My Dream

❤️ Wrath of the Crimson Ruler

"A... baby? Me?" Riddle asked. "You don't know anything... you don't know anything about me!"

"Ah, I've got no idea." Ace confirmed. "There's no way I would! Do you think I'd know, with that attitude? I'm not letting you off the hook."

"Enough, enough, enough!! Shut up!!" Riddle screamed. "My mother was correct! That means I'm correct!!"

Trey took a step closer. "Riddle, calm down. The duel is already over!"

"It's as Mr. Clover says." Crowley agreed. "The challenger is disqualified for his outburst! Continuing to escalate goes against school regulations!"

"The freshman is right!" Someone shouted from the crowd. "I can't handle this anymore!"

Something came flying over the heads of the crowds. Riddle grunted as it made impact with him. Trey rushed to his friends side, looking at him carefully. "Is this... an egg? Did one of the residents... throw it?"

Riddle flung some egg off his hand in angered disgust. "Who did it!" He demanded. "Who threw the egg?"

The students of Heartslabuyl were stone-faced and silent. Their silence spoke a thousand words. Heartslabuyl was rebelling against their Queen.

Riddle burst into laughter. It sounded unhinged and desperate, sending a shiver down Gwen's spine. "You can't handle it? I'm the one who can't handle it anymore!!" Anger marred his face. "No matter how many times I take off your heads, no matter how strict I become, you all keep breaking the rules!"

Riddle pointed at Ace and Deuce. "This guy, that guy, you're all selfish idiots! Fine, have it your way. If you won't come forward, I'll just punish all of you!" Riddle pointed his wand at the crowd. "Then it's off with all your heads! OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!!"

The crowd screamed and began to panic as collars wrapped around their necks. The only ones not collared were Crowley, Trey, Cater, and Gwen.

Riddle laughed at their reactions. "How's that?" He asked. "None of you can touch me! Strictly enforcing the rules does make me the most correct!"

"Stop this at one, Mr. Rosehearts!" Crowley demanded. "This isn't like you at all!"

Cater grabbed Gwen's shoulders and pulled her closer. "Trey, this is bad." He said, keeping a protective hold on Gwen. "If he keeps casting magic like that."

Trey gave a frustrated growl. "Riddle! This is enough!"

"Hey, you!" Ace shouted. "Not everything is going to go the way you want! Throwing a tantrum when things don't is what makes you a baby!"

"Take that back this instant!" Riddle screamed, his face turning a bright shade of red. "Do you want to be run through!?"

"No way!" Ace said. "Absolutely not!"

Riddle let out a harsh scream of pure anger. It sounded almost animalistic. Gwen ripped herself out of Cater's grasp and rushed over to Ace and Deuce, Grim following right behind her.

"Gwen!" Cater cried. "This is seriously bad! Everyone get outta here!"

Gwen squeezed her eyes shut as the world seemed to shift around her. She gasped when she opened them. The sky had turned an inky black and the world around her looked distorted.

"The rose trees are all starting to float around the garden!" Grim cried.

"This is a huge amount of magic!" Deuce shouted. "Is he really going to come after us with all that?!"

"Rose trees, head my call!" Riddle commanded. "To pieces with them all!!!!"

"This is bad!" Crowley shouted. "Move away!"

"It's too late!" Gwen screamed as two of the rose trees came flying at her group. She grabbed Grim tightly in fear.

Before they could hit her, the trees exploded into card suits, gently and harmlessly falling around them.

Riddle looked stunned. "This is..."

"Huh?! We're alive?" Ace grabbed onto Gwen and Deuce tightly by the arms, like he was making sure. "What are these, card suits?"

Deuce caught one in his hand. "The rose trees have all been turned into card suits. How?"

Gwen beamed, turning her head. "Trey-senpai!"

Trey had a serious look on his face, and his pen in his hand. "Riddle, stop now!"

"Trey's Doodle Suit?!" Cater was stunned. "Eh... what's going on?" He asked.

"The magic sealing collar is gone too!" Grim realized.

"I told you." Trey said, walking to the group. He stood in front of them protectively. "My Doodle Suit can overwrite anything for a short period of time. So... I overwrote Riddle's magic into my magic."

"You're kidding!" Cater rushed to his side. "That's possible? It's a cheat!"

"Off with their heads!" Riddle cried, but only card suits appeared. "When I have your heads! Why won't anything but card suits appear?!"

"Riddle, stop this." Trey said once more. "If you go any further you will lose everything! Look at everyone's faces!" He warned, gesturing at the others.

Riddle made eye contact with Gwen, and for just a moment, his angry expression faltered. "Riddle." She called his name gently. Riddle began to raise his hand, then snatched it away like he had been burned. He looked over at Trey in disbelief.

"W-was he seriously going through with it?" A student asked in fear.

"He went way too far." Another student said.

"M-monster!" A third student whimpered.

Riddle ignored them, his gaze solely on Trey. "Trey overwrote my magic...?" He asked, sounding betrayed. "Does that mean your magic surpasses mine?"

"There's no way that's the case." Trey tried to assure him. "Riddle, calm down a bit and let's talk this out."

"So you want to tell me I'm wrong, too?" Riddle asked, anger seeping back into his tone. "Even though we've been upholding these strict rules this whole time?" He closed his eyes, tears beading in the corner. "I've been enduring and enduring and enduring this whole time! I... I... don't believe you!"

"Mr. Rosehearts, you mustn't!" Crowley warned. "If you keep using magic, your magic crystal is going to be covered in blot!"

Riddle's face started to turn red again. "I am... I AM!!! Absolutely, definitely CORRECT!!!" The rose garden shook with his rage.

"RIDDLE!" Trey screamed.

Gwen screamed as well, seeing her friends' heart overflow with the ink. The red jewel in his pen turned a dark, inky shade. Darkness swallowed him, and when it cleared... the boy from Gwen's nightmares stood in his place.