Twisted Wonderland: The Seven Treasures

Twisted Wonderland & The Serpent's Crown-Part 4

  The next morning, before class, Jamil was up and thinking.
  'I need to figure this out,' he thought, looking at the tattoo on his arm again. It hadn't grown any bigger since the library. 'Lilia mentioned that the Seven Treasures have their own conscience...they are forced to mark their host but rebel against their hosts...'
  Walking into Kalim's room, Jamil frowned, seeing Kalim still drenched in sweat. "If the Sorcerer of Sand's Staff has chosen me, why would Kalim be like this?"
  He rubbed his eyes, tired. "I don't want to get anyone else involved..."
  Jamil turned to leave but Overblot Jamil chuckled in his head, a dark sound.
  Are you giving up already? He asked. You already know everything you need to solve my little challenge. Think. What's the missing piece?
  'Missing piece?' Jamil closed his eyes and re-examined what he knew.
  Kalim. This had all started when Kalim had spoken Cat fluently in class yesterday but couldn't replicate it. Crewel had asked if Jamil had used his signature spell...his spell. That was the missing piece.
  "You chose me as your host but rebelled," Jamil voiced. "So you used your power that the Sorcerer of Sand embedded into the staff. You hypnotized Kalim into being sick. Once I was isolated from everyone, you challenged me to solve your game. Which means it was more of your hypnotized students who tried to break in yesterday."
  The air grew dark red and Overblot Jamil appeared in front of Jamil. "Congratulations Jamil," he said. "You've won our little game. But I'm not going to simply hand myself over to you. How about one final game?"
  He held out his hand and Jamil grabbed it, holding it tightly as a bright white light enveloped the two of them.
~~~~~
  Jamil blinked the spots away as he opened his eyes then gasped as he saw a large desert spread in front of him, the sand tinted red by the dark red clouds above. It reminded Jamil of what the sky had looked like when he had overblotted.
  "Do you like the desert Jamil?" Overblot Jamil asked, making Jamil turn. The Treasure was lounging on a long couch, looking at him.
  "Where are we?" Jamil asked, ignoring the question.
  "A world that reflects what happens inside," Overblot Jamil said. "And since I got here first, it reflects what I chose. I always liked the shape of the Colosseum."
  "What game are you wanting to play?" Jamil asked, walking away from the balcony.
  "Do you really believe you'll win?" Overblot Jamil inquired, standing. "You keep hiding behind Kalim, content to hide. You may not be able to break that pattern."
  "I can beat you," Jamil repiled, grinning. "There's no one here for me to hide my abilities from."
  Overblot Jamil smiled wildly. "Oh? You haven't even heard what the game is and you think you'll win based on no eye-witness?"
  Jamil felt his grin fade as Overblot Jamil snapped his fingers and NRC students appeared in the stands around them, all wearing Ceremony Robes, the hoods pulled over their eyes to hide their identities.
  "Why don't you join us over here?" Overblot Jamil asked, making Jamil look back at him. The Treasure was looking at the shadows. "You're part of our game too."
  Jamil recoiled as Kalim walked out of the shadows, his eyes hollow and lit by a red light.
  "What?" Jamil exclaimed. "You brought Kalim here?"
  "I thought you said you had no one to hide behind here?" Overblot Jamil asked. "So I've made Kalim a part of our game. That way you can't hide."
  "And what is our game?" Jamil asked, aware of all of the students above him, watching.
  "We're going to see who can control Kalim longer," Overblot Jamil said, grinning. "I'll tell him to do something and you'll try to stop him."
  "You'll have me toy with Kalim's mind?" Jamil asked.
  "Didn't you promise Kalim you'd only use your spell if his life was in danger?" Overblot Jamil inquired, then turned to Kalim. "Knife."
  Kalim withdrew a curved knife from his belt, the silver blade reflecting the red light of the sky. Jamil recognized it as a traditional Scalding Sand's knife.
  Overblot Jamil looked at Jamil. "Your move." He said.
  Jamil gritted his teeth then walked over to Kalim.
  "The one reflected in your eyes is your master," he recited. "If I ask, you shall answer me; if I command it, you shall bow to me. Snake Whisper."
  The red light increased in Kalim's eyes for a minute before Jamil whispered a command under his breath and the red light vansihed. "Jamil? What's going on?" Kalim asked. "Where are we?"
  "You're going to have to trust me," Jamil whispered, making sure to keep Kalim's eyes on him. Don't let him see Overblot Jamil. "Your life is in danger."
  "What?"
  "I've used my spell on you," Jamil continued. "I'm going to make you do some things."
  Kalim was quiet for a minute before he nodded. "Alright Jamil," he said. "I trust you."
  The dark red light reentered Kalim's eyes and Jamil stepped back, his turn over.
  "Attack Jamil." The Treasure commanded.
  In a swift movement, Kalim sprang at Jamil, the knife aimed for his neck. Jamil skipped back, his sandals kicking up a layer of sand.
  "You'd better make him do something," Overblot Jamil said, standing at the edge of the round battle arena. "He won't stop until you order it."
  "Throw the knife away!" Jamil cried, catching Kalim's fist as it came up for a punch at his face.
  The knife clattered a safe distance away, but Overblot Jamil didn't make another order as Jamil ducked around Kalim's punches.
  If Kalim always had this much precision and power, he wouldn't need a bodyguard. Jamil thought, catching Kalim's wrist and pushing his arm back.
  Kalim withdrew his magepen, spinning it between his fingers before firing off a wind spell that pushed Jamil back into the wall, feeling the stone wall crack under the pressure.
  "Bottle." Overblot Jamil said, sounding bored.
  Wincing, Jamil looked up to see Kalim tuck his magepen away and withdraw a small glass vile from his sleeveless jacket, the liquid inside a toxic green.
  "Identify the contents." Jamil said, standing up.
  "Shaftland flower extract," Kalim said, his voice trembling. "Highly toxic."
  Jamil felt a breeze as Overblot Jamil suddenly appeared behind him. "Drink it." The Treasure ordered.
  "No!" Jamil exclaimed, before turning to look at his Overblot form. "You can't make him drink that. One drop will kill him."
  "Are you yielding?" Overblot Jamil asked, raising an eyebrow. "The game ends if you refuse to make or stop a command."
  Jamil looked back at Kalim, who had frozen with the bottle half-raised to his lips. His arm was shaking more now.
  "Drink it." Overblot Jamil repeated, putting more force behind his words.
  "Kalim. Give me the bottle." Jamil said, annoyed by the note of pleading in his voice.
  Kalim's breathing became ragged and he didn't move.
  The pressure of the two 'Snake Whispers' are starting to wear down on his mind, Jamil realized. He won't last much longer.
  "Give the bottle to Jamil." Overblot Jamil said, surprising Jamil. "The game is changing."
  "Change?" Jamil asked, taking the bottle from Kalim.
  Overblot Jamil snapped his fingers and Kalim crumpled into the sand.
  "Kalim!"
  "He's fine," Overblot Jamil said. "But you're about to be in more danger."
  Jamil made the mistake of looking at Overblot Jamil, a feeling of light-headedness overtaking him.
  Crap, Jamil thought, flinching his eyes away, trying to shake the feeling away. I can't let him get my mind...
  "You can't fight the power of a Seven Treasure," Overblot Jamil chitted. "Give in Jamil. Drink from the bottle."
  As Jamil fought the Treasure's control, his hand began to move, bringing the bottle closer to his mouth.
  "Agh...Jamil..." Kalim groaned, getting up. "Stop."
  Overblot Jamil turned. "You're still alive?" he asked. "I should have killed you instead of hypnotizing you. Well, I won't make the same mistake twice!"
  Hebegan walking towards Kalim, making the boy fall down then scoot backwards.
  "I will finally end this." Overblot Jamil said, a mad light appearing in his eyes.
  Behind him, Jamil doubled over, breathing hard as the connection suddenly snapped, the bottle smashing onto the ground.
  Overblot Jamil took another step towards Kalim, cornering the boy against the wall. "You are so weak, it's a wonder you didn't die when I made you believe you were sick," Overblot Jamil said. "Doesn't mean anything of course. I just get the pleasure of getting rid of you myself."
  He raised his hand out to Kalim, magic gathering, when Jamil slid in front of Kalim.
  "I won't let you harm him." Jamil said. "I will not-"
  Suddenly his arm burned, making Jamil cry out, dropping to his knees, the snake tattoo flaring a vibrant black before pulling off of his skin, hissing as it came to life.
  "What is that?" Kalim asked, his voice shaking.
  "This? He's my pet," The Treasure said, gently stroking the snake's head. "And he's been tasting Jamil's blood for the past two days."
  "What are you talking about?" Kalim asked.
  Overblot Jamil snapped his fingers and the ebony black snake jumped forward, plunging its fangs into Jamil's neck, black venom dripping down his neck.
  "Jamil!" Kalim cried.
  "Can you feel it?" Overblot Jamil asked softly. "The power filling you? The darkness?"
  Kalim stood up, pulling his magepen out, but his legs couldn't keep him steady, his vision blurring.
  "I see you haven't fully recovered from the first hypnotize I used on you," Overblot Jamil said. "The fever that weakened you."
  Kalim opened his mouth to say something but instead began coughing, the intensity forcing him back to his knees.
  Overrblot Jamil looked at Jamil. "It is said the Sorcerer of Sand once turned into a snake," he said, calling the snake back to his hand, the snake stretching up and turning gold. "I've always wondered what the venom my staff will do to a human."
  Jamil couldn't move, icy numbness clawed at him. His vision was going black...
  Kalim managed to stop coughing, but his breathing was still ragged as he stood back up. "You leave Jamil alone!" He cried. "He's stronger than you and I believe in him."
  "I should have my pet bite you as well!" Overblot Jamil exclaimed in anger. "You weren't even supposed to be at NRC anyway! Your parents bribed Crowley into letting you come! You ruined my chance at a peaceful life! You weren't supposed to be here!"
Kalim's eyes filled with tears, but he remained standing, shaking a little. "I don't care," he said. "I don't care if I wasn't supposed to be here. I am here and nothing is going to change that! Unwind on the hot sands; an endless party. Sing, dance! Oasis Maker!"
  Water rushed at Overblot Jamil, pushing him out of the building and Kalim dropped to his knees, breathing hard and coughing again. Jamil. He had to check on Jamil....
  Exhaustion claimed Kalim, dragging him into cold darkness. He couldn't breathe. 'Jamil...where are you...?' he thought before closing his eyes.