xvi, xvii

Parts xvi, xvii

wc: 1.7k

Egos Clashing: 1.1k

A United Front: 548

A/N: Super sick rn but if i can stay home on monday then maybe the final part of the prologue can come out next weekend

Please cut on this line: ✄ ╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍

xvi: Egos Clashing

"Begone! Begone! BEGOOOONE!" The monster yells.

The monster was able to take down Deuce. "Bwaahhh!"

[N] gasped and immediately went to Deuce's side.

"Aw, crap! He's got Loosey-Deuce on the ropes! Not on my watch! Heeyah!" Ace readies up an attack.

The monster roars then takes out Ace with a hit.

"Oof!" Ace had fallen to the ground.

[N] started to get irritated and decided to stand their ground. "Hey! Stop hurting my friends you ass!"

"Myaah! Stay away from me!" Grim hid behind [N]'s leg, breathing out fire in the monster's direction.

The monster growled out again. "Grrrraaaawrrr!"

"It's like nothin's even hurtin' it!" Grim shouted in surprise.

[N] readied their pen to shoot out another attack, but they noticed a sparkle behind the monster.

"Hold on... did you guys just see that sparkle?" [N] asked as they tried to get a good look.

Ace had spoken up. "Behind the monster! There's something sparkling in the mineshaft!"

"Could that have been a magestone?!" Deuce says in disbelief.

The monster growled. "GWWWAAAAAHHHHH! Nooo giiiive yooouu stoooone!"

"[N], we need to book it, and fast! That thing's gonna pound us into tuna paste!" Grim squealed as he held onto [N]'s pant leg.

'It'd be best if we actually came in with a plan. but alas, we didn't expect to be ambushed by a creature in these abandoned mines.'  [N] thought with a sigh.

"Let's retreat for now! We can't defeat this thing without a plan!" [N] says to the other three.

All of them run out of the mines, the monster yelling after them.

> VILLAINS' WORLD

"This should be far enough, I think?" Grim said as he tried to catch his breath.

Ace clutched his stomach. "Owww... what was that thing? No one said there'd be anything like that!"

"That was no normal ghost, that's for sure." Deuce said as he crossed his arms.

[N] was a bit stuck in thought and blurted out a few of them. "But that's the problem."

"Eh?" Deuce, Ace, and Grim said as they turned their attention to [N].

[N] sighed. "If Crowley knew there was a ghost in the mines, he wouldn't have sent us without warning. All he said was that the mines were abandoned."

"So maybe... the ghost is the physical form of negative magic that's built up over the many years the mine had been abandoned." [N] went back into their thoughts, not entirely confident with their inference.

Deuce's face morphed from shock to understanding. "Oh! I get it! So you're saying that this ghost is hard to defeat because it uses negative energy as a power source?"

"Exactly. If we want to get that magestone, we're gonna need a plan. [N] declares as they crossed their arms.

Ace spoke up. "Let's just give it up and go home. Even if your explanation is right, that monster might just take us all out the second time around."

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

Ace scoffed. "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."

"Ok then, you goddamn chicken." [N] said before they made a chicken sound, mocking the redhead.

"YEAH! go back to your coop, you big chicken!" Deuce yelled out, hitting his palm with his fist.

Ace gave out a short laugh. "Whaaaat?! Who're callin' chicken, huh?!"

"Whoa, Deuce... is it just me, or did you, like, turn into a totally different person just now?" Grim questioned as he slowly went behind [N].

Deuce realises his mistake and quickly went back to his usual self. "Huh?! *Cough* *Cough* sorry... lost my cool for a second there."

"...So now what? What's our plan?" [N] said looking at the group.

Grim chimes in. "Can't you guys just blow that thing up with magic?"

"Using magic at a greater scale, or using different types of magic — those things require training." Deuce said.

Ace smiles and nods. "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." Ace continued, "And the more flustered you are, the more likely you are to make mistakes."

Ace's words make [N] think for a bit. 'Then why did magic become so familiar to me despite me never using it before?'

"Anyway, we need to find some way to defeat that creature and get the magestone." Deuce declared as he put his hand on his hip.

Ace decided to egg on the blue haired boy. "Yeaaah. 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!" Ace held a haughty smirk on his face.

[N] hummed. "And you think you're so great?"

"Hell yeah! Unlike him, I actually think things through!" Ace gave Deuce a look of arrogance.

Deuce held his fist. "What?! You're the one who—"

"Aaaand they're back at it again." Grim sighed in disappointment.

[N] groaned at the endless bickering and decided to stand their ground. "So I guess expulsion is your decided answer, then?"

"What?" The three did not expect [N] to speak up like that.

"Whoa, that was harsh. Where'd that come from?" Grim was surprised at [N]'s sudden outburst.

[N] took a deep breath, then started speaking again. "How about cooperating with one another, yeah? That way, everyone's wish will be granted."

"With Loosey-Deucy? No way. He'd get me killed!" Ace said.

Deuce growled. "Like it'd be some treat for me to work with you!"

"What if we come up with a plan this time? Will it stop your senseless bickering?" [N] said in a annoyed tone.

Ace chuckled. "A proper plan? Like some kinda buddy move?"

"Is that a joke? You always say the lamest things with the straightest face, [N]" Ace's smiled fell while he shook his head.

[N] looked at him without a clear expression on their face. "I should beat your ass."

"Eep!" Ace squeaked out.

"I hate to say it, but I agree. No way I could work together with him." Deuce crossed his arms.

Grim decided to share his thoughts. "Yeah, but...

gettin' expelled on the first day... that's pretty lame too. Maybe even lamer."

"W-well... " Ace was at a loss for words.

"....." Deuce was in the same position.

[N] smiled as a thought finally came to them. "I do have one idea..."

"Gah... fine. Let's just get this over with, then." Ace finally agrees reluctantly.

"All right, [N]. What's the plan?" Ace says expectant.

> VILLAIN'S WORLD

"[N]... is this plan of yours really gonna work? I'm sca— I mean, i'm a little...uh, hungry." Grim said with a small bead of sweat dripping down his face."

[N] chuckled. "We should brace ourselves for the worst case scenario."

"Heh heh. That's certainly not gonna help! Keep it loose and keep it lively. Let's do this!" Ace says with a smile.

xvii: A United Front

"H-hey monster! I'm, uh... I-I'm over here!" Grim draws attention to himself, yelling and making sudden movements.

The monster follows the sound of Grim's voice, instantly yelling at hime to leave.

"Grrrrrrraaaaawrr! BEGONE!"

Grim shrieks. "He's comin' our way! [N]!"

"That's far enough!" [N] yelled out.

The monster got confused. "Grruugh? Thieeef thiiis waay toooo... neeeevaaa giiivve stooones! Neeevvvvaaa!"

"Eeep! If it lands one of those punches, we're toast!" Grim quickly hid behind [N].

[N] huffed. "Let's just lure him away as far as we can for right now."

"Begooooone! BEGOOOOOONE!" The monster shouted.

A FEW MINUTES LATER...

"We got him a good distance away from the mine!" Grim said.

[N] nods, then turns their attention to Deuce and Ace. "We're counting on you!"

"You bet. I got this! One extra-large gust of wind, comin' up!" Ace shouts a bit.

Ace lets out a huge wave of wind magic.

Grim then jumps in with his fire. "With a side of Grim's blazin'-hot fire! MYAAAAH!"

"Grrraaaahhhh?!" The monster yells out in pain.

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

"Whaddaya mean 'feeble'?! Ya really don't know how to shut yer mouth, do ya?!" Grim snarled at the red head.

[N] notices how the monster is caught up in trying to get out of the flame. "Now's our chance!"

"Just stay calm, aim carefully... and pull out the biggest, heaviest thing I can of..." Deuce gave himself a pep talk.

Deuce called out the spell. "Get 'em, cauldron!"

"Gwaaaah?!" The monster was crushed under the weight of the cauldron and went down to the floor.

Grim smiled. "Nailed it! The plan's workin'!"

"Look [N]," Grim catches [N]'s attention. "That monster got smashed flat by a falling cauldron, just like Ace did!"

"Coulda done without the reminder, thanks! This has been one drag after another." Ace sighed out, making [N] chuckle.

Deuce takes the group out of their collective trance. "Quick! While it's distracted, we need go get that magestone!"

The four of them ran into the mine as the monster tried to get back up.

"Guh?!" The monster realized what had happened. "Waaait! Nooooo!"

The group had found the magestone in between some rocks.

"That's it! That's the magestone!" Deuce said.

The monster hears and shouts. "Dooooon't tooooouch thaaaat!"

"Uh-oh! Looks like it's nearly wriggled free!" Ace said with a bit of fear lacing his voice.

Grim turns his attention to Deuce. "Hey, Deuce! You gotta add more weight!"

"Y-you mean something heavier?" Deuce says with a bit of uncertainty.

Deuce casted his summoning spell again. "Uh... I summon thee, cauldron!"

Deuce repeated the spell a few more times.

"And also, uh... um... another cauldron!"

"And a cauldron on top of that! All the cauldrons!"

The monster groaned in pain. "Nnngaaaah!"

"Is that the only thing you know how to summon?!" Ace questioned.

[N] scoffed. "How about you summon something then."

Deuce scowled. "Pipe down already! I'm worked up enough as it is!"

Grim breathed out blue flames to occupy the monster a bit more.

"We got the magestone! Now let's get outta here!" Grim declares.

Ace smiles. "Roger that!"

The group ran out of the mine, past the monster who was still stuck under the cauldrons.

"MYYYY STOOOOOOOONE!"