Twisted Wonderland: The Seven Treasures

Twisted Wonderland & The Scars of a Ruler-Final Part

  Overblot Leona looked over at the sound of rocks moving and grinned. "Well well," he said, standing from the bone-like throne. "You finally made it."
  Leona growled at his Overblot form. "What did you do to Ruggie?" He asked.
  "Nothing much," Overblot Leona replied, waving a hand disinterested then pointed at his neck. "You remember that ink spot on the back of his neck when Jack first knocked him out?" He asked, cracking one eye open. "That was the beginning of the real power of the Claw."
  "Real power?"
  "You don't think the King of Beast needed to turn anyone into animals during his time, do you?" Overblot Leona asked, holding his arm up to show the Claw. "Instead, his Treasure holds the ability to bring out the most powerful version of yourself, whether that be a good version or an Overblot version."
  "So why didn't you use it on Jack that way then?" Leona asked. "You simply turned him into a wolf."
  "I knew you had your hands full so I wanted to give you a sporting chance," Overblot Leona said. "But that's not to say I don't crave the idea of seeing Jack as a faithful third-hand in my army."
  "Army?"
  "Of course!" Overblot Leona exclaimed. "I didn't just grab all of the Savannaclaw students because of their beastmen backgrounds. I wanted strong animals, ones who would help me rip out the faker king and put me in charge instead!"
  "You're talkin' about my brother?" Leona asked.
  "I'm talking about every ruler in this world!" Overblot Leona cried. "Why should I settle for one kingdom when I can have all of them?"
  Leona was pushed back by the strong wind and sand blowing around Overblot Leona.
  "I can feel it!" Overblot Leona cried. "The power that the Claw has given me! It's growing!"
  "Urgh..." Leona graoned, straining against the pressure.
  Overblot Leona looked up into the night sky, laughing. "Yes!" He cried. "I want it all! Drain it out of everything here!"
  He raised his arm into the air and golden sand began gathering in his palm.
  Leona heard something crunching below him and looked down, sneering as he saw the grass by his shoes drying up and turning yellow before disintegrating into sand and rising to join the gathering magic.
  "Stop it!" Leona cried, looking back up. "You'll kill everything here!"
  "Why should that matter to me?" Overblot Leona cried back. "This world isn't real anyway! It'll fade once I've defeated you anyway!"
  Leona pushed against the wind again, but was thrown backwards against a rocky wall, pinned to it by the wind, his magepen falling to the dusty ground as he hit the rock.
  Soon, animal cries could be heard mixing with the howling wind as the Claw took its power back, turning the animals back into students.
  Leona strained his fingers, trying to reach his magepen. If he could just fire off one spell, maybe that would break Overblot Leona's concentration and...
  "I see you," Overblot Leona said over the wind. "And I won't let you do anything to stop me!"
  He lowered his hand to point at a large rock and it rose up in the strong wind.
  "Long live the King!" Overblot Leona cried, throwing the rock at Leona.
  From the dying grassland below, Jack and now normal Ruggie looked up as Leona roared before a thunderous crash was heard, silencing the roar.
  "Leona!" They both cried out, continuing the run towards the rocks.
~~~~~
  "Leona! Leona! Where has that boy gone to now?"
  Blinking awake, Leona recognized that he was laying on his back, facing up to a ceiling that was vaguely familiar.
  Sitting up, he winced, holding his head. Why was there a throbbing headache?
  "Oh right..." he muttered. "Crushed by a rock. How lame is that ending?"
  Except...Leona didn't feel dead. In fact, aside from the headache, which was already fading, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with him.
  "Leona Kingscholar! Come out this instant!" A voice called out, making Leona wince.
  "That'll never work," he said. "Besides, never did."
  Laying back down, Leona looked over and frowned. What...was this his childhood room? There were the chunks of wall missing from where he had tested his power, the cupboard where he hid every time someone called for him...
  Sitting back up, Leona looked at the cupboard. "They're gone," he said. "They'll be looking for you in the kitchen or outside next so you can get out of there before the splinters stab your ears."
  "How'd you know about the splinters?" Young Leona asked, opening the cupboard door and crawling out. "And how'd you get here?"
  "Climbed in through the window," Leona said dryly. "I was crushed by a rock."
  "Yeah, like that would kill someone as strong as you," Young Leona said, straightening and brushing some dust off. "I bet you're a mage and you've got a signature spell so strong, you could pummel that stone before it hit you!"
  He punched the air twice before sitting on the bed. "I wonder what they want me for this time?" He asked, switching tracks. "Probably something that my older brother did. He's always getting praised."
  "Yeah?" Leona asked, looking at Young Leona sideways. "How doesn't it make you feel?"
  Young Leona shrugged. "A little left out, I guess," he said. "I don't get praised like him. It's always "Leona, control your power". "Leona, your power is so scary! Don't use it in front of people"! "Leona, why aren't you more like your brother"?  Stuff like that. But I bet, if I was oldest, they would call it an amazing power."
  "It's that good?" Leona asked.
  "Well...not yet," Young Leona admitted. "But it's strong and I know I gotta be careful till I get a magepen from Night Raven College."
  Leona was quiet. Why was he here? Was this just a mockery of his childhood? He knew how this went, his younger self had already described it pretty well. So why?
  "Hey mister?" Young Leona asked. "You're from Night Raven College, aren't you?"
  "What makes you say that?"
  "You're scarf has the Savannaclaw symbol on it," Young Leona said. "So unless you stole it, you're from NRC."
  "And who said I didn't steal it?"
  "No one steals from Night Raven College," Young Leona said. "If they did, the school wouldn't have such a tight reputation."
  Leona grinned. "Alright kid," he said. "You got me. I'm a student at Night Raven."
  "So where's your magepen? Crushed by the same rock that killed you?"
  Leona rolled his eyes. "No. It's just not on me right now."
  "Leona! Where are you, little brother?"
  Young Leona winced and his tail twitched aggressively. "They got him to help?" He growled. "Now I'll be in real trouble if I don't come out."
  "You don't have to." Leona said.
  "What?"
  "I said you don't have to go out," Leona said. "You could stay here and nap."
  "I...I shouldn't..." Young Leona said, but he was unconvinced. "What if someone gets mad?"
  "Who cares what others think?" Leona asked. "What happens to you only matters to you."
  "So...do you let others decide how you feel?"
  Leona shook his head. "Nope. And that works for me. If anyone tries to tell me how to feel, I ignore them. I decide what to put effort into, and if anyone tries to tell me otherwise, I ignore them too."
  "Will that actually work?" Young Leona asked. "I mean, doesn't that make you seem selfish?"
  "Maybe," Leona shrugged. "But once again, why does it matter to others what you're like? You should be happiest with yourself as you are, not how others see you."
  Young Leona looked at Leona with admiration-filled eyes, but a bright light appeared behind them, making them look over.
  "Is...is that for you?" Young Leona asked.
  "Yep," Leona said, standing. "See ya' kid. You got this."
  He waved a hand as he stepped through the light.
~~~~~
  Dark clouds had gathered in the sky, but rain had yet to break through.
  "You can't hope to beat me!" Overblot Leona yelled. "I am King! You will bow to me!"
  Jack and Ruggie jumped back as a wave of sand tried to brush against them, landing near the rubble where Leona had been hit by the rock.
  He had fallen to the ground next to his magepen, out cold and unresponsive.
  Jack glanced over at Ruggie, who was panting. "You alright?" Jack asked.
  Ruggie shook his head. "Gonna be at my limit soon," he said. "You?"
  "Same," Jack replied. "What are we gonna do?"
  "How'bout you stop whining like a pack of dogs?" Leona groaned, making them turn. "You shouldn't whine to others when you can't cross a wall."
  "Leona!" Ruggie exclaimed. "You're alright?"
  "Course I'm alright," Leona said, standing. "It'll take more then a rock to finish me off."
  He picked up his magepen and started walking towards the two. "So, you failed to get rid of me," He said, spinning the pen between his fingers as he looked up at Overblot Leona. "I wonder if that makes it harder for you to claim the King's Claw as yours?"
  Overblot Leona growled and raised his hand back up, the sand growing thicker.
  Leona ran forward, leaping out of the way as a pair of flora and fire magic blasts hit the ground in front of him, sending smoke up into the air as the grass caught fire, hiding Leona.
  "Hold still and be killed!" Overblot Leona cried, sending more magic to blast the ground where he had last seen Leona. "I am King!"
  "But you're not my King," Leona said, making Overblot Leona turn. Leona was standing on another outcropping of rock above his Overblot form, illuminated by the flames below them. "And no one's gonna be King of me except for Me."
  "You want this?" Overblot Leona asked, holding the Claw up. "Come get it, lion boy."
  Leona crouched, poised before jumping forward, his hand extended out to Overblot Leona. "I am your hunger. I am your thirst," Leona began. "I am what steals the light of your tomorrows. Kneel before me! King's Roar!"
  "King's Roar!" Overblot Leona cried, matching Leona's spell, sending the gathered sand towards Leona, his hand reaching forward.
  The two spells meet, causing the rocks to crumble around them. "Why don't you give up!" Overblot Leona cried.
  "It's not very kingly to die by his own hand." Leona replied, grinning.
  "Why are you so happy?" Overblot Leona asked, straining against the magic.
  "Happy? I'm not happy," Leona said. "I was enjoying the moment."
  He pushed harder and Overblot Leona was thrown back, hitting the ground and creating a small crater.
  Leona dismissed the magic and landed on the rocks beside Jack and Ruggie, his back to his Overblot form.
  Jack and Ruggie ran over. "You alright?" Ruggie asked.
  "My magic is runnin' low but I'm alright," Leona said. "Start gathering the students and find my brother. I'm gonna finish this guy."
  Jumping down from the rock, Leona landed beside the small crater where Overblot Leona was lying.
  "Get up," Leona said. "Give me the Claw."
  "It's just a representation," Overblot Leona said, shaking his head. "I'm the real Claw."
  "So you can project an image of your host?" Leona asked. "Like the card?"
  "Card? So then you've met the Queen's Card," Overblot Leona said, getting up. "Yeah. It was fun. You really are strong, whether you're overblot or normal. I'm glad I got to-"
  "Stop acting."
  Overblot Leona blinked. "What?"
  "Stop acting," Leona said. "If you chose me to be your host, then stop actin' and tell me how you really feel."
  "Really feel?" The King's Claw asked, then ducked his head, shaking with rage. "Feel?" He asked again then raised his head to look at Leona. "I'm ticked off!" He spat. "I'm a Treasure! I have the power of the King of the Beasts! I wanted to prove that I was stronger!"
  Leona didn't respond. "Well?" The Claw demanded. "Say something! You want the same thing! That's why I never changed forms!"
  "No," Leona said. "You didn't change because you chose me as your host. That has nothing to do with proving strength."
  He crouched in front of the Claw, meeting his eyes. "And yes, one day I'll show my brother that I'm stronger," Leona said. "But it's not going to get me the throne. So I'll keep my place in the back, but I won't be facing his successes. I'll be facing my own."
  Overblot Leona recoiled. "You-you'll what?"
  'You heard me," Leona said, standing. "Now, stop whining. A true king shouldn't whine to another."
  "A true king?" The Claw asked. "So you..."
  "Acknowledge you as a fine opponent? Yep," Leona said. "But I think it's time we went home. All of us."
  He extended a hand to the Claw and the world around them shattered.
~~~~~
  "So no one remembers being animals?" Leona asked, standing in front of the King's Claw that night.
  "No one. Ruggie and Jack won't remember a lot but they'll remember anything you tell them," The Claw said, standing beside Leona. "I gave Crowley some false memories to keep him up to speed on the date and I made sure you're brother and anyone who saw me that day don't remember. It'll be like the attack never happened."
  After being transported back to Night Raven College, Leona had found himself on the floor of the King of Beast's exhibit room, with neither Jack or Ruggie nearby. The Claw had been waiting though.
  "And Cheka?"
  "I didn't mess around there," the Claw said. "After all, you had Vil do most of it. He'll be back to his cheerful, annoying self tomorrow."
  "And the physical Treasure?"
  "Safely behind the glass," Overblot Leona looked over at Leona. "You know, you could try it on. Just for kicks."
  "And turn everything into sand?" Leona asked. "You stored a lot of magic in that thing. I'll pass."
  "You're loss," the Claw shrugged. "See ya tomorrow Leona."
  The projection faded and Leona scoffed. "Yeah," he said, turning away. "Till tomorrow."
  He left the room and walked down the hall, enjoying the silence that the night gave to the school.
  It was good to be king of himself.
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  Down in Octavinelle, a cold wind brushed against Azul's neck, making him pause and turn.
  "Hey Azul," Floyd called out farther down the hall. "Come on."
  "Just a moment Floyd," Azul replied, looking down the hall. "I could have sworn I saw something..."
  Jade turned as well. "Nothing is there, Azul," he said. "Perhaps you should retire earlier tomorrow night."
  "There was work to do tonight," Azul said, closing his eyes as he turned back and walked over to join the twins. "And it could be helped. You two could have gone to bed hours ago."
  "Yeah..." Floyd said, putting his hand behind his head. "But then you'd be lonely."
  "I have been alone before," Azul replied, opening his eyes and looking down at the floor. "I could have managed it."
  The twins looked at each other then Floyd shrugged. "If you say so." He said, lowering his arm.
  The three of them continued walking down the hall, oblivious that behind them a golden flash came from round a corner shrouded in darkness.
  "Now now my precious," a voice urged. "One mustn't deny the contract."
  "But-but..."
  "Shhh..." the first voice whispered then grinned. "In violation of your broken contract, you now belong to me..."
  A strangled scream came from down the hall, but there was no one around to hear it.