Twisted-Wonderland: Our Precious Treasure (Part 1)

(11) WttVW: Careless Tactics

"C-Crap! I wasn't thinking about where you'd land..." Deuce mumbled.

Ace was fuming. He was sore all over but couldn't contain his anger anymore. "You..." He took a quick stride toward Deuce, grabbing his collar, brought his face closer, and screamed into his face. "You IDIOT! If the headmaster finds out you busted the chandelier-"

"You did what?"

Ace and Deuce froze. A curse word came out from Ace's mouth and he slowly lessens his grip from Deuce collar, turning around at the shocked headmaster.

"What...in...the...world...ARE YOU CHILDREN DOING!?" he shouted, making Ace and Deuce winched. Crowley looked around, noticing Grim and Jonah on the floor. He turned to Ace and Deuce who stood side-by-side. "Another one? Really? As if damaging one of the stone statues wasn't enough, now you've gone and destroyed the chandelier!?"

"Grim started it, Headmaster!" Ace tried to the reason, but the headmaster raised his hand, silencing him.

He massaged his temple. "I am no longer going to tolerate this. All of you are expelled!"

Ace and Deuce's eyes widened. No! This can't be happening! He can't get expelled only after his first day!

"No! Please! Could you forgive us just this once?" Deuce plead, taking a step forward. "I have something I need to do at this school!"

"You can blame yourself for behaving like a fool," he said, "why did you even join their idiocy in the first place?"

"I'll do anything to make it up if it would just get you to forgive me!"

Crowley shook his head. "This chandelier was no ordinary chandelier." He turned toward the damages. "This was an enchanted chandelier! It was powered by magic, and its candles were never supposed to burn out for all of eternity!"

He noticed Jonah still on the floor and now that Ace thought about it, the boy hadn't moved an inch. Did he get hurt? Damn it. He couldn't live he accidentally hurt someone. The headmaster sighed and walked toward the boy. "Get up, Mister Argentum," he said, gently grasping the boy's arm, lifting him. Jonah just followed him as he was being guided to stand next to Ace and Deuce.

"You can't pay the damage," Crowley continued, gaining Ace and Deuce's attention, "that chandelier was a masterpiece crafted by a magical artifact master of old. It had been carefully passed down ever since this academy was founded. Considering its historical value, it would be worth no less than one billion madols."

O-One billion...!? It was that valuable?! Even his pocket money from kindergarten to college wouldn't make it up for that!

"No way..." Deuce whispered in shock.

"B-But, can't you just fix it up quick with your magic, Headmaster...?" asked Ace.

"Magic is not all-powerful." Crowley shook his head again. "What's more, the magic stone, which could otherwise be called the heart of the magical artifact, has broken. No two magic stones are the same. This chandelier might not be able to light up again."

"No..." Ace gasped out.

"Damn it..." Deuce looked down to his shoes, fists clenched and trembling. "What was I doing...? How am I going to tell Mom...?"

Ace groaned, running his hand through his hair. Argh, this is certainly the worst day of his life! How did things go so out off rail? "If magic couldn't fix it, we're going to need a miracle,"

"Miracles..." the headmaster muttered, "oh. There is one thing."

"What!?" Both students looked up to him with disbelieve. There was a way for them to fix everything? There was a way for them to stay in school!

"The magic stone that was used in this chandelier can be mined at the Dwarfs' Mine," Crowley said, tapping his chin, "if you were to obtain a stone that had the same properties, it might be possible to repair it. However, I'm not certain there are any magic stones left in the mines. It's been quite some time since it closed, so there's a high chance all the magic stones have already been dug up."

Ace and Deuce exchanged looks. There was a solution! Even if it was a small chance, it was the only option they had!

"I'll go get the magic stone!" Deuce exclaimed, eyes burning with determination. "Please let me go! I'll do anything if it means I won't have to be expelled!"

Crowley nodded. He already guessed that they would accept the challenge, even if it was impossible. "Very well. Then I will wait only one night. If you do not bring me a magic stone by tomorrow morning, you all will be expelled. You can get to the Dwarfs' Mine in an instant if you use the gate in the Mirror Chamber."

"Right!" Deuce bowed to the headmaster. "Thank you!"

"Ah, geez..." Ace rubbed behind his neck. "Guess I got no choice. Alright, let's go get that magic stone."

And after all that, Jonah didn't say a thing.

-----

"Ah, man..." Grim grumbled as the four of them stood in the Mirror Chamber with Jonah carrying him under his arm. "Why do I ended up like this?"

"We don't have time to stand here and complain! Let's go!" said Deuce. He took out his magical pen and pointed it at the mirror. "[Magic mirror on the wall! To the Dwarfs' Mine, take us all!]"

Green smoke slowly came out from the mirror,surrounding the children as they huddled closer. The smoke covered them fromhead to toe. When a gentle breeze flew in, blowing the green smoke away, thechildren were nowhere to be seen.