Twisted Tonelico

Phase 02-Book 01: Dia Rosa Rudje (pt. 12)

Previously: Grim's fur suddenly started to stand on end. "Uh, guys? Anyone else got the chills, or is it just me?!"

They look over to see Riddle-

Oozing black a liquid from his lips, head and eyes.

"You four..." He raised his staff towards the party. "WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY!!!"

"RIIIDDDLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

~Twisted Tonelico~

The Riddle Rosehearts they knew was no more. His heart, swallowed by rage and penned up anger, exploded into a mass of inky black. The ink submerged his body, draining away the color from face and soul. And once he resurfaced from the Blot, he was reborn a rouge and noir monster of a queen.

Grim was scared of what became of Riddle. "Nyah! His scary aura now is ten times worse!"

"What happened to him?!" Meryu panicked.

"No...in all my years of Headmaster to academy, I've never had a student overblot before!" Crowley lamented.

Ace and the others were confused by what Crowley had said."Over what?"

"Overblot happens when a mage overused their magic combined with their negative emotions running high." Trey explained as best he could.

Deuce was still confused. "Overuse?"

"Think of it as a berserker mode for mages." Cater added hastily.

His eyes, that once were a steel Grey, shone a blood red with one of them glowing ablaze. Said orbs focused their sight on the First Years, a demented grin splitting his face. "You four have such nerve to walk away from your queen. You came into my domain, caused chaos and disorder, and have THE GALL to wall away from the Queen?!"

A monster of black ink arose upon Riddle's command. A heart shaped vial dripping Blot from its cracks stood behind him. One of its arms was that of the countless rose bushes in Heartslabyul, and at Riddle's enraged command, swung its arm at the four. "Beheading you lot will not be enough! FOR MOCKING AND DISRESPECTING YOUR QUEEN, YOU SHALL PERISH!!!"

"DOODLE SUIT!!"

Trey repels the attack as best he could. Defending his juniors from his friend's attack. Enraged, Riddle blindly collared so many students before Trey used it again, rewriting his friend's magic for a short amount of time.

"Trey-senpai! You ok?"

"Yeah," he answered, panting from the rush of saving his juniors. Downside is that his actions only made Riddle angrier.

"Trey! You... you turned traitor?!"

"No, Riddle! I'm still on your side, but you need to stop!"

"SILENCE!! I shall behead you as well! Rulebreakers do not deserve a place in MY DOMAIN!" The boy ready another attack, the beast behind him following his commands in sync with his rage. Before it could land a hit to the group, Crowley intervened with a reflection spell to knock both Riddle and Beast back.

'If this continues further, Rosehearts will expire!' He turned his head slightly to the students and issued his order: "Mina-san! Evacuate from the premise immediately! Head for the Hall of Mirrors and seek other staff for help!" All of them complied save for a few.

"TAKE THIS!!!" Ace and Grim shouted together as they hit the overblotted boy with their combined magic like they did before.

"I summon thee! Cauldron!!" Deuce also retaliated with his magic.

It was obvious to everyone that these three stayed to stop Riddle's rampage. They refused to let the jaws of death take Riddle away. Not today or any day; and it wasn't because they were that worried for his well being, but that his magic will tear apart the whole school if not stopped. And besides, they felt like this was their way of getting back at him for giving them hell.

Trey, witnessing with the overwhelming guilt of his friend falling this badly into despair, stayed to stop him, too.

Cater looked at the boys in bewilderment. "Seriously?! Like, did you guys not Headmage's orders?!"

"We did, Mr. Diamond," Meryu answered him. "However; we would rather stop and break him free than let him die! If you wish to leave, be our guest and evacuate everyone else. We're staying put."

Shaking their heads in disbelief, Cater and Crowley helped rescue some of the remaining Heartslabyul students away from the maddened garden. The older staff member left to ensure the supervision of the other students. Cater, on the other hand, reluctantly chose to stay, only cause he knew the others needed backup.

Ace turned to the girl still behind him and Spade. "Hey, Meryu! Could you sing for us that song you used back at the mines?"

"Yes! Leave that to me! And remember to back me up, okay?" With a nod from the boys, she clasped her hands together before finally singing once again.

~Was touwaka ra hymme mea PAJA sos yor!~

~Was yea ra exec Hymmnos PAJA sos grandus yor~

An ethereal glow circled the girl as sang, and from it the same Giant rose took shape. Readying its vines, it lunged towards the monstrous pair before her.

"WHAT?!?!"

~Wee granme ra hymme corle mea grandus marfo yor!~

"What the-"

"THIS is Meryu-chan's magic?!" Trey and Cater were caught off guard by the Reyvateil's singing. They had only assumed her singing was nothing akin to magic. And yet, lo and behold, it was!

~Presia grandus yor gyas bister vl ciel!~

~Was yea ra chs grandus manaf yor van morto!~

"Guys focus!! Keep Riddle's attention away from her so she can help break him out of his Overblot!" Ace yelled to his seniors.

"R-right!" Wands at the ready, the group prepared their assault on the twisted Rosehearts.

~Phase 02-Book 01: Dia Rosa Rudje-Tes Biron~