"This is not going to end well..."

....

"I'll do anything to get the expulsion rescinded."

....

"You're given one night. Come to me with a magic Crystal by tomorrow morning, or face your expulsion."

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I smiled as I watched her through my orb. It's only her first day there and already it's been a whirlwind of events....

Charlotte....

I hummed, smiling at her, watching as she and her friends passed through the Dark Mirror to complete their quest.

"Good Luck, Charlotte. I've faith in you and your comrades."

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[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

I opened my eyes. And there was the Dwarf's Mine. Damn, straight out of the movie too!

"So this is the Dwarf's Mine..." Deuce murmured, scanning the place. "It used to be prosperous thanks to magic crystal mining but..."

"Feels like something could jump out..." Grim whimpered, curling into my stomach for safety.

"Oi, there's a house back there. Let's go ask them about the mine." Ace pointed at the quaint cottage just a few feet away.

We started walking.

——————————

Deuce knocked and opened the door. "Good evening....I guess it's abandoned. It's a mess in here." One by one, we entered the cottage.

"Puwah! Got a spider web in my face!" Grim kept spitting, swatting at his face.

"Hey, those tables and chairs on the small side: are they for kids?" Ace asked, pushing on one of the chairs lightly. "One, two...there's seven! So many!"

"This was probably a lively home when the Mine flourished." Deuce guessed.

'Nah, I'm pretty sure it was something else...' I said in my mind, feeling an odd sense of dread and childhood nostalgia. Something felt...off....

"They did what they had to do. After all, Magic crystals are found inside coal." Ace said.

"For now, let's just go check it out." Deuce lead the way out the back door.

———————————

Outside, a large clearing and at the back stood the entrance to the mine.

"Well, there it is." I shrugged.

"W-We're going in that pitch black hole?" Grim whimpered.

"What? Ya scared? Lame~" Ace teased.

"Huh?! I'm not scared at all!" Grim leapt from my arms and ran for the entrance. "Yours Truly is taking the lead! You guys follow!"

———————————

We had only taken five steps into the place when Deuce halted us.

"Hold on!"

"What is it?" Ace asked.

"There's something here!"

Grim yelped and hid in my arms again.

The ghost on the right laughed, "Our first visitor in ten years!"

"Make yourselves at home....for eternity!" The left one finished.

"Not again!" I screamed and ran for it. Ace and Deuce close behind.

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We managed to lose the ghosts with fast running and Ace and Deuce using their magic to drive them away. We skidded to a stop once they were gone.

"This place is haunted with ghosts, too!" Ace shook his head.

"We don't have time to deal with them one by one. Let's move!" Deuce waved for us to follow him.

"Don't think you can just order me around." Ace spat out. "If you hadn't done something so reckless and stupid, we wouldn't be in this mess."

"Oh my god, not now!" I yelled at him.

"You wanna talk about who started it? It's cause you wouldn't clean!" Deuce fired back, anger rising.

Welp, I tried.

"It started when that furball burned the Queen of Hearts' statue!" Ace corrected.

Wait....why do I hear mumbling....down the mine???

"Well, that's what you get for making a fool out of Yours Truly!" Grim hopped in.

Wait...what's it saying??? I don't understand!

"You guys! Don't you understand the situation right now?! We're facing suspension if we don't return with a magic crystal in hand by tomorrow morning!" Deuce shouted.

"Then stop patronizing me. It's really pissing me off." Ace growled.

"Guys, shhhh!" They all looked at me. "I think I hear something!!" I whisper.

".....on't.....ive.....wo...."

We tensed at the new voice.

"What....was that?" Ace's voice quivered.

"St.....one....ssss....mine....."

"Is it....getting closer....?" Deuce asked.

Suddenly, from the shadows, came....

"Stone.....IS MIIIIIIIIIIIINE!"

"A....MONSTEEEEEEEER!!!!"

We ran for it.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

"What the hell is that thing?!" Deuce screamed.

"Fgnaaa! Crowley didn't say anything about monsters! Let's get outta here!" Grim clung to me. Thankfully, no claws were out, since I had a protective hold on him.

"It's horrifying! But didn't it mention a 'stone'?!" Ace asked.

"St...one, won't.....give...!"

"Well, that answers that!" I say.

"So there really are magic crystals left!" Deuce nodded.

"Nononono nope! No way! I may be a genius but I can't beat that thing!" Grim shook his head.

"We'll still get expelled without it.....I'm going in!" Deuce stood his ground.

"You can't be serious?!" Ace gaped.

"That's a suicide mission!" I yell at him.

"I'm not gonna risk getting expelled!" Deuce shouted, running forward.

"Leave! Leave!! LEAAAAAAAAVE!!!!" The monster garbled. It swung its arm forward, and slashed the pickaxe in its hand at Deuce. The bluenette was thrown back the unexpected hit and hit the wall with a loud "thud!".

"Deuce!" I screamed, running to help him up. He wasn't hurt, thank god, but he must've gotten the wind knocked outta him.

"Stand back if you've no control, Mr. Serious. I've got this! Haaaa!" Ace stood before the beast, wand at the ready, and used a wind spell to knock the beast back. But it didn't affect it at all!

The monster screamed again, and hit Ace in the same manner as Deuce.

"Ace!" I cry. I managed to get Deuce back on his feet. He muttered a pained 'thank you' before I ran off to Ace.

"Fyaaa! Stay back!" Grim summoned his blue flames to burn the monster. But that didn't work either.

The monster let out a gurgling growl.

"I-It's not working at all~!" Grim backed up in fear. I got Ace up and steady, as he massages the back of his head in pain.

Something flashed behind the monster.

I gasped, "I saw something shine down there!"

"Behind that thing! At the end of the tunnel! What's..."

"That Light...it's a magic crystal!"

"GOOOOOOOO! WON'T GIIIIIIIIVE!"

"Let's get out of here! We're done for at this rate!" Grim shook.

"He's right! We'll get killed like this! Fall back!" I demand. We run for it as the monster screams.

———————————

We ran a few feet away from the maze just for extra measure.

"Is this far enough?" Grim panted.

"Owwwww..." Ace kept massaging his head. "What in the world was that? No one said anything about 'that'!"

"It didn't seem like any old ghost..." Deuce thought.

"Let's just give up and go home. I'd rather get expelled than fight that thing." Ace said.

"Huh?! Don't screw with me. I'd rather die than face expulsion!" Deuce furrowed his eyebrows in anger. "There's a magic crystal right in front of us and you want to go home?"

Ace smirked, "Y'know, you talk big for someone far worse at magic than me. Go alone if you want. I'm leavin'."

Then, out of nowhere-

"Oh, is that so?! Then why don't you stay there, cowering like the spineless child you are!"

I backed up, a little taken aback. The fuck just happened to Deuce?! It's like he lost all cool and became someone different!

"Oh? 'Child'? Who exactly are you referring to?" Ace teased relentlessly.

"Uh...Deuce. Why'd you suddenly switch character?" Grim perked up.

I sighed. Thanks for breaking the tension, for once.

Deuce snapped out of it. "My bad! I lost composure a bit."

"Well, there must be something we can do!" I got us back on topic.

"Like the headmaster said earlier: 'magic isn't all-powerful'." Deuce reminded. "If you can't imagine it, then it won't materialize. Large-scale or complicated magic require a lot of training to use."

"So that's why we have schools for magic!" Ace picked up. "You have to practice a lot to use magic just as it comes to mind. To put it bluntly, you'll screw up if you lose your cool."

"Meanwhile, everyone here's been using it willy-nilly." I point out.

"With stuff you're good at, you can go off instinct."

"At any rate-" Deuce started. "-I'm going back there. I'll figure out how to beat that thing and come back with a magic crystal in hand!"

"However, judging by the chandelier incident, you're a complete idiot."

Ace....I swear....

"You couldn't land a single hit earlier but now you'll 'figure it out'? It'll end the same way." Deuce raised his fist after Ace finished.

"There they go again..." Grim sighed.

That's it. No more miss goody-goody.

"You wanna say that again?! You-"

"Io abbatterete entrambi?!" I scream. (Will you both Knock it off?!)

"Why are you shouting all of a sudden?" Grim asked, caught off guard much like the two before me.

"We're not gonna get the task done if you two nimrods keep butting heads! It's the middle of the night, and as much I'd rather be in bed right now, I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere with two dunderheads who can't keep their mouths shut for a single fucking minute! From now on, I'M in charge!UNDERSTOOD?!" I was fuming. Enough with the bickering already! One more fight and I swear on my life, I will break someone's neck! I mean it!

Ace and Deuce stare at me in complete surprise. This was something they had never seen out of me in the time we have known each other. Maybe now, they'll get an idea of who they're dealing with!

With a deep breath in and out, I continue. "Neither of you could do anything back there! We need to work together to get that crystal! It's the only way!"

Deuce replied, "B-But...what exactly can we do?" I smile.

"I've got a fool proof strategy!"

Ace laughed, " 'Strategy'? You mean get along and work together? Ha! No way! You've a problem saying lame-ass things with that face of yours."

"Agreed. I'm not working with him this time." Deuce chimed.

Without thinking, again, I slapped them both across the face. This time, on the other cheek for Ace.

"Say one more thing like that and I'll kick you in the balls!" I hissed, grabbing him by his jacket towards me. Ace started at me in terror, cradling his throbbing cheek.

Deuce stared at me in horror, caught off guard by the action.

Grim just seemed to roll with it, despite being scared of my anger. "But...I feel like it's way lamer to get expelled on the first day of school..."

Good thing that caught their attention.

I smiled, released Ace, and sent a small wink at Grim as a quick thank you.

"Like I said, I've an idea..." I trailed off, hoping they get the idea.

Ace moaned, "Fine! We just have to get it done right? So, what's the plan?"

——————————

Ace and I stalked up to the entrance as quietly as possible, Grim hiding behind my shoulder.

"You...really think it'll go as planned? I'm sca...no, just nervous."

"It's fine! Like I said: foolproof!" I wave off.

"Haha! You're a bit stiff! Just go with the flow! Now, let's do this!" Ace smiled.

I grinned back. What's the worst that could happen?

————————————

*sinister laughter*

snaps out of it