Having ran around the entire campus, Grim and the three had made it back to the cafeteria where Grim had attached himself onto the expensive-looking chandelier. The cat cackled, "Catch me if you can suckers!"
Deuce scowled as they stared up at the cat on one of the chandeliers, "Kuh, getting on the chandelier is an underhanded move! We've haven't learned the magic to fly yet... We need something to get up there, and also catch him..."
As Deuce began to mutter quietly in deep contemplation with his hand on his chin and eyes closed, Lotus smirked after watching the two and Yuu looking around the room hurriedly. She walked over and stood behind the blue hair man and whispered, "Float..."
"I've got it!" Deuce exclaimed with his eyes wide upon an idea and pulled out his pen.
Busy thinking of an answer, Ace continued to mumbled as he slowly looked up, "I've gotta think of an idea... Woah, woah, wait a sec!"
Ace smiled when he heard his classmate's hopeful expression at first to which Yuu turned as well, but his smiled was flipped the moment he saw his classmate point the pen at him. He shouted, "Why are you pointing your magical pen at me?!"
"I'll just throw you!" Deuce exclaimed firmly.
Hearing his answer, Yuu stared at them in shock as he muttered nervously, "I've got a bad feeling about this."
Lotus sighed as she muttered quietly, "Me too..."
"You're joking, right?!" Ace exclaimed but was cut off when a bright light flashed and he started to levitate up into the air, "W-Woah! Don't make me float! You're really going to throw me?! Knock it off!"
"Catch him, ya hear..." Deuce muttered as he pulled his pen back, "Take aim... Fire!"
With that, he motioned a throw with his pen which launched Ace into the air screaming. Rather than being careful, Ace flew into the chandelier and grabbed Grim as he crashed down with the chandelier. Alerted with the shattering of the crystals and the height, Lotus scowled and flicked her wrist unleashing the energy she had absorbed the night prior to great a slight cushion for the young man who still landed a little rough on the bottom. She can't say the same for the chandelier, though.
"What are these people doing?!" Yuu managed as he facepalmed his forehead.
"Making a mess." Lotus responded with a frown and sighed in exasperation despite knowing that she won't be seen.
However, the young man jolted and turned to her direction much to her bewilderment. Lotus smirked when she saw this.
Not bad...
Axe and Grim were both in a coughing fit amongst the dust in the air as the man managed his words, "I can't believe it!"
Deuce looked at them in bewilderment, "I-I screwed up! I didn't think about the landing!"
Ace glared at the guy as he yelled, "Are you... An Idiot?! We caught Grim and the landing was barely okay, but if the headmaster finds out we busted the chandelier-"
"If I... find out?"
The four froze as turned to see the headmaster at the entrance of the cafeteria.
"Ah," Ace grimaced with guilt and fear, "Headmaster..."
"Just. What. Exactly. Are You All Doing?!?!" The headmaster hollered at them.
Grim was still a little out of it as the cat managed in confusion, "The room is spinning..."
"You weren't satisfied with just damaging the statue so you decided to destroy the chandelier?!" Crowley shouted as he began to reprimand the four of them, "This is the last straw. I will have all of you expelled!"
"Eh?!"
The students and handyman shouted in unison and disbelief.
"Please!" Deuce pleaded, "Anything but that! I have things I have to do at this school!"
"You have nothing to blame but your own idiocy." The headmaster instructed.
"I will pay for all damages if I have to!"
"This is no normal chandelier." The headmaster stated, "This is a magical chandelier that uses candles that will burn for eternity. It is a masterpiece made by a legendary master of magical tools. It has been entrusted to the school since its very foundation. Taking into consideration its historical value, it would cost no less than a billion madol, much more expensive than the window. Can you pay for those damages?"
"A b-billion madol?!"
Ace tried to regain his composure as he stammered nervously, "But teacher, can't you just fix it right up with magic-"
"Magic is not all powerful." Crowley stated firmly, "More importantly, what we call the heart of any magical tool, the magic crystal was shattered. No two magic crystals are the same. This chandelier will never be lit again."
Ace slumped over in disappointment, "How can that..."
"Crap..." Deuce cursed in defeat, "What am I doing... What am I going to tell mom..."
"That's right..." The headmaster began, "There's one way. There might be one way to fix the chandelier."
"Eh?!"
"Really?!" Yuu looked to the headmaster with eyes full of hope.
"The magic crystal for this chandelier was mined in the Dwarf's Mine." Crowley nodded, "If we have a magic crystal of the same kind as the original, repairs might be possible."
"I will go find a magic crystal!" Deuce volunteered without hesitation, "Please allow me to go!"
"However, I have no guarantee that there are any left in the mind." Crowley stated with a concerned tone, "The mine has been closed for a while and it's very possible it's exhausted of crystals."
"I'll do anything to get the expulsion rescinded."
After some thought, Crowley became rather hesitant.
"Why not let them go find it?" Lotus stated as she withdrew her ability.
"You're here as well, Xue." Crowley turned to her with a frown.
"Wha-?!" the four watched her in bewilderment as she revealed herself next to the headmaster.
"I was." She admitted, "It was quite a loud situation and all I could do is try to prevent any broken bones on those two. Since I've done nothing to help my classmates, why not let me join them to fetch a crystal?"
Crowley stared at her with discerning eyes before he sighed, "... Fine. I shall give you one night. Come to me with a magic crystal by tomorrow morning, or face expulsion. That counts for you too, Mister Xue."
"I understand." Lotus nodded firmly.
"Yes!" Deuce said with a resolute note, "Thank you very much!"
With a sigh of relief, Ace nodded reluctantly, "I suppose. Let's go get that magic crystal and be done with it."
"Use the Gate in the Mirror Chamber to go directly to Dwarf's Mine." Crowley ordered.
"Yes, sir!" Deuce hurried out of the room by himself.
"Ha!" Grim finally snapped out of his dazed stated and looked about, "What now? What exactly did I..."
"You might've been happier staying unconscious." Yuu answered with a small smile as he picked up the cat.
As the rest left the room, Lotus began to follow them when Crowley spoke up, "You, what are you thinking of doing? Had you stayed quiet, you would not have to face expulsion with them."
"Curious." Lotus responded bluntly with a mischievous smirk and followed the guys out.
Hearing her answer, Crowley shook his head in disappointment as he watched her leave with the group unable to decipher what goes on in the child's head. For what reason did the mirror sent her an acceptance letter?
Once before the mirror, Ace groaned, "Why did it turn into something like this? Today is really not my day..."
"Now isn't the time for mumbling! Let's go!" Deuce responded with a frown as the night began to set in, "Mirror, mirror on the wall. Light our way to Dwarf's Mine!"
A long tunnel of light began to ripple in the black mirror as Lotus followed the group in.
On the other side was a dark forest with an old wooden bridge and a tiny cottage that seemed to have been run down for years. The forest was dark, cold, and dreary without the light of the sun. An eerie atmosphere settled in as Lotus looked about. As she looked about, the group of four felt a little wary about her as she said nothing.
"So this is Dwarf's Mine..." Deuce began with a look of interest trying to distract himself, "It used to be prosperous thanked to magic crystal mining, but..."
Grim whimpered, "Feels like something could jump out..."
The earth was cool to the touch and the water was rather clean.
"Oh, there's a house back there." Ace pointed out at the cottage with a smile, "Let's go ask them about the mine."
Lotus followed them without a word as she looked about the place carefully. A disturbed feeling sinking into her as she frowned. Something wasn't right.
Deuce knocked on the door that opened ajar by the knock, "Good evening... I guess it's abandoned. It's a mess in here."
Sure enough, as she entered through the small door of the cottage, everything was in disorder. The table was cracked and the wooden chairs where either upturned or in disorder and damaged.
Grim spotted, "I got a spider web in the face... Peh!"
"Aren't the tables and chairs not the small side?" Ace began with a frown, "Are they for kids?"
After counting, he exclaimed in surprise, "There's seven! So many!"
"So, there were seven workers here in the past." Lotus concluded after hearing his words.
"This was probably a lively home when Dwarf's Mine Flourished." Deuce deduced after seeing the kitchen empty of utensils.
"It must've been dwarves."
"There was really dwarves here?" Ace said with a raised brow.
"Dwarf's mine was most likely given the name because dwarf's inhabited the place." Lotus responded as she pulled out an old portrait of seven little old figures wielding tools before the lively and bright atmosphere cottage.
Dusting off the picture, they got a closer look and saw that these figures were indeed small and old enough to be dwarves!
"So this is a home for dwarf's." Yuu stated in surprise.
Lotus nodded, "At least, it once was."
"They did what they had to." Ace stated bluntly, "After all, magic crystals are found inside coal. More importantly, who are you?"
They turned to Lotus with suspicions as Lotus shrugged, "The name's Lotus Xue. I'm the other resident at Ramshackle Dorm. The only student without magic at the moment."
"No magic?!" Ace stared at her in bewilderment, "Then, why are you still here? You're not like this guy with nowhere to go, right?"
"Nah." Lotus shook her head, "I'm here on a recommendation by one of the staffs on the campus with a high position. So, the headmaster can't let me go as easily even if he wants to. I'm also here on a scholarship, so I'll have to attend school here."
"Wah, that sucks." Ace smirked, "Having no magic."
Deuce frowned, "You said you don't have magic, then how come we didn't notice you in the cafeteria?"
"Huh?" Ace raised a brow.
"I thought it was weird how the two landed without any injuries." Yuu nodded with understanding, "Could that have been you?"
Amused, Lotus chuckled, "You give me unearned credits, Yuu. Without magic, how can I help him land properly? Of course, I couldn't have used magic to save him."
"Right?" Ace said with a nervous smile, "Someone who can't use magic couldn't have saved me back there."
"Then, how did you suddenly appear next to the headmaster? You even saw everything that happened there." Yuu questioned with a raised brow, "I'm not saying you have an ulterior motive, but it's unusual."
"Not as unusual as you having an innate talent." Lotus smirked.
"Huh? Innate talent?" Yuu stared at her in bewilderment.
Lotus smiled as she folded her arms, "If you wanna know more, you should ask the headmaster... No. Just listen to what the headmaster tells you have you guys return with the crystal. If you don't, the headmaster won't be able to tell you."
As Yuu looked to her in confusion, Ace raised a brow, "I-Innate talent?"
"Something that is born into the mind naturally, not a unique ability." Lotus explained, "You'll see."
With that, Lotus turned to look around the room with a frown. Aside from jugs, cobwebs decorated the ceiling and old equipment and supplies lay rotting in the corner of the room. Lotus sighed as she touched the table with a frown, "Looks like there had been a fight.
"A fight?" Grim spoke up in confusion.
Lotus nodded and touched the small indentation on the table, "See this. It could be made with a child-sized fist slamming on the table. Whatever happened here must've been really traumatic before they left."
Ace frowned before he sighed, "Business wasn't going well, so there must've been a tussle. For now, let's just go check the mines out."