*
"This icy force, both foul and fair, has a frozen heart worth mining,"
**
Cafeteria
"Ah! Headmage Crowley!" Ace yelped as both he and Deuce turned pale at the sight of Crowley.
Crowley was only supposed to look for Y/n, but he was met with the chandelier completely broken and shattered. "YOU. THREE. AGAIN. What have you done this time?!" he explained, absolutely furious. "And why are you here when you should be resting, Your Majesty!" he says, acting like a worried father.
Y/n looked completely unbothered and just tilted her head. "I wanted to speak to Isfrid. is that so bad?" she asked, her wrapped chest hidden behind a layer of her dress.
"Of course!" Isfrid and Crowley says, causing Y/n to cringe slightly.
"No need to speak in unison," Y/n muttered.
"You should've waited for me to visit..." Isfrid says in a worried tone, placing a hand on his sister's shoulder.
"Myaaah...Everything's spinning..." Grim grumbled.
Crowley let out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose to calm his growing anger toward a certain three idiots. "Burning a statue and the crown princess wasn't enough for you? Now you've destroyed a chandelier?! Enough. All of you are expelled," he says to the boys. (Y/n had no involvement so-)
"Whaaaaaaaaaat?!" Deuce and Ace gasped as Isfrid clenched his fists, feeling deeply ashamed.
"Headmage, please! Give me a second chance!" Deuce pleaded. "I can't get expelled from this school! I need to be here!"
"This blame yourself for your own foolish behavior!" Isfrid snapped towards Deuce, causing the boy to flinch back.
"I-I'll pay for the damages! However much it costs!" Deuce says, clutching his teeth. Y/n narrowed her eyes slightly, feeling pity for the boy who looked like he was about to burst into tears.
Y/n looked over to Isfrid, having the two make eye contact before they both nodded at each other. They turned toward the chandelier using their magic to reverse the time of the large object, basically repairing the chandelier little by little to be sure that even the smallest piece was fixed.
"That chandelier is no mere light fixture. It is a magical chandelier. Its candles are powered by a magical energy source, enchanted so that they will burn for eternity," Crowley explained as he crossed his arms. "It was created for us by a legendary artificer. Possibly their finest creation. It has been here since the school was established, and I imagined it would be here forevermore. Considering its historical value, I would estimate its worth to be no less than a billion thaumarks. And you intend to repay that sum?" he asked.
"A...A billion marks?!" Deuce gasped, his jaw-dropped.
"B-But I'm sure with your magical talent, sir, you could snap your fingers and fix it right up!" Ace asked with a nervous expression
"Even magic has its limits," Crowley says before Y/n got his attention.
"Look," Y/n meekly says, pointing up at the chandelier that was now back in its placed.
"All fixed," Isfrid says, dusting off his hands because he was tasked with repairing the chandelier while Y/n gathered every broken piece.
"Huh? I thought you said magic has its limits!" Ace yelped in surprise.
Crowley's mouth was agape from shock. "I-Indeed magic does have its limits...but it's slightly different for spirits and divine beasts. Furthermore, its magestone - the figurative heart of any magical artifact - is cracked. A magestone cannot easily be replaced. I fear the candles of this majestic chandelier will never burn again,"
"We fixed the magestone but..." Y/n gently held the magestone that was used to power the chandelier. "...We can't restore it's magical properties. Plus, it's quite old. It was bound to die," she bluntly admitted.
"This is bad..." Ace muttered.
"What am I going to do?! How am I going to tell my mother...?" Deuce asked, tears forming into his eyes as he tried his best to not cry, especially in front of others. He didn't want to be made fun of for being weak. (Because men believe that crying is a no no so they usually cry when others aren't looking)
"....." Y/n pressed her lips together before she sternly looked at the headmage. "Isn't there a way to get a new magestone?" she asked.
"Ah...! Yes indeed that there may be one way," Crowley says. "One tiny silver of chance to repair this chandelier fully,"
"There is?!" Deuce and Ace asked, their demeanors immediately brightening.
"The magestone that powered this chandelier was mined from the Dwarfs' Mine," Crowley informed. "If you can acquire a magestone with the same properties, it may be possible to repair it,"
"Then I'll go find a magestone! With your permission, sir!" Deuce declared with determination in his eyes.
"I should caution you that I cannot promise there yet remain magestones to find," Crowley warned. "The mines were closed quite some time ago. It is quite likely that all of the magestones have already been mined,"
"I will do anything to avoid expulsion, sir!" Deuce exclaimed.
"Hmmm... Very well, then. I will suspend your expulsion for a single night, except for you Isfrid since you helped repair the actual chandelier itself," Crowley says. Isfrid meekly nodded, letting out a sigh of relief. "But if you fail to return with a magestone by morning, then the two of you are expelled,"
"Allow me to follow them," Y/n bluntly says.
"Your majesty? Why?!" Isfrid yelped out as the boys widen their eyes in surprise.
"You're still recovering, remember?" Crowley says.
"It's too dangerous for you! I absolutely won't allow it!" Isfrid says, harshly grabbing his sister's shoulders, shaking her a little.
"I want to help them. I'm changing my mind," Y/n says, showing no signs of backing down..
"But-"
"Nope,"
"But sister..."
"Nope,"
"....."
Y/n just stared at Crowley and Isfrid, causing the two to let out a sigh of defeat. "Fine..." Crowley agreed as Isfrid narrowed his eyes at the floor, clicking his tongue in annoyance. "I will permit you to watch over them. I hope you two boys will make sure that Y/n is safe from any harm, especially since she's still recovering," he ordered Ace and Deuce.
"I understand, sir! Thank you very much for this opportunity!" Deuce beamed. "I promise that I'll keep Y/n safe!"
"Wow, so brave. My knight in shining armor," Y/n said in a monotone, making Isfrid let out a stiffle laugh. Deuce's face turned red.
"*Sigh* Fine, then. Let's hurry down there, find a magestone while ensuring Y/n's safety, and get this whole thing done with," Ace says, rubbing the back of his neck as he too had a slight blush on his face.
"You should be able to reach the Dwarfs' Mine instantly by using one of the gates in the Mirror Chamber," Crowley added in.
"Yes sir!" Deuce nodded.
"Isfrid, go back to Dia-something dorm," Y/n ordered, butchering the name. "Make me some ghost pepper noddles. I expect to have them for my dinner tonight afterward,"
"Fufufu, of course Your Majesty," Isfrid bowed, having a smirk on his face. 'I'm trusting those idiots...I better not see Y/n more injured or else...'
"Myah! Wh-? Where am I?" Grim asked, finally out of his phase.
Y/n picked Grim by the collar as she made her her katana was secured on her waist. "You may end up wishing you'd remained unconscious for you are in big trouble, you worthless weasel,"
*
The Headmage's Office
"What was that?" Riddle Rosehearts asked, completely surprised from the information that Crowley told him. After all, he was summoned by the headmage shortly after Y/n, Ace, Deuce, and Grim departed. "Not only did Ace and that weasel scorched the Great Seven Statue and greatly injured her majesty the crown princess, but he and Deuce broke the great chandelier...?!"
"Indeed. Therefore, I am reporting it to you, their Housewarden," Crowley nodded in confirmation.
"I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience my dorm has caused," Riddle bowed in apology.
"They're currently heading to Mt. Dwarf as punishment with Y/n watching over them. They'll surely be back by the morning," Crowley informed.
"...Certainly," Riddle says.
*
Hallway
Riddle stomped down the hallway after his meeting with the Headmage, quickly changing his demeanor. "What were they thinking, so shortly after enrolling?! Even dragging my Rose in their mess?! I absolutely will not tolerate any rulebreaking...They need to be punished. The verdict can wait..." he glared harshly ahead of him. "I'll see to their beheadings myself!!"
Isfrid who was nearby, crossing his arms before stepping into Riddle's path. "Riddle Rosehearts, right?," he asked.
"Isfrid..." Riddle narrowed his eyes slightly, eyeing him slightly. "What do you need from me? Shouldn't you be at your dorm by now?" he harshly asked.
Isfrid didn't falter as he turned his head to look up at the night sky. "Indeed. I came to ask you a favor,"
"Which is?" Riddle perked an eyebrow.
Isfrid smirked darkly, his demeanor darkening. "I simply have no trust that Ace and Deuce will keep my sister out of danger and she'll surely overwork herself. Let's just call it a twin's instinct for now...in fact, this is where you come in, Housewarden of Heartslabyul," insanity lingered in his eyes, revealing his deep love for his sister. Perhaps a little too much. (NOT INCEST) "Her majesty ordered me to stay put and prepare her dinner. As a mere knight, I must obey who I pledge my loyalty too. So, I need you to...."
*
Dwarf's Mine - Silent Woods
"So this is the Dwarfs' Mine...Long ago, this mine was flush with magestone," Deuce says, sweatdropping a little as he, Deuce, and Y/n looked over to the mountain that was surrounded by the woods. It was a bit too dark to see but it was not a problem with Y/n.
"Urgh..." Grim shivered in fear slightly. "Who knows what lurks in there now.
"There's no time for complaining," Deuce says to Grim as he was the first to walk into the woods. "Let's go!"
Upon entering the forest, Ace was able to spot something in the distance. "Look, I can see a house. Let's see what the people there have to say," he suggested.
'But who looks out here..?' Y/n thought, a bit dumbfounded.
*
Dwarf's Mine - Dwarf Cottage
The group followed Ace toward the old abandoned cottage that made Y/n a bit intrigued, thinking that someone in a forgotten memory must've like these sort of things but her nose srunched up a bit in distaste when they walked into the interior when the door creaked open. "Hellooo? Is anybody home...?" Deuce asked, but no sign. "Must be empty. It looks like it's been abandoned,"
"And it reeks of mold..." Y/n says, pinching her nose in disgust. She looked around and immediately stepped over to Deuce, hugging his arm tightly from the goosebumps she was getting. She saw a lot of cobwebs everywhere, which means they equal spiders. She has severe Arachnophobia. Well, mostly dead spiders. Her aura is way too cold for insects to survive so they freeze to death almost instantly in a 2-meter radius. When she stepped closer to cottage, the spiders, cockroaches, and other creepy ass bugs would already be dead. "I hate this place already..." she muttered.
Deuce blushed when she hugged his arm, smiling slightly. 'She counts on me to protect her...how cute,'
'His smile is ridiculous,' Ace thought in jealous, obviously not amused by the sight. 'But...it's reassuring to know that she has a cute side to her...' he blushed.
"Bwah!" Grim yelped when he walked face first into a cobweb. "I got a spider web on my face! Ptchoo! Ptchoo!"
"Look how tiny these desks and chairs are. Did children live here?" Ace noticed as he went down in a kneeling position and began counting. "One, two...Seven! Too many!" he yelped.
"When the mine was flourishing, the house must have been a lively place," Deuce says, a blush still on his face as he looked around as Y/n curiously picked up a tiny shoe from a pot. "Guess there aren't any clues to where the magestone are, huh..."
"Well, this isn't getting us anywhere," Ace says, standing up and walked over to Deuce and Y/n. "If we're gonna find a magestone, it'll be inside the mine. Let's head inside and take a look,"
*
Dwarfs' Mine - Mine Entrance
"You wanna go inside THERE? It's pitch black!" Grim yelped, trembling in fear slightly upon looking inside the dark cave in front of them.
"It's not that dark, plus, I'm luminescent," Y/n says.
"It's basic knowledge that her kind glows in the dark," Ace added as he smirked at Grim. "What, are you scared of the dark even when Y/n is here lighting up the way? Pathetic,"
"Myah?! I-I know that! I'm not scared of anything!" Grim roared, trying to act all mighty and tough. "I'm taking the lead. You all follow me!" he announced, trying to keep his brave facade as long as possible so his princess won't be scared.
*
Dwarfs' Mine - Interior
The sound of clanging rang in Y/n's ears as she stood in between Ace, Deuce, and Grim who were mining for any remaining magestone. Since she was luminescent, she was perfectly okay with being the light. Her body glowed a dim light while her scales that were more visible to the naked eye glowed brighter than the ones hiding underneath her dress. Her Flower of Eternity mark on her chest glowed slightly as well beneath the bandages. As the boys where mining, Y/n stared up at the stone above her, obviously completely distracted.
"Another bust..." Deuce muttered, looking down the small stone that rolled into his palm.
"There ain't nothin' here but rocks!" Grim complained, yeeting the small rock behind him.
"Maybe there really aren't any left," Ace says, sweatdropping as he stared at the small rock he held in his hand.
"Search even harder!" Deuce urgingly demanded, immediately digging with his hand in hopes to find a magestone.
"Sure, but don't act like we voted you team leader," Ace scowled at Deuce, tossing the rock he had behind him. "The only reason we're here in the first place is because of that stupid stunt you pulled,"
"Oh? I'm pretty sure this all started because you tried to shirk your window-cleaning punishment!" Deuce shot back.
"So we're bringing up ancient history now?" Ace asked before scoffing. "Then if you wanna get down to brass tacks, this all started when furball torched that statue and injured the crown princess!"
"Myah?! Maybe you shouldn'ta made fun of me, then!" Grim shouted back. Y/n wasn't even paying attention to their yapping as she lowered her head, staring at a dark area of the cave, seemingly staring at something or someone.
"Guys! We're in real hot water, remember?!" Deuce exclaimed. "If we don't come back with a magestone by morning, we're all being expelled!"
"Yeah, which is why we don't need you ordering the rest of us around," Ace sternly stated, stepping closer to Deuce. "It gets old real fast," he says as they glared at each other.
Y/n narrowed her eyes, placing her hand on the handle of her katana, preparing to use it as she heard a dark voice. "Won't..."
"Something the matter, Y/n?" Grim asked, pausing Ace's and Deuce's yapping.
"Do you guys not hear the voice over there?" Y/n meekly asked, using her other hand to point over to the dark cave.
"A voice?" Ace asked in mild confusion.
"Yeah, right. This place is abandoned..." Deuce stated before he froze in place when they heard a voice.
"...iiivvv... ...oooouuu..."
"Huh?!" The boys gasped in fear mixed with shock.
"Wh-where's that comin' from?" Aace quietly yelped.
"...neeevvvaaa... ...iiivvv... ...ooouuu..."
"Sounds like...it's getting closer..." Deuce shuddered.
They then saw a light from a lantern following a roar from the monster.
"Stooonesss... Stooonesss aaare miiiiine!"
"Bwah! There it is!" The boys yelped as they immeidately ducked behind a large bolder as they went pale with fear.
"It's just a weak monster-" Y/n bluntly stated before she was suddenly pulled down with the others by Ace. Ace basically pinned her close to him as Deuce quickly removed his uniform jacket, hiding her glow while covering her mouth. Y/n didn't say anything, looking unbothered as ever while the boys were starting to match her skin tone when the monster revealed itself.
'A monster of blot...I wonder what's it doing here in this cave...'
~To be Continued~