My Dream

The Dwarfs' Mine

Deuce and Ace led the way to the Dark Mirror. "You don't have to help us, Miss." Deuce said. "This is our responsibility."

"Well, it's mine too!" Gwen replied. "And, uh, please call me Gwen. Miss feels weird coming from anyone but Crowley."

"Ah..." Ace sighed, interrupting them. "Why did it turn into something like this? Today is really not my day..."

Deuce leveled a glare at Ace. "Now isn't the time for mumbling! Let's go!" He turned to the Dark Mirror. "Mirror, mirror on the wall. Light our way to Dwarfs' Mine!"

"But that... that didn't rhyme." Gwen said. That didn't make sense. Isn't it supposed to rhyme?

"It's not supposed too...?" Ace replied with a confused look. "I mean, it can if you want it to."

The mirror rippled, before flashing brightly. When it faded, the group found themselves in a dark, overgrown forest.

"So this is Dwarfs' Mine." Deuce said. "It used to be prosperous thanks to magic crystal mining but..."

Grim whimpered in Gwen's arms. "Feels like something could jump out..." Gwen dropped him, unable to handle his wiggling around.

"Oh, there's a house back there." Ace noted, pointing at a cottage in the distance. "Let's go ask them about the mine."

The group of four walked up to the doorstep of the cottage. Gwen frowned, looking at it closely. It seemed rundown and lonely, an air of sadness hovering over it.

Deuce knocked on the door. "Good evening..." His voice trailed off as the door creaked open. "I guess it's abandoned. It's a mess in here."

The group walked further in the house, exploring. Grim spluttered, drawing everyone's attention to him. "I got a spider web in the face..." He complained, spitting.

Ace examined the furniture. "Aren't the table and chairs on the small side?" He asked. "Are they for kids? One two..." Ace counter the chairs. "There's seven! So many!"

"Seven children living on their own?" Gwen asked. "That doesn't seem likely. Maybe this is where the dwarves lived."

"This was probably a lively home when Dwarfs's Mine flourished." Deuce noted.

"They did what they had to." Ace agreed. "After all, magic crystals are found inside coal. For now, let's just go check it out."

The group exited the woods and made their way deeper into the forest, seeing the entrance of the mine. It looked ready to collapse at any moment.

"We're gonna go in that pitch black hole?!" Grim said, fear thick in his voice.

"Scared?" Ace asked teasingly. "Lame."

"I'm not scared at all!" Grim said firmly.

Gwen shivered, both from fear and the cold. She wished she had bought a coat with her. She was pretty sure she had seen one in one of the bags Sam gave her. It had been warm enough back at the school that she hadn't needed one.

"Oh!" Deuce seemed to have noticed her shivering. He unbuttoned his overcoat. "Here, take this!" He insisted draping it over her shoulders.

Gwen beamed, enjoying the protection from the cold as she put it on properly. "Thanks Deuce! That's so sweet of you!"

Ace scowled. "Whatever. It's your fault for not bringing a coat. Let's just go in already!"

"I'm taking the lead!" Grim snapped, wanting to prove he wasn't scared. "You guys follow me!"

The three entered the mine and Gwen was instantly taken aback. It may have been abandoned, but it glimmered with beautiful gems. "Golly!" Gwen said in awe.

"What!" Deuce said suddenly.

"What?" Ace asked.

"Something... is there!" Deuce replied.

Grim shrieked as a swarm of ghosts appeared from nowhere. One of them laughed. "Our first visitor in ten years!"

"Make yourselves at home!" Another said. "For eternity!"

"This place is haunted with ghosts, too!" Ace complained.

"We don't have time to deal with them one by one." Deuce said. "Let's go!" He grabbed Gwen's hand and ran deeper into the mine, Ace and Grim right behind them. They only stopped running when they could no longer hear the ghosts laugh.

"Don't think you can just order me around." Ace warned. "If you hadn't done something so idiotic, we wouldn't be in this mess."

Deuce glared. "You wanna talk about who started it?" He asked. "It's cause you wouldn't clean!"

"Oh, golly." Gwen sighed, holding her face in her palms. "Boys, can we not do this right now?"

"It started when that furball burned down the Queen of Hearts' statue!" Ace snapped, ignoring Gwen.

Grim growled. "That's what you get for making a fool outta me! And for making Gwen cry!"

"All of you!" Deuce shouted. "Do you understand our situation right now?" He asked. "The three of us are all expelled if we don't get back with a magic crystal by tomorrow morning!" He reminded.

"So stop patronizing me." Ace gritted out. "It's really ticking me off."

"Please settle down you three!" Gwen begged. Wait... what was that? Gwen looked past the ghosts, down further into the mine. She strained her ears. "I think I heard something."

"...on't...ive...wo..." Came the voice, echoing down the mine.

The three boys shivered. "What's...this voice?" Ace asked.

"St...one...sss...mine..." The voice echoed louder.

"I think it's... getting closer..." Deuce realized. "Gwen, perhaps you should get behind us." Gwen did not hesitate to follow his advice.

Whatever it was finally made it's way into view. Gwen's eyes went wide at the sight of it. "Stone.........IS MINE!!!" It screeched out.

The four stiffened up. Gwen gripped the back of Ace's blazer tightly. "IT'S HERE!" They screamed in unison. They took off running back from whence they came.

"What the heck is that thing!?" Deuce asked once they stopped.

Grim screamed. "Crowley didn't say anything about that!! Let's get outta here!"

"It's so nasty!" Ace said, throwing a quick look over his shoulder. "But didn't it mention a 'stone'?!"

"Eh?" Grim asked.

The monster's voice echoed down towards them. "St...one, won't...give...?!"
  
The group gasped. "So there really are magic crystals left!" Deuce noted, hope in his eyes.

"N-n-n-nope!" Grim stuttered out. "Nope! I'm a genius but I can't beat that thing!"

"But we'll be expelled without it." Deuce replied. "I'm going!"

"You've gotta be kidding?!" Ace replied.

Gwen grabbed Deuce's sleeve to keep him from going anywhere. "It's too dangerous!" She said.

Deuce pulled his arm out of her grasp. "I cannot, under any circumstances, be expelled!"