Keep in mind at the end for a special announcement.

Special thanks to broken_synchronicity for beta-reader this chapter.

Your Head Explode!

Screams echo in the tunnels, followed by lights from magic spells. Scott, Susie, and Melody hide behind a rock as Ace, Deuce, and Grim fight for their lives.

"Begone! Begone! Begooone!" The monster roars at the trio. It swings its pickaxe at them, breaking the cauldron that Deuce throws at it. Its scattered pieces almost hit Ace and Grim. Luckily they got out of the way in time.

"Hey watch it!" Grim growled at Deuce.

Deuce flinched, "Sorry!" He apologizes. A shadow loomed over him. Deuce gulped, looked up, and saw the monster raise its weapon at him.

"Bwaaah!" Deuce shouted and ran away as the monster almost crushed him with its pickaxe.

"Aw, crap! He's got Loosey-Deucey on the ropes!" Ace shouted alarmingly, then pointed his pen at the monster, "Not on my watch! Heeyah!" His pen glows green and the wind kicks up toward the beast. It hit the monster, making its clothes ripped up, but it pushed through the sharp wind, much to Ace's shock. The beast swung its pickaxe at the student. Ace luckily fell back, landing on his butt.

"Ooof!" Ace grumbled as he landed next to Susie's group. Melody quickly grabs Ace, dragging him away before the monster gets him. "Hey!" Ace shouted, only for Melody to cover his mouth.

"I can throw you to the monster if you want," She narrowed her eyes, Ace sweated a bit, "Or you can shut up and let me carry you safely." She hissed at him.

Ace huffed, "Fine!" He said as Melody carried him behind the rock.

"You're such a bitch." He mumbled as he rested behind the rock.

Melody turned to him with such a glare that he swore her eyes were glowing red.

"What did you say?!" She growled.

"I have an itch!" He answers quickly.

"Myaaah! Stay away from me!" Grim cried as the monster chased him. The monster let out a big growl and Grim threw a fireball at it. Only for the monster to bat it away, bringing its pickaxe down on Grim. He luckily leaped away and climbed onto Susie's shoulder. "It's like nothin's even hurtin' it!" Grim shouted, clinging to Susie for dear life. Susie shakes in fear so much she doesn't even notice that Grim's claws stab her shoulder.

"We need to escape," Susie mumbled, slowly backing away. Oliver is about to agree with her but he spots something shiny behind the monster.

"Did you just see that sparkle?" Olive exclaimed, pointing behind the monster. Ace followed his hand and saw a shiny stone.

He immediately got up almost knocking Melody off her feet as he did.

"Behind the monster! Something is sparkling in the mineshaft!" Ace pointed out.

"Hey, I just said that," Oliver told him, then he ignored Ace.

Deuce gives narrow eyes, "Yeah I noticed when Oliver pointed that out," Oliver smiles but in his mind cheers as Deuce acknowledges him, "I think it's a magestone!"

The Monster noticed this and floated over in front of the shiny thing, standing protectively of the stone.

"GWAAAAAAAH! Nooo giiive yooouuu stooooooone!" The monster growled as it rushed at them, slamming its pickaxe down to where Deuce was but luckily he moved out of the way.

Deuce tried to summon a cauldron at the monster but Ace at that same moment blew it out diction of the monster by accident. Making the cauldron blow off its main course and hit the wall with a crash.

"Hey!" Deuce shouted at Ace.

Ace glares at him, "Don't look at me Loosey-Deucey! You need to keep an eye for the en-oh shit!" Ace cursed, as the monster came after him. He luckily dodged before the monster crushed him with its pickaxe. Still, how easily it crushes the dirt and rock makes everyone… just a bit nervous.

Grim took a look at this and turned to Susie.

"Susie, we need to book it, and fast! That thing's going to pound us into tuna paste!" Grim urges her, pointing to the exit.

Susie looks at Scott, "He's right! This is way out of our league and someone might get killed!" She pointed out.

Scott looks conflicted as his eyes dart to her and Magestone.

"But what about the stone?" He asked her.

Susie whirled around him in shock and anger.

"Never mind that! Just focus on getting out alive!" She orders him. Scott looks at her and then the others, realizing she is right. If they kept going the way they were, one of them might be killed at this rate.

"Everyone retreat!" He shouted. Everyone heard this and wisely ran.

"Begone! Beggooone!" The monster roars as the group runs out of the deep tunnels. Its voice shook the cavern. Once it was sure that the students were gone it went back to guard its stone.

Everyone was screaming in the tunnels as they ran away from the monster. But as they passed another tunnel, a familiar voice called out to them.

"Oh, hey guys!" Haelth greeted. Susie stopped when she heard her voice. Causing Olive, Scott, Ace, and Melody to stop. Deuce kept on running but Melody grabbed Grim before he went too far. They turned around and saw Haelth standing with the mine ghosts in the opening of another tunnel.

"Haelth!" Susie cried out in joy as she raced over to her friend to hug her. Haelth was surprised but returned the hug. "What's going on? Why are you guys running?" Haelth questions as the rest of the group caught up with them. Deuce finally noticed people were not following him and quickly turned around to join them.

Scott turned around to check if the monster was chasing them. Everyone waits on bated breath to see if the monster will show up while Haelth and the ghost look confused. Once they knew that monster wasn't coming Scott turned to Haelth.

"Ok here's what happened," Scott told her everything—the monster, the magestone, and how the fight went. Nevertheless, Haelth and ghosts have a lot of options about it.

"You guys fought a monster?" Haelth exclaimed, narrowed eyes, "And didn't invite me?!" Susie laughs nervously, rubbing the back of her head.

"Sorry." She apologized to her.

"You act like it was fun." Scott rolled his eyes.

"That must be an Overblot." One of the ghosts' comments. Everyone looks at them funny. Overblot?

"Ummm…what?" Melody asked.

The ghost looked surprised, "Wait… you guys don't know what Overblot are?"

"Umm…we're new," Oliver said, looking at Ace and Deuce for an answer. They shrug, clearly not knowing the answers as well.

Another ghost rolled his eyes, "Man, what are schools teaching nowadays?" He sighed, "Well to answer your question: Overblot is when people use too much magic or let their negative emotions take over them, making them Overblot and go out of control." The young adults/teens look shocked at what the ghost told them.

"WHAT?!"

The ghost covers the loudest voices which are Grim, Melody, and Haelth.

"Quiet!" They hissed, "Do you want the Overblot to hear you?" Everyone who fought the Overblot shook their head. But Haelth has another question.

"Wait. Was the monster a person at one point?" She asked the ghosts. The group looks at her in surprise and their eyes dart to the ghost, as if also asking them the same thing. The ghosts look at each other before the shortest one speaks up.

"Errr…not anymore." Haelth raises an eyebrow so the ghost quickly explains, "Well, they were normal people at first. But when Overblot becomes irreversible at a certain point you can't go back. At least from what I heard. And that Overblot has been here for a long time."

Oliver narrowed his eyes at the ghost. Something about their story isn't adding up, "Did you know about them? Back when they were alive?" He questioned them. The ghosts were silent for a good while before answering.

"...No." The skinniest one told him. Oliver looks between all of them. Not one met his gaze. He feels there is more to the story here but what is it?

Ace broke the tension by sighing loudly.

"Let's just give up and go home. I'll happily take the expulsion if it means never having to fight that thing again." He said before he started to walk away. But Deuce's eyes widened before he stomped his way to Ace. Deuce grabs him by the shoulder, making turn him around. Ace let out a startled yelp before he was face to face with an annoyed Deuce.

"Nuh-uh, not happenin'! I'd rather die than get expelled from Night Raven! How can you give up when the stone is right there?" Deuce questioned Ace.

Ace pulls him away to laugh at his face.

"Pfft. Big talk from someone who's not even half the mage I am. You want that stone so bad, go get it yourself. I'm out." Ace said as he walked away.

Deuce bristle in anger, "Oh YEAH?! Fine, go back to your coop, you big chicken!" Ace clenched his jaw, walking over to Deuce to jab his finger at his shirt. "Whaaaaat?! Who're you callin' chicken, huh?!" He yelled at his face. Susie got between them and pushed them apart.

"Ok, Ok, look. Let's just all calm down-" Susie tried to get the two boys to stop fighting but Ace and Deuce were still getting into the faces while shouting insults.

"I'm calling you chicken!"

"Big talk for someone getting in every person's way!"

"Excuse m-"

"ENOUGH!" Susie shouted, which shocked everyone there. She grabbed both boys' shirts and pulled them to her height, "Both of you acting like children and if you don't act your age then I have to be your mother and straighten you two out." She yelled at both of the boys. Both Ace and Deuce sweat and quickly nod.

Grim was even scared and turned to Melody.

"Whoa, Susie... Is it just me, or did Susie turn into a different person just now?" Grim comment.

Melody rolled her eyes, "That's what you get for pissing her off."

Susie overheard them, froze, and then straightened herself.

"Sorry about that." She apologized, while every sweat dropped at the whiplash. What was that?

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you yell like that." Deuce apologized to her. Ace also mumbles a sorry while avoiding looking at Susie.

Oliver decides to ask a question.

"Can't you do something with your magic?" Ace and Deuce look at him then each other.

Deuce explains to the other teen, "The headmage said it himself... magic has limits. If you can't strongly visualize your magic, it isn't going to happen. Using magic at a greater scale, or using different types of magic - those things require training."

"Yeah, that's why magic academies exist. It takes a lot of training before you can snap your fingers and turn your thoughts into magic. And the more flustered you are, the more likely you are to make mistakes." Ace adds.

Oliver put his hand under his chin in thought. That makes sense. After all, if Ace could, he would have blown Haelth and Grim out of the school the first time they met. Though knowing Haelth, she'll come back and drop Ace down to the center of the earth if he did do that. So it was best that he was still learning magic.

"So that's why Grim can only summon fire." Ace his absurd-minded comment.

Grim glared at him in Melody's arms, "Hey! I'm gonna learn how to use WAY cooler magic than that, for the record! I'm just hittin' my stride here!" He huffed.

Oliver holds his hands up, "Sorry Grim!" He laughed nervously as Grim pouted at him. He is like a little kid at times.

"Anyway, we need to find some way to defeat that creature and get the magestone," Deuce said trying to get the group on track.

Ace snorted, "Yeaaaaah. Just like the time with the chandelier, right? You 'found some way,' and now here we are. We just fought that thing and it creamed us. So what exactly is your plan here, genius? Because I sure don't trust you to improvise!"

Deuce glared at him, "What?! You're the one who-"

"BOYS!" Susie warned them before her tone became softer, "Let's get back on track shall we?" She said with a tight smile. Ace and Deuce sweated.

"Yes madam!" They both said union.

"Whoa, that was loud. Where'd that come from?" Grim covers his ears.

"Oh boy, here we go." Scott rubs his temples.

"You said it yourself - we can't hurt that thing." She points out. Grim, Ace, and Deuce look down when she points that out to them.

"M-myah…" Grim flattened his ears and hunched his shoulders.

"Urk... But... But what are we going to do then?!" Deuce asked her.

Susie rubs the back of her neck. It's a long shot because they all go off on the wrong foot. But this isn't like with the ghosts at Ramshackle. They can't go one vs one with this monster. They need to work together.

"What if we all just worked together?" She suggested. The trio looked at her like she was crazy.

Ace snorted, "'Work together'... Is that some kinda joke? You always say the lamest things with the straightest face, Susie."

"Agreed. No way could I work together with him." Deuce added, pointing at Ace. Who slowly turns to him with the most annoyed expression on his face.

"Welp! Better get ready to be expelled." Oliver told them, "Because if we fail to get that stone then that's where we are heading." Deuce and Ace were stunned at the other boy's bluntness. But he hit the nail on the head.

"W-well…" Ace tried to come up with an excuse but couldn't.

"..." Deuce seems to accept his defense and listens to the other boy.

"Well, I have an idea." Oliver said, "But we need to all work together." He said.

Ace sighed, "Gah... Fine. Let's just get this over with, then. All right, Oliver. What's the plan?"

Oliver smiled and motivated everyone to come closer. They all got closer to form a tight circle as explained Oliver's plan.

"Ready?" Haelth asked Scott and Grim as they hid behind the corner where the monster was last seen. Scott had a grim look and Grim was shaking but they nodded.

"R-ready!" Grim gives her a thumbs up. Haelth grins and peeks out of the corner. The mouth of the tunnel was dark but the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She signed to Grim, who took in a deep breath and stepped out.

"H-hey, monster! I'm uh... I-I'm over here!" Grim shouted.

Silence.

There was no sound besides the noise of dripping water. A few minutes rolled by, and Grim wondered if the monster moved but then a blood-howling roar shook him to the core.

"Grrraaawrrr! BEGOOOOONE!" Grim runs away as the monster chases him. Haelth and Scott follow Grim. Scott could hear the growling from the monster behind him. The ground shook as it brought the pickaxe down on the ground.

"He's comin' our way! Guys!" Grim cried out.

"Better to move on to plan B!" Scott said, looking over to Haelth.

Haelth smirked, "No need to tell me twice!" She cupped her hand over her mouth, "GUYS NOW!" From the walls, the ghosts phase through.

"On it!" The big one replied with a grin. The ghosts howled and laughed as they flew in front of the monster. The Monster growled and swung its pickaxe but the ghosts were faster. They were flying away at the last second, pulling on the monster's clothes.

"Grim now!" Scott shouted.

"Right!" Grim shot a ball of fire above the monster, hitting stalagmite above it. There was a loud groan as a flame hit it. The monster stops fighting the ghosts and looks up, only to find a stalagmite heading for it. It barely has time to defend itself as it comes crashing down on it. The ghosts flew out of the way in time.

"Yeah! We got it!" Grim cheered and grinned in glee. Haelth also cheers with him. Scott is about to join them but notices something moving from the dust cloud.

"LOOK OUT!" He shouted a warning. He grabs Haelth and Grim by the back of their necks. Just in time, the monster's pickaxe slammed the ground on which they were standing right before. As the cloud cleared, the monster's glass head was cracked but still held strong. It growled at them.

"Thieeef begooone!" The monster lunged at them but they quickly left.

"Eep! If it lands one of those punches, we're toast!" Grim comments as he runs.

A ghost flew beside Haelth.

"Sorry, we couldn't hold him down for you guys." They told her.

"No worries, the outside is up ahead!" Haelth exclaimed. Sure enough, there was light at the end of the tunnel.

"Ready?" Scott looks over to Grim as he runs alongside them.

"Ready as I have ever been," Grim replied with a smirk but he still looked worried.

"Ok!" He said, holding out his arm. Grim leaped onto it. Once they got out, Scott threw Grim into the air. Grim yelp but he was caught by Melody from on top of the mine shaft with Ace.

"We're counting on you!" Scott exclaimed as he and Haelth went in two different directions. The monster looked back and forth between them, thinking about which ones it should go after. They only have a few seconds to make this count!

Ace grinned, "You bet. I got this! One extra-large gust of wind, comin' up!" He waves his pen and a gust of wind starts to head to the monster.

"It's your turn, Grim!" Melody exclaims to hold up Grim.

Grim grinned, "With a side of Grim's blazin'-hot fire! MYAAAH!" He opens his maw and a stream of fire pouts out. Fire and wind combined into an exploration of fire, hitting the monster in full force.

"Grrraaahhh?!" It roars in pain, stumbling back.

"How's that taste?! With my winds fanning them, even Grim's feeble flames can become an inferno!" Ace taunted the monster.

Grim glared over to him, "Whaddaya mean 'feeble'?! Ya don't know how to shut yer mouth, do ya?" Ace was about to stick his tongue out to the cat, but Melody smacked him in the head.

"Hey!" Ace yelped while Grim laughed.

Melody glared at him, "Would you stop picking fights with him!"

Meanwhile, to the side and hiding behind a rock with a tree right next to it. Susie, Oliver, and Deuce peek out from their hiding spot, out of the flames from Ace's and Grim's combined attack.

"Now's our chance!" Susie declared, and Deuce nodded.

He points his pen at the monster.

"Just stay calm, aim carefully... and pull out the biggest, heaviest thing I can think of…" His pen glowed a bright blue as he called out, "Get 'em, cauldron!" With that, his trusted cauldron appears and slams into the monster.

"Gwaaah?!" The monster cried in pain as it fell to the bottom of the hill. The group looked down where the monster lay, seemingly dead.

Grim jumps on Melody's shoulder, pointing down at the monster.

"Nailed it! The plan's workin'! Look, Susie! That monster got smashed flat by a falling cauldron, just like Ace did!" He laughed at the poor monster. Susie didn't know if she should laugh or not. On one hand, the monster did try to kill them. On the other, it might be a victim of circumstances if what the ghost said was true. Susie, Haelth, and Melody cheer. Out of the corner of her, she saw Scott smirk. Oliver looked at the monster down below but Susie couldn't read his expression.

"Quick! While it's distracted, we need to get that magestone!" Deuce told them, as ran back to the cave. Melody, Ace, Grim, and Scott already disappear into the cave. Haelth waits for others to join out of the tunnel. Deuce is already up to the mouth of the cave when Susie turns to Oliver.

"Come on Oliver let's go." She said, running up the hill.

"Wait Su-" Suddenly a shadow looms over him. A horrible roar rang in Susie's and Oliver's ears.

"Nnooooo! Theeiiif!"

Susie's eyes widen in horror as the monster almost brings his pickaxe down on Oliver. Oliver moved but he was too slow and could only open his mouth to scream.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Ace and Grim were farther into the cave. And Oliver was in the way for Deuce to fire some magic. Susie rushes forward, grabbing Oliver's collar, ignoring his yelp as she pulls him forward. But she saw in slow-motion that the pickaxe was coming closer and closer to her head.

She was going to die.

Then Haelth's voice let out a roar of her own.

"TAKE THIS!" A huge gust of wind throws the monster back, giving time for Susie to drag Oliver so Deuce can make the shot.

"Deuce now!" Deuce snaps out of his stunned expression and raises his pen.

"Right! Come cauldron." Deuce summons his cauldron down on the monster's head, breaking it open and spilling ink everywhere. Some of which got on to Susie and Oliver.

"Ewww!" Oliver complained, "It's in my mouth!" He wipes his mouth. Susie wiped her face too.

"Guys!" Deuces and Haelth rush to them. Scott, Melody, Ace, and Grim appear outside the cave as well. Once they all group together, Deuce turns to Oliver and Susie.

"Are you guys alright?" He asked them.

"Yeah, we're fine." She looks over and sees Oliver still trying to get the ink off of him, "...mostly. But more important." She turns to Haelth, "Haelth how did you use magic?" She asked her.

Grim snort, "Susie, Haelth can't use magic."

"Well-" Haelth tried to speak up but Ace cut her off.

"Yeah, it's probably Loosey-Deucey getting his act together!" Ace laughs, playful shoving Deuce. Which is like trying to move a big rock as Deuce was stiff as a board. Ace looks at him in confusion but Deuce answers him in a shocked tone.

"No, it wasn't me. Haelth did use magic." He confessed and Ace's eyes widened.

"What?! I thought you guys couldn't do magic?" He turns to the others.

"Well it's more-" Haelth tried to speak up but once again she was cut off.

Melody shook her head, "No we couldn't! We have never used magic before!"

Ace looked at her with an eyebrow raised, "Maybe Haelth is just a late bloomer?" He guesses, looking over at Haelth.

"What? No-" Haelth was once again cut off by Scott. She felt her eyebrow twitch.

"There no way that possible because-"

"BECAUSE WE COME FROM ANOTHER WORLD!" Haelth blunted out at the top of her lungs. She took in deep breath when she was done.

Everyone was stunned by what she just said.

"WHAT?!" Deuce, Grim, and Ace shouted. Susie and the other outer-worldly kids flitch, then glare at Haelth for her bluntness. Susie has more of a disappointed look. Which… made the red-haired girl feel bad.

"Ok…"Scott glared at Haelth, who gave a sheepish smile at him, "Let me explain…" He explains to the magic trio everything. He told them about being in another world, in the black carriage and the coffins. Needless to say, the trio's expressions were very confused.

"You got any proof?" Ace asked them.

Scott was taken aback, "What?"

"Do you have any proof?" Ace pressed her, "Coming from another world is a pretty big claim." He pointed out to them.

"I have to agree with Ace." Deuce pips in, "Coming from a different world is a bit far-fetched." Ace was glad his fellow dormmate was agreeing with him. Even Grim looks like he agrees with them.

"I mean you guys are weird but I don't think you guys are from another world." Grim add-in.

"Well…um." Scott looked over to others and they shook their heads. They don't have anything from their old home. Everything was left behind!

"W-Well you see," He was going to explain but Haelth saves him.

"I have proof!" Haelth yelled out. Everyone looks at her in surprise as the short girl goes through her bag.

"You do?" Scott asked in confusion because she didn't tell him anything.

"Yeah, I have Karaguri's book!" She exclaimed, putting out the old book, "It's also how I use magic." She told them. Everyone gathers around to look at the book.

"This old thing is the reason that can make you use magic?" Grim asked, sniffing the book and making a face.

"Yeah! My mapa makes me curve runes into stone to sell. But they never work back in our world. But here they work!" She said, opening the book and showing the trio of magic users the page of runes. They look closely at the page, trying to make sense of it.

"I've never seen these symbols before," Deuce confessed, scratching his chin.

"Looks like gibberish to me," Grim adds.

"I've never seen this before but we can just ask headmage, so he might have a clue," Ace suggested, putting his hands behind his head. When he mentions Crowley, Deuce's eyes widen.

"The magestone!" He gasped and went back to the mines, "Let's take it before Crowley expelled us!" He reminded them. The groups unfroze and follow Deuce in the tunnels.

That's a wrap!

Going to be on a four-day hiatus after this. Need to some rest after working on three fics. From day to night I was working on them, and I just needed a break. But after that, I work on the next chapter which will end the prologue. Then we get into book 1! This changes a bit the format because it be because it one of five POVs (written from three points of view.)

In other news, I finished watching Dungeon Meshi which is both a funny and relaxing anime. Before anyone asks I didn't read the manga so I don't have a story for that.

Check my Twitch where I'm playing Fate/Samurai Remnant and Final Fantasy 16: firedragonx23

My Tumblr where you get updates of my fics: firedragonx

And lastly my discord: Gn74YUFc