Key of Souls: Twisted Wonderland

Chapter 34: Crossing the Line

3rd POV

Ace and Deuce rushed towards Riddle, getting ready to assault him with their magic as the duel started. But before either of them could cast their spells...

"OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!!", Riddle shouted as he pointed his staff at them. Before either of them knew it, the collars were once again locked around their necks. "Uuwwwaaaah!!", Ace and Deuce screamed out.

"Ugh... Shit! We didn't even have time to get our magic materialized!", Ace shouted angrily.

"To come this far and not be able to do a thing...", Deuce said. Both boys fell on their knees as the shock of Riddle's Unique Magic caught them in complete surprise. Dawn wanted to run to her friends, but was held back by Trey and Cater; the last thing they wanted was for her to get hurt in the crosshairs of this. "S-so fast! I didn't see what happened...", she said in utter disbelief.

"Strong magic comes from a strong imagination. The stronger your ability to accurately imagine magic, the stronger and more effective it will be. Mr. Rosehearts has polished his magic to a beautiful shine.", Crowley explained as he crossed his arms in delight.

"Ffgnaa... The level gap is too wide.", Grim exclaimed with tears in his eyes, he hid behind Dawn's legs as a means of protection.

"Huh. It didn't even take five seconds. And you thought to challenge me with those skills. Aren't you embarrassed?", Riddle asked condescendingly. "This just proves that rule violators are always wrong. Just as Mother said."

"Guuuh... You're right, rules should be followed. But enforcing absurd rules just makes you a tyrant!", Deuce shouted as he and Ace got back on their feet.

"Ha? Rule breaking has consequences. And, in this dorm, I am the rules. Those who refuse to obey don't get to complain when I take off their heads!", Riddle said.

"That wrong!... That's completely wrong!!", Dawn shouted. Just hearing that alone made her furious and she knew she couldn't be quiet about this. "You don't get to do whatever you want because "it's the rules"!" Riddle glared at her with venom in his eyes, how this girl still hasn't learned anything from watching this duel.

"No one will abide by the rules if there is no punishment for breaking them! Just what kind of education did you receive if you don't even know something as basic as that?", Riddle sneers at her. This made Dawn's eyes harden in anger as she clenched her fists in anger; she was about to talk back when Riddle continued. "What is wrong is all for me to decide!! If you can't even follow a simple rule, just what was your education like?", he shouted before huffing a smug smile. "You were born from parents that can't even use magic and didn't receive much in terms of schooling before coming here. You're utterly inadequate."

Riddle's words shocked Dawn to the point where she couldn't speak for a moment and made her pale as her body was shaking. 'My parents...', was all she could think at the time as tears were threatening to fall from her eyes; she thought of both her adopted parents who loved and raised her and her biological parents who gave her up but left her their key as a keepsake. Insulting her was one thing, but insulting her family was something she could not tolerate. "Y-You!!...", Dawn tried to talk back, but her mind was overwhelmed with sadness and anger to say anything. Seeing her like this made the boys' blood boil with rage, especially Ace's.

"...Why you...", an enraged Deuce shouted as he pounded his fists.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!!!!!", Ace roared at the top of his lungs. Before anyone could react, Ace rushed toward Riddle and gave him a hard, solid punch on his face; knocking him down. Everybody gasped and was left speechless at what he did just now. "Guuhh...?", went Riddle.