I Wanna Set Myself Free

An Urgent Deadline

~Cafeteria~

Ace: "Argh! Stop jumping around like that!"

Grim: "Heh heh heh! Catch me if you can!"

Deuce: "No fair climbing up onto the chandelier, you coward! I haven't really learned flight magic yet... What could I summon to hold onto him...? Hmmm... Oh! That's it!"

Ace: "Did you come up with somethi- Oh, hey! Stop! What are you doing?! Why are you pointing your pen at me?!"

Deuce: "Because I'm going to launch you."

Y/n: "Not a good idea on your first day!"

Ace: "Are you kidding me?! Bwaaah! Put me down! Seriously, do not launch me! Abort! ABORT!"

Deuce: "Just make sure to grab him tight. I've got him in my sights, and... Go!"

Y/n: This is going to be so entertaining!

Ace: "BWAAAAAAAH!"

Grim: "MYAAAAAAAAH?!"

Y/n: "Fuck!"

Ace: *Cough* *Cough* *Hack* "I cannot believe you just did that!"

Grim: "Myaaah..."

Deuce: "Oh, right! I probably should have come up with a way to soften your landing after you caught him..."

Ace: "You complete and total moron! We got Grim, but we broke the chandelier! If the headmage finds out about this-"

Crowley: "If I find out about... what, dear Ace?"

Ace: "Ah! Headmage Crowley...!"

Crowley: "YOU. THREE. AGAIN. What have you done this time?!"

Y/n: "I had nothing to do with this."

Crowley: "Burning a statue wasn't enough for you? Now you've destroyed a chandelier?! Enough. All of you are expelled."

Deuce and Ace: "Whaaaaaaaaat?!"

Deuce: "Headmage, please! Give me a second chance! I can't get expelled from this school! I need to be here!"

Crowley: "Then blame yourself for your own foolish behavior."

Deuce: "I'll pay for the damages! However much it costs!"

Crowley: "That chandelier is no mere light fixture. It is magical chandelier. Its candles are powered by a magical energy source, enchanted so that they will burn for eternity. 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?"

Deuce: "A... A billion marks?!"

Y/n: "Where do I sign?"

Crowley ignores her.

Ace: "B-But I'm sure with your magical talent, sir, you could snap your fingers and fix it right up!"

Crowley: "Even magic has its limits. 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."

Ace: "This is bad..."

Deuce: "What am I going to do?! How am I going to tell my mother...?"

Crowley: "Ah...! But there may be on way. One tiny sliver of chance to repair this chandelier."

Deuce and Ace: "There is?!"

Crowley: "The magestone that powered this chandelier was mined from the Dwarfs' Mine. If you can acquire a magestone with the same properties, it may be possible to repair it."

Deuce: "Then I'll go find a magestone! With your permission, sir!"

Crowley: "I should caution you that I cannot promise there yet remain magestones to find. The mines were closed quite some time ago. It is quite likely that all of the magestones have already been mined."

Deuce: "I will do anything to avoid expulsion, sir!"

Crowley: "Hmmm... Very well, then. I will suspend your expulsion for a single night. But if you fail to return with a magestone by morning, then all of you are expelled."

Deuce: "I understand, sir! Thank you very much for this opportunity!"

Ace: *Sigh* "Fine, then. Let's hurry down there, find a magestone, and get this whole thing done with."

Crowley: "You should be able to reach the Dwarfs' Mine instantly by using one of the gates in the Mirror Chamber."

Deuce: "Yes sir!"

Grim: "Myah! Wh-? Where am I?!"

Y/n: "You may end up wishing you'd remained unconscious."

~Mirror Chamber~

Ace: "Maaan... How did I end up in this mess? I swear, I have the worst luck."

Deuce: "We don't have time to complain. Let's go. Dark Mirror! Take us to the Dwarfs' Mine!"

Y/n: "Ughhh."