Regal Academy: The Evil Rose *EDITED*

The Ghost Orchid Conflict

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Scene: Swan Lake *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Hawk's POV

We soared through the sky, following Gigi's frantic gestures as he pointed toward the ground below.

Soon, we landed near Swan Lake—a place we had visited before, back when we searched for the Berribon River Lotus for Magister Rapunzel.

Gigi immediately ran ahead, leading us toward a clearing bursting with wildflowers and towering trees.

He stopped suddenly, his tiny body trembling, and pointed to a charred, blackened patch of ground.

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach.

"Please tell me that's always been there," Travis muttered, his voice uneasy.

I knelt down, running my fingers over the scorched earth.

"I think..." My throat felt dry. "I think this is where Rose was last."

The others tensed.

"Well," Astoria spoke up, crossing her arms, "I think it's safe to say the Snow Queen had nothing to do with this."

We all turned to her, confused.

"If she had taken Rose, there would be ice or snow left behind," she pointed out. "not pieces of charred and ash"

Ling Ling nodded. "She's right. This wasn't the Snow Queen's doing."

Travis frowned. "Then who took her?"

Gigi's ears drooped, his tiny eyes filled with sadness.

I felt a heavy weight in my chest. Something bad happened to Rose. And it was our fault.

"Don't worry, Gigi, we'll find Ro—"

Joy's reassurance cut off abruptly as a distant voice echoed through the trees.

"Someone's coming!" I hissed.

"Quick, hide!"

We dove into the bushes, watching as three cloaked figures emerged from the trees, their faces hidden beneath deep hoods.

Rose's POV

I tugged at the hood of my cloak, already annoyed by the fabric blocking my vision.

"Why do we even need to wear these?" I grumbled, looking at Vicky and Kira.

"So no one recognizes us," Vicky answered, adjusting her own hood.

"But I'm not even from this place," I pointed out. "Who here would recognize me?"

"You'd be surprised," Kira muttered.

"Whatever," I huffed. "Let's just find the Ghost Orchid and get out of here. The faster we complete this potion, the faster we can break the banishment curse."

Hawk's POV

We crouched low, straining to hear the cloaked figures' conversation.

"You guys thinking what I'm thinking?" I whispered.

"Villains," they all murmured back.

"But who are they trying to bring back from banishment?" Joy whispered.

"I don't know," Travis muttered, "but it's probably someone bad."

I clenched my fists. "We have to stop them before they get that orchid."