooftop above the blot monster who didn’t notice her, Ruggie and Jack were doing a successful job at distracting Leona.
I have to admit, this is annoying, if the school didn’t need Leona alive, I would have sliced him open along with that blot monster, rescuing people is not my forte. Roxana though as she took out one of her not poisoned daggers.
She made it float right above the blot monster before she engorgio-ed it, she raised her arm and the dagger followed by floating higher.
“RUGGIE, JACK OUT OF THE WAY !” Roxana used sonorous for her voice to travel around the stadium.
Ruggie’s eyes were about to fall out of their socket when he saw the enormous floating dagger before started to run away with Jack.
“WHAT THE HECK IS THAT !” Ruggie screamed.
Roxana dropped her arm.
And the dagger dropped from the air right on top the glassy head of the monster.