It had all happened so fast! One minute everyone was throwing a going away party for Lilia, who was quitting NRC to retire... when Malleus, who was already upset about the whole thing, went on a rant after saying he'd give Lilia a 'gift'. "Hear me, everyone! I have a wonderful gift for you all. No longer shall you shed tears over sorrowful goodbyes. This party should honor not an ending, but a beginning!" Silver looked up "A...beginning?" Malleus continued. "Heh heh... Just so. Today, you shall all be reborn. Into a world without sorrow, where you will never lose a single person—not friends, not family." The Headmage was getting concerned "Draconia?! What are you doing?!" Grim backed up "Mrah?! All my fur's standin' on end!" Ortho spoke up "Drastic blot density increase directed within a 10-meter radius. Emergency magical disaster alert. Swift evacuation and preventative measures recommended." The Headmage yelled "A magical disaster?! Rgh... Everyone, I permit the use of offensive magic! Stop Draconia at once!" Malleus scoffed "Stand down, fools." Lilia ran over "Malleus, stop! You mustn't take this any further! Rgh... These old bones can't even handle casting a single attack spell anymore!" Malleus sighed "Oh, Lilia... You used to be so powerful. What a heartrending sight this is." Lilia was getting frustrated. "You fool! Do you have any idea what you're doing?! What could you possibly hope to gain from this?!" Malleus yelled out, almost emotionally "Not losing you!" Silver grabbed Lilia's shoulder "Father, get back. Malleus has lost control of himself!" Sebek yelled out "My liege... Please, calm yourself!" Malleus was somehow calm "Why are you afraid? A wonderful future awaits you. Come, offer me your hand. Heh... Heh heh heh... Hahahahaha!" Lilia tried to stop him one last time "Stop... Don't do it!" It was too late. "Spinning wheel of fate, spin the threads of calamity. I, the Lord of Malevolence, offer this blessing. # Fae Maleficience." Lilia screamed "MALLEUUUS!!!"

Thorny vines grew all over the room, all over main street, covering the entirety of Sage's Island in a barrier everyone fells asleep.

Malleus, now overblotted spoke "Don't worry. There's no need to be afraid. Give in to slumber, and a thousand years will pass in the blink of an eye. You'll become the protagonists of your own fairy tales."

Continue from here!