Something was wrong.

A sense of inexplicable unease filled Yuu's heart as they watched, suddenly frozen in place, as Ace and Deuce marched carelessly into the old house they'd stumbled upon on the outskirts of the mine.

Yuu couldn't place where their trepidation came from, and that bothered them more than the unease itself.

It wasn't that they thought the house itself felt dangerous. Even from outside they could easily hear three bickering voices complaining about exactly how empty and non-threatening the house was. Nor was it the general stressful nature of the situation - that stress had begun piling up way back in the morning when their window-cleaning punishment was first assigned, and it was easy for them to track the way it ticked steadily upward ever since.

Reluctantly following them into the cobweb-riddled house did nothing to relieve any of the tension that clung to them, but at the very least they didn't feel more like something was going to jump them from the shadows.

All Yuu wanted from this trip was for all four of them to make it back to school in one piece.

A hollow feeling in their heart didn't believe they would.

oOoOo

Stay out. Turn back. Give up.

The abandoned house was not the problem.

Approaching the mine entrance the anxious disquiet returned with a vengeance, doubling down with a ferocity that momentarily stole their breath. It weighed down their limbs, sirens blaring in their head screaming that danger was ahead.

Let it be known that Yuu was neither claustrophobic nor scared of the dark. A closed down mine wasn't a good place to be traipsing about in, but there was also nothing inherently terrifying about it.

Unfortunately for the voice of caution in their head, Yuu didn't have the luxury of not going inside. They were at risk of losing the one tiny anchor keeping them afloat in this new and unfamiliar land - that is to say, Crowley was threatening to rescind his permission to stay on campus, thereby kicking Yuu to the curb in a country where they had no legal ID and not a single thaumark to their name - and that wasn't something they were going to accept without putting up a fight.

oOoOo

Danger-danger-danger-dangerdangerDANGER-

Yuu was thankful that the panic weighing them down receded once they committed to heading into the mineshaft - things would be rough enough without having to fight their own body every step of the way - but in its place came the unceasing feeling that this was a Bad Place to be.

Grim stuck close to their heels, clearly unnerved but loudly claiming he wasn't. Ace and Deuce were a little further ahead, lighting the way with magic and bickering incessantly in low tones.

The first crossroad inside the mine sent shivers down Yuu's spine. Their skull ached as they looked down the leftmost path, knife-like tingles in their arm as they looked straight ahead.

"Let's go this way," they said, voice surprisingly firm as they interrupted the latest argument - this time at least about directions - and stepped towards the rightmost tunnel. Something must have shown on their face since none of them protested.

Mines, unfortunately for any group of inexperienced teenagers wandering about, were full of branching, maze-like tunnels. This also meant every time they hit a new crossroads Yuu was once more overcome by incomprehensible phantom pains.

The deeper they went the more cognizant the gang became of the possibility of becoming hopelessly lost, so the bickering died down to a minimum. They continued on like this: Ace taking the lead, lighting the way ahead, Deuce guarding their rear, with Yuu and Grim in the centre, deferring to Yuu's judgement for directions.

Every time that little voice screamed Danger or Death or Pain they wondered if they were one step away from an actual nervous breakdown.

But finally, finally, Ace lowered his pen towards the ground with a triumphant cry. They had located a magestone. They could finally leave.

The mage duo managed to extract it without too much trouble, which meant the only thing now standing between the four of them and successfully securing their futures (or at least, their safety for the next day) was making it back to the exit.

Something in the air shifted.

Cutting back and forth through the mine tunnels as they were, the air flow had been odd and distorted the entire time. That was the nature of tunnel systems. But deep down in their bones Yuu knew this was different.

Moving purely on instinct they slapped a hand over Grim's mouth, reaching out with their other hand to grasp at the nearest uniform sleeve. Turning to meet their gaze Deuce opened his mouth to ask something but immediately closed it as Yuu sharply shook their head.

Voice barely a whisper Yuu leaned in close, frantic but firm. "Don't lose that." They nodded toward the stone in Ace's hand. "Don't speak. Try to be as quiet as possible. We're leaving. Now."

Spooked into obedience by Yuu's frazzled demeanour Ace and Deuce silently nodded. Grim wriggled impatiently, far less willing to cooperate. One hand still covering his mouth Yuu scooped him up into their arms, his tail coming dangerously close to smacking them in the face.

To everyone's displeasure and mounting anxiety the way back was not, according to Yuu's hallucinatory voices, the same as the way they came. Ace remembered their original route surprisingly well, because he scrunched up his nose in annoyance every time Yuu shook their head and tugged them down a different path.

Part of them wondered, maybe if they just went quickly enough the path wouldn't matter?

But then the klaxon bells would blare in their head, and they discarded the thought.

It was incredibly difficult to move quietly while carrying what was essentially a very fidgety toddler-sized direbeast. Barely even a single full day of knowing each other and Yuu knew that Grim tended to be louder when he was frightened, and being restrained only made him want to lash out and act up even more.

That's why they were only resigned but not surprised when, once they finally saw the faintest moonlight outline of the exit, Grim managed to break free from their tired arms with a loud cry, scarpering towards freedom.

Somewhere in the tunnels behind them a different cry sounded out in response.

Deep. Mournful. Jagged. Angry.

And much, much too close for comfort.

With their cover already blown Yuu shoved at the momentarily frozen Ace and Deuce, screaming at them to run while resisting the dreadful urge to look back over their shoulder.

The trio sprinted and stumbled their way towards Grim, who was rapidly progressing from ecstatic to panicked. As soon as they were once more beneath the open sky they turned almost in unison towards the cave-mouth.

Truly wishing for the first time since arriving not even 48 hours ago that they had magic of their own, Yuu stood helpless to do anything but shout. So shout they did.

"Seal the exit!" They cried, watching as a horrifyingly familiar creature they'd never seen the likes of before rapidly approached, leaking dark fluid from its glass head.

A sharp blast of wind magic from Ace dislodged some fragile stones from the mountain, clattering into the entrance. It was more of a trip-hazard than anything, but it confused their pursuer long enough for Deuce to pull off his signature panic magic: summoning giant cauldrons. Grim set the cauldron mountain ablaze for good measure, because no one in their right mind would race to touch molten metal - not that the monster seemed the rational sort.

"What… the actual hell… was that…?" Ace wheezed, clutching the magestone so tightly his fingers were bleeding ever so slightly.

"I dunno…" Deuce panted. "Wanna go back… and ask it?"

Completely spent in both mind and body Yuu wanted nothing more than to collapse where they stood and never move again, but there was no guarantee of safety until they were back on campus.

Forcing themselves to remain upright they resolutely turned their back on the mine.

"Come on. We've got some expulsions to overturn."