Into the World of Twisted Wonderland Pt 2

🐍 Schemer of the Scalding Sands: Chapter 27 🐍

Back in the room, the five reconvened, Angel's headache gone as she sits on the bed, gathered with the four. "Good work, Jade," Azul says as he sits on the other bed. "Did you have your' talk' with Kalim?" He asks.

"Yes, sir. It was just what you expected," Jade states. "It's likely that Kalim is being magically mind-controlled by someone who is making him do these things."

"Mind control?!" Grim exclaims in shock.

"Someone's making him do it?" Angel asks. The thought of mind control reminds her of her dream, how the sultan was looking in a daze while looking at the staff. "This rings a bell for me..."

"Is that even possible?" Grim asks the trio.

"You know how Ruggie has magic that manipulates the body?" Jade starts. "There's also hypnosis magic that takes control of a target's mind, but it requires a far higher degree of skill and magical power than its bodily counterpart. Which means very few magicians are capable of using it."

Angel thinks for a moment about the spell. "If a spell is that precise, is it possible to manipulate senses as well as the mind?" She asks.

"Hmm..." Jade hums in thought. "It isn't unheard of, but it isn't impossible."

"You gotta have skills and power on par with Azul for that, though," Floyd adds.

"Even I would be hard-pressed to control living creatures with their own egos like humans," Azul says with a shrug. The statement got her thinking. She gets the headaches, but usually there's a faint mist around them with the headaches. So far, she's only been experiencing headaches, but without the mist, it doesn't help to figure out who might overblot. The more pressing issue is, that person had to figure out that she was Purifier to try and block it, but that couldn't be it...right? Only a few people on campus even know about it, the Octavinelle trio included, but who else would even know?

"Why'd you ask that?" Floyd asks.

"Well...it might be weird but I feel like someone might be controlling not just Kalim, but me as well," she states, shocking the trio. "It might not be as prominent as Kalim's but I feel like some of my senses might be manipulated, but I'm not sure who's doing it."

The trio think for the moment while Grim looks in confusion. "But I don't think anybody in Scarabia is half as good as you, Azul. Even their own housewarden Kalim's big signature spell is just a glorified waterspout, and their vice housewarden Jamil was sayin' he got fives across the board outta the ten-level grading scale."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Azul says as he fixes his glasses. "You know what they say-a clever hawk hides its talons."

"So who's mind-controllin' Sea Otter, and why?" Floyd asks Jade.

"I'm afraid I couldn't get any answers there," Jade sadly says.

"You couldn't figure it out?" Floyd skeptically asks. "Even with your signature spell?"

"Wait wait wait," Grim speaks. "Come to think of it, we've never seen Jade's signature spell. What's it do?"

Jade sighs. "Floyd, what have I told you about blurting out the details about my signature spell in the presence of others?" He scolds.

"I don't see the harm in disclosing this to Angel and Grim, actually," Azul says. "Knowing a signature spell's function wouldn't make a magic-bereft human any more susceptible to it than they already are," he states.

"So it's harmless 'cause WE'RE harmless," Grim says with paws crossed. "Great. That makes me feel waaay better. Tch..."

Jade sighs. "Well, if I must," he looks to the two. "My unique power is one that would make most people guarded around me if they knew what it did, so I'm not a fan of revealing it, but...My signature spell is called Shock the Heart. It can be used once, and only once, on a target to make them tell the truth."

The description shocked the two. "Myah?! So they wouldn't be able to lie?!" Grim says.

"Mind you, it can only be used once against a given target," Jade explains. "Once I use it on someone, I can never use it on them again, and it often doesn't work at all on people highly resistant to magic, or wary types like Azul." He pauses. "In fact, now that I think about it, it actually might not work against Angel," he says making her confused. "From what I can tell, you have moments where your mind is heavily guarded but other moments you keep to yourself. Who am I to intrude on other's thoughts?" He says with a smile. "But anyway, it's only effective on those with loosely guarded minds, or people in a moment of mental vulnerability. Hence my signature spell is very limited in scope."

"So even if someone is mentally weak, they would fall victim to it," Angel says and Jade nods.

"It works great on guys who're cowerin' in fear or bawlin' like babies, though," Floyd adds with a smile.

"Heh heh heh," Jade chuckles. "So it does."

The twins' chuckles send shivers down Grim's spine. "The way they smile scare the daylights outta me," He says with a shiver.

"Anyway," Jade starts. "Kalim has always been the type to open up to others. Thus, my spell worked on him flawlessly, yet even so..." He says as he tells the event.

"That's it, look in my left eye..." Jade says as Kalim continues to look at his eye. "Don't be afraid. I want to help you. Shock the Heart."

The light flashes and Kalim blinks, shaking his head at the light. "...Huh?" He asks in confusion.

"I'm going to ask you some questions, and you will answer them honestly," Jade says. "Do you know the name of the student using hypnosis magic on you?"

"I do," Kalim answers.

"And what is his name?" Jade asks with a smirk.

"I..." Kalim says, hesitating. "...can't say."

"...What?" Jade asks in surprise.

"I must never tell anyone," Kalim says. "I made a promise long ago. So I can't say."

The statement shocks Jade even more. "Hm...I see. All right."

Kalim blinks. "Huh? Wha? What was I just-"

"Thank you, Kalim," Jade interrupts with a smile. "You've helped clear the air a great deal."

"I-I have?" Kalim asks in confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about, but, uh, I'm glad you're satisfied!" He says with a smile.

"Indeed I am, my friend."

"...And that's the story," Jade finishes.

"Ha ha ha! Hilarious," Azul laughs. "Your signature spell was thwarted by Kalim's strength of character."

"As much as I hate to admit it, that is an accurate assessment," Jade states.

"And here I thought Sea Otter would sing like a canary," Floyd says in a disappointed tone. "Just when you think you know a guy!"

"It must have been a promise he keeps close to his heart," Jade says.

"Heh..." Azul chuckles. "Yet that same unwavering conviction has laid bare the truth behind the unrest in Scarabia. All that's left now are the finishing touches. It's time to catch this culprit by the tail and pull him out of the sand where he's lurking. I have a plan. First..."