Chapter Text
It was blazing. Scorching.
Yuu could see the dark crimson flames engulfing the building and rising high in the night sky, a dark smoke hiding the stars. Despite the smoke making his eyes water and his throat hoarse, he could also hear the distinct sounds of crackling wood and shattering glasses. Through the broken windows, he saw his new furniture burning away.
The books that he was about to study for his upcoming exams. His clothes hanging to dry. Grim’s games lying on the kitchen’s table.
His bed, his couch, his curtains.
Everything was aflame, incandescently vanishing everything Yuu possessed in this world.
Yuu thought he was prepared for everything in this new land. He had faced the craziest challenges, yet he was not ready for this particular one.
After dropping Grim off to Heartslabyul for a game evening with Ace and Deuce, Yuu had gone on a nice stroll with Malleus, enjoying each other's presence and discussing at length various topics pertaining to both of their worlds.
Yuu had found in Malleus’ a comforting presence with whom he could share details of his previous life and have in return a deep insight into the world he was thrown into. Hours passed, before Malleus’ brought Yuu back to Ramshackle. But nothing could have prepared any of them to this vision of horror.
“Child of Man… Child of Man! Can you hear me?”
Malleus’ concerned voice took Yuu out of his daze. Tearing his eyes away from the horrifying spectacle in front of his eyes, he looked at the fae’s face, eyes widened and lips shaking.
“Tsunotaro…” Yuu started with a small voice. “The dorm is…”
Malleus nodded gravely, face twisted in a complicated emotion. “Yes. Come with me.” Malleus grabbed his wrist. “I’ll call upon a dorm leaders’ meeting. This cannot remain unpunished.” As he pronounced these last words, a scorching light was reflected in his green eyes, revealing his wrath behind his calm demeanor.
Dragging Yuu away from the portal of the Ramshackle dorm, a dorm currently burning in an incandescent halo illuminating the somber night, he made the fire vanish with a wave of his hand, leaving off a smoking burned building that was crumbling in front of their eyes.
In normal circumstances, Yuu would have been fascinated by this spectacle. It held a certain horrific beauty seeing an old abandoned building burning away in the depth of a winter night, lighting the white snow surrounding it with an orange hue.
But Yuu couldn’t.
How could he, as he was seeing his second home fading away in ashes and cinders, right in front of his eyes.
Yuu felt this horrible, yet familiar sensation of losing another home again.
After having been forcefully dragged to the world of Twisted Wonderland and put in this ancient and shabby edifice that looked like it could be blown away with a puff of wind, Yuu grew to appreciate and consider the place as a second home.
It held all the dear memories he made with his new friends, with Grim and the ghosts, and with Malleus. Yet he had to see it vanish away, without any reasons, and without any means to prevent it.
Yuu felt entirely and utterly powerless.
He couldn’t prevent himself from losing his first home, and he wasn't able to save his second one either. It was as if the universe was doing a cruel joke on him, telling him that he did not belong anywhere.
Nor in his original world, nor in Twisted Wonderland.
As dark thoughts were twirling in his mind, Yuu didn’t register where Malleus was dragging him. He just vaguely sensed the cold hand of the fae wrapped around his wrist and his legs moving on their own.
Ahh, Yuu was just tired. He didn’t know when it had begun, perhaps since the very beginning, but he had been piling on and piling on emotions.
Stress, anxiety, depression.
He wanted to go home, but he also started to get attached to this place and to dread the moment when he would eventually leave.
He knew that he couldn’t stay indefinitely, that his time here was counted, but he wasn't ready to say farewell to all the friends he had made, and especially to the Ramshackle Dorm that had housed him. And he couldn’t share this dilemma with anyone.
Not because they wouldn’t understand, but because he himself didn’t want an answer. He didn’t want to face the reality of making a choice.
But it seems that the universe already sent me a sign pointing towards the right choice.
The burning of Ramshackle Dorm was definitely a way to tell him that it was time to go home…to leave this school, Grim and everyone else behind and find a new place that would shelter him until he had to find something else.
His brain started to slowly accept this fact. By tonight he would be leaving Night Raven College.
“...of Man. Child of Man!” Malleus’ voice again brought him out of his thoughts. Yuu blinked and saw that he was in the meeting room of the dorm leaders, where all of them were present, seated around the table and staring at him with concern.
“Yes? Eh? Why is everyone here?” Yuu asked, confused, but with a tinge of detachment in his voice. Yuu was just too tired to care about what sorts of issues he had to deal with that would require all the dorm leaders to be present.
I just lost my home. I'm about to leave. Why do I still need to take care of y’all?
Ignoring the worried exchange of glances between the people present, he looked up at Malleus who shifted on his side.
With a soft voice that was never heard from the most powerful mage of the school, Malleus addressed Yuu, holding one of his hands. “Child of Man…you don’t have to worry anymore. Let us take care of you. You did so much for all of us, for the entire school, that it’s time for us to repay you.”
Yuu didn’t comprehend what Malleus was trying to tell him. What do you mean not worrying anymore? Taking care of me?
Riddle stood up and came closer to Yuu, holding his other hand. “We will investigate what happened at Ramshackle Dorm, Yuu. Leave it to us. In the meantime, you will live with us. You already are an honorary Heartslabyul resident. We can host you and Grim for as long as you nee-”
Yuu snatched his hands from both of them and shook his head, widening his eyes as if he had been slapped on his cheek. “No…no, I don’t belong here… I can’t stay… I lost my home again… It’s a sign… I need to leave…I have to...” Yuu muttered as his breaths started to be ragged and fast and his body was shaking.
He didn't comprehend what was being said to him. Continue to live here when it has been made clear that he wasn't welcomed? What would happen to Heartslabyul if he accepted Riddle's offer? Would it burn too? No, Yuu couldn't let them take in a burden like him.
He started to step back towards the door, but his legs gave in under him and suddenly he was on the floor, shaking, crying and hardly breathing.
Vil and Leona immediately reacted, recognising the signs of a panic attack. Leona pushed Malleus and Riddle away from Yuu, while Vil crouched in front of him, and said with a soft but firm voice. “Yuu, breathe. It’s alright, you are alright. Just concentrate on my voice and follow my count. 1…2…Breathe. Yes, that’s very good. Well done potato. 1…2…Breathe.”
With a steady hand on his back that guided him, Yuu regained control of his breathing after a few minutes. He still had tears streaming down his cheeks and he was still trembling, but he was looking at Vil with a sort of assurance that made the model exhale a sigh of relief.
“Yuu.” Vil started, getting a sense of where the issues were coming from. “You are not at fault for what happened. The burning of Ramshackle Dorm is not a sign that you don’t belong here. It’s either an accident or a malevolent act from someone. You need to understand that, potato.” Vil tried to reason with Yuu, untangling the knots of guilt forming inside of his head.
He understood from Yuu’s breakdown that it most likely stemmed from the trauma of being taken from his original world. He needed to make him understand that he was welcomed here and that losing Ramshackle didn’t mean losing Twisted Wonderland.
Vil suddenly thought of something. Slowly smiling, he glanced at the other dorm leaders standing further behind, and hoped that they would understand his intentions. He looked back at Yuu and said, “Potato, you seem to have forgotten an important fact. Ramshackle is not your only home here. You have seven others.” Vil softened his smile upon seeing a sparkle of interest shimmering in Yuu’s confused eyes.
In his peripheral vision, he saw Malleus nodding, and approaching Yuu once again with a reassuring smile. “Yes, Schoenheit is right. You are most welcome to stay with us at Diasomnia.” Good, he understood. Vil thought, as he also saw realization dawning on the faces of the others.
Kalim was the next to cheerfully agree. “Of course! Scarabia is your home, Yuu!”
Azul smiled. “Yuu-san is most welcome at Octavinelle too. I won’t even charge you a penny for your stay.”
Leona sighed. “You are a hopeless one, Herbivore. But it wouldn’t be a nuisance to keep you in Savanaclaw.”
Idia’s tablet glowed and spoke. “Haaaaahhh yeah yeah he can stay at Ignihyde if he wants. Now, are we done, I have an event to atten- Nii-san!!” Ortho’s voice suddenly chimed up. “Be more considerate to Yuu-san’s issues! We would be most happy to have you, Yuu-san!! Please stay as long as you need! Oï Ortho-” Idia’s voice cut him off, irritated. “Well you heard him. Whenever you want, Yuu-shi.”
Riddle sighed, shooting an exasperated glare at Idia’s floating tablet. “Well Idia-senpai didn’t choose the right words, but the intention is there…” He focused his eyes on Yuu. “Yuu, ultimately, it is your choice to make, whether you want to stay with us or not. But at least you know that seven hands are extended to you. Don’t say that you don’t belong here, because you do. If it weren’t for you, none of us would still be here today. You are a part of each of our dorms.”
Yuu was stunned. He was not expecting this amount of appreciation from the dorm leaders. He wanted to shake his head, to tell them that they were making a serious mistake, that their dorms would burn like Ramshackle did too…but a small voice wanted to trust them. It wanted to be cared for and protected by them.
Before he could formulate any sort of answer, a voice suddenly erupted in the room.
“Wonderful!” A most familiar intonation broke the solemn tension that took place. All of the people present knew whom this voice belonged to, and scowled at its owner standing at the doorway with a wide smile and hands joined together, Crowley, their Headmaster.
“Aaaaahhhhh” He exclaimed with a touch of drama. “My students have grown so much, I could cry tears of pride. Extending their home to Yuu is such a generous act, I have educated you so well.” This only furthered the scowl of the students who knew that their Headmaster did, in fact, nothing of the sort.
Leona was the first to react. He growled at the man, displeasure visible all over his face. “Crowley, cut the bullshit! The Herbivore has been feeling shit for a while because of you. We can all be fucking lucky he does not have magic, or we’d have a fucking disaster on our hands!”
The implications of Leona’s words punched a hole in each of the people present. Having almost all experienced, or seen someone close experience an Overblot, they were the most receptive to the type of turmoil within Yuu. They all understood the distress he must have been feeling, which renewed their motivation to help him.
Yuu has saved them all from Overblot, it was their turn to save him.
Vil was the next to speak. He sternly addressed Crowley. "Headmaster, if you'd like to prove yourself useful, investigate the circumstances of the incident. It's suspicious that Yuu and Grim were lucky to escape certain death in an area under your protection. In the meantime, we will take care of them."
Crowley nodded, unfazed by the furious glares of his students directed at him. “Oh but of course, we will investigate. I do not condone such behaviors in my school! However, I’m also concerned for Yuu, and seeing everyone openly welcoming him does warm my heart! As such, I’d like to make a proposal.”
“A proposal?” Vil frowned, fearing what kind of nonsense would Crowley spout.
Crowley grinned. “Until Ramshackle Dorm is rebuilt and the truth behind this affair is investigated, each of you are going to welcome Yuu and shelter him for a week at most. It would make a statement to the perpetrators that Yuu is an esteemed guest of the school, under the protection of all of our dorm leaders!”
Most of the dorm leaders present understood the implications of this proposal.
Crowley didn’t want to investigate the matter of Ramshackle’s burning by himself.
He wanted to use Yuu as a living bait and observe in which dorm he would be harassed the most, which would then prompt the leader of the dorm in question to intervene and find the culprit for him.
Vil had never felt so disgusted by their Headmage, but he had to admit that it was an effective plan to find the culprit or culprits immediately, rather than leaving the matter to an incompetent like Crowley. At a glance, he saw that his fellow colleagues were also reaching the same conclusion, and were resolved to protect Yuu when he would befall under their protection.
Leona said. “If someone is willing to torch a dorm, they’re not going to stop at that. We need to keep him moving, keep him protected.”
With a sigh, Vil nodded. “As long as Yuu is fine with it, I don’t mind.”
The rest of the leaders followed, also agreeing to ultimately leave the choice to Yuu.
While this whole discussion was taking place, Yuu got the time to regain full control of himself. His mind cleared and he was fully focused on what was said about him. He was quite vexed that everyone was making decisions about him while he was there, but he remembered Riddle and Vil's words.
I have a choice.
I have seven homes.
Maybe this wouldn’t fix anything. Maybe nothing ever could. But this time… seven people were offering him a hand. Maybe it was okay to reach back, just for a little while.
Looking up to them, he felt a rush to give them a chance. For once, he could let himself be saved rather than saving others.
He stood up, drawing the eyes of everyone in the room to him and, after drawing a long breath, said. "I accept your offer. I'll stay in each of your dorms for a week. Thank you for having me." He politely bowed, leaving a careful neutral face on. As much as he was grateful for the offer, Yuu didn't feel like expressing himself much. His panic attack drew a lot of energy out of him, and he just wanted to close his eyes and rest.
Glancing at Riddle, he saw the red haired moving closer to where he was standing and holding a hand. Yuu took it, and let himself be dragged away by the young dorm leader.
Softly, Riddle whispered. "Let's go see Grim and the others. Don't worry Yuu. All of us are going to take good care of both of you."
Notes:
Hello! Thanks for reading this first chapter!
Please leave a kudos or a comment to tell me what you thought of it, I'm really dying for feedback lol
And next chapter will be out next week!
Chapter Text
It was late at night when Riddle and Yuu entered the dorm of Heartslabyul. But despite the entire house being plunged in the dark, Yuu knew that he could navigate it without any trouble. Him and Grim have spent so much time within these walls that, for the first time in the evening, Yuu finally felt some relief, reassured by their familiar presence. It set his heart at ease to see the red and white roses on the table, the cards and clocks on the walls and the couches where he had spent so much time relaxing with Ace and Deuce.
Thinking about them made Yuu’s heart ache. His closest friends in this world. He felt the sudden need to see them. He wanted to see them bicker and joke and be as stupid as they usually were. He wanted to be the third wheel in their mutual tension and tease them for it. He just needed them.
But for the time being, he let Riddle lead him to the kitchens, which were surprisingly illuminated. Opening the door, Yuu was surprised to see Trey still up and seemingly cooking something at the stoves.
“We’re here, Trey.” Riddle announced with a low voice. “I’m sorry for troubling you.”
“No worries, Riddle. I’m glad you told me. Hey, Yuu! Hungry?” Trey asked him with his usual warm smile. Yuu felt his eyes stinging. Trey had woken up and was preparing him something. He didn’t register how hungry he actually was until this moment when his stomach decided to make itself heard.
Sniffling and wiping the tears forming in the corner of his eyes, Yuu replied with a chuckle. “Hehe, I think you can tell, Senpai.” Trey and Riddle smiled too, and Trey handed him a plate of pasta with a tomato sauce.
“Here, eat up!”
“Thank you.” Yuu started digging in. It was a simple plate of pasta, yet the warmth of the meal circulated through his body.
It was fascinating how a single meal could have that much impact on a person’s morale. Yuu felt his spirits lifting as he dug in his pastas, bite after bite, slowly making him forget his anguish from earlier.
As he was eating, he heard vaguely Riddle giving Trey the details of his circumstances. He saw Trey’s eyes widening, and his nose flaring in anger.
“WH-” Trey caught himself before waking the entire dorm. “What??” He said in an angry whisper. “What do you mean ‘burnt down’??”
“I don’t know exactly. Malleus-senpai told us that the entire dorm was scorching flames and that he immediately put the fire down, but it left the building in a crumbling state. We will need to have a look at it tomorrow, see if we can salvage anything.” Riddle said these last words with a worried glance in Yuu’s direction. Seeing how he broke down earlier, perhaps visiting the dorm in this state would also make him dejected.
Yuu caught his glance, and gave him a soft and tired smile. “Don’t worry Senpai. I can go there. I’m alright. I still have seven homes, remember?” He added with a grin.
Riddle nodded, with a reassured smile. “You do. We’ll still be coming with you. I’m sure Ace and Deuce would also be more than happy to help.” Trey nodded at it, confirming that himself and Cater would also come give a hand.
It really warmed Yuu’s heart to see his very first friends caring so much for him. He couldn’t remember having a relationship that strong with his friends in his original world. He remembered enjoying their presence and having fun together, but an unconditional friendship where both parties would abandon everything for the sake of the other was new to him. He liked it, but at the same time, he felt a slight pang in his heart, thinking that the more it went, the more at home he felt in Twisted Wonderland, and it was scaring him.
***
Yuu woke up groggily a few hours later.
He had gone to sleep immediately after his meal in the usual guest room that he used whenever he would have a sleepover at Heartslabyul. His eyes had immediately closed after lying down, but the uproar of the students waking up and attending their business in the morning roused him. He tried to fall back into his slumber, knowing that he deserved to sleep in after the events of the day before, but at the same time, his thoughts rushed back to Grim.
He knew that his little partner would be coming back to their dorm soon enough, and would discover its disastrous state. This made Yuu force himself to get up and go to Ace and Deuce’s room. He needed to tell them what happened before they discovered it themselves.
He figured that the two boys and Grim would still be lying half on the floor and half on the bed, as they usually were after spending a game evening. And indeed, as he opened the door of their room, he saw Ace and Grim curled up together on the bed and drooling on each other, while Deuce was lying on the floor with a pillow and the cover that he snatched from the bed.
Sighing but with an amused smile, Yuu opened the curtains and let himself enjoy for a few minutes the pained groans from his boys as they complained about the sunrays' attack.
“Come on, guys! Wake up!” Yuu snatched the cover from Deuce’s grip, and grabbed Grim, forcefully detaching him from Ace, making them both open their eyes.
He felt Grim snuggling into his arms, muttering things about his henchman being rude, which made Yuu chuckle. Yuu held him a while longer, relishing in the warmth that he was emitting.
It suddenly hit him that Grim could have been seriously hurt in yesterday’s incident, and it made his blood freeze. Tightening his grip, he petted Grim, in a way to reassure himself that his little partner was indeed safe and well.
“Yuu??” Ace was the first one to react. He sat up, rubbing his eyes before looking up at Yuu. “What the hell are you doing- What’s wrong?” Ace suddenly asked, making Yuu jump. He looked back at him, and saw the teen studying him with a frown and a worried expression.
Damn. Am I so obvious? Yuu winced internally at how easily Ace was able to tell his change of mood.
Sighing, he put on a sad smile and said with a low voice, “Quite a lot. I’ll tell you when the two others will be up.”
Ace’s frown deepened, but he didn’t say anything and threw his pillow at Deuce, yelling, “Oi, stupid Deuce! Wake up!” Then, he walked up to Yuu, and pinched Grim’s cheeks, “You too, Grim!”
After a few minutes of struggle, all three of his friends were up and very much confused when Yuu broke the news.
“ARE YOU SERIOUS??”
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN “BURN”???”
“WHAT ABOUT MY RESERVE OF TUNA????”
Their overreactions made Yuu feel less uneasy and more relaxed as he calmly recounted the events of the previous night, omitting his own thoughts. He felt as his own panic and stress was being drained by theirs, and it was almost comical to see their three heads full of bed hair, yelling and agitating their hands everywhere.
“And so,” He finished, pinning Grim down with a stare, “We will be hosted by each dorm in the following weeks. So you better behave, Grim, or they’ll throw us out and then we really won’t have any more roofs on top of our heads.” He said these last words with a tinge of sadness, which didn’t escape Ace.
“Who would throw the Great Grim out, Henchman? Don’t be silly, they’ll love us so much that they will all beg us to stay nyahahaha!” Yuu softly smiled at his antics.
“I still don’t understand why you have to move from a dorm to another, though.” Ace expresses his thoughts aloud. Yuu had to agree too that it was a suspicious offer from Crowley, but he was not in a state to ponder on it the night before. Now that his thoughts were clearer, Yuu reached a similar conclusion to the dorm leaders.
Crowley is using me. Again.
It was plenty obvious that he was treated as a bait to snuff out the thugs who were after him.
Sighing dejectedly at this obvious answer, Yuu just shrugged, and decided to keep his suspicions to himself to avoid further agitating his friends. Plus, he wanted to confirm too from which dorm his assailants were from and if there were any personal grievances he had to answer to, so this situation fitted perfectly for him.
Deuce, though, agreed with Ace. “We should talk to Dorm Leader Rosehearts. I’m sure it would be no trouble to keep Yuu here. He’s already part of Heartslabyul.”
At these words, Yuu’s heart softened. He remembered Riddle saying the same words the night before, and it made him happy that the feeling was shared throughout the dorm. Still, he shook his head. “I don’t think Riddle-senpai can say anything against Crowley’s instructions. I don’t mind though, don’t worry about us!” Yuu tried to put on a cheerful facade, but Ace immediately grabbed his hands, the same frown on his face.
“Yuu. Something’s wrong, isn’t it? I mean apart from the dorm burning, something is bothering you.” The fact that Ace didn’t voice it as a question but as a statement made Yuu flinch. He knew that he couldn’t escape this particular discussion with his closest friends who could read him like an open book.
“I… I…” Yuu looked down.
He didn't know how to broach the subject.
He wanted to talk about his worries, about his grievances over losing another home and perhaps not belonging there.But at the same time, Vil’s words, and everyone’s reassurance and overwhelming protectiveness towards him pushed him towards accepting that he was perhaps mistaken. That he was in a world that would not reject him.
For the first time since he came to Twisted Wonderland, Yuu wondered if staying permanently would not be a good idea. He felt even more at ease here than he had ever been in his original world, so why not stay and continue to live with the dearest friends he made?
He looked up at Ace, and grinned. “I’m okay. I mean, losing Ramshackle really bummed me, and reminded me that it’s the second time that I lost a home…but…” He saw from the corners of his eyes Deuce and Grim frowning and holding their breath, somehow expecting Yuu to burst into tears, which made Yuu’s heart soften a bit more. “Vil-senpai told me that I still have seven homes, so I’m okay.” His smile widened as he saw the eyes of his friends relaxing and grinning back.
He didn’t need to explain himself further. He knew that they understood.
They understood his struggles, his dilemmas, his worries, his everything. Just like Yuu understood their everything too.
Feeling better and awakened, the four of them headed towards the school’s cafeteria for breakfast. On their way, Yuu spoke up. “I was thinking of going to Ramshackle after breakfast…” He trailed a bit, not sure how to bring up that he wanted Ace and Deuce to come with him.
Thankfully, Ace didn’t miss a beat and replied. “Oh yeah, we should definitely go have a look.”
Deuce nodded. “We’ll help you clean up!”
“Awwww aren’t these first years sweet, Trey-kun?” A cheerful familiar voice rose up from behind.
Turning towards, they were met with the bright smile of their senior, Cater Diamond, accompanied by Trey and Riddle.
“Yuu!” Cater came forward, checking him up to down frantically. “I heard what happened! I swear, if I catch who did this, I will ruin their entire social life through Magicam.” A rare fire was burning behind Cater’s green eyes.
Yuu smiled fondly at his senior. “Thank you Cater-senpai.”
Riddle approached him with concerned eyes. “Yuu, how are you feeling?”
Yuu glanced at Ace, Deuce and Grim, then at Trey and Cater, before looking back at Riddle with a grin. “Much better, Senpai.”
Riddle returned the smile, understanding dawning on his features. Nodding, he said. “I’m glad to hear it. Let’s go to eat. We will need strength if we are going to see Ramshackle.”
The rest of the Heartslabyul nodded vigorously, and Yuu felt surrounded by warmth and protection. Among all the dorms, Heartslabyul truly was the closest to a family.
And so, the little group marched down to the school cafeteria, taking their breakfast at their usual spot. Yuu could feel a number of eyes pinned to his back, students staring at him out of sheer curiosity or apprehension.
“What did the magicless dude do again?”
“Our dorm leader was on a frenzy again…seriously man, can’t we have a normal fucking day in this godforsaken school?”
“Tell me about it…ever since that guy came, all hell broke loose anyway.”
Yuu heard it all. The whispers, the blame, the hate. It started to suffocate him. His vision and hearing blurred, like a cacophony of sound and colors dancing around him. He let out a ragged breath, a panic attack slowly bubbling inside him and threatening to get out as he blinked tears back in order to regain control of himself.
“Yuu!” Solid hands clasped both of his arms.
Ace and Deuce, both sitting at each of his sides, were looking at him with concern, their hands squeezing his arms with comfort and concern. He remembered Vil’s words. Breathe…1…2…Breathe, potato.
Yuu nodded at his friends, shooting them a grateful smile. “Thanks guys, I’m alright.”
“Ace. Deuce.”
The trio looked up at Riddle who just spoke, a dark look on his face. “Yes, Dorm Leader?” The Heartslabyul duo answered, uneasy at the cold tone of their leader.
“If you’re done, take Yuu and Grim and go to Ramshackle. We’ll join you in a moment.” Riddle stood up, glancing around the cafeteria with a frown, soon joined by Cater and Trey who were harbouring the same expression as him.
Ace and Deuce exchanged a glance, and in unison said. “Yes, Dorm Leader.” Deuce gently lifted Yuu from his seat and guided him outside the cafeteria, while Ace grabbed Grim who was still stuffing his face with his breakfast.
As soon as their juniors were out of sight, the Heartslabyul seniors took matters in their hands.
No one would dare to disrespect Yuu to his face in front of them.
***
Ace, Deuce, Grim and Yuu were on the way to Ramshackle Dorm. Yuu was not stupid, he knew what was going on here. They were all protecting him…which felt great at first, he was feeling loved and appreciated, but he wondered at the same time how weak they thought he must be.
Yes, Yuu didn’t have magic. He couldn’t fight overblot monsters or whatever magical creatures this world decided to throw at him on a daily basis. However, he knew how to handle bullies and other students. What happened at the cafeteria could have been handled by him.
He didn’t need to be smothered by his friends.
He… Oh my god, what the hell am I thinking? Why am I feeling so angry at them while all they do is help me? What’s wrong with me?
“Yuu!”
Yuu blinked back the tears prickling his eyes and looked at Ace and Deuce who were watching him with concern. It was the third time today that they saw him wavering. He needed to be strong. For them. For himself.
“Sorry, sorry guys. I’m alright.”
“Alright my ass!” Ace folded his arms and looked pointedly at Yuu who flinched at his piercing gaze. “You’re not alright. If you need to cry, cry. If you need to scream, scream. But don’t bullshit us with your ‘I’m ok’, ‘I’m alright.”
“Ace, calm down.” Deuce intervened, taking a defensive step in front of Yuu.
“Yuu, we’re your friends.” Ace ignored him, his eyes still focused on Yuu. “We went through hell and shit together, you saw us at our worst and didn’t judge us. Hell, you saw every dorm leader here at their worst and you still respect them. Whatever’s burdening you, we can take it.”
“Ace, I…” Yuu took a step back, tears back in his eyes. His mind was split into half. One half was hearing Ace and was agreeing with him. The other felt worse and guilty. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you, I…”
“Don’t apologize, Yuu! Just tell us what’s wrong!”
“Enough, Ace! You’re scaring him!” This time, Deuce physically stopped Ace to approach Yuu.
“Stupid Deuce, you can also see that he’s not fine! How can you tell me to stop?”
“Your method is wrong! You can’t shout at him and expect him to answer your questions! You’re worsening his case!”
“You-”
“Henchman!”
Ace and Deuce stopped their argument at the sound of Grim’s cry. He rarely sounded so panicked. They looked at Yuu, and saw him curled on himself, shaking and breathing heavily, while muttering to himself “Breathe...breathe…1…2…potato…”
Both Heartslabyul first-years shared an alarmed look. They never saw their friend in such a distressed condition. They approached him cautiously, not knowing what to do. Grim did the same, genuinely concerned for Yuu. He came closer to him and…rubbed his face against Yuu’s hair.
This immediately calmed Yuu down who jolted in surprise at the contact and looked up at Grim.
“Henchman,” Grim started, sounding embarrassed. “I know you like to pet my fur. So, until we find the culprit, I grant you exclusive permission to…” He was struggling to say the words. “...pet me, if that helps you.”
“Grim…” Yuu whispered shakily before letting his tears flow down openly as he grabbed his companion and buried his face into his soft head. “Thanks, that helps.”
“Hmph. I wouldn’t want my henchman to be feeling down. Who would get my tuna if not you?” Grim tried his haughty tone, but everyone could hear in his voice that he was glad to be useful to his friend.
Ace sighed and settled down next to Yuu. “I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have screamed at you.”
Yuu looked up, eyes red, and shook his head. “Don’t be. I’m a mess and it must be frustrating for you.”
“Yeah…It’s frustrating to not be able to help you .” Ace emphasized the last part, starting to sense where Yuu’s troubles were emanating from. “Look, take the time you need. I’m not forcing you right now to tell us, I know the last hours have been tough… But, I’m just asking that you rely on us, okay? Like, earlier in the cafeteria, you were clearly struggling. If that happens again, we can get you out or something, but we need to know that.”
“Ace…”
“How about a secret-word?” Deuce blurted out, crouching beside them.
“A secret-word?”
“Yeah. If you need us to act, like getting you out for some fresh air, or beat up any guys who bother you, just say the secret-word and we’ll do it right away!”
“Hey, that’s not a bad idea, Deuce!” Ace clapped him on the shoulder. “So what’s the word?”
“Tuna!” Grim said, making the three others burst out a laugh.
“I agree with tuna.” Yuu said, a grateful smile on his lips. “And I promise to tell you guys whenever I feel strong enough…But before that, thank you.” He said, enveloping Ace, Deuce and Grim in a tight hug.
Ace and Deuce awkwardly put their hands on Yuu’s back, patting him in reassurance.
Yuu would be alright as long as he had these three.
Notes:
The amount of love I have for Heartshackle is way too much-
Hope you enjoyed this first part in Heartslabyul and stay tuned for the next update! I'm still debating whether to keep to a weekly schedule, or releasing chapters every 3-4 days... Oh well, I will see with my mood and my workload lol
Please leave a kudos or a comment and see you soon !
Chapter Text
Ace, Deuce, Grim and Yuu finally arrived at Ramshackle. Once the little dorm came into view, their feet stopped moving.
They were not ready for the scenery waiting for them.
The building that housed Grim and Yuu and temporarily Ace and Deuce, the building where they played, watched horror movies, slept at ungodly hours, had terrible breakfast, laughed, argued, cried.
The building that had once been home…was not anymore.
Yuu had already seen it last night, but seeing it now under daylight and after the damage, his heart tightened. The rusty wood of the walls and the green of the tiles had turned to crispy black. The upper half of the pike collapsed and the attic crumbled down. The windows frames were burnt and the glasses were completely shattered.
For once since yesterday, he was not the one in panic since he mentally expected this horror vision…which wasn’t the case for his three companions who were stuck in shock.
“The dorm…it’s…what the hell!” Deuce cried out, his face morphing into anger. “IF I CATCH THESE BASTARDS-”
“Holy shit-” Ace’s eyes doubled in volume. “Everything is burnt… And you could have been inside while it happened, I…” Yuu blinked at Ace’s current expression. He had never looked so cold and murderous.
“My tuna…” Grim was bawling, cradling the last remains of his treasure. Yuu picked him up, patted him on the head and started to move towards the collapsing building. “Come on, let’s try to see if we can save a few things…or find clues.”
As soon as they crossed the gate outside the dorm, the ghosts that inhabited it came out and rushed to them. “HUMAN! CAT! YOU ARE ALIVE!”
Yuu could swear that they had tears in their eyes. “Hey guys. Yeah, we are. Grim was at Heartstlabyul and I was with Tsunotaro, so we were safe. You guys ok? Do you know what happened?”
“We were not worried for you, human! But it’s good that you are alright. It happened so suddenly, right?”
“Yes! We were sleeping soundly when suddenly we saw big flashy colours…and then, we saw the fire.”
“It was huge, it took over most of the building…and then poof, it disappeared!”
Yuu nodded. “Yeah, thanks to Tsunotaro. He just put the fire out like it was nothing. So you guys didn’t see anyone? Anyone suspicious around the building?”
“Nop, we were busy searching for you- I mean we were busy panicking.” The ghost coughed to hide his embarrassment but Yuu clearly heard that they were looking out for him. It warmed his heart a tad more.
“Thanks guys… Do you at least know where the fire started?”
“Hmm where was it… the roof? The attic?”
“Yes! I remember the flashy colours coming from up, not down!”
“From up…?”
Yuu frowned at this detail. He looked up at the building again. The attic was nowhere to be found since it collapsed on itself, creating a huge hole in the middle of the dorm. There was a lot of junk in the attic, Yuu didn’t explore all of it, so maybe the culprit wanted to erase something from there… Perhaps it was not an attack directed at Yuu… He kept these thoughts in a corner of his mind. He needed to explore every possibility, he couldn’t be entirely sure that he wasn’t the target.
Ace, Deuce and Grim had already entered the dorm while he was talking with the ghosts outside, so Yuu went after them. Once he entered the hallway, he understood that cleaning up would be impossible… The staircase leading up was broken, a lot of rubbles was blocking the way to the living room and his friends were nowhere to be found.
“Guys!” Yuu called them. “You found anything?”
“We are here!” Deuce answered back, his voice coming from the kitchen at the back. Yuu climbed up the mountains of rubbles and made his way towards him, finding a half-burnt kitchen.
He was momentarily surprised that the kitchen wasn’t too devastated. Apart from the table that was near the windows and received much of the damage, the rest of their equipment was mostly intact. Yuu was able to visualise how the fire progressed in the dorm, starting from the top and coming down gradually towards the entrance and being extinguished before it came all the way to the back. Interesting. He noted.
He stepped in, and saw Grim lamenting his games that he had left on the table. “Nooooo! The culprit will pay!”
That’s what you get for leaving them around… Yuu started to think before mentally slapping himself. What the hell are you thinking? Your friend is hurt, console him. He then approached Grim, ruffling his head in comfort, a frown on his face at the dark thoughts that kept on plaguing him.
Ace, who was checking the cupboards and fridge, turned back to tell Grim. “Hey, at least your tuna is safe.”
“ sniffles Yes…let’s take them back!”
Yuu smiled, reassured that his companion wasn’t feeling too let down. It was genuinely depressing to see their home in this state, and Yuu blamed his bad mood on this fact.
“Alright.” Deuce started. “How about Ace and Grim see what you can salvage from the ground floor, and I'll take Yuu upstairs to check the rooms.”
“Sounds good.” Yuu agreed, following Deuce outside the kitchen.
With the help of Deuce’s magic, they managed to climb up to the first floor…or what was left of it.
The entire area was pitch black. The roof and floor were threatening to collapse, the walls were shaking due to the strong winter winds and the smell of burnt food was nauseous.
Yuu and Deuce carefully stepped around the weak spots and managed to get to Yuu’s room…where nothing was left. Everything was burned down. The bed, the desk… Yuu opened his closet and saw that the few clothes that he had left were in no state to be worn.
There was nothing to save.
With a dejected sigh, Yuu turned to Deuce. “I don’t think there’s anything to save here… How about we try to see if we can find any clues on where the fire started from?”
Deuce nodded. “Alright, but we gotta be careful… The floor is not safe.”
The two boys progressed warily across the corridor, opening rooms after rooms, checking for anything out of place. Yuu knew the layout of the dorm like the palm of his hand, so he was extra attentive to any strange details…but he couldn’t find anything. Every room was damaged to a crisp. They searched every nook and corner, but no signs of a break-in, no signs of vandalism, no signs of where the fire could have started from.
However, Yuu noticed something strange with his partner. Ever since arriving on the first floor, Deuce had been fidgety. He was staring in empty spaces, made sudden head turns, was frowning for no visible reasons… Yuu trusted that if Deuce had a lead, he would tell him immediately, so he let it go…until he couldn’t.
“Deuce.” Yuu called out, making Deuce jump and turn towards him.
“Did you find something?”
“No, but I think you did. What’s wrong? You’ve been weird since we’ve come up here.”
“I…” Deuce hesitated. “I’m not exactly sure… But I’m sensing something strange.”
“Sensing?”
“Yeah, it’s really faint and I can’t exactly pick up what it is and where it is from… It’s like…something shifted in the air? Somethink dark… Sorry, I didn’t want to alarm you since I wasn’t sure myself…”
Yuu frowned. That was too vague to be a proper lead…but enough to be worrying.
“Perhaps Tsunotaro would be able to notice something…” Yuu muttered to himself, lost in thoughts…when suddenly, he felt his body falling.
His leg went through the floor.
“Yuu!” Deuce immediately came to his side. “You alright?”
“Shit- Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention… Yeah I’m fine…but I’m stuck.” Yuu tried to pull his leg, but it was causing the floor to crack even more.
“I’ll pull you up!” Deuce started to grab him from under his arms, but Yuu heard another crack.
“Deuce stop!” He exclaimed. “The floor is about to break down, get out of here!”
Indeed, Yuu was feeling that he was being swallowed by the floor as the wood was sinking under him.
Deuce took a few steps back, looking completely panicked and searching for ways to help his friend. “Shit- I should have brought my broom or something-”
“Can you conjure…a rope or something?” Yuu asked.
Deuce winced. “Sorry…only cauldrons.”
“WOAH!” A voice suddenly rose up from below. “WHY IS THERE A LEG STICKING OUT OF THE CEILING???”
“Ace??” Yuu tried to call out. “Is that you??”
“YEAH! What the hell are you doing??” Ace sounded almost hysterical. “Hey stupid Deuce! You had one job!”
“SHUT UP!” Deuce yelled back, full panic.
“GUYS!” Yuu shouted at them. “NOT THE TIME! Ace! I’m stuck! And Deuce can’t pull me up because the floor is cracking around me. Any genius ideas?? What am I even falling onto??”
“The hallway, on top of attic rubbles!”
CRACK
“Damn!” Yuu’s body sinked a bit more.
“Yuu, grab that!” Deuce had taken off his jacket, and gave one of the sleeves to Yuu while he grabbed the other. “I’ll pull you up!”
Yuu grabbed tightly at Deuce’s jacket while he pulled with all his strength. He felt his body getting out of the hole and felt a tremor of hope. “Deuce! It’s working- creak - no!” The seams of the jacket started to rip…until the sleeve that Yuu was holding onto completely tore away from its clothing.
“NO!” Deuce cried out.
“Yuu! Hang on!” Ace called from below. “Help is coming!”
“Wha…!” Yuu suddenly felt his body being lighter…as if he was floating.
The floor around him completely cracked and fell on the ground floor in a deafening noise…but he was still suspended in the air, safe. Glancing down, he saw Ace and Grim looking up at him in complete distress…and beside them, their three Heartslabyul seniors, standing up straight, magic-pen pointed at him, and frowning in focus as they lowered him gently on the floor next to them.
Cater and Trey immediately kneeled next to him, checking for injuries. “Yuu! Are you hurt anywhere??”
“I’m fine…Thanks, Senpais…” Yuu shot them a grateful smile.
“Goddamnit, this place is a mess…” Trey said, looking around.
“Yuu!” “Henchman!” Ace and Grim rushed to him, the latter climbing on his lap, while the former grabbed him by the shoulders to shake him. “Never. Scare. Me. Like. That. Again.”
Yuu patted him on the arm, feeling Ace’s tension getting down. “Sorry… It was my mistake, I didn’t see where I was going…”
“YUU!” This time, it was Deuce who jumped from the first floor to the ground floor, rolled down the rubbles, and ran towards their group. “Are you alri-”
“Yes, I’m fine.” Yuu interrupted him, starting to be annoyed to repeat himself for the third time…before calming down. Don’t be so upset. They were worried for you. Again… “Thanks Deuce, for your help. You tried your best, and I’m sorry for worrying you…” Yuu gave him a soft smile, to which Deuce replied with his grin.
“Thank god the seniors were near…” Ace slumped on himself. He passed a hand in his hair, and Yuu could see the sweat dripping off his forehead. He felt bad for making them worry so much.
“Trey-kun, these kids are gonna give me a heart attack one day…” Cater sighed.
“Wait, where is Riddle?” Trey asked suddenly. “He was there a moment ago!” He turned around, trying to locate their red-head dorm leader.
“Riddle?!” “Riddle-chan!” “Dorm leader!!” Everyone started to call out, worried that something happened to him.
“Don’t be so loud. I’m here.” Riddle’s voice suddenly came from above…precisely from the hole that Yuu just fell from.
“Wha-”
“What are you doing up there?”
“Quiet. Something’s strange.” His tone shifted. Their fierce leader was uncanny calm…almost wary.
Yuu shared a glance with Deuce. They both knew that Riddle picked up whatever Deuce had been sensing earlier.
Yuu looked at the third-years. “Can you guys feel anything weird?”
Both Cater and Trey frowned, and looked up. “I wouldn’t say weird…” Trey trailed off.
“But there is something different from how Ramshackle usually feels.” Cater finished for him. “And it seems Riddle-chan was especially sensitive about it. Let’s wait for him!”
“In the meantime, tell us what you’ve been up to.”
Yuu and Deuce told them their part of the exploration upstairs, including Deuce’s weird feeling.
Then Ace and Grim carried on with theirs. “We mostly cleared out the kitchen, there's some food that was salvageable. Then, we went to the living room…and damn it’s bad. Most of it is wasted, except for a textbook or two.”
Trey nodded. “So nothing much…and the fire coming from the attic isn’t really helping with clues about the culprit…”
“It's magic.” Everyone turned around and saw Riddle coming back from his little exploration. “Strong and old. That's what caused the fire.”
“So…do you think it's a student…?”
“I don’t know. A student could have stumbled upon old magic scriptures and tried them out…but if it’s the case, we’re looking for someone very skilled…and very smart.” Riddle’s eyes darkened up as he pronounced these last words, sending a chill to the rest of the group.
***
They returned back to their dorm late, after spending the afternoon in the library to look for strong and destructive fire spells. Unfortunately, after hours of skimming old magic books, they couldn’t find anything conclusive.
Trey immediately went to the kitchen to whip them up a little meal and the rest of the group collapsed on the sofas of the common room, looking positively exhausted.
Still, Yuu had never been more at ease and safe than within these walls. He had been on edge the entire day, his mind plagued with thoughts that were unlike him and now that his mind was clearer, he could see the strange pattern of behaviour he had displayed today.
Brashness. Rudeness. Depression. Self-reproach.
All sorts of negative emotions that relentlessly affected him, one after the other.
But not now.
He was basking in the chimney’s warmth, engulfed in the fragrance of roses, tea and biscuits…and surrounded by his trusted friends.
He remembered his argument with Ace earlier, and now that he was in a better state of mind, he decided to open up to them. To be vulnerable. To be honest.honest.
Shifting his position, everyone noticed that he was about to say something and paid him their full attention.
“So…” Yuu started. “I’m sure you noticed that I was acting strangely today…” He looked up, making brief eye-contact with Ace. “I don’t know why, but ever since yesterday when I saw Ramshackle burning, I had these thoughts…negative thoughts…”
“Well, you were shocked, that’s normal…” Cater started, unsure where this was going as he was not present for most of Yuu’s outbursts. The others, though, had seen them. Riddle still remembered the state of fright and the panic attack Yuu had during their dorm leaders’ meeting.
Yuu shook his head. “I was in shock, yes…but that doesn’t explain what’s been on my mind…” He paused, searching for his words, recalling what he had been thinking, what he had said. “I felt useless, like a burden…not only to you, but to everyone. To this world. That I didn’t belong here anymore, that this world would reject me, that you would reject me… Then, I heard these whispers in the cafeteria, what people really thought of me… Then you guys have been wonderfully supportive, but it just worsened my case because I hated how smothered I felt… That everyone had to suddenly look after me like I was a baby, even though we faced worst scenarios before and I perfectly managed to stand my ground! And that’s what made me think. I faced worse ordeals than this. Yet, I’ve been constantly depressed since yesterday, I literally had every single dark thought!” Yuu stood up, pacing around, a certain manic energy emanating from him. “But that’s not me! I almost lost my life multiple times because of this crazy world, but I never lost heart! Yet ever since yesterday, I feel like I’m being invaded by these thoughts…and now that I’m thinking about it…these thoughts would have never come from me!”
Yuu stopped, panting after talking so much and so fast. It felt good to say all of it, it cleared his mind. He looked at his audience, his friends, and almost laughed at their comical expressions of shock.
Ace had eyes the sizes of a tennis ball, unblinking, trying to process everything he said. Deuce’s mouth was left open, like he wanted to interrupt his monologue to reassure him, but now that he’s done, he doesn’t know what to say. Cater looked like he’s trying hard not to cry… And Riddle’s brows have never been so furrowed.
Yuu smiled gently. “I’m alright, guys. Truly. I wasn’t before, but now I’m fine.”
And wordlessly, without even a glance towards each other, Ace and Deuce stood up and wrapped Yuu in an overbearing hug. They didn’t say anything, they just let him sink in their combined love and friendship, their unyielding support and Yuu had to blink back tears that were threatening to fall.
No one said anything a couple of seconds before Riddle finally spoke. “So you think someone has been influencing you?” He asked seriously, not a hint of disbelief in his voice, but rather a concealed wrath at whoever had dared to inflict such harm on his precious friend.
Yuu detangled himself from the Adeuce combi, and returned to the couch, still surrounded by his two friends who decided to not leave his side. “It felt like it. Like I’m being encouraged towards irrational thoughts. And you guys know that I’m a pretty rational person. So my mind has constantly felt conflicted…”
“I see.” Riddle’s demeanor calmed down, he was staring at the ceiling in deep thoughts, muttering. “Old magic… Influencing the mind… Yuu.” He stared back at him. “This case may be more dangerous than what we initially believed. Be careful. Always have someone with you. And,” He turned to Ace and Deuce. “Both of you. Keep your eyes and magic senses sharp.” The two first-years straightened their spine, nodding sharply at their dorm leader’s order. Yuu nodded as well.
“Cater,” Riddle addressed the ginger. “Trey and you will keep an eye on how things are faring in the dorm. We can’t omit the possibility of the culprit being someone from Heartslabyul. Report anything out of the ordinary.”
“Roger that!” Despite his constant carefree demeanor, everyone could see the coldness behind Cater’s emerald eyes.
“What will you be doing, Dorm leader?” Ace asked.
“Informing the other dorm leaders. It’s our responsibility to take care of any threats against our students.”
***
The coming days were…almost peaceful for Yuu. School started again and everyone fell back into their old routines. Since Yuu used to always hang out with Ace and Deuce, the only change was that he was going back to the dorm with them. And truly, Yuu loved his stay here. He loved Heartslabyul, he loved the roses, Trey’s treats, Cater’s contaminating cheerfulness, his friends’ banters.
It felt like home.
And Yuu hadn’t been plagued with dark thoughts ever since the night he opened up to his friends. He mused that perhaps being aware of it created a barrier against them. Or perhaps the culprit was not part of Heartslabyul since he never had these thoughts within the safety of these walls.
Anyway, he spent a full week of calm…or almost.
Some…incidents, minor incidents happened. They were non-consequential and were almost always a turn of bad luck…but what if they weren’t?
The first of these instances happened on the third day of his stay. Ace, Deuce, Grim and Yuu were studying together at one of the tables in the common area. Ace and Yuu went back to their room to fetch a reference book while Deuce went to the kitchen to get some snacks, leaving a sleepy Grim in charge of supervising their stuff.
When they all came back, Yuu found his paper completely drenched in coffee. The peculiar thing was, their papers were arranged close to each other. If someone had spilled coffee by accident, it would have affected the entire table…not only his paper.
After interrogating Grim, who was sleeping throughout the event, and other students nearby, who told them that ‘there were a few passersby, perhaps one of them knocked your coffee, that’s what you get for leaving your papers unattended’ , they left it as a harmless incident, albeit annoying one.
Two days later, the corridors of Heartslabyul were busy as they were preparing for an unbirthday party. Yuu helped out as well and took on a few chores. At some point, he was about to get through a few students to go down the staircases and he felt a hollow hand in his back pushing him slightly. He misstepped and was about to fall down, but got caught by Deuce’s quick reflexes. The two teens had exchanged a confused look…but the incident was soon left behind as they were caught up in the preparation of the party.
Later that day, during the event, Yuu and the other first-years were in charge of serving teas and biscuits. Cater, failing to prevent him from helping out, had given him biscuits to carry around.
Perfectly harmless job.
Until someone thought it funny to trip him up into Ace who was carrying tea, ending up with both of them going to the medical room with slightly burnt patches on their skins.
That third occurrence was the last straw for Riddle. Albeit minor, it was serious enough that a student under his protection had been targeted three times under his own rooftop. He caught the student who tripped Yuu, then Cater rounded up two others who were involved in the previous incidents.
It turned out, Yuu learned later, that Cater had tasked a clone to keep a constant eye on Yuu. He had caught the one who poured coffee over Yuu’s paper, and also the one who pushed him on the stairs. And after investigation, those three students had perfect alibis for the Ramshackle incident, and were arguing that they just wanted to tease Yuu a bit. Riddle had gone on a full rage and collared them immediately.
“Until we find out the actual culprit behind the arson, the three of you will be collared. That is your punishment for harming our precious guest.”
This has served as an example for the rest of Heartslabyul students who cleared out of Yuu's way during the last two days of his stay.
***
On his last evening, the whole gang reunited one last time to debrief the investigation progress.
“So, do we think that those three incidents have anything to do with Ramshackle?” Ace started with the question on everyone’s mind.
“They look unrelated…but the timing makes them suspicious.” Trey answered, a hand on his chin. “Yuu hung out here all the time before and he was never bullied...”
“But right after the Ramshackle incident, we got three others, all related to him.” Cater finished his sentence, a rare furrow on his face.
“What we’re sure of is that those three students were not directly linked to the arson. But something is happening around Yuu and that’s worrying.”
“I’ve informed the other dorm leaders about what occurred. They’ll have a vigilant eye on you.” Riddle addressed Yuu, then with a gentle smile, he added. “But if you ever want to come back here, you’re always welcomed.”
Yuu smiled back. “Thanks Riddle-senpai…and everyone else. I’ll miss being here.”
“We’ll miss having you around too.”
They spent the rest of the evening in idle chatter…and the next morning, Yuu packed his and Grim’s things, and they were off.
.
.
.
In the corner of a corridor in Heartslabyul dorm…
“Good riddance!”
“That non-magic guy is such a nuisance…”
“He should just come back from where he came from.”
“Yeah… Too bad that fire didn’t kill him off.”
“Let’s break him more..!”
Notes:
hullo! and we are done with the Heartslabyul arc! lots of stuff happened huh!
hope you enjoyed and stay tuned this weekend for the first part of the Savanaclaw chapter!
please leave a kudos or a comment!
Chapter Text
Yuu’s heart grew heavier with each step that brought him farther from Heartslabyul.
He loved the other dorms and his other friends of course, and was excited to spend a week with them…but none would have the same feeling as Heartslabyul, the first dorm which accepted him and he considered now to be home, to be family.
As he stepped in the Mirror Chamber with Grim by his side, he was greeted with the view of a familiar face, which lifted Yuu’s mood a little.
Jack was apparently there to fetch him up.
It was adorable how awkward he seemed to be and the way his ears straightened up when he saw Yuu coming his way.
“Morning Jack.” Yuu said with a smile, happy to see him.
“Morning… I’ve come to escort you to our dorm…”
“Escort huh?” Yuu’s lips tightened, a flicker of irritation flashing in his eyes at being again taken for a weak person who can’t even make a single trip alone and unsupervised…but he quickly forced the emotion down. He knew that it wasn’t his true feelings and that Jack was just worried for him…like everyone else. Smiling at him, he simply said. “Thanks, I feel like a celebrity!”
Jack smiled back and helped him with his luggage as they stepped into Savanaclaw’s mirror.
The arid land, the sand, the hot weather, everything seemed like the opposite of the lush green of Heartslabyul…but that did not displease Yuu. He remembered the few days he spent there when Azul took Ramshackle away from him, and they were not unpleasant.
As they crossed the threshold of the entrance and stepped into the lounge, they saw that it was unusually deserted, for a Saturday morning…except for two presences.
Yuu smiled. Leona Kingscholar, the worst morning person in the entire school, had made the effort to be up at the ungodly hour of nine in the morning and to wait for him…while napping on the sofa.
Yuu knew that he was only doing it for appearances and that he was actually awake, but it somewhat warmed his heart. It was a small gesture but which carried lengths of meaning for Yuu. It spelled how worried Leona truly was for him, despite Yuu expecting that he will never ever show it to him.
Ruggie, the second person present in the lounge, first noticed their arrival and waved at them to join him and Leona. “Yuu-kun! Good morning to our esteemed guest!” Ruggie grinned, ruffling Grim’s fur when they came closer.
“Morning Ruggie-senpai, Leona-senpai.”
Leona grunted in response. “You do realize that you owe me hours of sleep, Herbivore?” He said in a rough manner, opening an eye to stare down at Yuu in displeasure.
Yuu chuckled. “And I’m happy to see you too, Leona-senpai.” He answered back cheerfully, to which Leona just grunted again and went back to nap.
Ruggie just sighed, ignored his dorm leader’s antics and turned to Jack. “Well done for getting Yuu here safely, Jack.” The wolf saluted in response, his tail wiggling in glee.
“I’m grateful for the escort, but…was that really necessary?” Yuu asked, making the other three twitch in understanding.
If there was one thing that Yuu liked in Savanaclaw was that Leona and the others didn’t judge him on his opinions and thoughts. He could vent for hours and they would just lend an ear and not judge him. He felt that if there was one place where he would be able to sort out his dark thoughts, it was here.
Yuu had long mused regarding this matter. He had previously theorised in Heartslabyul that those thoughts could have never come from him as he regarded himself as a rational person who would know right from wrong. He had praised himself in surviving so far in this world thanks to his analytical and logical mind that allowed him to not succumb to his fear and anxiety.
But what if this fear and anxiety were just waiting dormant inside him…waiting for a crack on his wall so that they could get out of him. Seeing Ramshackle burning had been pretty traumatic, perhaps that was the trigger for all his repressed feelings to emerge. But also, he couldn’t deny that these thoughts felt pretty intrusive, as if he was forced to feel this way.
Heartslabyul had been a safe haven where he had felt outwardly loved and supported with friends who openly displayed their affections to him. Savanaclaw was rough and tough. Ruggie and Jack were his closest friends with whom he had shared multiple adventures and so he knew that they had a strong bond of trust. Same with Leona. Yuu had seen him at his worst, yet Leona still made him feel welcomed and valued, despite his rough demeanor.
Yuu would never forget the sight of Leona defending him against Crowley, the night of Ramshackle’s burning. It was the most open show of friendship that Leona ever displayed towards him, and Yuu intended to cherish it deeply.
Hence the reason behind his question. Unlike Heartslabyul’s overprotectiveness, Savanaclaw trusted him to be responsible for his own actions. If Leona deemed it necessary to send Jack as an escort and to be physically present for his arrival, there must be a reason, and he was about to get it out of them.
After a beat of awkward silence, Ruggie sighed. “Actually, that’s why we are all here. I sent Jack to get you because I was worried. And I dragged Leona’s ass here and barred everyone from entering the lounge so that we can talk about this whole thing.” He said with a frown addressed at his dorm leader who hadn’t moved an inch, still looking peacefully asleep.
“Ruggie-senpai and I, we don’t know much about what happened…We know about the fire and that’s it…but we want to help you, Yuu.” Jack asserted, genuine eyes of concern. “Leona-senpai didn’t say much…”
“Jack-kun, just be honest. Leona-san didn’t say shit.” Ruggie lightly kicked Leona in the shin, earning him a glare and a growl from his dorm leader as he finally decided to open both his eyes.
“I said enough. The herbivore is gonna stay a week here, and we just gotta make sure that we can hand him off to the damn - YAWN- octopus at the end of it.” He didn’t say more and went back to sleep.
Ruggie sighed again, aggravatedly, and turned to Yuu. “So you see. We would be grateful if you could just give us some context.”
Yuu nodded. He couldn’t impose on them without them knowing what they would get into. “Very well.”
And he started his story. He explained their discoveries at Ramshackle, the theories he had, the incidents at Heartslabyul, everything…except the matter of his dark thoughts. Those were highly personal, and there would be time to unravel them later. For now, they needed facts.
At some point during the conversation, Leona had opened his eyes and was staring at the ceiling with a frown, lost in deep thoughts. Ruggie and Jack were staring at Yuu in silent shock when he was done, and immediately, the hyena took a pillow and smashed it to his leader’s face.
“What do you mean you said ‘enough’???”
“Ugh. Calm down, Ruggie.” Leona sat up, pushing the pillow aside to smash it back on Ruggie’s face. “I didn’t know about these incidents.” Leona said, addressing Yuu directly, his piercing eyes driven deeply into Yuu’s, who raised an eyebrow.
“Riddle-senpai said he informed you.”
Leona clicked his tongue. “That damn spoiled brat kept on calling a dorm leader meeting every two days. At some point, I just didn’t bother showing up.” He shrugged nonchalantly, but Yuu could see in his brow furrowing that this matter bothered him more than he was letting it show.
Ruggie frowned as well. “Savanaclaw students respect Leona-san far too much, and they should know you are under his protection, so they won't bother you at all. Especially if Jack or I are with you. But we’ll keep an eye out. For the rest… I’m not sure if we’ll be able to help you with your research, but we’ll do what we can. You ain’t alone on this, Yuu-kun.” Ruggie said sincerely, clasping Yuu’s shoulder in reassurance.
Jack nodded. “We’ll keep you safe.”
Yuu smiled gratefully. He knew he could trust these three.
***
After spending the morning talking, Ruggie led Yuu and Grim to the room they would have for the week. Yuu noticed that it was conveniently situated near Leona’s own room, and mused whether Leona himself made this arrangement.
“Yuu-kun, take the afternoon to settle here and I’ll see you for dinner.” Ruggie had said with a warm smile before storming off to his chores. Leona had gone back to his room, and Jack went also to his to study.
Eventually, after Yuu had settled in his new quarters, he went to join Jack so they could work together on their homeworks until dinner.
Evening settled in and both of them went to the canteen to eat and then played games before going to sleep.
Everything had felt normal…except for a few heavy glares that Yuu felt on him. He knew that Savanaclaw members didn’t consider him valuable. As a human, non-magic human, he was the weakest in the dorm, a boasting prey that was just waiting to be eaten in their den of predators… However, he was not like any prey. He was a prey under their leader’s protection, valued by him, valued by the strongest.
Which was why his existence confused them. He was a paradox, a contradiction, a curiosity,
Yuu didn’t let himself be bothered by them. Ever since he arrived in this school, he had been the subject of scrutiny and scorn. Every day, his life had been a survival game, and he won every time.
It would be fine, he could endure them.
Or so he thought.
He hadn’t expected his first night at Savanaclaw to be….a living nightmare.
Yuu had gone to sleep, adjusting his positions in his new bed for a couple of hours, trying to fit both him and Grim in a single bed area, and finally slumbering deeply.
It was still winter. His feet were cold, he tried to rub them off against each other in a vain way to warm them. He brought Grim closer to his body, his warmth helping regulate his own corporal temperature. He ducked his head underneath the covers, using them as a barrier against the cold.
It was cold that night too. A prince by his side, both of them creating ephemeral footprints in the white snow. The landscape, dark, grey, white. Monotonous colors. Austere. The only color being the green of the prince’s eyes. A warm green, a cold green. Words of promises, of trust, of friendship, exchanged between them. Happiness.
And then, fire.
*CRACKLES*
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!”
He screamed from the top of his lungs.
Reds and oranges were dancing in front of his eyes, illuminating the frozen walls…and burning through his mind. Forcing him to relive his nightmare, his hell.
He needed to escape.
He couldn’t breathe.
He was cold. He was hot.
He was freezing. He was burning.
“HERBIVORE!” A scream. Familiar.
And then nothing.
***
Leona had taken measures.
He had spent the whole week threatening his entire dorm.
“Anyone getting near the herbivore will be on toilet duty for the rest of the year.”
“Anyone in the vicinity of 5 meters of the herbivore will be a living target in our next Magift practices.”
“Anyone who dares to mess with the herbivore will be sent to Pomefiore for a week and forced to be lectured by their dorm leader.”
His dorm already had a bad enough reputation, he wouldn't let it suffer any more damage.
Plus…he would not allow himself to let one of his be hurt while under his protection. Yuu was one of his.
…And he had failed him on his very first night.
Leona felt like an idiot. Trusting idiot.
With his enhanced hearing, the scream had pierced his ears.
It was the shrillest, most horrifying scream he had ever heard.
As if someone was murdering the poor boy.
He immediately jumped out of bed, not caring that he only had a pair of boxers on, and saw red.
Literally and figuratively.
The herbivore’s room, which was literally next door, was engulfed in bright red flames, dancing on the walls menacingly.
Leona ticked his tongue and whisked his Magic pen, erasing the illusions as if they never existed.
Yes, an illusion. A simple trick. A harmless prank.
Except for a vulnerable mind plagued with a traumatic experience.
“AAAAAAAAAAHHH IT’S BURNING- IT’S HOT- SOMEONE HELP- AAAAAAAAA-”
Yuu was screaming in horror, eyes shut down and hands holding his head. He was crouching down, and Grim was in front of him, distressed and trying to calm his partner.
“Henchman! Stop screaming! The fire’s gone! Look at my paws, they are soft!” He was dangling his paws in front of Yuu, but nothing was working.
Leona took matters in his hand. He went over to Yuu, shoving Grim aside, and…sharply hit him in the nape, which made Yuu pass out immediately.
“Hey!” Grim protested, but closed his mouth after Leona’s glare.
“Come, furball.” Leona simply said, and Grim had a shiver run down his spin. Never had he seen such unhinged rage on Leona’s face.
Leona gathered Yuu in his arms, and went to his own room, where he put Yuu down on his bed. He then grabbed his phone, dialed and spoke. “Just shut up and come immediately to my room. Bring Jack.”
Two minutes later, a panicked Ruggie and a sleepy and confused Jack barged in Leona’s room. “What the hell, Leona-san???”
Leona ticked. “Shut up Ruggie, you’re too loud. Jack, stay here with the herbivore. Keep guard, if you sense anyone approaching the room who isn’t me or Ruggie, capture them.”
Jack immediately saw Yuu sleeping on Leona’s bed and nodded. “Yes, dorm leader!”
Leona, satisfied, grabbed Ruggie and headed out. “Here is the rundown.” He started once they were out of the room. “Someone just messed with the herbivore, creating a fire illusion and sending him into a panic attack. We need to find who did that.”
Ruggie blinked a few seconds before snarling in anger. “Who the fuck- Ok, ok. Let’s find the bastard.”
Neither Ruggie, Leona or Jack slept a wink tonight.
Someone had hurt one of theirs, they needed to make him pay.
Notes:
hullo! sorry for the short chapter lol but the next one will be longer i promise!
hope you enjoy our favourite Savana charas! i absolute love writing Leona ngl, i love the balance between his roughness and how protective he really is of his people... next chapter will conclude the Savanaclaw arc, but be sure that you'll see our favourite lion again lol
please leave a kudos or a comment and stay tuned for the next update in a few days!
Chapter Text
When Yuu finally opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the sky. A sky of a beautiful hue spread far in the horizon, a vast plain laying underneath it.
Yuu felt a strange calmness washing over him as he stared at this scenery for a few minutes. It made him forget his worries, his stress. A fresh wind was caressing his face, waking him up a bit more, and he jolted out of bed.
Taking in his surroundings, he knew whose bed he was lying into and he widened his eyes.
“Grim? Leona-senpai? Anyone?” He called out.
“Hngh- Henchman..?” The sleepy voice of his little companion came from the other side of the bed. Grim was snuggled underneath a bed cover and blinked his eyes open, before immediately flying to Yuu’s arms.
“Henchman! Never scare me like that again!” He frowned, patting him on the face.
“Sorry… What- What happened?” Yuu asked, confused. His memories from the previous night were blurry. He remembered sleeping in his new room, he had felt cold…and then, fire.
Yuu gasped, remembering the flames burning his room. In a panic, he grabbed Grim and asked him while shaking him.
“Grim! What about the fire?? Did anyone get hurt?? How bad is the damage??”
“Shut up, herbivore…” A grunted voice came from the doorway. A sleepy Leona came in and plopped down on his bed, face first.
“Leona-senpai? Leona-senpai! What happened? Tell me!” Yuu went over to him, poking him several times on his shoulder to get a reaction.
“Ughh! You’re too annoying!” Leona turned around, a heavy glare examining Yuu.
“What?” Yuu asked after a few beats of silence.
“ YAWN Nothing. Now, listen carefully because I won’t repeat myself. You can get the details afterwards from Ruggie. …Someone created a fire illusion in your room last night and you went into full panic. I knocked you out and brought you here. Now, let me sleep.” And Leona turned away, snoring loudly.
Yuu blinked one, twice, then rushed outside the room in search of Ruggie.
A fire illusion? A panic attack? Who on Earth???
He found Ruggie and Jack both slumped a table in the lounge, looking positively exhausted with large bags under their eyes.
“Ruggie-senpai! Jack!” Yuu called out to them, making them both almost jump out of their chairs in fright.
“Yuu-kun! Gosh don’t scare us like that… YAWN” Ruggie tried to stifle it, but he couldn’t help but yawn. Jack joined him.
“Morning Yuu… Did you sleep well?” The wolf asked, brows furrowed in concern, the same analytical eye as Leona earlier.
Yuu nodded. “Yeah…but what the hell happened?? Leona told me that there was a fire illusion and he knocked me out because I went in a panic.”
“Ugh.” Ruggie sighed, sipping on his coffee. “And I bet he told you to come to me for the details, huh?” Yuu nodded, and Ruggie let out another aggravated sigh. “Alright. Get some breakfast first, you need to eat. And get me a refill.” He told Yuu, handing him his empty mug.
Once breakfast was settled, and Jack and Ruggie were a bit more awake, the hyena spoke.
“Leona-san called us yesterday night at 2am. You were deep asleep in his bed and he suddenly told Jack-kun to guard you the whole night before shoving me outside to explain what happened.”
He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. “Some idiots thought it would be a fun prank to scare you with some harmless fire illusions on your first night here… You were screaming and panicking and Leona-san had to knock you out.”
Yuu took in a sharp breath. He really thought that there was a fire… That he had caused the dorm to burn…again. Anger flared inside him, but he could see that Ruggie was not done with his story, even though he had paused to let him process it. Yuu nodded at him to continue.
“The issue, Yuu-kun…” Ruggie said, pausing to find his words. “It’s that, while this was a harmless prank and could be easily taken care of with magic, you were the target. You can’t use magic, so you would not have been able to do anything against them. And Grim-kun is too inexperienced to be of help.”
Jack took over, letting Ruggie sip on his 5th coffee. “Fire illusion pranks are not that common… Especially in Savanaclaw with all the beastmen having heightened senses, it’s just useless because we would not be frightened at all… Since you just had a traumatic experience involving fire, they precisely chose it to trigger you.”
Ruggie continued. “That’s right. And when you told us about the incidents at Heartslabyul, we expected that something would happen at some point here too…but not so early, and not like that… Sorry Yuu-kun. We were supposed to take care of you and we’ve let you down…”
Yuu shook his head. It was a lot of information, but he had not been hurt, and his three Savanaclaw friends clearly didn’t sleep a wink for him, so he couldn’t let Ruggie swim in self-regret. “You have nothing to apologise for, Ruggie-senpai. I’m really grateful that you are looking after me so much! Thank you!”
Ruggie grinned at Yuu. “Of course, Yuu-kun! You’re one of us! Anyway,” Ruggie carried on with his story from the previous night. “While Jack-kun was guarding you, Leona-san and I investigated the culprits. We found them, two second-year idiots who were snickering in an empty corridor. They have been punished and made an example of this morning… Leona-san personally showed the whole dorm that you are not to be messed with.” Ruggie said proudly, before adding. “Also, I’m forcing Leona-san to let you sleep in his room during the week. Sorry, I’m sure you don’t want to be babied, but it’s important to make a point to the rest of the dorm. Stay with one of us three at all times! Don’t wander alone in the dorm! If anything happens, tell us IMMEDIATELY!” Ruggie punctuated his last word with a serious frown, locking eyes with Yuu, driving his points across.
Yuu felt a little bit overwhelmed but nodded, nonetheless. “Yes, you got it, Ruggie-senpai…WAIT-” Before he finally processed everything. “I’ll sleep where??”
“In Leona-san’s room. We’ll place a bed and you’ll be fine. His room is large enough.” Ruggie said, turning a blind eye to Yuu’s internal meltdown.
“I can’t impose like that-” Yuu tried to argue.
“Yuu-kun, you underestimate the gravity of the situation. These two idiots, fully knowing that Leona-san was next door, have messed with you. You don’t know this, but Leona-san has multiple times pressured the dorm last week to not approach you. For us, our leader’s word is a king’s word. His orders are to be followed, otherwise it is anarchy. And these two-” Ruggie was beyond angry. He took a breath to calm down. “Anyway, it’s bad for the dorm if Leona-san doesn’t take this seriously. So don’t worry about it and let yourself be pampered!” Ruggie grinned, flicking playfully Yuu’s forehead to ease the creases between his brows.
Yuu sighed. He couldn’t argue, Ruggie was making sound points. And it was worrying that someone messed with him on his first night by using his trauma. As if they wanted him to know that he was targeted. That someone or something wanted to hurt him. To drive him out. To paint him as a nuisance, a pariah.
He had support for the moment, but until when?
When would the school deem him as a pest, a free-loader only attracting problems and causing issues for everyone?
When would his friends turn against him?
“...tuna…” Yuu whispered, feeling like he was spiraling down in his dark thoughts, shutting his eyes down to regain control of his breathing going erratic.
He felt softness on his face, and saw Grim’s head rubbing on him. “You finally said the secret-word, Henchman!” He said, gleefully. Yuu chuckled in response, holding his companion closer to him to feel his warmth calming his nerves. “Thanks, Grim” He whispered in his fur.
He knew that Ruggie and Jack were surprised by his reaction, and he promised himself to open up to them…all three of them in fact. But not now.
Now he needed comfort.
The same night, Ruggie and Jack actually stayed long enough in Leona’s room to make things less awkward, and so Yuu took it as the opportunity to open up about his mental health.
“In Heartslabyul, I was thinking that it was external interference that pushed me towards being so dark and pessimistic…” Yuu explained after telling them what time experienced. “But now I’m wondering if I’m not just broken inside? Like I was lying to myself this whole time into thinking that I was ok, that I was a rational person…”
“Rational people have emotions too, Yuu-kun.” Ruggie said gently, a quick side-eye to Leona which did not go unnoticed. “Your brain can’t exist without a heart. You need your emotions and your logic to balance out, and it seems that you’ve been ignoring the former quite a lot…especially with everything happening.”
Jack nodded. “If I were you and I was thrown into a different world, far from my family and friends… I don’t think I would fare as well as you’re doing. You’re strong, Yuu, but you are also human.”
Yuu’s heart tightened. He had gone from crazy adventures to crazy adventures without letting himself breathe and process that what he was going through was not normal…in fact, Leona was right that very first night, he should have overblotted already.
Speaking of the lion, he was strangely quiet. Lying on his bed, he was just listening to the conversation, eyes fixed on the ceiling in deep thoughts.
“However, we also can’t exclude the possibility of something pushing you towards these dark thoughts… It’s already clear enough that you are targeted, Yuu-kun.” Ruggie said, pensive.
Jack’s ear twitched. “Something’s bothering me about all that.” He confessed, looking away towards the open balcony showing the starry sky.
“What’s that, Jack?” Yuu knew that Jack’s intuitions were mostly correct. If something was amiss, he would have noticed it.
“The scale of it. Who exactly is targeting Yuu? Is it one person? Is it multiple? Are they a group? The fact that you’ve been in trouble in both dorms is suspicious. You could be attacked in each of them! We should investigate any common link between the perpetrators!”
“The red spoiled brat is already on it.” Leona finally spoke up. All heads turned to him. “That’s their punishment. Being collared by Riddle and forced to follow his stupid rules until we figure out what the hell is happening.”
“Didn’t you threaten them to be sent to Pomefiore instead?”
“Queen of Hearts or Fairest Queen, it’s all the same anyway. And Riddle was already on the case. He should be able to find out something. And torture them enough to make them pay for what they did to you.” He glanced at Yuu who nodded.
As much as he didn’t want to trouble Hearslabyul anymore, it was true that his friends were already deep into the investigation.
Jack’s words also troubled him. How many people were after him? Why? The mere thought of being attacked again was enough to start sending him in a spiral, so Yuu grabbed Grim and clutched him close.
Leona had not missed that. He sat up, addressing Ruggie and Jack. “Now that's enough. Scram out of my room, you two.” Which they did, and so Yuu was now lying on Leona’s sofa, trying to focus on actually resting.
He did not expect the lion to start speaking. “Herbivore, just shut up and listen. I’m feeling generous enough to give you a little bedtime story, but it will be this one and only time, so open your ears up.”
Yuu almost jolted up in surprise. A bedtime story?? From Leona of all people??? That meant it was important, and so Yuu remained silent, attentive to every word.
“When Night Raven College was founded, it is said that Pomefiore and Heartslabyul were the first dorms to be created… That’s not true. Your Ramshackle was. It was based on a very powerful magician who also co-founded the school. He was the one who created the Mirror Chamber system and he was also a teacher. However, his teaching methods were controversial. He trained students to be excellent by pushing them to vanquish their deepest fears in the cruelest way, to let go of their emotions and be soldiers who would act and not feel…and it resulted in a large portion of the student body having mental issues. He was eventually banned, leaving Ramshackle abandoned while the Great Seven got their dorms and everyone forgot about him. It is said though, that his influence is still present within the walls of the building. Now sleep.”
And that was it.
Leona had just dropped the biggest piece of information on Yuu’s head who felt like it was about to explode. “Who was he??” Yuu almost shouted in hysterics. “You think it’s because of that bastard that I’m feeling like shit all the time??”
Leona sighed. “It’s just a bedtime story, herbivore. What I think doesn't matter. Sleep or I will make you.”
Yuu was frustrated. He didn't know what to think. External influence? Inner issues? Everyone was giving small pieces of the answer he was seeking…but he couldn't see the large picture.
***
Yuu spent the next days stuck to one of his Savanaclaw friends…or more specifically, one of his friends was always stuck to him. Jack was with him around school, walking him to and from his classes, most of the time with Ace and Deuce. Ruggie was tagging him along during his chores around the dorm, and Leona was guarding him during the night.
Since the fire illusions incident, no one had dared to approach Yuu anymore, fearing their leader’s reaction.
The days passed…and Thursday came.
Every day after school, the Magift club was practicing. Since Jack also had club activities, Yuu got the habit to tag along to the Magift club, sitting on the stands with a book or his homework while watching Leona, Ruggie and Epel practice.
That Thursday, nothing out of the ordinary had happened. He went to school with Jack, then went to the Magift field with Ruggie, sitting at his favourite spot in the shade, a hot chocolate in one hand and a book in the other.
Ever since Leona’s story, he had badgered him to expand, to be more specific, but the lion acted as if nothing happened. So Yuu went to the library. He skimmed through one history book after another, in search of more information about this mysterious magician, but his efforts have not concluded yet. None of the books breathed a whim about who was at the origin of Ramshackle.
A normal person would have concluded that Leona was messing with him, but as Yuu was watching him training his teammates, he just knew that the lion was right…and since it would be such a controversial topic, it would not be found in normal and accessible areas.
Yuu needed to dig deeper, to find a source of knowledge that did not flow in common currents, and he widened his eyes in realization. Ignihyde! The Shroud family, STYX, they should know.
But as Yuu was internally thinking of rushing to the blue dorm and demanding explanations, he did not pay attention to his surroundings.
He did not hear the shouts of his friends towards him.
He did not see the imminent danger about to befall him…the only thing he saw was the large figure of Leona tackling him to the ground as an object flew rapidly right past his eyes.
Yuu gasped.
WHAT THE-
Engulfed in Leona’s arms, his breathing started to quicken, becoming erratic.
Calm down, calm down, what was that-
Leona freed him from his hold, eyes analysing him before wrapping his coat around him and turning around to growl something at his teammates.
Yuu couldn’t grasp what he said, but surely something at Ruggie since the hyena was by his side in an instant, holding his hands and talking to him in words that Yuu barely made out.
“...-kun, are you alright??.....worry, we’ll find who did this…are safe with me now!....need to breathe!”
Eventually, Yuu regained control of his perceptions. “Ruggie-senpai!” He grasped his friend’s arm. “What happened??”
“One of our discs almost hit you in your head…” Ruggie said, a slight tremor in his voice. “We tried to call out for you, but you did not hear us… Thank god for Leona-san, he tackled you just in time…”
“Oh-” So the object was a Magift disc.
“Yuu-kun, that disc was flying at more than 100 km/h… If it had hit you, you would have been dead.” Ruggie said bluntly, making Yuu realise the gravity of the situation.
He had almost died.
Another incident.
He tightened his grasp on Ruggie’s arm, trying to control and repel the panic attack that was bubbling up.
“Is it…” Yuu started to ask, his voice shaking. “Is it a common type of accident in Magift…or do you think..?” That someone attempted at my life. Yuu left the question unended, but both knew what he truly wanted to ask.
“It’s not that common, no.” Ruggie answered with a grave tone, making Yuu understand the underlying meaning of his words.
Yes, someone attempted to take your life.
***
Yuu didn’t quite understand how the following hours unfolded.
The realisation of being almost killed made his brain shut down immediately. As if it knew that, given Yuu’s fragile mental health, he would not have been able to cope with this information hitting him suddenly.
So Yuu processed it slowly, and in the meantime, his body was on automatic mode, being gently guided by Ruggie towards the dorm.
When Yuu finally regained full control of himself, he was sitting on the sofa he used to sleep in Leona’s room. Ruggie, Jack and Leona were present, in deep conversation. Grim was sitting on his lap, he could sense him fidgeting. Grim was not present with him during the incident, he must have learned it later. Yuu could see that the sun was already set for a long time, meaning that a few hours had already passed.
The first one to notice that Yuu was back was Leona, who immediately cut the conversation down and looked straight at him, eyes furrowed…in concern? Leona was concerned for him??
“I’m alright.” Yuu answered the question he didn’t ask. “Sorry, I just…shut down.”
Ruggie and Jack also looked at him in concern, the wolf speaking up. “You don’t have to apologise, Yuu. Take the time you need to process.”
Yuu nodded. “I did.” His eyes, hardened in resolve, looked straight at Leona. “What exactly happened?”
The lion didn’t blink nor flinch, he just carefully eyed him, before sighing. “It was a Savanaclaw guy…again. A stupid first-year this time. One of our promising members. He claimed to have lost control of his disc, which happened to fly right at you.” He clicked his tongue in annoyance, anger dripping out of his voice. “What bullshit! As if I would let a guy who couldn’t control his fucking disc on the field!”
“Leona-san.” Ruggie said, his tone even. Yuu had spent enough time with them to understand that it was a subtle nod at Leona to get his act together.
Leona sighed, passing a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I know. Anyway, he’s banned from the club and he got collared by Riddle. Jack was right, the number of people involved is definitely larger than what we expected.”
“That’s already six students.” Jack counted on his fingers. “We can’t ask Riddle-senpai to collar every single attacker, I’m sure he’s already at his limit!” The wolf was right. As kind and thoughtful as Riddle was, they couldn’t risk him overblotting again.
Leona didn’t speak for a few seconds, staring at the floor in contemplation…before suddenly standing up. “I’ll be gone for a moment. Keep an eye on the Herbivore.”
“Wait what- Leona-san??” But it was too late, Leona had jumped out of the balcony and had already disappeared in the darkness of the ground, leaving the rest of the room confused.
Ruggie sighed. “There he goes again… Well, Yuu-kun. How are you feeling?”
“I’m angry.” Yuu blurted out without hesitation. “I don’t know who is on a mission to mess with me, but they have succeeded… I’m pissed, Ruggie-senpai.”
Ruggie grinned. “Finally the words I wanted to hear. Listen Yuu-kun, what happened to you this week…proved that this incident could get life-threatening. They attacked your mental health and your physical well-being, perfectly knowing how to get at you. And several people are involved, which means that you could get attacked again. You’re gonna leave us tomorrow night, but that doesn’t mean that we’ll stop helping you out. We’ll definitely investigate how these two incidents could have happened but…you really need to be careful. Be cunning, be sly, be deceptive, but protect yourself.”
Yuu nodded. “I will, Ruggie-senpai. Thanks, for everything. You too, Jack. For looking after me and keeping me safe.” He said, sincerely grateful. And without another word, he gave them a hug, tightening his hold as he felt their hands patting him on the back in comfort.
Two weeks were already a toll on his stress levels and he still had five more weeks to go.
He realised that he needed to change. He couldn’t hide behind his ‘I’m fine’ anymore.
Someone or something was purposefully making him feel like crap, and he wasn’t going to let this happen for another five weeks. Compared to when he first came to this land, alone and without support, he now had friends to back him up, to fight with him and for him…friends he could return to.
Yuu was not alone and they would together mark an end to this matter.
.
.
.
“State your price.”
“...No price.”
“Hah. I don’t believe you. Just say it.”
“It might surprise you given our…history, but I’m quite serious. No price.”
“...Then, tell me everything.”
***
When Yuu went to sleep, Leona was not back.
And he wasn’t either when he woke up.
He did find it strange, but he trusted Leona. He seemed to have some sort of action plan in place, and it was best to leave him be.
The day had gone fast and Yuu finally reached the time to leave the dorm, without having seen a glimpse of their dorm leader.
It had been a…long week. But it changed him. For the worst and for the best.
When he was finally on the doorstep of Savanaclaw, making his final goodbyes to Jack and Ruggie, he spotted the end of a fluttering dark tail in a nearby corner. Yuu realised that there was one important thing that he hadn't done yet, so he bolted suddenly towards that tail, surprising its owner who did not expect him to seek him like that.
Yuu grinned at him. “Thanks for saving my life, Leona. And for everything else too. I’ll miss sleeping on your sofa!” , earning him a chuckle from Ruggie.
Leona sighed aggravatedly. “Annoying herbivore, I won’t miss your snoring. Now go to the damn octopus or I will personally kick you there.” Before turning around and moving away from the entrance.
Yuu laughed quietly, and made his way out, with a lighter heart and a clearer and focused mind.
.
.
.
In the corner of a corridor in Savanaclaw dorm…
“We were so close… If only Leona-san wasn’t so attached to this weak human!”
“‘That person’ was right… Ever since this human came, the school has changed for the worst. Our own leader became weak. And sentimental.”
“Next time…next time, we’ll do it!”
“The human will perish!”
Notes:
Hullo! Lots of things happened in this chap lol My poor Yuu, I swear I love you, but I need to show it by making you suffer, I'm so sorry....and it's not the last of it oops
Keep in mind Leona's story btw ~ It will be important for later ~Please leave a kudos/comment if you enjoyed and see you on Friday for the next chapter. A bit early cause I'm going on holidays this weekend and won't be able to post for a little while. I'll start the Octavinelle arc in hopefully two weeks~
Chapter Text
When Yuu crossed the threshold of Mostro Lounge, he was ready. He knew that any given moment would sign his death warrant, that he could get attacked, insulted, belittled, but he was ready to face it.
He had a plan. He couldn’t let himself drown in depression when he had friends supporting him and who cared about him. He needed to take matters into his own hands.
When he arrived in the lounge of the Octavinelle’s restaurant, the room was empty. It was unfamiliar to see the usual bubbling and lively restaurant be so quiet, so calm. Yuu stepped further into the main hall where he saw three figures sitting on the couch, seemingly waiting for him.
He smiled. Azul, Floyd and Jade were sitting there, sipping their tea, and it somehow warmed Yuu’s heart that they decided to empty their main line of business just for him.
“Azul-senpai, Jade-senpai, Floyd-senpai.” Yuu greeted them, joining them at their table. “Thank you for hosting me this week.” He said politely, business-like, Azul noted.
“But of course, Yuu-san.” Azul flaunted his usual business antics. “You are a precious friend, we would do anything to help you!”
“Shrimpy-chan~ Let’s have fun this week~”
“It seems, Yuu-san,” Jade started, his eyes sharpening. He also saw the fire behind Yuu’s calm eyes. “That you are not merely greeting us. What can we do for you?”
Yuu grinned. “Didn’t think I was going to be so obvious. Look, I don’t know how much you guys know about what has been going on lately…?” He raised an eyebrow, inviting them to input their knowledge.
“...Not much, I’m afraid.” Azul shrugged. “Riddle-san told us about your week at his dorm, but Leona-san hasn’t disclosed anything.” Of course… Yuu sighed.
“I’ll cut to the chase. I almost got killed.” He said bluntly, making the three mermen widen their eyes. Yuu gave them a short version of the incident, before coming to the point he was trying to make. “Six different students have already been after me. I can’t wait and sit when the seventh, eighth or ninth are planning to attack me. I need to know who they are, how many and why they are after me.”
“...And how do you propose to do so?”
“...I need to lure them out. Mostro Lounge is the center of activities where a large part of the student body gathers.” Yuu inhaled and narrowed his eyes at Azul. “Let me work here this week.”
Azul immediately stood up. “Absolutely not! Do you realise what you are asking me, Yuu-san? You are a guest. You are under my responsibility. On the Headmaster’s explicit instructions. And you almost died a few days ago. I will not let you take any further risks.”
Yuu frowned. He knew that it was going to be a difficult conversation. “It doesn’t please me more than you, Azul-senpai. But what choice do I have? Spending my five remaining weeks cowering from who knows?? I might not have magic, but I’m not as weak as you might think I am. I need to take the initiative.”
Azul’s eyebrow twitched. Yuu knew that Azul was relating to his opinion. As a former weak person who has struggled to fare for himself, the octopus perfectly understood Yuu’s position. “How do you plan to do it, exactly then? Just walking around hundreds of potential harmful students? And if one of them actually attacks you, how do you plan to deal with them?” Azul was making sound points. Yuu didn’t have the power to face them.
“I shall request your assistance with this.” He answered, glancing at the Leech brothers by Azul’s side. “I bait them, you capture them.”
“Hmm.” Azul was considering Yuu’s proposition. On one hand, it could be very dangerous for Yuu…and also for Mostro Lounge’s image if he let an incident happen within its walls. On the other hand, it would allow progress to be made on Yuu’s case and Mostro Lounge might even get more publicity if they manage to showcase that by handling these incidents, their establishment was a safe haven for their customers. “And if I refuse? What do you plan to do?”
Yuu shrugged. “I will investigate by myself, but instead of getting attacked in an open space where we can be ready for it, I might get stabbed in a dark corner by one of your dorm mates.” Threatening his dorm leader image, Azul frowned slightly. It was sly and manipulative, but Yuu was in front of the shrewdest person on campus. He had to play his cards well.
“...Jade, Floyd.” Azul eventually called his two partners, sighing at Yuu’s smug grin of understanding. “You will be in charge of training Yuu-san to be an exemplary waiter and also of escorting him anywhere around the dorm. Listen carefully, we can’t allow anything to happen to him.”
“Very well, Azul.”
“Yay~ A whole week with Shrimpy-chan!”
Yuu’s plan finally started.
***
Jade spent the rest of the day training Yuu in the tasks he would have at the restaurant, and Floyd showed him a couple of things in the kitchen. But since Yuu’s plan rested on being visible to the public, they agreed to make him work mostly in the main hall.
Azul put in place a few conditions. Yuu could only work for two hours every day after school. Whatever happened, he had to leave Mostro Lounge at the end of his shift and return to his room within Octavinelle. One of the Leech brothers would always be in his vicinity during these two hours to guard him and keep an eye on any students eyeing Yuu in any suspicious way.
Yuu would also immediately stop his job if there is one, even minor, incident.
“How do you plan to catch the culprits if we stop at one incident?” Had argued Yuu.
“By catching this first offender and submitting him to Jade’s Unique Magic.” Azul stated calmly, glancing at Jade to take over.
“My Unique Magic, ‘Shock The Heart’, can extract the truth out of my victims.” Jade explained, a frightening smile on his face. “I can make anyone confess their deepest secrets.”
It was a reasonable plan. Safe enough.
And so, Yuu started his job the next day. Jade had given him fairly simple tasks, greeting customers, guiding them to tables, taking their orders, delivering it to them, and taking the bill.
Fairly simple.
…
“You useless waiter, I’ve been waiting twenty minutes for my drink!”
“That’s not the meal I ordered!”
“Why am I missing a spoon??”
“You dumbass! You almost spilled everything on me!”
…
His first day as a waiter was such a hurdle that Yuu almost thought that wandering alone in the dorm was an easier plan to bait his attackers than doing this hellish job.
But he couldn’t give up. He wouldn’t. He was determined to see this through.
And so, days such as these became his new routine.
During the day, he accompanied Azul and the Leeches to school, where he found his friends who looked after him. Then, he would go directly to Mostro Lounge, put on his apron, and start his tasks.
Yuu knew what he was getting into…or at least he thought he knew.
He expected indirect or direct attacks, he got constant insults about his work.
He expected the attacks to be more specific, more precise, better calculated, more violent, they were randomised, from anywhere, everywhere, anyone, everyone.
Yuu kept his cool.
He wasn’t making any mistakes. Jade made sure of that, he had trained him thoroughly and had kept a close eye on him during his two hours…yet the complaints were not ceasing.
Pomefiore, Heartslabyul, Scarabia, Diasomnia, Savanaclaw. First years. Third years. Second years. There was no pattern. All the students Yuu was serving had something to say. It was mostly minor, sometimes more critical, but always a complaint to make.
“The peak of customers' complaints always rises during Yuu-san’s two-hours shift.” Jade had eventually noted after the fourth day. “Ever since Mostro Lounge was created, we have never received such a large amount of complaints than in the last few days. It is starting to affect our sales.” The Leech made eye-contact with Azul, who was silently contemplating the data.
“Is Shrimpy-chan that bad?” Floyd nonchalantly asked. He was supposed to tutor Yuu but after the first few unnecessary comments, the merman was about to ruin the restaurant’s reputation by himself and hence has been delegated back to the kitchen management.
Jade shook his head. “No. He’s very diligent and works efficiently. The customers are simply fussy.”
“And how are the same customers behaving with other waiters?” Azul asked. Fussy customers were a norm in his job. The complaints addressed at Yuu were also relatively minor and unconcerning. As a manager, he would not make it his priority to address this matter.
“Perfectly normally.”
But as Yuu’s friend and current warden, it was highly worrying. He couldn’t do anything to stop them, except collecting identities and sending them to his fellow dorm leaders to investigate.
Azul sighed. He knew what was happening and he was pretty sure that Yuu had already noticed it.
Small, insignificant, non-life threatening incidents, but constant and wide-spread to break the mind, to lower the guard, and to attack swiftly when no one would expect it.
“We will continue the plan. Yuu-san only has three days left. I’d rather have him facing insults under our watch than getting into a serious incident when we are not looking.” Mostro Lounge or Yuu, the choice was easy for Azul.
He could always rebuild his restaurant’s reputation, but he could not waste Yuu’s life away.
“Jade, continue to keep a close eye on him. Take note of who addresses Yuu-san, what they say behind his back, everything. The next three days might be more intense than what we had just now.”
***
Azul could not have been more right.
Two specific incidents made him realise that this case was more serious than expected.
The first one was another fussy customer. A second-year Scarabia student had ordered a medium-sized pizza and Yuu served him. At the first bite, he immediately spat it on Yuu’s shoes. “What the hell is this??”
Yuu breathed, calming his mind and channeling his professional persona. “Is there something wrong with your meal, sir?”
“Hah?? You dare address me, you lowlife?? Who do you think you are?” The student stood up, towering Yuu menacingly with his stature. Yuu raised his chin, not letting any emotion show, not taking a step back.
Jade, behind the bar, immediately noticed the incident and grabbed a random waiter to fill him in as he made his way towards Yuu, ready to pacify the upcoming incident.
The customer was still looking down at Yuu, spitting insults one after the other. “You shouldn’t even be here! You’re just a damn nuisance bringing chaos everywhere you go!” He pushed him, making Yuu stagger a few paces back. “You think we don’t see you?? Sucking up to every dorm leader?? Being adored by people like Malleus-senpai, Leona-senpai, or Vil-senpai?? Even our vice-dorm leader Jamil-san is making our lives hell just because you’ll be ruining our home in a few days!” He pushed even harder. Yuu fell on his bum, starting to feel slightly anxious.
“Sir, I will have someone else serve you if y-” Yuu had started, still trying to be professional like Jade taught him to be, but he couldn’t finish his sentence as he saw the blow coming. “Ugh!”
Right in the ribs, the student didn’t miss him, and didn’t hold it. He had kicked him in anger and was ready to do it again, before being immediately stopped and held back by Jade.
“Sir.” Jade’s cold voice was dripping in fury. It was the first time that Yuu had seen him look so furious. “I will ask you to kindly follow me.” He had a strong grip on the customer’s shoulder, not letting him move an inch towards Yuu.
“Hahh??” He tried to shake him off, but to no avail. “Hey! Let me go! Jade! What do you think you are doing??”
“I shall ask this question back, sir. What do you think you are doing to our staff?”
Yuu felt his side. It was hurting, but not to the point where he couldn’t stand up and address his attacker. “I…I apologise if my service was not to your liking…sir. However, I won’t apologise for anything else.” His firm voice made everyone’s eyes turn to him. He was about to add something when he saw something in his peripheral vision flying from the left…approaching quickly…and kicking the offending customer right in the stomach.
“You fucker!” Floyd’s loud voice resonated in the room, towering the customer who doubled over, agonising in pain. “What do you think you are doing to our Shrimpy-chan??”
“F-Floyd…” The customer wheezed, his breathing ragged. “Y-you’ll pay- Everyone will pay! Especially you!” He spat these last words at Yuu, staring at him with eyes blazing with rage.
Floyd hoisted him up by the arms and dragged him out of the restaurant while Jade immediately went to tend to Yuu. “Yuu-san! I will bring you to the medical room, hold tight!”
The merman gently lifted him on his back, carrying him swiftly to the Mirror Room and then straight to the medical room of the school where the doctor diagnosed a rib injury and a minor internal bleeding. Thankfully, the injury didn’t affect any other organs and didn’t cause any fracture. He prescribed painkillers and two days of bed rest which miraculously coincided with the end of Yuu’s week at Octavinelle.
Azul immediately came to see him after hearing about the incident. “We have dealt with him and reported him to Kalim-san and Jamil-san. I wanted him to experience Jade’s Unique Magic but Jamil-san told me to leave this matter to him.” He sighed, passing a hand through his face as he critically examined Yuu.
Seated on his bed in the Octavinelle dorm after being discharged by the doctor, Yuu looked…calm. Azul felt puzzled by the aura emanating from the young man. He didn’t look like someone who just got attacked, insulted and injured with a rib contusion. He looked like someone who was already planning his next steps, figuring the best strategy to have after being confronted at such an incident.
“I know you have taken note of everyone who has insulted me. What did you find?” Yuu’s even tone as he asked this question made Azul shiver. It was like he was completely detached from what he felt and was only functioning through brain power.
“Nothing conclusive.” He still answered, keeping up his professional persona despite the discomfort he was feeling. “You were the target but until today, no physical harm or personal harm had been done. They were merely criticizing your job, however faultless it was. But the relentlessness was suspicious. We couldn’t find any form of link between them so I’ve just reported them to their dorm leaders for further investigation to see if they could be linked to the other incidents.”
Yuu nodded. “I see.” He looked at the window, observing the marine life unfolding outside the dorm. He observed a shoal of fish clustering together, swimming across the corals. “You know that there is a link though.” It was a statement, not a question.
Azul took a few moments before answering, before leaning forward. “I don’t know what is after you, Yuu-san. But it has certainly united a portion of the student body without us, dorm leaders, noticing. I fear that…the anger and jealousy that students have shown so far is a mere facade to the actual threat coming after you.”
“And that thing burnt down Ramshackle…” Yuu murmured, clenching his duvet. “Azul-senpai, we need a more concrete plan. I have to get out there, bait them even more, I-”
“Absolutely not.” Azul said, firmly. Yuu widened his eyes and was about to interject, but Azul held his position. “Your job is done, Yuu-san. You will rest in your room for the next two days and then you will leave for Scarabia. Let us handle the rest.”
“But-”
“No buts. You are already harmed enough. We already know that a large group of students are after you. If you continue your work at the Lounge, you will only face what you have got so far without any other gain. And I will be losing my reputation as a responsible manager if I were to send an injured employee back to work.”
Azul was making sense and it frustrated Yuu somehow. Gritting his teeth, he then asked. “What is your plan, then?”
“A change of approach. No more baits. We have enough culprits to start uncovering their modus operandi, their scale, and flush out every single person involved in this scheme to discover their true intentions.”
“And you want me out of this while you all handle that?” Yuu asked, bitterly. Was he only just a weight for them? A liability?
“Until you are recovered, yes.” Azul answered bluntly. He observed Yuu biting his lips in frustration as he turned his head away to look outside. He could imagine that he was trying to blink tears back and it reminded him of his past self. How useless and pathetic and weak he had felt. How he had strived to become more important, useful, necessary, and Yuu was feeling the exact same way.
Sighing, Azul removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Rummaging these old memories was not good for his mind, but perhaps it could turn to be a salvation. “Yuu-san. I hope you know that none of us, Jade, Floyd, myself, and even all the other dorm leaders, are helping you out of pity.” Yuu glanced back at him, letting him continue without a word. “You may not have magic, but you are one of the strongest people in this school. Stronger than Riddle-san, Leona-san and even Malleus-san.” Yuu scoffed, making Azul frowned a bit. “You may not believe me right now, but it’s true. And your strength is the reason why we respect you so much. Why we want to help you…just like how you helped us all. You are invaluable to a lot of people here.”
Yuu shook his head. “I’m not. I’m just a nuisance, Azul-senpai.” He finally blurted out. “These students criticising me are not wrong. It’s my arrival here that caused all these overblots and chaos. Perhaps if I didn’t come, life would have been peaceful, but I disrupted that.”
“You’re not a nuisance… You’re our saviour.” Azul stated firmly. “We would have overblotted anyway, whether you were present or not. Rather, the fact that you came to us at this exact instance might have been our only chance to recover from this situation.” Azul stood up, turning away from Yuu to make his way out of his room. “If you consider us your friends, then it’s the same for us.”
And Azul left on these last words, leaving Yuu alone with two streaks of tears streaming down his face as he realised, once again, how loved he was in this school.
Notes:
Hullo! Hope you enjoyed the start of Octavinelle arc! I'll be leaving for holidays tomorrow, sooo unless I can manage to upload from my phone, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a couple of weeks before the next chap...
In the meantime, please leave kudos and comments!!
Chapter Text
Then came the second incident…
It occurred, in fact, only a few hours after Azul had left Yuu’s room. Yuu had gone to sleep, lulled by Grim’s loud snores…when suddenly everything went silent.
Everything had gone really fast. Grim’s snores stopped suddenly and that’s when Yuu realised something was wrong in his room. Grim would never stop snoring in normal circumstances. Which meant that either he was awake, which was unusual for him in the middle of the night, or something had happened to him.
With great difficulties, Yuu turned on himself, careful to not put any weight on his bruised ribs, trying to have a look at his small friend…when he saw them.
Two hooded figures of average height had magic pens pointed at Grim, light purple smokes enveloping the cat. Judging from the crystal adorning them, they were Octavinelle students.
Yuu drew in a sharp breath but managed to stay silent. It seemed that the students hadn’t noticed that he was awake, so he tried to look for some sort of weapon or a way to make a lot of ruckus in hope that Azul or one of the twins were nearby. It was frustrating that Yuu was not able to attack them directly but with his injury, he would have been owned in two seconds.
He needed to think smart. And quick. He didn’t know what they were doing to Grim but he had to react fast to make them stop.
Suddenly, his eye caught two silver plates lying on the floor, the leftovers from their dinner cooling down. If I can throw the plates at them, it will surprise them and it will make a loud noise when dropped on the marble. Yuu thought. Azul, Floyd, Jade…I hope you’ll hear that.
Yuu leaned over, trying to not make a sound as he tried to reach for the plates when suddenly, he saw a shadow looming over him.
“So you were awake, huh.” One of the two students had said in a barely audible whisper. Shit. Yuu didn’t know what to do. They had both noticed him. One stayed with Grim, magic pen still pointed at him, while the other was now towering over him and was pointing his own pen at him in a menacing way.
“I suggest that you do not make a single sound or your little pet over there will be going down.”
“Leave him alone!” Yuu spat loudly, furious that they were threatening him with Grim’s safety. He was now hoping to cause a big enough commotion to draw attention.
The hooded student chuckled. “You are not in a position to make demands.” Then he turned to his companion. “How much longer?”
“30 seconds.” The other replied, his smoke still enveloping Grim.
Yuu started to panic for Grim’s safety. He didn’t know what they were doing to him but he couldn’t let them continue any longer. He drew a breath in and was about to scream for help when he suddenly received a sharp blow right into his injured rib. “Ugh-!”
The hooded figure in front of him caught him by his hair and pulled him up in a painful motion, before using his magic pen to materialise a gag around his mouth, making him unable to call for aid.
“Don’t even think of getting anyone. You see, our friends at Savanaclaw and Heartslabyul were rather unlucky since you were constantly flocked with your little friends to protect you. But here at Octavinelle, things are different. Dorm Leader Azul and the Leech twins may be indebted to you, but they are not going to make any efforts to help you any further.” He approached his face, and Yuu could see two pupils shining viciously and a mouth curled in a cruel smirk. “You are at our mercy. At long last.”
From the corner of his eyes, Yuu could see the other person finally putting his pen away. “It’s done.” He announced to his partner who still had a handful of Yuu’s hair that he was amusedly pulling at.
Yuu felt completely disconnected. Pain coming from his ribs circulated throughout his whole body, his hair was being pulled and shaken around making him dizzy and nauseous, and he felt a wave of anger and panic at what they might have done to Grim.
He suddenly felt his hair being free from the grip of the student and an arm circling his waist, pulling him up, and crushing his ribs a bit more incidentally. Yuu let out a groan of pain, trying to gain control of his senses. The student that tormented him was carrying him like a potato sack and was walking out of his room, his companion following him and leaving Grim behind, still in an unconscious state.
Yuu tried to struggle away from his hold, but in vain. The student was purposefully crushing his ribs more to make him lose consciousness due to pain.
But Yuu held on.
He had to find a solution.
He couldn’t let himself be abducted right in the heart of Octavinelle with no means to escape or to call for help.
But he was feeling powerless. The student was much stronger than him. He was badly injured and about to faint. And he was gagged with a magical handkerchief that apparently drowned out noises.
Yuu had experienced many crazy situations ever since he had come to this land…but never had he felt so scared for his life. The two students were still marching in perfect silence through the dark and empty corridors of Octavinelle. Corridors that started to be completely unfamiliar to Yuu. They were drifting away from the usual occupied areas and more into desertic and less maintained spaces towards the back of the dorm.
At some point, the two students reached a tapestry showing the image of a rock standing in the middle of the sea being hit again and again by strong waves, yet never faltering. The one holding Yuu let him fall on the floor brutally and grabbed again a fistful of hair to pull him up so that he could talk to him eye to eye.
“If only you had been hit by that disc last week…you would have died a death free of suffering.” Yuu widened his eyes in fear, realisation dawning upon him. “But you are at Octavinelle, in a dorm resting miles under the sea. What would happen if we were to throw you out there?” The student started to laugh like a maniac. “Hehehe. Would you be crushed out by the pressure first or would your lungs be filled with water, letting you drown slowly and painfully? Hehehehehe.”
“Don’t take too much time.” His companion warned him, looking behind them in fear to be attacked.
The student sighed. “Yeah yeah. Don’t worry, it’s not like anyone could find or hear us here.” He released Yuu and tore the handkerchief off his mouth. “You are going to die soon, magicless human. Any last words?”
Yuu was about to die. He was about to be drowned outside Octavinelle, far from his friends, in the darkest pit of the ocean where his body would probably never be found again. And worst of all, without even knowing why.
But he couldn’t even care at this moment. There was only one thought plaguing him during their whole descent down there. “What have you done to Grim?”
This made the student pause, almost looking surprised by Yuu’s question. “You’re not even asking why we are doing this?”
Yuu shook his head. “If I’m going to die, I’d rather know that all my friends are still safe and sound. So what have you done to Grim?” He asked again, his voice cold and emotionless. He was done. He couldn’t find any way out. But he couldn’t bear knowing that his little companion got entangled in his mess and suffered due to it.
The other student, the one who did his magic on Grim, spoke up. “A charm to make sure he wouldn’t wake up before a few hours.” He paused, unsure whether to add more, before making his mind up. “He was on his guard, your little pet. He noticed us entering your room and was about to attack us before we knocked him out.”
Yuu strangled a sob at these words. Oh Grim… His companion had tried to protect him, to save him. He was glad that he didn’t suffer any serious damage and felt sorry for him when he would discover his disappearance…when all his friends would.
“Enough.” The rough student said. “It’s time.”
He removed the tapestry, revealing a large closed door behind it. Grabbing Yuu’s arm, he dragged him right in front of it. “Just one more piece of information for you. Even if by miracle you would have escaped us tonight, it wouldn’t have been for too long. We are everywhere and anywhere. We are of one mind. We are here to destroy you.”
And it was on these last words that he pushed Yuu through the door and Yuu felt water.
It was cold, freezing.
Yuu tried to save oxygen and to look around. It was his first time seeing the Octavinelle dorm from the outside. In normal circumstances, he would have been in awe with the majestic building sparkling under the sea. The beautiful shells decorating the roofs, the corals and seaweeds on the walls, some old ships lying empty underneath it.
How he would have loved taking a relaxing swim here, with Grim, Ace, and Deuce. To explore these ships, to drift around the dorm, examining each corner.
But he was here alone. Plunging towards the ineluctable darkness of the depths. He closed his eyes, trying to visualise for the last time the faces of his dear friends. Of his family he had left in his other world. Of everyone who would eventually miss him.
Little by little, he started to suffocate, water entering his lungs, and to lose consciousness.
He felt Death coming for him.
It was there calling for him…louder and louder.
“SHRIMPY-CHAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
WHAT??
Opening his eyes with difficulties, Yuu hadn’t expected to see this.
Floyd, in his full merman form, was racing towards him at an incredible speed, an unusual alarming expression across his face.
In less than five seconds, he had reached him, grabbed him and was swimming back hastily towards the dorm, passing the same door Yuu had gone through some moments ago.
As soon as he felt solid ground, Yuu immediately gasped for air, coughing and wheezing, trying to regain his senses.
I’m alive. He was realizing. His ribs were hurting him horribly, his lungs were burning him, he had sea water drooling out of his nose and mouth, but never had he felt so glad to be able to feel all this pain.
It was proof that he was alive. That he would see his friends again.
“COUGH- COUGH- H-how…?” His hoarse voice tried to ask Floyd.
Floyd hadn’t gone back to his human form and was lying down in his merman form, gasping as well, but from the effort he made to reach him. He waved his hand, signalling that he’ll answer his question later.
Azul and Jade appeared shortly after in full human form, immediately kneeling next to Yuu to assess the damage. “Yuu-san, are you with me?” Jade asked, concern shown across his eyes.
Yuu nodded weakly. His body was in a complete mess, he was barely able to move. Azul noticed that and signaled Jade to carry him while he was calling for medical help. “You’ll be alright, Yuu-san. We took care of these two, as well.” A dark shadow crossed Azul’s eyes as he dialed his phone and marched his way through Octavinelle’s dorms, Jade on his heels carrying Yuu bundled in warm blankets that he conjured.
Less than five minutes later, Yuu was back in his bed, warmed up and with Divus Crewel at his bedside in black and white silk pajamas forcing him to swallow potions after potions before leaving in haste after deeming Yuu safe. Yuu heard him muttering on his way out. “That damn crow, he’s going to hear me…”
It seemed that their dear headmaster was about to get an earful.
Azul and Jade were also present, standing at the entrance of his room, as if to guard him from any other intruders. They looked worn with tiredness and anxiety, whispering amongst themselves furiously. Floyd had apparently gone to keep an eye on the two attackers, and also perhaps to beat them up to release all his frustration.
And most importantly, sobbing his eyes out on his shirt, was Grim clinging to him and repeating over and over. “Henchman, Henchman!” He had jumped onto him right when Crewel left and had not released him since.
Yuu smiled softly, stroking the back of his head and soothing him. “I’m alright, Grim. Look, I’m fine. And it’s thanks to you!”
From Yuu gathered, Grim had apparently woken up earlier than expected from the sleeping charm, and had immediately alerted Azul and the Leeches of Yuu’s disappearance. Which is why they were able to track him and save him in a nick of time.
Yuu raised his head to look at the two merman. “Thanks guys. Really. I…I wouldn’t have been alive without you… It was a close call.” A shudder crossed him as he thought back of the feeling of drowning. I’m never going near the sea anymore.
Azul shook his head. “You don’t need to thank us, Yuu-san… In fact, I should be apologising for not being able to prevent this in the first place…” Azul averted his eyes, frowning and gritting his teeth. He made a major mistake. He shouldn’t have underestimated the people going after Yuu. He needed to take better measures. “Yuu-san, once you’re feeling better, could you tell us exactly what happened? What have they said?”
Yuu nodded. “Of course. I can tell you now.” And he proceeded to relate the events leading to his almost demise. During his story, Jade had brought hot chocolates and snacks for everyone, and Yuu had never felt so warm between the bundles of blankets, Grim nestled in his chest and now some hot burning liquid warming him up from inside. “And then, he pushed me out after saying ‘We are everywhere and anywhere. We are of one mind. We are here to destroy you.’” He finished his account, sipping on the last drops of chocolate in his mug and seeing it automatically refill, thanks to Jade’s magic.
Azul’s frown deepened even more. “We are of one mind…?” He repeated, pensively.
“Does that ring a bell to you?” Yuu asked, curious that he picked on it.
Azul shook his head. “No. But it sounds like a sectarian motto.”
Jade nodded. “Yes. It seems that there is some sort of organisational movement behind these attacks…”
An organisation… “Then we need to interrogate these two to figure it out.” Yuu said. “Do you know who they are by the way?”
Azul and Jade shared a look, before Azul started answering. “Yes, they are third-years. Rather violent. They had gotten into several troubles when I first became dorm leader which is why…”
“I couldn’t use my Unique Magic on them.” Jade completed his sentence. “My Magic allows me to get the truth out of someone only once, and I had already used it on these two several months ago to sort out a major issue.”
“Floyd is already beating them up as we speak, we will deal with them accordingly later. However, something else worries me.” Azul said, casting a glance at the doors of the room.
“What now?”
“Your safety. If it’s true that an entire organisation is targeting you, then they have surely coordinated all these incidents and they are seriously after your life. It’s not a mere case of bullying, it’s much more serious. We will make sure that the last two days you spend here are as peaceful as possible, however you still have four more dorms to go to...” Azul stood up, and marched towards the door. “Jade, I’m going to call for an emergency dorm leaders meeting. Stay with Yuu-san for the night and then gather every single Octavinelle student in the hall tomorrow morning.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“What I do best.” He looked back at Jade and Yuu over his shoulder before leaving the room, an evil glimmer shining in his eyes as he conjured a golden contract in the air.
***
The next morning, Azul who apparently didn’t sleep a wink stood before the hundreds of Octavinelle students who looked at him in confusion and dread. Indeed, next to him, was a tall stack of golden contracts, just enough for every single student gathered there.
“Good morning, my dear dormates.” He started with his usual cheerful voice. But no one had missed the coldness dripping from it. “You might wonder why I have called for all of you. It is rather simple. You see, a very very unpleasant event happened last night, so by order of your dorm leader, I will ask everyone to sign this simple contract to avoid the same incident happening again.” He announced, his business-like smile on his face but his eyes cold and calculating.
Protests and objections echoed in the hall of the dorm as the students felt rightfully reluctant to sign their leader’s contract, but to no avail. Azul was in his rightful right as Octavinelle’s dorm leader and the terms of the contract were not too demanding…except for certain people who gritted their teeth in rage after reading these lines.
“You must not bring harm to Yuu, the Prefect of Ramshackle, in any ways, including physically, mentally, morally, spiritually, and magically.
You must not incite to bring harm to Yuu, the Prefect of Ramshackle, in a direct or indirect manner.
Breaking these conditions will result in the deprivation of your magic and your eternal servitude to Azul Ashengrotto.”
Yuu was not aware of what had happened. He didn’t know the lengths Azul went just for his sake. He didn’t know that by doing such a measure, Azul purposefully ruined the benevolent and generous image he had cultivated for many years, the trust that his dorm mates had put in him, and incidentally his whole business as well.
He peacefully spent his last two days in bed rest with one of the twins as his guard, catching up on schoolwork. His friends had all visited him, especially Ace and Deuce who almost fainted from shock after knowing the details of Yuu’s misadventure.
Crewel and the school doctor had also come by to check on his wounds.
“Your ribs are properly fractured now. Thankfully, the potions that Crewel-sensei ascribed to you are working and your internal bleeding and other damages are healing well. I would strongly advise a minimum of two-week bed rest for your bones to naturally heal, however the Headmaster…” The doctor let a sigh out. “He told me that you may need to be physically fit in the case of other types of incidents so we will need to operate you with magic.”
“Operate me?” Yuu widened his eyes in panic, looking at his teacher for some reassurance.
“Don’t worry, little pup.” Crewel had said. “It’s not a dangerous operation, it will just accelerate the process. Under normal circumstances, it is not advisable since it damages your natural immune system if repeated, but in your case, we don’t have a real choice. You need to be up and ready.” A tinge of sadness and regret coloured his voice, as if he felt personally frustrated to not be able to help further.
Yuu nodded, listening to the doctor’s final instructions. “We will operate you next week, during your stay at Scarabia dorm. Viper-kun has already been made aware of your new diets and medications, he will take care of you.”
Yuu winced internally. While it was probably the most reassuring thing he had heard this entire week, he felt bad for the poor Jamil to be once again overworking for someone else’s sake, especially now that none of the dorms were safe enough from attacks. Sighing, he promised himself to try and inconvenience Jamil in the least possible way.
***
Soon, the time to leave Octavinelle finally came.
Yuu was still under bed rest so he was being transported in a wheelchair and escorted by Jade.
“I may be staying in Scarabia too for a while.” He informed him. “I couldn’t interrogate the students from Octavinelle since most of them have already experienced my magic. However, Scarabia students have not been faced with it as often. There are more chances to glean some information about that organisation there, so I’ll be teaming up with Jamil-san to investigate while also assuring your protection during bed rest. Having only Kalim-san and Jamil-san as your guards while being injured seemed too risky.”
Yuu nodded in understanding. He felt bad for Jade, but his plan made sense. “Are you sure Azul-senpai will be fine without you?”
Jade chuckled darkly. “Don’t worry about Azul. He’s perfectly fine.” He didn’t mention how Azul’s scheme worked so well that he got in fact five new servants bound to him for life. These students had attempted to contact their friends from other dorms about their predicament and conspire about Yuu, breaching the clause stipulating to not incite harm upon him in a direct or indirect manner.
Meanwhile, Yuu looked at Jade confusedly but didn’t press on, letting him push him towards Octavinelle’s entrance where Azul and Floyd were waiting for him.
“Well, Yuu-san,” Azul started, with a smile. “It has been an interesting week.”
Yuu laughed. “‘Interesting’ is definitely the word. Thank you Azul-senpai, Floyd-senpai and Jade-senpai. For going with my plans, for protecting me, looking after me, and saving me. I wouldn’t be present without you.”
“Think nothing of it, Yuu-san. Just promise us to stay alive until we get to the end of this case.”
“Don’t die yet, Shrimpy-chan~ And don’t get near water, you’re a terrible swimmer!~”
Yuu grinned and waved at them as Jade was pushing his wheelchair to the Mirror Chamber, heading to Scarabia dorm with a messy body but a mind still focused.
.
.
.
In the corner of a corridor in Octavinelle dorm…
“These two got too greedy… It was a good attempt but they didn’t take enough precautions.”
“I hope they didn’t reveal too much… It could put us all at risk!”
“We need our next moves to be more discreet… Even Crewel is on it, we can’t mess up!”
Notes:
Hullo! I'm back! I had the best holidays omg, I haven't got such a restful break in so many years 😭
Anyway, back to Yuu... Soooo I hurt him again :D But look, we still have a long way to go, Yuu isn't even halfway through his journey so yeah, it's not the end of his troubles c:
Stay tuned soon for Scarabia arc soon, and this time, the arc will be divided in 3 chapters!
Please leave a kudos or a comment!
Chapter Text
Yuu could almost laugh if he didn’t already feel sorry enough for Jamil.
When he arrived with Jade and Grim that morning at Scarabia, Kalim and Jamil were already waiting for him in the grand hall. There were still a few students lingering and Yuu felt heavy stares on him; but he ignored them, relishing in the warm temperature of the dorm and Kalim’s bright and sunny smile that could expel all his worries in an instant. It was a nice contrast to the dark cold sea he had experienced not too long ago.
He didn’t know how far the news of his injuries had spread across the campus, but judging by the reactions of the two Scarabia students, it seemed that they hadn’t spread very far.
As soon as Kalim saw Yuu’s wheelchair, he jumped over to him and immediately started fussing. “YUU! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU??” His face had ‘distress’ coloured all over that Yuu almost found it adorable.
Meanwhile, Jamil seemed to have another type of ‘distress’ washed over his face which Yuu found funny and sad at the same time.
He knew the amount of stress and pressure Jamil was constantly under in normal circumstances; but now he had to deal with accommodating Yuu and Grim, making sure that their week would be safe and secure, and that the other Scarabia students were kept in check. He also had to deal with the incident involving one of their students kicking Yuu, and now with Yuu in a more vulnerable and weaker state than before, it was up to him to ensure a peaceful and safe week.
Yuu could literally see Jamil’s soul leaving his body for a split second as he was realising the amount of work that was piling on him, and he felt genuinely sorry for the man. But what he did not expect was the genuine warm smile on his face after his moment of distress and the words he spoke to him. “Yuu, you don’t need to worry about a single thing here. We will take care of you.”
And that alone coming from Jamil himself was all Yuu needed to know that he would finally have a good week.
***
The group quickly moved to Kalim’s bedroom which had gone through some…interesting changes.
His large canopy bed was still there but the curtains and bars have been removed, making it look like an average bed. All the other furniture had been replaced by three other standard-size beds placed around Kalim’s bed. It looks like an actual student dorm. Yuu mused, confused by the drastic change.
Jamil locked the door behind him and closed off the windows curtains. “We will be all staying here this week.” He announced firmly, crossing his arms to mark his point as final.
Yuu and Jade widened their eyes, turning to Kalim to see him sitting on his bed and grinning at them with an excited nod, acting as if it was a perfectly normal and fun announcement to make.
“You don’t need to-” Yuu started, feeling really bad that both of his friends were making so much effort for him. However, Jamil cut him off, ready for this protest.
“You have not been attacked at night in Heartslabyul because you were sleeping in Ace and Deuce’s room. You have been attacked in Savanaclaw on your first night there, but not after Leona-senpai made you sleep in his room…Or at least not by night. And you got abducted in Octavinelle in your room…where you were sleeping alone.” He recapped in an analytical manner. “I told you earlier, Yuu. I won’t let anything happen to you. And that comes first by ensuring that your environment is safe.”
“Think of it like a slumber party!” Kalim said, joyfully, trying to erase the tension.
“But this is really inconvenient for y-” Yuu tried again.
“I assure you that it’s not.” Jamil cut him off sternly. “I’m already constantly on my guards because I have to protect Kalim, so adding you in the mix won’t change much. Rather, it is easier to protect both of you if you are in the same space.”
“And it may also dissuade the attackers to come due to the combined forces of Kalim-san, Jamil-san and myself.” Jade mused out loud, considering Jamil’s set up.
Jamil nodded. “Exactly. For the rest, I have already told the others to stay clear of you. Especially thanks to that bastard who attacked you, I made an example out of him if anyone dares to break my instructions.” He said with a dark look on his face.
Yuu perked up on this, and asked. “By the way, what happened to him? Azul said you would take care of it.”
With a sigh, Jamil said. “...Let’s just say that he got a consequence in appropriate proportions to his behaviour. Anyway, I heard that you were supposed to have a surgery. When is it?”
“In five days.” Yuu replied, not pursuing his initial question since Jamil didn’t seem willing to elaborate.
“So you will spend the weekend and two school days in your wheelchair… Kalim.” Jamil said, turning to Kalim who nodded back.
The dorm leader approached Yuu with something behind his back and suddenly draped it over his shoulders. Yuu widened his eyes in recognition. “My Magic carpet.” Kalim confirmed with a grin. “I’ll let you have it for this week. It is very clever and can go fast! If you are alone and need to escape, it will help you!”
Yuu couldn’t believe it. Kalim just lent him one of the most precious treasures of his collections and apparently with the permission of Jamil. “I… Kalim-senpai, it’s too much-”
Kalim shook his head. “Keep it. I’d prefer that than learning that you got into trouble because you didn’t have it.”
“Thank you.” Yuu said sincerely, before turning to Jamil. “Both of you.”
Kalim and Jamil’s smiles combined were everything Yuu needed at that moment.
Comfort.
Trust.
Peace.
***
And peace he got.
Yuu couldn’t believe that he almost forgot what a normal weekend felt like. Due to his injury, he mostly stayed in Kalim’s room, having the dorm leader and Grim as company. Jade and Jamil were navigating the dorm together, most likely carrying out an investigation of Scarabia students while Kalim took on the responsibility of entertaining Yuu.
He spoke to him at lengths, telling him various stories, about his family, his homeland, his classes, his club activities, everything, making Yuu think that Kalim could pretty much do a monologue for two days straight. Grim couldn’t care less about the stories, and either slept or ate, but Yuu was fascinated.
Just like reading a good book or watching a movie, Yuu needed the escapism that Kalim was providing to not let his worries overwhelm him. He hadn’t let it show, especially not in front of Octavinelle’s members, but his close meeting with death had properly shaken him.
Sometimes, he still felt like drowning. He felt shivers running down his body which became heavier by the second. His lungs were filled with water and his vision became blurry. And he would snap out of it in ragged breathing and cold sweats, trying to erase that experience away from his mind.
But he couldn’t. Just like witnessing Ramshackle burning away, this was just another trauma added to an already long list and Yuu was tired. Tired of enduring and suffering and not seeing any improvement.
He lost his home, was insulted, harassed, kicked in ribs, got two near-death experiences and was now disabled. It was a miracle that his spirit was also not crumbling down and he knew that it was all thanks to his close friends who were actively trying to cheer him up and protect him. And for them at least, Yuu could hold on.
That’s why Kalim’s company was like a breather. The Scarabia dorm was cosy and luxurious, he was fed excellent food and he was in excellent company. He felt like he was spending a holiday with his friends and that was what Yuu desperately needed.
A break. A short break to appease his body and mind before being launched back again in the nightmare that was his reality. He remembered how ready he was to be used as bait when he came to Octavinelle the week prior, but this time he was determined to rest fully.
His two-day weekend thus passed without any inconvenience. He didn’t see any other members of Scarabia and was pampered by Kalim and Jamil the entire time. While Kalim provided him company, Jamil fed him, instructed him on his medications and just provided anything that he may need. This is what Kalim’s daily life must be like. Yuu thought with a chuckle.
Jade kept to Jamil’s side all the time, visiting Yuu at the same time as him. On Sunday, when all five of them were eating together in Kalim’s room, Yuu asked them. “How’s the investigation going?” Jade had told him that he was there to search for any link to the anti-Yuu organisation within Scarabia using his Unique magic. Both Jade and Jamil have been busy doing that during the entire week-end.
Jamil and Jade shared a look at Yuu’s question before sighing together. “Nothing conclusive for the moment.” Jamil answered, a furrow on his brows. “We need to proceed carefully. If this sect notices that we are aware of their existence and are actively researching them, we would lose the advantage we have over them.”
“Jamil-san is right. My presence here is already suspicious enough but I covered myself saying that I’m guarding you while also learning about Scarabia’s customs to improve customer relationships at Mostro Lounge. I have been slowly entering social circles and have also put myself forward as being displeased by my condition as your protector to lower their guards. Which is of course a complete lie.” Jade added with a wink towards Yuu, who smiled gratefully at him.
Jamil continued. “The students here are already quite upset with how I’ve treated them recently because of you coming. I’m expecting that in three days, you’ll have some of them confessing their animosity and that’s when we’ll catch them.” Yuu could see a glint in Jamil’s eyes, just like a snake preying on poor rabbits.
Their strategy was quite strong and efficient, Yuu considered. Moreover, it was one where he wasn’t needed and that suited him just well. He felt bad leaving Jamil and Jade the entire burden of this investigation but they were right, they needed to proceed quickly and carefully.
The only hazard hanging upon him was his two incoming days at school. He was already vulnerable enough by being magicless, but magicless and in a wheelchair was a combo he didn’t quite enjoy. At least, he had powerful friends to assist him there and Jamil decided that Yuu would accompany Ace after school at their basketball training with himself and Floyd, so that he could have a constant eye on him.
Yuu remembered fondly doing the same when he was at Savanaclaw, accompanying Leona at his Magift training sessions; and he mused at how similar were Leona and Jamil in their approach to look after him. Leona had also made him sleep nearby him and made sure that he was well-guarded. Yuu had felt at that time that it had been quite excessive, but now he knew that he didn’t have any other choice if he wanted to survive.
“Also!” Kalim had interrupted them when they were discussing school arrangements. “You have the Magic carpet! If you find yourself in trouble, it will take you far away!”
Kalim’s gift was incommensurable and Yuu truly hoped he wouldn’t have to use it.
***
The first day at school actually went alright. It was a surprise for Yuu who was constantly on his guard, even Grim sitting on his lap was more tense than usual, glaring at anyone crossing their paths. Kalim had tied the corners of his Magic carpet to the handle of the wheelchair, allowing it to move it according to Yuu’s directions.
He was also constantly accompanied by someone, mostly Ace and Deuce as they shared similar classes. Despite not being in their dorm, it always felt refreshing to be in their company and listen to their banter.
“Agh I can’t believe they are giving us a test while we are busy with this case!” Ace was complaining after a history lesson, glaring at his notes.
“Right??” Deuce agreed, then turned to Yuu. “Yuu, how are you even able to correctly answer the questions in class??”
Yuu shrugged. “Being in a wheelchair gave me a lot of free-time, and since I can’t investigate, I might as well study.” He didn’t tell them that the real reason for him to study history was to find clues about Leona’s story.
Since he had taken up that waiter job at Mostro Lounge, he couldn't dedicate a lot of time to research, but now that Jamil and Jade had taken the lead on his case, he could focus on it.
He still felt the need to go to Ignihyde and ask Idia and Ortho for answers, but he was physically unable to. He thought of simply calling them but it felt safer to ask them directly. He didn’t know what kind of magic was at play and if they could intercept his communication, but he’d rather not take any risks.
So in the meantime, he researched the history of the school. Of the Great Seven. Of anything that could point towards the right direction. He had memorised Leona’s story and kept repeating it like a mantra as he was scanning texts and texts for any relevant bits of information.
He had also noticed that his mental state was improving by the day despite his physical one worsening. Remembering from Leona’s story that the mysterious sorcerer’s influence within Ramshackle could have been the cause of his depression, he surmised that by being away from it, it had lessened considerably. He could sense that his mind was working in a much clearer way now that it was back in Heartslabyul.
This only further confirmed that he absolutely needed to investigate this sorcerer. He was linked to the burning of Ramshackle but also most likely to the uprising animosity of the student’s body towards him. If his magic was powerful enough to influence Ramshackle’s residents centuries after, then perhaps someone had used a similar magic to influence the students.
He wanted to share his research and theories with his close friends, but they were all busy trying to contain students from various dorms to come attack him. He didn’t want to burden them more with some intangible research. He just needed to speak to the Shroud siblings.
And it was with yet another book on his lap that Yuu followed Ace to the basketball court to meet up with Jamil and Floyd. Seeing his friends running and jumping made his legs ache, and he missed having freedom in his movements, but he could only endure it. His ribs were still hurting him and his entire body felt weak and drained from any energy. It was his third day of being bound to a wheelchair and Yuu could only yearn patiently for the day of his surgery.
As he was trying to focus on the content of his book - an origin story of Pomefiore -, he didn’t notice Ace approaching him and placing a freezing cold water bottle in his nape.
“ICK-” Yuu jumped in surprise, screeching out. “What the hell are you doing, Ace??” He frowned at his friend who had a mischievous grin on his face.
“You’re going to have the bad posture of Idia-senpai if you keep bending forward like that.” He told Yuu, crouching in front of him and taking a gulp of water before offering him the bottle.
Yuu sighed and fixed his posture, accepting the water from Ace and taking a small sip himself. They were still in winter and the weather was aching cold, but the fresh water still felt good…before Yuu suddenly remembered the sensation of water filling his lungs and he violently choked out on his drink.
Ace was on his feet in a second, patting Yuu’s back gently and helping him recover his breathing. “Damn, are you ok??” He asked, worry laced into his voice, and Yuu felt bad. However, he remembered their argument a few weeks ago about relying more on him, and he leaned a bit more in his touch, relishing from the warmth emanating from his hand on his back.
“cough Sorry...” Yuu still apologised out of habit. “It’s just…It’s stupid, but I had a…flash.” He glared at the bottle of water in his hand, as if all his misery came from it.
“Oh.” Ace said, understanding dawning on him. “You remembered when you were drowning…?”
Yuu nodded, thanking Ace’s quick wits that prevented him from elaborating. He knew that his friends wouldn’t belittle him for that, but he still felt small. How pathetic was it to be traumatised enough by water that he couldn’t even drink it normally? He didn’t want to, but he felt like a burden once again.
Suddenly, he felt a weight dropping on top of his head and warm, sweaty arms circling him from behind and holding him. Ace placed his chin on top of Yuu’s head and had enveloped him in a warm hug, despite the awkwardness of the wheelchair. “Wanna talk about it?” He asked in his usual nonchalant manner, but Yuu knew that he was really concerned about him.
Leaning back so he could feel more of Ace’s warmth, he said in a whisper, unloading days of fears. “Sometimes…I still feel like drowning…Like I’m weightless and that I can’t breathe… That I’m going for my death without being able to do anything… It’s scary.” He admitted, blinking tears that were threatening to fall. It was the first time he was voicing out what his drowning experience felt like, what were the consequences of it. “Every night, I can’t sleep for more than two hours before waking up to another nightmare… It’s exhausting, really.” He finally said in a sigh.
Ace kept silent, listening to his friend’s woe, before saying. “You’re alive, Yuu. That’s what matters.” His voice was steady. He uttered these sentences with an unwavering confidence that Yuu felt comforted by. Ace let go of Yuu and turned him towards him so he could speak eye-to-eye with him. “I’m not allowing you to leave me…to leave us all behind like that. We’ll continue to protect you for as long as you need, so don’t worry your little head, ok?” He knocked Yuu’s forehead lightly, making him chuckle and nod.
“I know.” He whispered with a smile, eyes glistening with emotions. Yes, he knew. He knew that he was treasured and cherished. That he was allowed to rely on his friends in his moments of weaknesses. That was the only thing that made him move forward.
Ace nodded with a warm grin. “Good. Also,” He added, bringing a hand to his chin. “I think there is a potion that can help for your nights. It’s called Dreamless Shade. You should ask Crewel for one!”
“Will do.” Despite studying magic and living in this land for a few months now, Yuu rarely thought of using magic to solve his issues…perhaps he should change that.
Few hours later, after speaking with Jamil about it and going with him to get a potion from Crewel, they were returning to Scarabia together. Yuu had expected the trip back to be mostly silent since Jamil was not a particularly loquacious person. So upon exiting Crewel’s office in the greenhouse, he let the Magic carpet control his chair and continued his reading, appreciating the cold breeze on his face, when to his surprise, Jamil spoke up.
“Yuu, don’t show any reaction but a group of students are following us.” He said in a calm whisper.
Yuu widened his eyes but remained still, not betraying any emotions while his heart started to pound in his chest. He simply nodded, eyes fixed on the dot of an i on his page while Jamil continued to speak. “We are still far from the main building. If they are here to attack us, they’ll do it before we reach the school and far enough from Crewel’s office…which should be soon enough.”
“What’s the plan, then?” Yuu asked in the same tone. They were alone together. Grim had gone to Scarabia on his own with Kalim, while Jade was waiting for them in the Mirror Chamber. Only a couple of hundred meters were separating them from the safety of the school.
“Can you send a message to Jade to come meet us outside the gates?” Jamil asked as he started to quicken his pace and prepare his Magic pen in his hand.
Yuu nodded, clutching his book harder and reaching for his phone. He quickly typed a message to Jade, letting a breath of relief at the immediate thumbs-up reply.
Jade was on his way.
If they could just reach the entrance…
A voice rose up from behind. “Wait!”
Yuu almost tumbled forward. It was only thanks to Jamil’s quick reflexes that he avoided a spectacular head-first crash. Turning around, he looked at the person who had just shouted…and who had also grasped violently the handle of his wheelchair, causing it to stop sharply and almost sending him to the ground.
From his uniform, it was a Savanaclaw student. Large, muscular, beastman. He was easily two heads taller than Jamil, and was joined by two other students in similar height and build.
Three tough boys against them.
They were towering Jamil who looked positively murderous.
The one who still had a hand on Yuu’s wheelchair smirked down at them. “What’s the rush, little pups?”
“Let go of the chair.” Jamil said coldly. Yuu recognised this look on his face. It was the same from before he overblotted…meaning, he was absolutely furious.
The Savanaclaw student snickered. “Make me, Viper.”
Jamil clicked his tongue in annoyance and glanced at the Magic carpet, still around the chair’s handle. The carpet twitched, as if answering Jamil’s silent command, and untied itself to rewrapped tightly around the student’s wrist, enough to make him let go in a cry of pain. “Argh! What the hell is this??” He could almost feel his bone breaking.
The Magic carpet let him go, went back to his original position and stirred Yuu’s chair away from his grasp. Yuu got back upon it and Jamil put himself in front of him, creating a barrier between Yuu and the three Savanaclaw students.
“What do you want?” He asked them, making sure from the corner of his eyes that Yuu was alright.
“Just a little conversation with the human.” The student on the left piped up. “No need to be so rude, Viper. It’s a friendly chat.”
Yuu frowned. He didn’t recognise any of these students. And judging from the hostile look on their eyes, this chat would be far from friendly. “Whatever you have to tell me, you can say it from where you stand. Don’t take a step forward.” Yuu said calmly. He needed to stall enough for Jade to come.
“Or what?” The third Savanaclaw asked mockingly. “You’ll go cry to Leona-san?”
The three students laughed out loud at that comment and each took a step forward. “See. We took that step, what are you gonna do about it?”
Yuu didn’t have the time to answer that Jamil pointed his Magic pen at them and said. “Back off or I will make you. You are dealing with the wrong person here.” Flashy sparkles flew from his Magic pen and landed in a loud thud just in front of the three students, making them take a step back in reflex. A pang of fright passed over their eyes as they considered how deranged Jamil was looking and sounding at the moment.
“Just because you have the Al-Asim back-up doesn’t mean you can attack us for no reason, Viper!” One of them spat out in anger. “A mere servant needs to learn his place!”
Oh no. Yuu thought, feeling the air growing cold around them. That was definitely the wrong thing to say to Jamil. He tried reaching for his arm before he committed murder, but luckily enough, Jamil had enough sense to not barge at them immediately. Instead, he took a breath and his eyes glowed red.
“The one you see reflected in your eyes is your master. Answer when I ask. Bow when I command. Snake Whisper.”
The eyes of the three other students started to glow red as well and less than a second later, they started to fight each other, throwing punches and kicks. Yuu gasped at that scene and before he got the time to even react, he felt his wheelchair spinning around and quickly rolling towards the school, pushed by the Magic carpet, Jamil in tow with his phone in hand, tapping furiously.
“Contacting Leona-senpai so he can get his stupid underlings.” He explained to Yuu.
Yuu nodded. He felt a bit disappointed that he couldn’t have learned more about their intentions and why they accosted him. But Jamil’s instincts were correct. They couldn’t have won in a fair fight, and they were crossing some lines, which made Jamil’s use of his Unique Magic justified.
Less than a minute later, they reached the school gates where Jade had also just arrived. His shoulders sagged in relief at the sight of Yuu and Jamil unharmed, and Jamil explained their earlier encounter.
“Jade,” He said at the end of his story. “They are around 200 meters down there. My magic will not release them for another 10 minutes and Leona-san is on his way there. Fortunately, he was napping in the greenhouse so he should reach them soon. You know that we can’t let go of this opportunity.” He said with a tone full of unspoken words. Jade narrowed his eyes in understanding and nodded.
“Of course. I will go there immediately. I trust that you will be fine escorting Yuu-san to the dorm?”
“No worries.” Then Jade went down the road they had just come from, leaving Jamil and Yuu making their way to the Mirror Chamber.
Despite Jamil and Jade speaking in undertones, Yuu understood what they were referring to. Jamil had asked Jade to go interrogate these three students using his Unique Magic. It seemed that their initial strategy to dig out the Scarabian students involved in the anti-Yuu faction was slow to bear fruits, so indeed, this opportunity wasn’t one to let go. Yuu internally commended how quick Jamil’s thinking was and how well he managed critical situations.
They finally reached Scarabia and Jamil took Yuu back to Kalim’s room where he and Grim were waiting for them. As soon as the door opened, Yuu received a light blow to his ribs. Grim had just bolted onto him, forgetting about his injuries and was examining him.
“Ow! Grim!” Yuu almost cried in pain, sharp jolts coursing his body.
“Ah! Sorry Henchman!” Grim leaped out of his lap. “It seems that you are in one piece.” He said with a nod, going back to eat the tuna he left.
Yuu sighed. He knew that Grim had been worried and that this was only his way to express it. He made his way over and patted him on the head, enjoying the slight happy twitch of his ears.
Jamil and Kalim were in a rushed conversation, Jamil updating Kalim on their latest encounter before starting to leave. “I’m going to check on the dorm and start dinner. Jade is still at school, I don’t think he’ll be back any sooner. Do you think you can manage to look after Yuu for a couple of hours?”
Kalim nodded vigorously. “Of course, leave it to me! I’m still a dorm leader!” Jamil looked unimpressed but nodded nonetheless. “Call me if anything happens.”
Nothing happened, fortunately. Yuu and Kalim spent the evening chatting, sharing stories. Grim slept.
Meanwhile, Jade and Jamil worked hard.
Later in the evening
“Good evening, Jamil-san.”
“Jade. How did it go?”
“...”
“That bad, huh?”
“Yes. They did not reveal anything conclusive.”
“Do you know why they accosted Yuu though?”
“It seems that the student who lost control of the Magift disc that almost hit Yuu-san was a…very close friend to one of them. Leona-san banned him from the team and his friends wanted to get revenge on Yuu-san because of it. I believe they acted out of their own will.”
“Hmm… Do you think we are being misled?”
“No. I rather think they are lying low. My hypothesis is that it is the young man from the Magift club who is most likely to have direct ties with that presumed organisation. He might have influenced his friends by complaining about Yuu-san to them.”
“Yes, it makes sense. How about going to Savanaclaw and interrogating him directly?”
“Leona-san already agreed to let me go there tomorrow. But our priority is Scarabia where Yuu-san currently resides, Jamil-san.”
“...I know. I don’t think we can afford to play nice anymore. The day after tomorrow, when Yuu will have his surgery, we should land a heavy blow on the dorm.”
“Great minds think alike, Jamil-san.”
Notes:
Hullo! Welcome to the Scarabia arc! It's a long one that will be divided in three parts, so stay tuned for the second one coming up in a few days!
Hope you enjoyed, please leave a kudos/comment and see you soon!
Chapter Text
The next day went by…relatively calmly. It unsettled Yuu who was on his guard for the entire day, expecting some sort of ambush, especially now that the entire school was aware of his disability.
But nothing. He went to school like normal, attended his classes with his friends, ate lunch, and went to basketball practice. The only moment Yuu almost feared for his life was when Ace and Floyd thought it funny to make him roll from one end of the basketball court to the other as if he was a practice ball.
After being lectured by Jamil and almost throwing up the delicious snack he had made for them, Yuu had returned to Scarabia, worked on his assignments and his secret research before gulping down the Dreamless Shade and sleeping soundly, the more sound sleep he had gotten since a few weeks now.
The potion had worked wonders, enabling him to doze off and have the complete restful sleep he needed. He felt his body numbing and his mind starting to be drowsy as he was drifting off to slumber.
He didn’t have any of his previous dreams plaguing him which made him ready for the day of his surgery.
Early that morning, Jade had accompanied him to the medical room and had left him into the capable hands of the school doctor after being reassured that Yuu would be safe and that no attacks would befall him.
The doctor explained to Yuu that it was not going to be a long procedure, but he needed to stay 24 hours with him so that he could monitor him. He would be under the effect of anesthesia for most of the time so he wouldn’t feel anything.
Yuu nodded, feeling relieved that he would have one day of safety before getting back to his hellish life.
He hoped that it would also allow the rest of his friends to have a day of rest without the pressure of his presence. He would be gone from Scarabia in two days, so he figured that if anyone within the dorm wanted to attack him, they would do it during this time. Knowing Jamil, Yuu knew that he would have some plan in mind to prevent that from happening.
Yuu smiled inwardly as he let the effect of anesthesia overwhelm him. He remembered Jamil’s promise of taking care of him and not letting a single thing happen to him and surmised that he was getting close to completely fulfilling this promise. It had been the most restful and least eventful week Yuu had spent, and it was all thanks to Jamil, Kalim and Jade’s efforts.
***
After dropping Yuu off to the medical room, Jade immediately came back to Scarabia and met with Jamil who was waiting for him in his room. They had agreed to act and sweep away every rat with hostile intentions towards Yuu, also hoping to uncover clues towards the organisation uniting them all.
Fortunately, their efforts from the previous days have bore fruits. Indeed, Jade’s strategy of complaining about Yuu and surmising who shared similar views paid off. Just the night before, several students from all year groups have individually or in group approached the Octavinelle student to vent about Yuu.
“He’s such a nuisance.”
“Viper-senpai neglected us completely ever since it was decided he would come.”
“I wish he would go away already.”
Jade had listened calmly, nodded at them and offered words of sympathy before giving them ideas of staging a fake coup. He had encouraged the students who came to him to unite together and protest against Jamil and Yuu, telling them that doing it before Yuu leave would inflict serious damage to his morale as he wouldn’t be able to fix anything. The students had all agreed eagerly and started to organise themselves, leaving Jade as a spectator to their downfall.
“And so, they are going to make their voices heard to you this evening.” Jade confided to Jamil who brought a hand to his chin, deep in thoughts.
“How many are they?” Jamil asked, eyes calculating.
“Twenty. A good fifth of the dorm.”
Jamil nodded. Twenty students to deal with was a pain, but still a reasonable number. “Were you able to tell which of them were simply influenced by their friends and peers and which ones seemed to be influenced by that organisation?” This was an important question. The entire point of staging this coup was to assemble all the hostile students in one group and then interrogate them one by one. If they could narrow down this number, it would help them save their magic.
Jade shook his head. “Unfortunately, all of their words sounded the same when they individually came to speak to me.”
Jamil sighed. “Well then, we are going to have a long day.” Before remembering something else. “By the way, you didn’t tell me. How was the interrogation of that Savanaclaw student who launched the disc?”
Jade’s eyes grew somber and he looked downwards. “...he knocked himself out before I could do anything.”
“What?” Jamil widened his eyes. The entire success of their strategy rested upon Jade’s Magic. If he couldn’t extract information, that would make their plan more difficult.
“When Leona-san made me enter his room, he was shackled to his bedpost. I started to chant my magic but that’s when he banged his head to his bed frame and knocked himself unconscious. Leona-san and I were quite shocked.”
“He…knew? Did he know about your magic?”
“No. It was a first-year that I had never met before. He couldn’t have known what I was going to do.” Jade furrowed his brows.
“Then what? He knocked himself out just in case? Who does that?” Jamil stood up and paced around, a worried look in his eyes.
Jade didn’t answer him, for he didn’t have one. But he shared Jamil’s worry. Whatever force was behind those students who actively attempted to take Yuu’s life, it made their resolve in their cause stronger than expected.
“We need to be ready for tonight, Jade. They are more dangerous than what we thought.”
***
Jamil was definitely glad that Jade was working with him on this plan. It was crazy but perfectly calculated.
He had already made sure that Kalim and Grim were securely staying in Kalim’s room, sleeping soundly thanks to some draught he infused in their tea. Jamil felt bad for drugging them, however he needed to ensure that they wouldn’t get caught up in whatever would happen this evening. He also enlisted Floyd’s help in staying with them and making sure that no one would approach them.
Then, he acted as he normally did. Doing his rounds, cooking dinner, studying. He made sure that his behaviour didn’t transpire anything odd that would make the students reluctant to come to him, and he waited…until one student came to him.
It was a first-year, shorter than him, and shaking like a leaf. They must have sent him to lower my guards. Jamil thought. However, thanks to Jade’s intel, he knew that this first-year was not as innocuous as he looked to be. He was part of these twenty students and for all he knew, he could even be part of the organisation.
“Hum…Jamil-senpai.” The first-year started, flinching when Jamil looked at him with his usual cold eyes.
“Yes? Do you need anything?” Jamil asked, lacing annoyance in his voice. In normal circumstances, he would have actually been annoyed if someone had come to bother him while he was studying. But here, everything was an act. He had actually impatiently waited for this student to come.
“Hum…I was wondering if you were free to help me with my potions homework…”
“...” Really?? Potions’s homework?? Find a more gullible lie, please I beg you! Jamil sighed internally his disappointment at this lack of effort. “Find someone else, I’m busy.” But he nonetheless kept his acting up. He wouldn’t accept such a request easily, they needed to push him to do so.
The student shrinked at Jamil’s refusal and stammered. “B-but- I heard that you are the best potionneer in the dorm! Please…” It was almost pathetic how pitiful this request was.
Jamil pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled. They really had to send their worst first-year. What? They thought that some whimpering would make me give up? He was quite disappointed by this performance but eventually nodded, deciding to change his approach. I need to get this over with. If I’m too much on my guards, they will as well. They need to have the impression that they have the advantage.
“Alright but quick.” He stood up and followed the student who beamed at him. “What are you making?”
“Hum…An antidote for poisonous mushrooms…” The first-year answered shyly.
“C’mon, that’s baby-level!” Jamil admonished him, making sure that he wasn’t showing that he noticed how he was led further away from the first-year rooms and more into the basement of Scarabia.
This is so amateurish. Jamil thought with dejection as he went down the stairs and entered a vast room where twenty persons were waiting for him. The nineteen others and…Jade.
Jamil saw Jade leaning on the wall on his right, wearing his usual smirk as if he was gloating in capturing the Scarabia vice-dorm leader to this space.
Jamil looked around the room. All the names Jade gave him were present. Some first-years, some second-years and many third-years were glaring at him in anger.
He frowned, looking at them and at the first-year who led him there. “What’s going on? What are you all doing here?”
The first-year swiftly scampered away from him to join his friends while one of the third-years in the middle of the room stepped forward. “We are here to complain to you, Viper.”
“Oh?” Jamil raised up an eyebrow. “And what about?” He slipped a hand in his sleeve where his Magic pen was resting.
“You treated us like shit ever since it was decided that this magicless guy would come live here!”
“Yeah!” Another one piped up. “We want him out of the dorm!”
“He shouldn’t even be in this school!”
“I hate this guy!”
Jamil stood calmly, letting his dorm mates vent off their grievances. From what he could see, there was no real substance or logic behind their arguments. They were just freely unloading amounts of hostile and harsh comments against Yuu, some of them making him ball his fist as they were completely irrelevant, but he kept calm.
Eventually he sighed and asked coldly. “Are you done?” Before raising his Magic pen quickly and chanting a spell that enveloped the entire room.
It was a petrification spell. He had learned how to wield these quickly in case of an attack against Kalim and he was glad that his mastery of it was enough to immobilise twenty people. None of the students here were proficient enough to counter this spell and so Jamil could finally exhale, while Jade came to his side, clapping in false awe.
“Very impressive, Jamil-san.”
“Save it. We need to move quickly before the effects wear off.” Jamil approached the third-year student who spoke first and whose eyes were darting in panic and fury, glancing at Jade in betrayal. “Don’t worry. Cooperate with us and you’ll be fine. The one you see reflected in your eyes is your master. Answer when I ask. Bow when I command. Snake Whisper . ” Both of their eyes glowed red and Jamil gave two instructions. “Follow Jade outside the room. Do not resist.”
“Yes, Master.” The third-year answered and moved towards Jade who led him next door where he could interrogate him at length.
Their plan was relatively simple but efficient. Jamil would paralyze them and hypnotise them one at a time to follow Jade so that he could use his Unique Magic on them and get the information they needed. Once he was done, he would give them one last order to forget all about tonight and to not, under any circumstances, attack Yuu in whatsoever manner.
Twenty students was the limit for both Jamil and Jade to not cross or they would be at risk of overblotting. Fortunately, they had a large reserve of mana as well as chirurgical precision in its use. Which was why Jamil was glad that he had Jade to cooperate with him on this plan.
***
It was almost midnight when Jamil released the last student and he collapsed head first on the floor.
He was exhausted and mentally strained. The amount of focus and precision he needed to be able to maintain both his petrification spell as well as his Unique Magic was enormous.
But it was all worth it when Jade came to him, sweating profusely as well due to the repeated use of his magic, with significant information.
They got what they needed. The proof that an organisation was indeed behind the attacks.
“I need…to call the other dorm leaders. We need to let them know.” Jamil tried to get up, but exhaustion pierced his limbs and he staggered again.
“Jamil-san, you need to rest.” Jade was barely in better shape, but he was at least able to hold his own. “Let’s wait for Yuu-san to come back from his surgery. I believe he should also be present at that meeting.”
Jamil nodded reluctantly. Jade was speaking the truth. Despite how urgent this information needed to be conveyed, it could wait for Yuu's return.
With great difficulty, Jade and Jamil managed to get back to their room and immediately fell asleep next to Kalim, Grim and Floyd.
Notes:
hullo! here is the second part of the Scarabia arc, one more is left before we move on to Pomefiore! A relatively short chapter, but the next one will be longer and REALLY important, so stay tuned! I'm hoping to upload it this weekend. Sorry for the delay about this one btw, I was in the middle of returning from holidays and had to face the harsh reality of ~responsibilities~ so it took me a while to have the time to sit and upload.
As usual, please leave a kudos/comment and see you soon!
Chapter 10: At Scarabia (Part 3)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Yuu had never been so happy to finally be able to run…away from the medical room.
The surgery itself was indeed a quick procedure of two hours and Yuu was asleep for its entirety, which was the best part out of these twenty-four hours that consisted of pain, agony and misery.
When he woke up from his surgery, anesthesia wearing off, Yuu immediately felt a change. His ribs were…hurting him more than before. He woke up in a painful scream and the doctor immediately applied a painkilling charm on his abdomen which relieved him for a moment.
“The pain is normal. We had to accelerate the restructuring system of your bones and your body needs to readapt itself around it, which can last for two hours to twenty.”
“Twenty?? I can be in pain for twenty hours??” Yuu asked panickedly. Perhaps staying in a wheelchair would have been a better idea…
“At the worst, yes. Here are some painkillers, but I strongly advise against taking them regularly. Every four hours at least. You’ll be discharged when you won’t feel any more pain for the duration of five hours straight.”
Yuu nodded in a whimper. The painkilling spell was wearing off and he could feel his abdomen contracting itself as if he had some terrible cramps.
“Endure it for an hour, then take the first painkiller.”
An hour?? Yuu cursed the Octavinelle and Scarabia students who put him in this predicament.
When I’ll properly catch these two, I swear they’ll feel my pain.
Yuu expected the doctor to leave him to his agony but to his surprise, he took a seat next to his bed and took his Magic pen out. A magical screen filled with diagrams and data suddenly flashed in front of him and he stared intently at them, not paying attention to Yuu who looked at him curiously.
“Hum? Doctor?? Will you be staying with me the entire time?”
The doctor shook his head, not lifting his head up from the screen he conjured. “No. I need to analyse something from you and talk to you about it.” He paused, hesitating, before meeting Yuu’s eyes. “And I’d rather you have a clear mind to hear it.”
Yuu frowned in confusion, but nodded nonetheless, the pain in his abdomen preventing him from thinking too long about the doctor’s ominous words.
After an hour of pure raw pain, Yuu was finally allowed to ingest his first painkiller which soothed him almost immediately. Exhaling a sigh of relief, he ate some food that the doctor had brought him and looked at him, waiting.
During the entire time, he had been engrossed in his diagrams, making various notes and cursing profusely under his breath, making Yuu quite worried about what he was about to tell him.
“Alright.” He grabbed a fistful of notes he just produced and looked over them as he addressed Yuu. “Do you know the main difference between your body and the body of every other student in this school?” He asked out of the blue.
“They have magic and I don’t.” Yuu answered the most natural response, not seeing where the doctor was getting at.
“In a very large sense, yes. More specifically, it is the presence of magical circuits. You see, people in this land have all the potential to produce magic because all of our bodies have, what we call, magical circuits. Like veins transporting blood cells, these circuits transport magic throughout our body. However, whereas veins are necessary for our body, these circuits are not. Which is why they are either dormant or active depending on the person. Not everyone can use magic, but everyone has these circuits that could enable them to do so. Are you with me so far?” The doctor asked, making sure that Yuu understood his explanations.
Yuu nodded wordlessly. He had already learnt all that in his Magic Analysis and Biology classes, but was still confused as to what point the doctor was trying to make.
The doctor continued. “Good. In your case, you did not possess these circuits when I did your health test a few months ago.” The doctor said in a serious tone. “But you do now .” He emphasised these last words, making sure that Yuu understood the weight of them.
“What?” Yuu gasped, slowly connecting the dots. “Are you saying I have magic now??”
“No. I’m saying you have magical circuits which are still dormant. You might never activate them, or you might do. The reality is that magic is now a potential that you have.”
These words had the effect of a truck hitting Yuu full-body.
Magic?
MAGIC???
A lot of insane things have happened recently, but this took the cherry. “How?” He asked the doctor. “How is that even possible?”
The doctor sighed. “It’s the first time that I’m seeing such an occurrence. Magical circuits are like organs, they cannot just appear out of nowhere in a body. But magic is also mysterious and often unforeseeable. My theory is that…the overblot cases are the cause.” Yuu widened his eyes, letting the doctor continue his explanation. “Blot is a mysterious substance that is still being studied, however we know that they are a residual of magic; and you have been in close contact with seven overblots of powerful mages. Because of this exposure, magic has perhaps infiltrated your system and has materialised itself in the shape of circuits.”
Yuu didn’t know what to say. He was speechless by the amount of information thrown his way and needed time to process it. What the doctor said made sense…but Yuu also had additional information, namely the presence of ancient magic that resided within the walls of Ramshackle and influenced his mind for a while.
He wondered if the combination of blots accumulation and ancient magic influence created these circuits within him. But nonetheless, as exciting a news it was, he decided that it would be wise to not disclose it to anyone yet. If these circuits continued to be dormant, then they wouldn’t be of any use to him. And if by any chance, they activated themselves out of nowhere, then the doctor’s explanation would perfectly suffice.
“Doctor…could I ask you to not reveal this to anyone, please?” Yuu asked, his shoulders sagging in relief as he saw the doctor nodding immediately.
“Of course my child. Not even Crowley will hear a breath of it, patient confidentiality. Now,” He stood up and prepared to leave. “Rest up. I will come back to check on you later.”
And so started fifteen long hours of pain for Yuu who endured it to his best. He felt however the pain declining until it only became an uncomfortable nudge in his stomach.
Around eight o’clock in the evening, Yuu wanted to leave and go back to Scarabia but the doctor was strict. Absolutely no pain for five hours straight.
Sighing, Yuu had to eventually spend the night there and got discharged early the next morning. As he wondered if he should call Jamil or Jade to let them know or if he should just go back by himself, the curtain opened and Divus Crewel made a flamboyant appearance in the medical office.
“Ah, little pup. I heard you were discharged. I’ll accompany you to Scarabia, don’t disturb the little snake.” He said mysteriously, leading Yuu through the empty corridors of the school and towards the Mirror Chamber.
Yuu felt surprised at the presence of his teacher but nonetheless followed him. He didn’t question his presence, he figured that the doctor might have called for him. After a few stretches of uncomfortable silence, he took the opportunity to ask. “Sensei…can I ask an indelicate question?”
“Ask away, little pup.” Crewel answered with his usual elegance.
“I’m sure you know, the school knows what has happened to me recently…it’s basically an extreme case of bullying and I almost died. So why are my friends shouldering the burden of protecting me?” He asked the question that had been burning his lips ever since the first few attacks started to be more serious.
Why had the school done nothing yet?
Why had the teachers turned a blind eye?
Have I been abandoned by them?
Am I not worth protecting since I am magicless?
Crewel immediately stopped and turned towards Yuu, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it slightly. “Listen carefully, little pup. What I’m about to tell you is the collective sentiment of the school’s staff… You are as dear to us as any other student in this school is and it is our duty as an educator to be there for you kids… But the director has limited our involvement in this specific case, claiming that the dorm leaders are in charge of safeguarding the school’s safety and hence it shall be their responsibility to deal with it. We are bound by a contract to obey his instructions which makes it difficult to intervene.” Frustration was laced in his voice, making Yuu sense his genuine displeasure at being useless. “I’m sorry little pup…”
Yuu shook his head with a small smile. “It’s alright. It’s enough for me to know that I’m supported. We’ll figure it out!”
Crewel chuckled. “I’m sure you will. You pups have shown much more resourcefulness than any other generations I had taught.” And that was compliment enough from their strict teacher to make Yuu feel a well of pride in his chest. Yes, they would all overcome this together.
They have arrived together in front of Scarabia’s mirror and Yuu thanked Crewel for accompanying him there before bidding him goodbye and leaping onto the mirror to join his friends.
Yuu found the dorm to be completely silent, which was not unusual given the early hour. The sun was starting to rise in the horizon, giving the sky a lovely orange hue. He crossed the empty corridors and reached Kalim’s bedroom door that he opened quietly.
Peering inside, three things surprised him.
First, he saw that his bed was occupied by one Floyd Leech, and even though he didn’t expect him to be there, he didn’t question his presence.
Second, Jamil and Jade were sleeping, in full dorm clothes, and were the loudests snores in the room. It was especially concerning to see Jamil being completely out, knowing that the man was always on his guard and was one of the lightest sleepers in the entire school. What did he do yesterday… Yuu mused, worried.
And finally, one person was not asleep and, seemingly waiting for him, was staring at him in the eyes with an unusual stillness.
Yuu paused, stared back for a few seconds and smiled softly. “Hey Grim.” He whispered, watching the eyes of his little partner lighting up as he hopped down the bed and trotted to reach him.
Yuu let him cross the threshold of the room before slowly closing the door behind him to let his friends rest a bit longer. He crouched down in the corridor and let Grim climb on his lap. Circling him in his arms and burying his face in his fur, he sighed at the comfort that his friend provided him.
“How did it go?” Grim asked, in a rare softness. Yuu contemplated how Grim had been curiously affectionate towards him these last days, contradicting how he used to brag and flaunt his superiority.
“Fine. I’m healthy and in shape…” Yuu answered automatically, his tone void of emotion.
Grim’s ears twitched at this. “But…?” He asked, picking up the hesitancy in Yuu’s voice.
Yuu sighed. He still hadn’t processed what the doctor revealed to him, and figured that it would be best to keep it for himself, but also…he felt the need to share it with someone. “The doctor told me something… I…have magical circuits in my body.” He revealed, gulping down in apprehension of Grim’s reaction.
“Eh? You have magic??” Grim couldn’t contain his surprise and expressed it in a loud voice.
“Shhhh!” Yuu shushed him, fearing that someone could hear them. “I don’t. But it’s possible that I will…one day.”
“Huuuh…” Grim let out an amazed noise. “That’s cool, Henchman! We’ll be able to practice together and you’ll help me during the exams!” He said animatedly.
Yuu chuckled and nodded. “Yeah.” Leave it to Grim to cheer him up with his innocent enthusiasm.
“And…” Grim’s tone quieted down as he paused, hesitating to continue. He raised his eyes to meet Yuu’s and said shyly. “If you have magic…you won’t leave us.”
Yuu widened his eyes. It had been a while since he thought of going back to his homeland…or just simply about his family and old friends. He had lost hope in Crowley’s false promises, and he remembered how Ramshackle burning down had felt like losing another home.
I was already considering Twisted Wonderland as my land…and Ramshackle my home. If I have magic, will I be even more accepted… Yuu thought, remembering all the attacks and insults he had received linked to his origins.
Perhaps…my place is here…with my friends, with Grim…
Yuu didn’t say anything and simply continued to hold Grim as they appreciated a serene morning together.
***
“What?” Yuu’s mouth was wide-opened in disbelief, dropping the spoon that held his breakfast porridge.
Kalim, Jamil and the Leech twins eventually woke up an hour later and Jamil immediately summoned some already-made breakfast to their room, not bothering with cooking or doing anything tenuous.
Yuu and Grim had joined them for breakfast, and Yuu shared the details of his surgery day, omitting the big reveal about his newly found circuits. He had made sure that Grim would also keep the secret, and so he nonchalantly asked back to the rest of his friends how their day went. He didn’t miss the look between Jamil and Jade as Kalim and Floyd made conversation with him.
Eventually, Jamil spoke up and revealed what Jade and him had been up to the night prior.
Yuu couldn’t believe it. While he was agonising in pain on his medical bed, Jamil and Jade had concocted an intricate strategy that entrapped every Scarabia students susceptible to be part of the anti-Yuu faction and they have relentlessly interrogated them for most of the night to glean important information.
“You used your Unique Magic for the entire night??” Yuu had known first-hand the effects of that. His friends had risked overblotting for his sake.
“We wouldn’t have overblotted.” Jamil reassured him, knowing what was on his mind. “Jade and I have careful control of our Magic, it just exhausted us.” Yuu sighed in relief, he would have never forgiven them, and himself, if he had to deal with another overblotting case. That would have been too much.
“So?? What did you learn then??” Kalim asked, curious.
“I asked for a dorm leader meeting tonight. We’ll discuss the details there…But basically…” Jamil started, sharing a glance with Jade who finished his sentence.
“Our suspicions were right. There is a large network of students who want to attempt Yuu-san's life.”
***
It had been a while since Yuu saw all the dorm leaders gathered together. Ever since the night of Ramshackle’s burning actually. Riddle came straight to him, scanning his body to check his health and squeezed his shoulder in reassurance.
“I’m glad to see you in good shape, Yuu.” He said warmly. Yuu nodded at him, with a smile. A lot had happened, but yes, he was back with a restored body and a will to survive and to put an end to this entire affair.
Leona didn’t speak to him, but Yuu caught him also examining him from afar. Azul was also smiling and polite and expressed his sincere happiness at seeing Yuu on his two legs, but Yuu could see a light of remorse behind his glasses. He wished he could reassure the merman that he shouldn’t feel any guilt, but that was something that Azul needed to accept himself. Idia didn’t come in person, as usual, but his floating tablet was present, in a corner of the room. And both Vil and Malleus came to check on him.
“Child of Man, I heard what happened. If I could, I would burn down any students causing you harm.” Fire ignited the fae's eyes.
“Stop that Malleus.” Vil chided him with a sigh. “Nonetheless, I share the sentiment. It is truly unforgivable what happened to you, and I will personally make sure that my dorm does not disgrace itself by acting in such a shameless way.”
“Thank you, both of you. I hope I won’t cause you much problems…”
“You are not the problem, little potato. So don’t worry your little head. It seems that your stay at Scarabia has been mostly uneventful.” Vil said, glancing at Jamil who was standing beside Kalim.
Everyone in the room was waiting for Jamil to speak up, as he summoned this meeting.
“Well, now that everyone is here, we can start.” Jamil said, before reexplaining the strategy Jade and him used to trap Scarabia. “We learned some tangible information after interrogating them. Firstly, as we gathered, there is an organised movement behind the attacks on Yuu. It’s a large network comprising students from all year groups and all dorms. Their main goal is…from my understanding, to make Yuu’s life hell.”
“What do you mean ‘from your understanding’?” Leona asked.
“One thing that stood out when we asked them their motivations was that their answers were not matching. Some wanted to expel Yuu from the school. Some wanted to kill him, others wanted to just scare him. There were various degrees of attack towards Yuu, but their ending goal was unclear. All that was sure is that Yuu is at the center of their actions. Also, none of them had information about Ramshackle burning.”
“Do you know how many students there are in this network?” Azul asked.
“No. Because it keeps growing. Members recruit and influence others to harass Yuu by sharing similar beliefs.”
“What beliefs?” Yuu was truly disturbed that so many students were uniting against him. What on earth had he done to them?
“Again, unclear. Some think that you are unworthy because you don’t have magic. Others because you are close to dorm leaders. And others because you were involved in every main incident in the last year.”
“That’s quite a lot of discrepancies…” Riddle mused out loud.
Jamil nodded. “Yes, it’s quite odd given that they should be speaking from their heart. If this is truly an organised anti-Yuu faction, how come their goal is fuzzy, even for them?”
“How did it even originate then?” Kalim asked.
“They were all influenced by others. Some from Pomefiore, others from Savanaclaw. The links are intricate.”
“We are missing something crucial.” Vil said. “An actual management. A chain of command. If it’s truly an organisation, there should be some sort of hierarchy. Did you ask about that, Jamil?”
“We did. But again, their system seems messy. None of the students we interrogated were high enough to give us concrete information. However, they did tell us that there were regular in-dorm meet-ups, and one third-year student told us that he also met up regularly with students from other dorms who were giving him updates and directives.”
“Then, we need to find who is at the top.” Malleus spoke for the first time since the meeting started. “And eradicate the network entirely.”
“That’s easier said than done…” Azul sighed. “Especially if there are no common links, except a shared antagonism against Yuu-san.”
“Leave it to me and Rook.” Vil said. “We’ll expose them when the potato will stay with us.”
“You already have a plan?” Riddle asked.
“Of course. We will beat their sloppiness with a methodical approach. You have my word that by next week, it will be dismantled.” Vil assured them, a determined look on his face.
Yuu felt reassured to move to Pomefiore soon. Jamil had taken care of everything for him during his stay there and he felt that Vil would be even more reliable in that regard.
“Very well. But do ask us if you need any assistance. I’m sure some of us would like to unwind some tensions on these idiots.” Riddle said with a somber look, surely thinking about how many necks he would collared.
Vil nodded. “Appreciated. Now the only thing worrying me is…”
“The ambiguity.” Leona finished for him, his eyes staring at the ceiling in deep thought. “Seeing how precise their actions were, you would think that these guys knew what they were doing.”
“Wait.” Yuu interrupted them. “What if something was influencing them?” He glanced at Riddle and Leona and saw understanding dawning behind their eyes.
Yuu explained in a few sentences his mental strains back in Heartslabyul and how unlike him they were. Then he said, “We’ve had suspicions that old magic was behind Ramshackle’s incident and also my depressive thoughts. What if similar magic influences the students’ minds? What if it was digging up some negative thoughts they had against me and reinforced them to the point of being their entire personality?”
“Old magic influencing the mind used to exist.” Malleus said, pondering. “I will research that with Lilia.”
“It’s definitely a possibility that whoever is at the head of this network is also responsible for Ramshackle burning.” Vil stated. “If they are using some sorts of forbidden arts, it is all the more vital that we put an end to this.”
Everyone agreed. They have let this organisation roam freely for far too long now.
It was time to finish them.
***
Yuu was packing up. It was his final morning at Scarabia and he needed to head for Pomefiore.
The rest of his stay, following the dorm leaders’ meeting, was pretty calm and uneventful. Jamil had charmed everyone in the dorm to not attack him or even approach him, and so Yuu had more freedom to roam the corridors of Scarabia in perfect safety. Jade had returned back to Octavinelle and Jamil had also returned to his own room. Yuu had stayed with Kalim for a couple more nights, relishing in the brightness of his soul that was able to extinguish all his worries.
And eventually, he woke up to his final morning there. He thanked Kalim and Jamil, especially Jamil, for all their help and support.
“Honestly, you did too much.” He chided his friend gently.
Jamil swayed his hand. “Don’t worry. I did promise that you wouldn’t need to worry about a single thing.”
Yuu chuckled. “Right. I’ll miss staying here and being so pampered though.”
“You are welcome to come any time, you know that!” Kalim chimed and Yuu nodded, grateful.
He took his bag, and accompanied by Grim, he said his last goodbyes before crossing the threshold of the dorm, on his way towards the Mirror Chamber.
However, a Scarabia student suddenly came towards him. Despite knowing of Jamil’s effective charm, Yuu felt a dread settling within him. What does he want?
The student didn’t say much. He took a letter out from his breast pocket and handed it to him. “Here, I was told to give it to you on your last day.” Before running away inside the dorm.
Yuu exhaled softly and examined the envelope in his hands.
It looked perfectly innocuous, but Yuu was careful. He took the letter out slowly and glanced at its content, before gasping.
In big red letters were written the words:
“ COME FIND ME ”
.
.
.
In the corner of a corridor in Scarabia dorm…
“These damn Viper and Leech… If it weren’t for them, our plans would have succeeded.”
“We need to let Pomefiore know. They can’t make the same mistake as us…”
“We will get rid of this human.”
Notes:
Hullo! We are done with the Scarabia arc! AND I CAN FINALLY SCREAM ABOUT MY FAV HEADCANON
YUU HAVING MAGIC.Now, there are stuff to develop and analyse, but the concept of Yuu learning to wield magic has been weighing on my mind for a LONG time, so yeah, look forward to that new development! As well as the identity of the mysterious leader~ Drop your theories pls, I'm curious to know what you're thinking!
As usual, please leave kudos/comments and stay tuned for Pomefiore arc starting in a few days!
Chapter 11: At Pomefiore (Part 1)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It was filled with dread and worry that Yuu crossed the mirror for Pomefiore and glanced at the beautiful castle standing mighty underneath the glaring sun.
He felt the letter in his pocket weighing him down as he walked up the paved road towards the entrance of the dorm where he saw a familiar figure waiting for him.
Upon seeing him, Yuu smiled. “Hey Epel. Been a while!” He greeted his fellow first-year who grinned back at him.
“Yep! It’s finally our turn to have you!” Epel said with pride as if he received a first prize.
Yuu chuckled and followed him inside. Epel led him through the entrance and immediately towards the large ballroom where, to Yuu’s surprise, a large number of Pomefiore students were gathered.
Vil and Rook were also present, facing the crowd with a stern look. In front of Vil was a large cauldron where a mysterious potion was stirring and bubbling. A potion that all the students present were eyeing warily.
Upon seeing Epel, Yuu and Grim enter the room, Vil and Rook lightened up slightly and beckoned them to join them. Once they did, Vil addressed the crowd.
“I’ve gathered you all here for a specific reason. As you know, this week, we will be hosting the two members of Ramshackle Dorm.” He designated Yuu and Grim with a gracious sway of his hand. “And we have had evidence that certain students are after the Prefect. He has already been attacked several times during these last weeks and I will not tolerate any Pomefiore students to be involved in such shameless acts.” He marked a pause, glaring at every single person present to make sure they understood his point. “Therefore, I will be putting a light curse on all of you. It has been approved by the teachers and the doctor and it will not bring you any harm, unless you break its conditions.”
Everyone in the room gasped and one student asked. “What conditions?”
“Quite simple. Do not bring any direct harm to Yuu and Grim. Whether it is physical, mental or moral harm. Keep clear of him and you will be fine. Break the conditions, and you will be stripped of your magic forever and expelled from the school.”
The students started to protest, claiming how unjust this rule was, but Vil ignored all their protests and got behind his cauldron, swaying his Magic Pen above it. “ Nothing to lose, nothing to fear. The shining crown is meant for me . Fairest One Of All.” Then, he divided the potion into small cups and lined them in front of him, before addressing the crowd again. “Dorm leader order. Drink this potion or you won’t be allowed on Pomefiore grounds until the end of the week.”
After a few grumbling, the students accepted and started to line up to get a cup of Vil’s cursed potion. Some were more reticent than others, and Vil took close note of the reactions. Yuu didn’t say a word and calmly observed the scene unfolding.
In normal circumstances, he would have also found Vil’s decree quite extreme, almost rivaling Riddle's Queen of Hearts’s Laws. But he knew that this was only the stage for Vil’s true strategy to bloom.
He saw Rook and Epel scribbling some names down and he figured that they must be the reticent students’ since they were the ones more susceptible to be part of the organisation.
Once all Pomefiore members had gulped down a portion of the cursed potion, Vil addressed them again with another piece of news. “Additionally, we will put in place a curfew for this week. Every single person here will need to be back in the dorm by five o’clock. Be a minute late and you will be sent to another dorm for the remainder of the week.”
Another wave of protest erupted again, but Vil continued to speak, ignoring them. “Rook here will be in charge of monitoring you.” He nodded at the hunter who took over.
“ Oui . Thanks to my Unique Magic, ‘I See You’, that I have applied to this potion, I will have a general idea of everyone’s localisation. Mais n’ayez crainte (but do not fear) , this situation will only last this week. So behave accordingly and you will be fine.”
All the Pomefiore students present were shocked beyond measure. They had to drink a cursed potion, and now even their movements were limited and tracked…and all of this just for one useless, magicless, trouble-maker. Yuu felt a large number of heated gazes upon him, but he stood tall. After everything he had gone through, it didn't matter whether they liked him or not, but at the very least, they wouldn’t approach him unnecessarily.
Rather, Yuu was curious as to what Vil’s strategy entailed. It was unusual for him to act like such a despotic leader, even for his own sake, but it seemed that he was doing it on purpose. He was trying to garner resentment towards them, to make the students feel hostility but without a way to hurt him. Then Yuu remembered the exact wording of the curse.
“ Do not bring any direct harm to Yuu.”
Which implied that indirect harm was fine, such as getting someone else to attack him. Yuu firmly believed that Vil wouldn’t overlook such an obvious loophole, which meant that it was done deliberately. Vil wanted the students to contact an external person to do their bidding. But the tracked curfew would make it almost impossible for them to do so, so Yuu was confused. Vil clearly crafted an intricate plan to counter-attack the organisation, but he couldn’t grasp every part of it.
It made him eager to see how everything would turn out.
***
Yuu was finally able to let out a breath. The Pomefiore students had been complaining for ages in the ballroom before eventually stopping when Yuu faked distress at the situation. Since they had all drunk the potion, they feared that whatever they would do in Yuu’s presence could be considered like harm, so they immediately backed away, afraid to lose their magic.
Of course Yuu had not felt an ounce of anxiety but he was getting fed up with their whining.
Rook had immediately bursted out laughing when the Pomefiore students exited the room and clapped Yuu’s shoulders. “ Oh très coquin (oh very naughty), Trickster! ”
Epel snickered and even Vil chuckled quietly. “If I knew that you had such a talent for acting, I would have offered you a role in my movie, little potato.”
This made Yuu smile and he was able to relax. “Keep me in mind for your next one then.”
They all followed Vil out of the ballroom and towards his personal room. Yes, they needed a moment to relax, but time was against them and they needed to elaborate a few strategies.
As they settled on the sofas and Rook and Epel were preparing tea and biscuits, Yuu took the envelope out of his pocket and showed it to Vil, explaining how he had received it right before leaving Scarabia.
Vil frowned his brows as he examined the letter carefully and sighed. “It looks like the boss of that organisation is taunting you… Rook, can the science club examine the paper? Fingerprints, blood analysis, anything could be useful.” He handed the letter to Rook who nodded.
“ Bien sûr (of course), Roi du Poison. I will work on this with Chevalier des Roses. ” Rook pocketed the letter and served tea.
Epel, who was arranging biscuits on a platter, let out a groan of frustration. “I can’t wait to beat the shi- to beat these guys up!” He corrected himself, throwing a glance to Vil who was sipping on his tea, acting like he didn’t hear Epel’s slip up. Letting a small sigh of relief, he carried on. “I’m really worried what they’ll try next on you…Don’t ever leave our side, ok?!” He addressed Yuu, who nodded.
“Of course. Really appreciating that you are hosting us and that you are helping with this.” Yuu said sincerely.
“Don’t mention it, potato. Now, we need to discuss in detail your time here.” Vil stated, a graph appearing out of thin air and floating in front of them. “The important thing is that the only people that you can completely trust here are us three. Even with my curse, I can’t guarantee your complete safety, you understand why.”
“Indirect harm.” Yuu said without hesitation, having already guessed this part of Vil’s plan.
“Well done.” Vil praised him. “It was done on purpose. Controlling their leeway to trap them better. But we don’t intend for you to face any sorts of harm. As Epel said, don’t leave either of our sides. Stay close to the other potatoes at school. After-school, I’m assuming that staying at Magift Club wouldn’t be a wise choice after what happened…although Leona’s presence would be a great protection…” Vil started to mumble to himself, but Rook interrupted his thoughts.
“Trickster can visit either of our clubs, Roi du Poison. My science club has Chevalier des Roses and Crewel-sensei. Yours has Monsieur Marionnette and most of Pomefiore students who will not attempt anything directly at him. There is more than enough protection.”
Vil pondered for a bit, before nodding and turning to Yuu. “He’s right. It would be best that you come along to either of our clubs, you can make your choice later.” Yuu nodded and Vil carried on on his instructions. “Within the dorm, you will be sleeping in Epel’s room. A bed has already been installed and the security has been magically reinforced. At the slightest incident though, you will move directly here with me. Stay close to us and report any suspicions you have.”
“Got it.” Yuu always liked Vil’s methodical approach to everything.
He was like a general moving his pieces strategically to checkmate his enemy. He always strived to achieve his projects to the perfection and this time, it was the annihilation of the organisation.
As this thought emerged in his mind, Yuu asked, “Can you tell me your plan in detail though? And what do you expect me to do?” He fully intended to be of use to Vil.
Vil looked at him for a while, before nodding with a smile. “Listen carefully, potato. Phase One is…” and proceeded to lay out the details of his whole plan.
***
Yuu had two main objectives this week.
First, assist Vil in the destruction of the organisation after him. The dorm leader had explained in detail his full strategy to him and Yuu agreed to follow his directives. They needed to wait a few days for their strategy to properly bear fruits so Yuu just kept a normal but vigilant profile until he would need to take actions.
Fortunately, thanks to the combined efforts of the dorm leaders, most of the students around the campus have stopped approaching Yuu altogether, which made his life much better than before. He felt less anxious about sneaky attacks or straightforward insults that could come his way.
And second was his research. It was quite frustrating for Yuu to not be able to make any progress on it, so before Vil’s plan came to fruition, he decided to approach Ortho and get him started on researching the mysterious sorcerer from Leona’s tale.
He wished he could just go to Ignihyde directly, but with the enforced curfew, it was yet another obstacle on his way there. Seems like I’ll just have to wait for their turn to host us… Yuu mused, hoping that Vil would take care of the organisation once and for all so that he could focus on this research.
This was the reason why he decided to attend Vil’s film club on his first after school day and hang out with Ortho.
“Hey Ortho.” Yuu greeted him after following Vil to their club room. It was a large place but with very small space to circulate as it was mostly used to store props. Vil used the backstage of the theater to actually plan and prep his actors for their next work, and Ortho was helping him by localising various props in the club room. Having memorised the entire layout of it, he was the only one able to navigate this organised chaos easily.
“Oh! Yuu-san! I’m glad to see you, it has been a while!” The humanoid happily chirped and was flying around Yuu in joyful bounces. Yuu was also happy to see him. He considered Ortho to be a true and reliable friend, and someone with great insight about his surroundings. Yuu was actually a little curious to get his opinion on the recent events.
“It has. Lots of things happened, haha.” Yuu let out a bitter laugh.
Ortho slowed down his flight and came to a halt in front of Yuu, his mechanic eyes actually expressing more emotions that Yuu had ever seen on any human. Pure worry, concern and love were silently conveyed as Ortho kept on looking at him. It almost made Yuu a bit emotional, and he smiled softly. “I’m alright.”
Ortho sighed, and nodded. “I know that the other dorms have been taking good care of you, but if you need anything, please let me know!” He went back to his usual chirpiness that Yuu found comforting.
“Actually…Do you have a moment?”
Yuu decided to take his opportunity and spoke at length after Ortho had finished his tasks and Vil was busy giving instructions to the actors. He explained Leona’s story and how he thought it was related to the incidents happening to him.
Ortho listened patiently and once Yuu had finished, he said, “I will analyse your information, Yuu-san. I cannot seem to find anything on my current data about this sorcerer…so perhaps I will need to go to Headquarters to check STYX archives…That is, if Nii-san can’t hack it first.” Ortho chuckled brightly. “I’m glad that I’m finally able to help you with something, Yuu-san! I really wanted to help you earlier but Nii-san pointed out that since you didn’t come to us, then you probably didn’t need us. Am I correct?” He asked innocently, and Yuu couldn’t help but swoon for this little robot.
His brother was talking rubbish, but he couldn’t blame Ortho for their inaction. Especially since indeed, they were not required to help yet.
“Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you about this matter for a while now… But I kept on being interrupted.” Yuu sighed, but he was still glad that he was able to unload this topic that weighed his mind ever since his stay at Savanaclaw.
“No worries! I’ll let you know if I find anything!” Yuu nodded, grateful for the unconditional support from the humanoid.
***
The next day, Yuu decided to hang at the Science club with Rook and Trey.
Rook had told him the previous night that they were close to finding some clues about the letter, which made Yuu very curious. Pushing the door to one of the potions labs, he saw his two friends, goggles over their eyes, leaning over a large cauldron emitting a thin blue mist that was engulfing the letter.
Trey and Rook were the only ones in the room; they were in deep conversation before registering Yuu’s presence after a few seconds and greeting him warmly.
“Hey Yuu!” Trey approached him with a smile. “Riddle told me you looked fine but I’m glad to see it’s the case.”
Yuu was also happy to see Heartslabyul’s vice-dorm leader. Despite being quite pampered and at peace lately in the other dorms, he dearly missed his first week at Heartslabyul with his friends there. “Glad to see you too, Trey-senpai. Hopefully, we’ll be done with this case in time for the next Unbirthday party.”
“Hahaha of course. I’ll make sure to prepare your favourites.”
“Oui.” Rook said in agreement. “Chevalier des Roses, we will need to prepare une grande fête (a big party) for Trickster!”
Yuu chuckled. A big party, huh. That was indeed something he could look forward to.
“So Yuu,” Trey said, pointing to the floating letter. “I’m guessing you came to have a look at this.”
“Yes. Rook-senpai mentioned that you found something.”
Trey and Rook shared a look, betraying their hesitation to speak, before sighing at unison. “The truth,” the Heartslabyul vice-leader started. “is that we couldn’t really find anything concrete.”
“However,” The hunter took over. “we found traces of old magic… Very old.” He emphasised, making Yuu widened his eyes.
Ever since he had revealed the presence of old magic within Ramshackle and the possibility of the organisation leader being its wielder at the last dorm leaders meeting, even vice-leaders were made aware of it. Trey and Rook knew what this information meant for Yuu,
“It’s the leader of the organisation who sent me this.” Yuu stated simply. In reality, he had already figured this out. The timing, the ominous message, the taunting. Whoever they were, they were toying with him.
“There is something else.” Trey said. “We examined the letter carefully to look for fingerprints and analyse the blood used… There were no prints, however the blood was…non-human.”
“What?” Yuu was shocked. “Then, is it belonging to a species we know?”
Rook shook his head. “ Désolé (sorry) Trickster. We are still trying to figure it out. It didn’t react to the blood samples of the creatures we have in the lab.”
“We were actually discussing whether we should consult Crewel-sensei on this.”
Yuu remembered the earnest support of his homeroom teacher and immediately nodded. “Please do. And thank you, really. I wish I could help you more on this side, but…” He didn’t admit his ignorance, but it was implied enough.
Trey squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry about it, Yuu. We are more than happy to help. We’ll contact you if we get anything else, alright?”
Yuu nodded and exited the lab with Rook after thanking Trey again.
Since it was almost time for Pomefiore’s curfew, Rook activated his Unique Magic. “ Come, let’s see you try to outrun me. I See You .” and a small map of the school and the dorm appeared in front of him. Small dots were twinkling and moving across the map, revealing the position of every Pomefiore member.
Yuu and Rook positioned themselves in the entrance of the dorm and examined the map. Most of the dots were already present within the dorm’s walls, and all the others were on their way to the Mirror Chamber or to the dorm.
One thing that Yuu discovered later was that for Rook’s ability to remain functional, he needed to be awake all the time. He felt guilty that the hunter had to go through such an ordeal for him, but Vil had reassured him. “I heard he didn’t sleep for ten entire days when a deluxe compilation of Neige’s entire career was released. He’ll be fine for a week.”
As the members were coming in, Yuu glanced at Rook and asked. “Are you sure you’re alright, Rook-senpai? You look quite pale…It must be difficult to maintain your magic like that without any sleep.”
Rook chuckled and bowed in front of Yuu. “ Pas d’inquiétude (no worries). Patience and endurance are the main strengths of any respectable hunter.”
“But still, you can’t even take a small nap? Even for an hour?”
Rook shook his head. “ Malheureusement (unfortunately). If I were to fall asleep, my magic would be nullified and I would need to reapply it, which will be more difficult to do. I’m truly alright, Trickster. It is my duty as our Queen’s vice-leader to oversee her subjects.”
Yuu didn’t look convinced but nodded nonetheless. He didn’t seem to have noticed various ears eavesdropping their little conversation.
***
And a few days passed like that, without anything special happening. Yuu was able to properly rest and catch up his studies in the dorm, attend his lessons without any worries at school, and visit both the Film club and the Science club after school to have updates on his two main concerns.
Ortho has told him that it would take a few days to be able to hack STYX servers and research their database. Yuu didn’t mind and told him as such. “Take your time. I’m not sure how or when it will be relevant to our case but…”
“Leona Kingscholar-san wouldn’t have mentioned it to you if it wasn’t relevant.” Ortho finished for him and Yuu nodded. He had always found it weird how Leona dropped it on his lap without any explanation, but Yuu trusted the lion. He always had some deeper knowledge about various subjects, like for instance the existence and purpose of STYX, so it was in their best interest to further the research.
On Trey and Rook’s side, Crewel had come along to examine the letter as well.
“Hmm, how strange.” He had said with a frown after a few minutes of inspection. “You little pups were right. This blood is not from any creature we currently know. I have samples from every part of the world, even Briar Valley were generous enough to grant me with very rare fae blood. But this one doesn’t seem to react to any of them.”
“What does that mean then?” Trey asked. “Is the creature from another world?”
“It’s possible. However the presence of old magic within this blood seems to indicate that it’s actually a very old magical species. Perhaps one that we thought was extinct…” Crewel mused.
The sorcerer from Leona’s story flashed in Yuu’s mind. An old forgotten sorcerer…and now an old forgotten species. What’s the link? What am I missing? Yuu was frustrated. He was amassing so many puzzle pieces, yet he couldn’t fit them together. He couldn’t see the big picture. Every time he seemed to approach it or understand some parts of it, it evaded him.
Unfortunately, Yuu wouldn’t have the time to worry about it any longer since…Vil’s plan was coming to fruition.
It started the evening of the fifth day of his stay. As usual, Yuu and Rook were coming back from the Science club together and Rook activated his Unique Magic once they passed the threshold of the Magic Mirror. However this time, Yuu noticed something strange about the hunter.
He was slowing down…before suddenly collapsing head-first onto the ground, right in front of the dorm’s entrance where multiple students were already gathered and eyeing them.
Yuu gasped and rushed to Rook’s side, removing his hat and seeing the boy absolutely drenched in sweat and being completely unresponsive. “Rook-senpai! ROOK-SENPAI!” Yuu screamed, panicked and wide-eyed. He looked around at the other Pomefiore students and shouted at them. “GO FIND SOMEONE! OR HELP ME CARRY HIM INSIDE! DON’T JUST STAND AROUND DOING NOTH- AH! WAIT!”
As if they were of one mind, all the Pomefiore students around them looked at each other and started bolting back towards the Magic Mirror, while screaming. “HUNT-SENPAI’S DOWN! HIS MAGIC IS CANCELLED! SPREAD THE WORD! LET’S GET OUT OF THIS PRISON!”
In a matter of a few minutes, Yuu and Rook were left alone in the empty paved road that was leading to the dorm’s entrance. Epel soon joined them, and so did Vil.
“Well, we all know what to do now.” Vil stated calmly, after hearing the situation. Then he glanced at Rook, still laid down, and pursued his lips. “How long are you gonna dirty your clothes, Rook? Get up already.”
Rook chuckled and stood up, dusting off his uniform and readjusting his hat upon his head, all signs of his earlier struggles vanished from his pristine face. “ Oui, Roi de Poison. ” Then he turned to Yuu and bowed slightly. “Excellent performance, Trickster.”
Yuu waved his hand in dismissal. “Don’t mention it. I couldn’t have done it if it weren’t for your acting. Was that real sweat?” He asked, curious.
“Fufu of course not, I wouldn’t dare ruin my skin with such an unhygienic substance.”
“Ahem.” Epel cleared his throat. “So what now? Is it time for Phase 3?”
Yuu, Rook and Vil exchanged a glance and nodded at once. “Yes.” Vil said. “It is time for Phase 3.”
Notes:
Hullo! Here is the first part of Pomefiore! And we are more than halfway done guys! 10 chapters left! This chapter was a bit of a build-up one, but the next one is where things will truly kick-in, so stay tuned! As usual, it will come in a few days!
Also, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you all for following this story so far, and for everyone leaving kudos and comments! I'm really glad you guys are enjoying this story!
Please continue to leave kudos/comments and see you soon!
Chapter 12: At Pomefiore (Part 2)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The first night at Pomefiore dorm, in Vil’s room.
“Our objective, potato, is to flush these rats out and make them lead us towards their leader.” Vil had explained, before holding up three fingers. “There are three main phases to this plan. The first one is to make students hate us.”
Yuu frowned in confusion, before realising. “That’s why the curfew.” He felt a bit pride in his chest when Vil nodded, before asking. “But why?”
“Hate leads to anger and frustration which leads to mistakes.” Rook answered with a wink.
“Exactly. These rats have to feel trapped without any form of escape…before we offer them one on a silver plate. Phase 2.” Vil smirked, letting Rook continue.
“Their jail is two-fold. Vil’s curse and my surveillance. The first can’t be undone but the second can. If they believe that the effects of my magic are gone, what do you think these rats would do once they see an escape from their prison?”
Yuu understood. They would seek help. Especially if they had endured days of captivity without even being able to complete their assignments, namely harming Yuu.
“That’s why the loophole in your curse.”
“Yes. With most of the other dorms monitoring their own rats…ours would have no other choice than run right to their leader. And that’s when Phase 3 would come into place.”
“Phase 3?”
“Counterattack. Full-blow attack and annihilation of their headquarters and their leader.”
***
The group separated themselves into two. Vil and Epel stood back, calling for reinforcements from other dorms to launch a frontal attack, while Yuu, Grim and Rook tracked down the dots representing the suspicious Pomefiore students who most likely had ties to the organisation.
One of the longest debates they had when they were elaborating this plan was about Yuu’s place during Phase 3. Eventually, they had concluded that Rook’s side was the safest place to be as Rook would not be engaging in battle. Since his magic had already been used non-stop for the last few days, he was in no shape to fight, but he would be there, hidden as support. Leaving Yuu at Pomefiore with no guards would have been too risky, and the closer he was to either Rook or Vil, the better it was.
They were still on Sage Island, rushing through the forest that was surrounding the school. Rook had his map activated and was advancing at a methodical speed without slowing down, carefully managing a healthy gap between them and the students they were trailing without losing them either. Yuu managed to keep up and stay close to Rook, despite the night falling upon the forest and making it difficult to discern the paths.
Eventually, they heard the sound of waves hitting the rocks below a cliff, and they found themselves in the open, facing the large ocean. They had reached the edge of the island, but the dots continued to move forward towards the ocean.
“Are they swimming?” Grim asked, expressing everyone’s confusion at this sight. Yuu looked at the horizon. It was difficult to see much due to the night, but he was positive that there weren't any small islands reachable by swimming. Moreover, seeing the violence of the waves hitting the rocks, taking a dip would have been too dangerous.
Yet this was mysterious.
“Perhaps there is an undersea tunnel.” Rook said, examining the map closely. He took his Magic pen out and waved it in front of him, revealing fluorescent footprints along the edge of the cliff. “My Magic can reveal traces of those I’ve marked.” He explained, following them. “However, I do not have enough magic to maintain them so let’s hurry!”
The three of them followed the prints until they saw a narrow path forming into the cliff and going downwards towards a hidden beach where giant rocks were blocking the waves. The prints went towards these rocks and suddenly disappeared in front of them.
“ Comme c’est curieux…(how curious…). ” Rook mumbled, passing a gloved hand on the rock.
At his touch, lines of runes crossed the rock, revealing a staircase going straight into the ocean. The footprints reappeared upon the steps and continued deeper into the undersea cave.
“...this magic…” Rook said, bewildered. “It’s the same as the one on the letter you received.” He glanced at Yuu who widened his eyes.
The person who sent the letter created this hidden entrance, and he was most likely the leader of the organisation after Yuu.
“What do we do, Senpai?” Yuu asked.
On one hand, they were so close to the truth and they were sent as scouts. The more information they could send to the main force about their enemy, the better it would be for the success of their operation. On the other hand, they were about to enter the enemies’ base without a strong enough team. If they were caught, they wouldn’t stand a chance and they wouldn’t be able to report back to Vil.
Rook brought a hand to his chin and was also considering their options, examining the entrance in front of him. “Listen Trickster. I will go alone.” He said, holding a hand up to stop Yuu’s complaints. “We can’t let you go further in, especially if they are after you. Find a place to hide yourself and contact Vil and Epel-kun. Lead them here.”
“Rook-senpai, it’s too dangerous!”
“Fufu don’t worry mon cher Trickster. (my dear Trickster.) ” Rook smiled, patting Yuu’s head in a reassuring manner. “I know my limits and I have experience hunting ferocious beasts. I will be safe. Monsieur Fuzzball,” He addressed Grim. “Make sure to protect your Prefect.”
“Leave it to me!” Grim said with a determined look.
Rook nodded and entered the cave, leaving Yuu and Grim alone on the empty beach.
They found a crevice within the cliff that could conceal them, especially since it was dark. Yuu immediately called Epel who picked up on the first ring.
“Yuu! Are you alright?” Epel’s worried voice came through the phone and Yuu was glad to hear his friend.
“Yes, we are fine, Epel. How’s it going on your side?”
“We are in the Mirror Chamber. Leona-san and Riddle-san are talking to Vil-san. The others are on their way. Where are you guys?” Indeed, Yuu could hear Riddle and Leona arguing in the background.
“We found the entrance of the headquarters. Rook-senpai went in by himself and told me to lead you here, so listen carefully…”
Ten minutes later, Vil, Leona, Riddle and Jamil were facing the rock marking the gateway. It had been decided that they would consist of the main force against the organisation. Epel, Ace, Deuce and Jack were also present to support and protect Yuu. The other dorm leaders were to stay at school and keep a close eye on the rest of the student body in case something were to happen.
“We should have brought the Leech twins if this was an undersea fight.” Ace frowned at the ocean in front of him.
“A large part of the students are still in Mostro Lounge, they can’t leave.” Riddle stated.
“We will be more than enough.” Vil said.
He passed his hand across it, much like Rook did earlier, and the staircase appeared once again.
Arching a neat eyebrow, he turned to Leona and Riddle. “Any thoughts on this magic?”
The lion approached the rock and examined the runes across it. “Ancient. Very ancient. The lizard can probably identify it.” He said lazily, but not without exchanging a meaningful glance with Yuu. who realised that he must be referring to the old sorcerer.
Riddle widened his eyes as he looked at the inscriptions. “These runes… They are very similar to the ones in Heartslabyul garden…”
“WHAT??” Ace and Deuce asked in unison.
“Quiet.” Riddle reprimanded them with a stern frown. “The magic thorns in the maze have ancient runic inscriptions. They look similar enough although I will need to recheck them to verify.”
“So whoever inscribed the runes on your thorns might be related to the one who inscribed them here…?” Yuu asked.
“It’s a possibility. It is said that this garden was a replica of the Queen of Hearts’ one back in the Queendom of Roses, so similar magic should have been put in place.” Riddle mused.
Vil cleared his throat. “Apologies for interrupting. These are all very important conjectures but we are about to enter the lair of the enemy, let’s refocus.”
Riddle nodded. “Of course. Any news about Rook-senpai?”
Yuu shook his head. “No.” He was getting worried for the hunter.
“Let me.” Vil suddenly said, approaching the entrance of the cave. He whistled a tune which echoed within the tunnel. “Now silence.” He whispered and everyone held their breath.
A few seconds later, a similar tune echoed back to them and Vil released a relieved sigh. “He’s fine.”
“What was that??” Jack asked.
“A signal. Rook and I established it years ago.” Vil replied. “Now, we need to join him. Jamil and Riddle will advance first as you have strong defense and attack magic. Leona and I will follow, and you little potatoes will bring up the rear. Protect Yuu and support us.”
No one argued with Vil’s directives, not even Leona, and the group entered the cave.
***
The tunnel was long, dark and humid. At first, they just descended the staircase for around twenty meters before longing down the tunnel. It was surprisingly large enough but it was completely dark. All the student-mages present had to light up a small ball of light to be able to just see where to put their feet.
Yuu kept close to Ace and Deuce, holding Grim in his arms. Epel was in front of them, right behind Vil and Jack was bringing the rear of the group. Yuu saw him twitch nervously, looking back, up, left and right as if he was expecting an enemy attack.
“Something wrong, Jack?” He whispered, grateful that Jack’s beastman ears could hear him.
Jack hesitated before saying. “I’m just worried about the battle ahead. We are under the sea…If we go full-blast, this place might not hold.”
Yuu’s blood froze. Flashes of water swallowing him surged in his mind, and he started to breathe heavily. He held Grim a little bit tighter, finding refuge in his warm fur while whispering. “Tuna…”
Grim and Ace heard him, and Ace immediately held his hand, trying to comfort his friend as much as possible despite their current location. Yuu managed to calm down and regained control of himself within seconds, making his small panic attack barely noticeable to the rest of the group, except for Leona’s acute senses.
Yuu thought back to Jack’s remark and nodded. “Jack’s right. The place is not to our advantage. This tunnel is literally our only way to escape if things turn sour…If something happens to it, we’ll be in danger.”
The rest of the group heard him and made a pause to consider Yuu’s words. Deuce frowned and said. “Jack and Yuu have a point. We are walking to our demise if we don’t have a sureway of returning safely.”
Leona groaned and said. “You herbivores worry for nothing. Even if this underground cave were to collapse and we would be submerged, do not forget that we are mages. Spells to breathe underwater are basic shit so stop whining and let’s go.” He moved forward, breaking the formation of their group.
Vil sighed and ushered everyone to follow after him. “Us third-years and second-years already know this spell. Riddle and Jamil, take care of Heartslabyul’s potatoes. Leona will take care of Jack. Rook and I will take care of Epel, Yuu and Grim. You don’t need to worry,” This last sentence was addressed at Yuu. “This time, if something happens, you won’t be facing it alone.”
Yuu felt a lump in his throat, remembering the words Vil gave him the night of Ramshackle’s burning.
I have seven homes.
He nodded, a grateful smile on his lips and continued to march forward, surrounded by his trusted friends.
After a good five minutes of walking, they heard the sound of steps coming their way. Jamil and Riddle immediately put up a defensive shield while the others readied their Magic pens. As the steps drew closer, Vil suddenly lowered his pen and released the tension in his shoulder. “It’s Rook.” He said, and indeed, the Pomefiore hunter appeared in front of them a few seconds after.
“Aaaaahh mon Roi du Poison , how beautiful it is that you remembered our secret signal! I could be moved!” Rook declared emotionally.
Vil smiled, happy to see his friend safe. “What’s the situation, Rook?”
Rook regained his composure and explained, “We are near the place where the students gathered together. There are around twenty students, mostly third-years, from various dorms. They are in the middle of an argument about Trickster,” He nodded at Yuu. “and the school in general.”
“Have you seen anyone who looked like they could be the leader?” Riddle asked.
Rook shook his head. “ Malheureusement (unfortunately) non. There are however several doors, he could be in one of them.”
“Doors?” Epel asked, confused. “Rook-san, what kind of place is that?”
“...It would be easier to show you than explain. Come.” Rook led the group for a few more paces towards the end of the tunnel.
Thanks to a curve, they were able to hide in the dark and observe the headquarters of their enemies.
The tunnel led to a large and bright hall where sofas and carpets were the only furniture decorating the room. The ceiling was very high and within the walls were indeed several doors at various levels of heights. As Rook said, many students were gathered around the room. The Pomefiore ones were the most noticeable as they were the loudest in the room.
“...tyrannical!” “...like a jail…” “...fault of the human…” “...need to do something…” They could only hear bribes of words, complaints about their treatment in their dorm apparently.
Vil was furious. His eyes were firing daggers as he observed his dorm mates badmouthing the dorm and Yuu, despite being fully aware that he fueled their anger. “I’ll whip these boys back into shape when we're done.” He whispered menacingly.
“Careful, you start to sound like Crewel.” Leona mocked him, earning him a sharp jab in his ribs from Vil.
“Alright, what’s the plan?” Jamil asked, sighing at his seniors.
“Dorm leaders and Jamil will launch a surprise attack. Capture them, silence them, but do not hurt them.” Vil instructed. “First-years potatoes, guard the entrance of this tunnel. It will be our escape path. Rook, keep a close eye on these doors, we might not notice if they attack us from up there. And finally Yuu and Grim, stay out of sight until we have cleared out this hall. Once we’re done, we will investigate this entire rat nest and flush out their leader.”
***
Yuu had seen Riddle, Leona, Jamil and Vil at their most terrifying and powerful self when they had each overblotted in front of his eyes. Their destructive and overwhelming power almost made him forget how actually strong they were in their regular persona.
All four of them went absolutely berserk in that hall. Firing spells that hit accurately every single student present, rendering them powerless and motionless, Yuu and the rest of their first years were able to witness how great their leaders were and it made them all swell up in pride as they watched in awe how they conquered the twenty students in mere seconds.
Rook had summoned a bow and was using it to shoot down anyone opening the doors to retaliate while also shielding Yuu and Grim behind his back. Ace and Deuce shot a few spells at some students who were trying to escape, earning them a nod from their dorm leader. Yuu chuckled at how both boys exchanged a proud grin.
After a few minutes, all twenty students were kneeling in front of them, limbs and mouths bound and looking absolutely furious. They had also captured around ten students hiding in the doors and who had tried to attack them. Some of the older ones had tears streaming down their cheeks at the utter humiliation they received. Riddle had also collared them all, just in case.
The Pomefiore students who had escaped earlier were in front of Vil and were deadly pale. Everyone could see Vil fuming red. “I cannot believe you decided to disgrace us all. I will decide on your sanctions once we are back at the dorm.” He spat at them, voice wavering in anger.
Leona, Riddle and Jamil were also reprimanding their own dorm members as well as the ones from other dorms. Rarely had anyone seen Leona and Jamil so angry.
“I sure as hell won’t miss any more basketball practice…” Ace muttered after witnessing the full wrath of his teammate.
Jack nodded, his ears flat back after Leona’s furious growl at the Savanaclaw students. “Same for Magift practice…” Epel seconded that with a sharp nod, eyes darting between Leona and Vil.
Only Rook was his usual jovial self, but everyone could see a dangerous glint in his eyes as he smiled down at his dorm mates. “You truly hurt my feelings when you decided to run away instead of helping your vice-leader who had just collapsed! Quelle honte! (how shameful!)” He complained to them with his excessive antics.
Vil cleared his throat so that everyone present could hear him. “You lot have truly disgraced, not only yourself, not only the image of your respective dorms, but the entire school. There will be severe consequences upon your actions and we will thoroughly investigate this matter to dismantle the whole organisation.” He could see some students cower in fear, eyes full of apprehension and a tinge of regret.
Riddle spoke up next. “Your sentence can be lighter if you cooperate with us, now. Who is the leader of this network?” He asked sharply, examining every micro-reactions of the students.
Some looked quizzical, exchanging questioning glances with each other. And others widened their eyes in realization.
Bingo.
Jamil and Leona immediately grabbed the collars of those students and Leona growled at them. “Look fucking herbivores, I’ll make it simple for you. Spill the beans or I’m turning you to sand.”
Magic accumulated in his free hand and he brought it closer to the boy he had grabbed, who started to scream in panic and to struggle his way out of Leona’s hold before giving up and nodding furiously, tears in his eyes. The two in Jamil’s hands were also panicking before making some sounds of despair as if they wanted to talk.
Leona deactivated his magic and roughly pulled off the cloth binding their mouths. “Speak.” He ordered.
The first student, the one in his hold, was a third-year Savanaclaw student. “We…we were approached a while ago.” He looked at the two other students, still in Jamil’s hold, a Pomefiore and a Heartslabyul one, third-years as well. “We were complaining about the magicless guy and he suddenly came to us.”
“He said that his name was Mr. Bog.” The Pomefiore student continued. “He was a strange old man that we never saw before. But he was so…” He trailed, trying to find his words.
“Friendly.” The Heartslabyul student completed for him, earning a nod from the other two. “He was very friendly and he sympathized with us… He said that he was disappointed in the school for allowing the magicless guy to be enrolled and he…told us that we should take action.”
“We agreed with him and slowly we started to build this organisation. The three of us were the ones in charge, most of the time. Mr. Bog only gave us advice.” The Savanaclaw finished.
Jamil asked. “And where is this Mr. Bog. now?”
The three students glanced at each other before sighing and glanced at a specific door above them. A black door that was locked when they tried to open it. “His office is there… Whenever we needed him, we would just fly there and he would welcome us warmly… He’s always there.”
Riddle and Vil exchanged a glance and together, they summoned wind magic to lift them up towards that door. Riddle threw a fireball at it, blasting it off, and both dorm leaders held their magic pen at the entrance of the new room, waiting for any sort of attack to emerge from it. As soon as the smoke dissipated, they widened their eyes.
“It’s empty.” Riddle said to the rest of their group, while he and Vil approached the entrance of the new room carefully.
It was a peculiar room. The walls, ceiling and floor were all painted in black and there was barely any furniture except for a desk and a bookshelf.
The bookshelf was filled with ancient books of magic, most of them versed in dark practices. Riddle frowned as he surveyed the titles. “I saw these titles on the taboo and forbidden list of books of the school…”
Vil examined the desk, inconspicuous at first glance, but he found a secret compartment when lifting up the table. “Riddle…” He called, voice expressing surprise.
The red-haired came closer and jerked back. “What on Earth…” He said, with a horrified expression on his face. “Vil-senpai…This is…”
Vil’s face was dark as he reached for the piece of paper in front of him. “Yes… We need to find him.”
In his hand, Vil held the instructions of a destructive fire spell…as well as a picture of Yuu and Grim sleeping in their room at Ramshackle.
Landing back near the rest of the group, Vil showed their findings, a steady hand on Yuu’s shoulder as he widened his eyes in horror. “How did he-” Yuu gasped, a cold shiver running down his spine as he felt violated.
“He stalked us??” Grim yelled, furious.
“And this spell…” Ace said. “He’s really the bastard who burnt down Ramshackle!”
“All the evidence is concurring.” Riddle nodded. “We just need to find him and everything will be solved.”
BANG!
A loud noise was suddenly heard, and the whole cave started to shake. Small pieces of rock started to fall from the ceiling and everyone present gasped.
“What’s happening??” Epel cried out.
“Tsk.” Leona clicked his tongue before yelling. “EVERYONE OUT! JACK GET THEM OUT!” He tossed Yuu and Grim at Jack who transformed into a wolf and started to rush out of the tunnel, his two friends gripping him on his back.
Yuu barely had time to process but he held Grim close to him and tightened his grip on Jack’s fur as he raced through the dark tunnel. Glancing behind him, he saw Epel, Deuce and Ace running close behind, dragging various paralysed students behind them, and further behind were their seniors who were shouting spells to reinforce the tunnel to buy some seconds in their escape.
“AH!” Yuu gasped as fresh air slapped his face and they landed on soft sand. Behind him, he could see that all his friends managed to get out in time in one piece, including the students who were completely shaken. The rock that formed the entrance to the cave started to crumble down, forming a gap in the middle of the barrier between the sea and the beach. Sea water started to infiltrate the place, but Leona immediately erected another rock to stop the flooding.
After a second of stillness where everyone was on their guard, expecting another catastrophe to befall them, they released a collective breath and sagged on the floor.
“What the hell what the hell what the hell what the hell what the hell what the hell-” Ace repeated in a frenzy, completely panicked.
“What happened??” Deuce cried out, looking at his dorm leader for answers. However Riddle looked completely confused, still processing what had happened.
Vil spoke up. “Auto-destruction.” He said, glancing at the three third-years that they were interrogating earlier. “It seems that your ‘friendly’ Mr. Bog didn’t hesitate in blowing everything up to protect himself.”
The Savanaclaw student shook his head in disbelief, completely shaken. “That’s impossible…” He muttered. “He promised us that he would take care of us… That he would support us… That our cause was just… Why Mr. Bog?” He cried, burying his face into the sand, followed by his two friends who were also completely devastated.
“It must have been a reaction to an attack on his room.” Rook mused, before turning to Vil and Riddle. “ Roi du Poison and Roi des Roses , were there anything specific in this room apart from this photo and the fire spell?” He asked them.
“...Dark magic.” Riddle whispered suddenly.
“What?” Jamil asked.
“Dark magic.” The red-haired repeated. “He had an entire bookshelf filled with forbidden books about dark magic. Potions, curses, spells. He had a book for every application of dark magic.”
Yuu observed the students who were still crying about the betrayal from their leader and spoke up. “Were there mind magic too?” He asked Riddle who nodded.
“Yes.” Yuu nodded back. All their theories were confirming themselves.
Now the only thing they needed to know was…
“Who on Earth is Mr. Bog? And where is he?”
***
The next day, in the meeting hall, all the dorm leaders, their vice-leaders, Yuu, and Grim were present.
“...And this concludes our operation at the Headquarters of the Anti-Yuu faction.” Vil finished his report, letting everyone in the room digest the information.
“So you dismantled the entire organisation but we still don’t know who their boss is…?” Azul summarised.
“That’s right.” Riddle confirmed, before turning to Malleus and Lilia. “Malleus-senpai, Lilia-senpai, does the name Mr. Bog sound familiar to you?”
Lilia shook his head. “No. It could be an alias though. What intrigues me is the dark magic… Riddle, do you remember the titles of the books?”
Riddle nodded. “Of course.” And he proceeded to list all twenty books he had seen. At each book mentioned, Lilia’s face grew somber.
“Dark magic is one of the most dangerous forms of magic that exists. Thousands of years ago, some humans from a neighbouring country used it to attack us and the damage was very serious. We, faes, have banned its use ever since, and humans have done the same some centuries later.” Lilia explained. “It has rarely resurfaced in the light of day, but that doesn’t mean that it has not continued to be developed in the underworld’s organisations.”
“Underworld’s organisations?” Yuu asked, confused.
“Criminal organisations. Or the Mafia.” Leona clarified. Yuu noticed his eyes darting towards Malleus for a split second. “Something even darker and more secret than STYX. Isn’t that right, Radish Sprout?” He addressed Idia’s floating tablet.
The tablet lit up and Idia’s voice chimed from it. “Gangster groups have existed in every country since forever…but the groups that have been using dark magic are extremely rare. STYX has kept an eye on these criminals but they have been acting very scarcely. In fact, this incident was the first in hundreds of years to be so major.”
“Does STYX have any data on this Mr. Bog?” Vil asked.
“Not yet. My old man went abroad to investigate further. I’ll let you know.” And Idia’s tablet shut down.
“There is also the matter of the letter Yuu received.” Trey spoke up. “Crewel-sensei confirmed that the blood used is from an old creature that we don’t have any data on. If this is Mr. Bog, then we might be dealing with something way out of our scope.”
“Let’s leave the matter of figuring out Mr. Bog’s real identity aside for a moment until we receive more information. We still need to round up the remaining members of the anti-Yuu faction. Now that their main structure has been dismantled, we need to secure the school from them.” Riddle said.
“Our second priority is catching Mr. Bog.” Vil said. “According to the students who were in contact with him, they had last seen him two days prior to the attack. If he is hiding on Sage Island, it’s a matter of time before he is found. Exits from the Island will need to be monitored.”
Yuu remained silent through this discussion. He was still wrapping his mind around what happened.
Mr. Bog.
Everything revolved around him, but why on Earth was he after him? What had he done to this dark magic user to earn so much suffering?
He was the one who burned down Ramshackle.
He was the one who pushed students around the campus to harass him.
Who was he?
And how was he linked to the old sorcerer from Leona’s story?
As the meeting finished, Yuu immediately caught Leona and pulled him aside. “Leona-senpai, I need to speak to you.”
The lion was not surprised, he even looked like he was expecting Yuu to come to him. “Speak herbivore.” He said calmly.
“The story you told me when I stayed at Savanaclaw…about the sorcerer who was banished from the school because of his practice of magic…who was he?”
“...I don’t know.” Leona replied honestly.
Yuu widened his eyes. “What?”
“I don’t know.” He repeated himself. “It was an old legend passed down in my family. The royal family of Sunset Savannah has kept secret archives dating from thousands of years…some even older than the Great Seven. The story I told you about the founding of NRC came from it. But there are no other details.”
“...why did you tell me, then?”
“...” Leona eyed Yuu for a while, seemingly debating internally about whether to disclose this information. “Because you mentioned your dark thoughts.” Yuu opened his mouth but no sound came out, so Leona continued. “This old sorcerer most likely specialised in dark magic. And mind magic. It felt like a good lead for you to explore, that’s all.” Leona again darted his eyes towards Malleus, making Yuu frown at him.
“Leona-senpai…does Tsunotaro have anything to do with this?”
Leona sighed. “I suspected a while ago that dark magic was behind your depression. I asked the lizard guy to explore it.” He averted his gaze, looking almost embarrassed to admit this.
Yuu remembered how Leona left the dorm for a while during his stay. So that was why. He was already several steps ahead of them. Yuu felt impressed and weirdly touched. He knew that relations between Leona and Malleus were sour, especially on Leona’s side.
To put his pride aside and go ask his greatest rival to collaborate on this case, it was a great proof of Leona’s appreciation of him.
“Do you think that old sorcerer has a link with Mr. Bog?” Yuu asked, clearing the topic away from Malleus to save Leona from further embarrassment.
Leona sighed. “The resemblances are uncanny, aren’t they? It’s possible but we’ll only know for sure once we’ll catch him. Now go herbivore, that prickly Queen is waiting for you.” Leona glanced behind towards Vil who was indeed waiting for Yuu alongside Rook.
Yuu nodded. “Thank you Leona-senpai.” Before going back to Vil's side who had a curious look on his eyes but didn’t ask anything.
“Let’s go back potato. You still have one night left at our dorm.”
However, upon reaching Pomefiore’s dorm, the three students got the shock of their life.
Upon the pristine facade of the castle serving as the home of Pomefiore students, was written in bright red paint.
“CHERNABOG IS WAITING FOR YUU”
.
.
.
.
.
That night, in Pomefiore, in Yuu’s dreams.
“Hehehe you think you can escape from me, my dear?”
“Stop Chernabog! Get out of his dream!”
“What? You…HAHAHA SO THIS IS THE HUMAN YOU DECIDED TO USE TO DEFEAT ME??
MICKEY!”
.
.
.
***
The morning was difficult for Yuu. He woke up with a severe headache and a feeling of having forgotten something important.
But he couldn't dwell longer on this.
Pomefiore was in an emergency state.
Someone had infiltrated their grounds and degraded the oldest dorm in the school. Vil was absolutely furious.
He ordered the students involved in the organisation to clean the paint and erase the message as their first punishment. They were to be stripped of their magic and expelled from the school, but for the moment they were held captive in the basement of the dorm.
“Who the hell is Chernabog??” Vil asked no one in particular as he was pacing around his room.
They had all figured that Mr. Bog was Chernabog, but still had no idea who it was, and what was his goal.
“I’ll investigate it with Idia-senpai once I’m in Ignihyde.” Yuu said, ready to leave for his next home.
Rook held a hand to his heart. “We’ll miss you dearly Trickster.”
Yuu smiled. “I’ll miss you guys a lot too.” He turned towards Vil. “You promised last week that you'd dismantle this organisation and you kept your word. I’m very thankful, Vil-senpai.”
The actor smiled back. “Think nothing of it, little potato… Be safe. We’ll continue to support you here and remember…”
“I have seven homes.” Yuu completed with a grin, earning him a nod from Vil.
“You do.”
.
.
.
.
Somewhere on Sage Island…
“This generation of students is particularly clever…but they are still a thousand years early to hope to defeat me.
Just be prepared, Mickey.
And Yuu.”
Notes:
Hullo! And that concludes the Pomefiore arc! AND YES, CHERNABOG IS THERE WOOOOOOOOO!
Yes, I'm totally introducing Fantasia in my story and we are going to delve into Mickey's lore together! You don't really need to know much about the og story, don't worry, I'll explain all the relevant bits in due time! Although, if you have some knowledge of it, you'll be able to enjoy all the little crumbs and references!Please leave kudos/comment and stay tuned for the next chapter launching us straight into Ignihyde!
Chapter 13: At Ignihyde (Part 1)
Notes:
From now on, there will be direct references to Book 7 events. I've already warned before, but just so you know!
Enjoy the chapter!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Yuu didn’t have the opportunity to often cross the threshold of Ignihyde’s Mirror and enter their dorm.
The contrast between the pristine white Pomefiore and the dark and edgy Ignihyde was striking. However each step Yuu took towards the dorm was a step free of worries, despite the heavy atmosphere.
Even before Vil’s plan to dismantle the organisation, Yuu knew that Ignihyde was the dorm where he would face the least issues. He had noticed that out of every dorm, they were the least prone to conflict and confrontation. Not because they were a bunch of introverts, not because their leader was a shut-in, and not even because they were less prone to mingling with other dorms, but because they were researchers. Their mind was logical, factual, they wouldn’t be so easily swayed and influenced by others.
Yuu could feel safe from judgments, attacks and all sorts of things he had needed to guard himself against in other dorms. Moreover, he had two main goals to achieve by the end of the week, and he needed the students’ brilliant minds.
When he reached the lounge of the dorm, he needed a moment to adjust his sight. If the outside of the dorm could be compared to the darkest depths of hell, the inside of the dorm was as bright as the highest skies.
Computers, screens, monitors, anywhere your eyes landed on was a bright display of whatever research or project the students were on. It was almost dizzying as Yuu was used to more austere places.
In the middle of the room, a familiar face was waiting for him.
Ortho floated towards Yuu and Grim in a joyful sway, making Yuu smile at the sight of his friend.
“Yuu-san! Grim-san! Welcome to Ignihyde!” The humanoid chirped cheerfully. “Hopefully you will have a restful stay here, you went through a lot recently.”
Yuu sighed and nodded. “I desperately need a break, yeah… Thanks, Ortho. I also hope that I won’t disrupt your life here.”
“Not at all!” Ortho reassured him. “We are happy to have you here! Nii-san might not express it, but he worked hard on the security systems here. The dorm is as impregnable as a castle!” He lifted his chest in pride. “And the other students won’t disturb you. Everyone's too busy with their own projects anyway!”
“That’s great to know. Ortho, do you think I can have a quick word with you and Idia-senpai? There are a few things I need to do during this week.”
“Of course! He’s in his room, as usual, but I’m sure he’ll be delighted to see you.”
Yuu scoffed inwardly. He knew Idia enough to know that he wouldn’t be delighted to see him if he were to interrupt his work or his games…which would be the most likely case.
Nonetheless, he still followed Ortho who was guiding him through the corridors of Ignihyde, while also giving him a tour of the dorm, before finally reaching Idia’s room.
Before even opening the door, they could already hear shouts and furious keyboard tapping, making Ortho sigh as he pushed it open.
“Nii-san. Yuu-san and Grim-san are here.” He announced in a deadpanned voice, showing annoyance at his older brother’s attitude.
Idia had his back facing them, as he was leaning onto his computer, completely immersed in his game while talking furiously in his head set.
“Alright, let’s speedrun this boss before it realizes we’re under-leveled. A worthy foe… but not worthy enough. Spread out, don’t clump! Wait! Stack up, don’t spread!” Idia was furiously shouting orders, his blue hair progressively turning orange as more red dots were appearing on his screen...before a huge ‘GAME OVER’ appeared and he slumped back in his chair with a sigh.
He took out his headset and turned around to finally acknowledge his new guests.
“Yuu-shi, Grim-shi, welcome to Ignihyde...” Despite the warm words, Idia’s tone was miserable due to just having lost a game.
Ortho frowned. “Nii-san! That’s not a way to greet our new guests!”
Idia shrugged. “I can’t help it if I’m depressed beyond measure because my team made me lose my game…”
“Why are you even playing a co-op game? You said that you were not cut out for it.” Ortho asked.
“It’s not my fault!” Idia complained loudly. “I was supposed to play with Muscle Red but he cancelled at the last minute! I was already in the lobby so I thought ‘Might as well play, now that I’m here’ y’know? But before I knew it, I was in this team full of noobs who couldn’t even match my precise strategies specifically catered to their low-level! If only Muscle Red was present with us, we would have definitely defeated this boss!”
While Idia was ranting, Ortho found a chair for Yuu to sit down on and even managed to offer him some tea and biscuits. “Nii-san, Yuu-san needs to speak to you.” The humanoid cut his brother’s rant to refocus him to present matters, while looking apologetic towards Yuu.
Yuu didn’t mind. Rather, he found Idia’s antics oddly comforting to watch. He waited patiently for Ignihyde’s dorm leader to calm down before speaking up.
“Idia-senpai, first, thank you for letting us stay here.” He started, earning him a scoff from Idia.
“Cut to the chase, Yuu-shi. I know why you are here.”
Yuu raised an eyebrow. “You do?”
“Chernabog. But also that old sorcerer you asked Ortho to research.” His gaze pierced Yuu’s eyes, but Yuu didn’t faze as he nodded.
“That’s one thing, yes. But there is something else…” He hesitated, glancing down at Grim who was perched on his lap.
He remembered his conversation with him the previous night as they were alone packing up their things in their Pomefiore room.
“Grim. Remember what I told you that day in Scarabia after my surgery?”
“...your magic?”
“Yes. I’m hoping that Idia-senpai can help me activate my circuits.”
“So you’re really not leaving us?” Grim had asked with a wavering voice.
Yuu had hugged him to his chest. “How can I leave after seeing you guys give me so much love? I’ll do everything to find my place here.”
Yes, this was Yuu’s ultimate goal.
Finding his place in this world that has forcefully welcomed him, has made him go through various tribulations, but has also allowed him to build immovable connections.
Despite everything he had gone through, it didn’t feel right to abandon this place that made him grow as a person, that made him meet friends that he would trust with his life, friends that would always be there for him to support him.
These past weeks have forged Yuu’s resolve. He wanted to bring an end to Chernabog and to build a position for himself within Twisted Wonderland.
Tightening his hold on Grim, he looked back at Idia’s golden eyes and said. “I need your help to activate my magic.”
Both Idia and Ortho widened their eyes and Yuu finally shared the secret he had kept until now. His accident at Octavinelle, his surgery, the discovery of his magical circuits…and his wish.
“I don’t know if it’s possible at all… But if there is one person on this island that can give me a clear answer, it’s you, Idia-senpai.” Yuu finally said, now waiting for Idia’s response.
Ignihyde’s dorm leader had been uncannily quiet as he was listening to Yuu’s story. He brought a hand to his chin and scrutinised Yuu before offering him a grin. “That’s very interesting, Yuu-shi. Very very interesting.” He started to giggle maniacally before mumbling. “Yes, a non-magic body suddenly getting magical circuits as an effect of blot accumulation… It definitely needs to be studied. Alright. Let’s examine you.”
He stood up and stepped out of the room, motioning the rest to follow him. He took out his tablet and started to scribble on it as he spoke to his brother. “Ortho, prepare Room 32. We will need-” He started to list a number of equipment that Yuu couldn’t even recognise but he followed him nonetheless.
Ortho, after receiving his brother’s orders, flew ahead towards Room 32 leaving Idia, Yuu and Grim on the corridor.
Idia turned to Yuu. “Yuu-shi, in normal circumstances, I should really send you to STYX but we cannot afford that luxury now, can we? Fortunately, after the last overblotting events, I borrowed some of STYX’s equipment to conduct my own blot research here.” He explained as they reached Room 32.
It was a spacious chamber with various scientific equipment lying around. A massive machine was occupying the central space which was connected to the rest of the devices present but also to a hospital bed. Ortho was the only one already present and was flying from one machine to another.
Idia grabbed a white blouse and pointed at a door at the far end of the room. “Yuu-shi, this is a changing room. Put a gown on and then lay down on this bed.” He instructed Yuu who complied, leaving Grim with the Shroud brothers.
A few minutes later, dressed in a light blue gown, he was lying down and staring up at a giant scanner while Idia was at his bedside, a pair of goggles on his nose, going through the medical records Yuu had brought with him.
“Alright.” He said when he was done. “It will go quickly so don’t panic. This baby here will scan your entire body and give me a detailed report on every single organ. It can tickle a bit but it will last only a few seconds.”
As much as Yuu respected Idia, he really wanted to strangle him there.
Tickle, my ass. Yuu groaned in pain for ten good minutes after the scan. Instead of the supposed tickle, it felt as if thousands of microneedles were piercing every single part of his body, leaving him with a nasty buzzing feeling coursing him for a few minutes after the scan.
Ortho had brought him some cooling pads and apologised to him. “Sorry Yuu-san. We rarely use this scan on conscious human bodies…”
Idia, who was analysing a huge holographic representation of Yuu’s body, chimed in. “I believe it’s also because his body is non-magic. From what I see, Yuu-shi’s body is much less sturdy and resilient than the norm. Where it was supposed to be a tickle for a regular magic body, it became a painful agony for a body who has not been supported by magic…AHA!” He suddenly shouted, leaning over the left rib of giant!Yuu.
Yuu, who was slowly recovering, jumped in surprise, then asked in mild panic. “What’s wrong?!”
“I found one circuit.” Idia said, waving his magical pen over the area and lifting a very thin silvery line that he examined. “Hmmm, very interesting. You definitely have magical circuits but they are the size of circuits you can find in the body of an infant, which means that they haven’t fully matured.”
“So what, does that mean that I will have to wait years before being able to wield magic?”
Yuu thought back to when he first met Ace and Deuce, sixteen years old each, and without any proper magic control.
Does that mean that he’ll have to wait the same amount of years to start being a magician? He felt a bit dejected by this prospect.
“In theory, yes.” Idia answered. “However…there may be a way to accelerate the process.” He frowned and removed his goggles before looking back at Yuu. “Overblotting.”
Yuu widened his eyes, flashes of his friends’ overblot crossing through his mind. “Overblotting?” He asked in dread, hoping to not hear what Idia was about to say.
Idia let out a sigh. “I need to analyse how these circuits appeared, but if the school doctor is right and it is due to your exposure to overblot…then perhaps, more exposure will accelerate the maturation process.”
“But…how?” Yuu was completely confused by Idia’s theory. Was he saying that he needed to face more overblots to get his magical circuits to activate? That was crazy.
“Nii-san.” Ortho interrupted, in a weirdly serious tone. “It’s too dangerous.”
“I know. As I said, I will need to research and conduct some experiments to be fully sure. Yuu-shi, I will need a blood sample. Ortho, I will spend the next few days in this lab, I trust you to run the rest of the dorm.”
And, it was on these words that Yuu left Idia for three full days.
***
During these three days, Yuu actually got to make significant progress on his second goal. Researching Chernabog, as well as the old sorcerer.
STYX came back to them the next day with crucial information.
Ortho laid on the floor tens of old reports that were magically preserved and started to pour through them to give Yuu a concise summary.
“STYX went and dug into the oldest archives of each country.” He explained to Yuu on his second night. “It was in Briar Valley that they found records of an old and powerful sorcerer who was active at the time of the school’s foundation.”
“Oh! Do we have a name?” Yuu asked eagerly.
“One moment… Yes! But it’s not Chernabog… He’s called… Mika?” Ortho frowned at the page. “Sorry, the ink evaporated in some places, I cannot read clearly…”
Yuu and Grim, however, widened their eyes and looked at each other at the same time. “Do you think it is…?” Yuu asked his companion in disbelief.
Grim nodded furiously. “It can only be him! It’s Mickey!”
Mickey, the mysterious yet friendly black mouse that lived in Ramshackle’s mirror and sometimes appeared to them. He was a complete mystery to Yuu, and due to the recent events, he didn't have the time to properly research who he was exactly.
“You know him?” Ortho asked, surprised. Grim summarised their relationship with Mickey for him. “He is trapped in the mirror?” The humanoid was shocked and checked the reports again. “But that’s- I see. It says here that he suddenly disappeared after being shunned out by the magical community. The last time he was seen was on Sage Island.”
“But why was he shunned? He seemed very kind and friendly to us, unlike the evil sorcerer that Leona described.” Yuu was confused.
“It is as Leona Kingscholar-san explained.”Ortho answered him, flipping through multiple reports at the same time. “Mickey-san was one of the founders of the school and was very powerful. He created the Mirror Chamber system that is still known to be an incredible magical feat…however, he failed as a teacher and hurt a lot of students. Since the students came from all over the world, every country wanted to shut the school but Sage Island managed to reach a compromise and agreed to shun him out in order to protect the school, and that’s when he disappeared. His personality is not described in these reports, only his achievements.”
Yuu couldn’t believe it. Was Mickey the bad guy this whole time? Was he trying to manipulate him?? But he was so gentle…so kind to him. Did he burn Ramshackle then? And who was Chernabog? So many questions crossed Yuu’s mind and he didn’t feel any closer to the truth.
“I wonder if we can still speak to him…” He wondered out loud, trying to remember the state of the mirror in Ramshackle before recalling how burnt the entire building was. “No…that’s right. The mirror was broken…” He mumbled to himself, racking his brain in trying to find a solution.
“Wait, Henchman!” Grim suddenly said. “Didn’t you say that he also appeared in your dream? What if you can speak to him using Silver’s magic and Ortho?”
“But if the mirror’s broken, how can we be sure that he’s still alive?”
“Perhaps he went to another mirror… The ones on the ground floor were fine!”
Yuu contemplated the idea before nodding. “Worth a shot. Do you think it’s possible, Ortho?” He addressed the humanoid. “To locate Mickey’s dream coordinates and get there?”
Ortho took a moment to think about it before nodding. “It should be feasible. Let me contact Silver-san and we can organise that.”
“Also Ortho, was there any mention of Chernabog?” Yuu asked.
Ortho shook his head. “No…STYX is still researching him actively.” Yuu nodded. He felt like they made progress…but there was an opaque cloud of mystery encompassing their case.
***
The same night, Silver showed up at Ignihyde, accompanied by Lilia.
“I’m happy to help you.” He said with his usual solemn but genuine tone. “It’s the least I can do after everything you did for us.”
“Why are you here, Lilia?” Grim asked suspiciously.
“Fufu just to see how it would go. I have some information to share with you as well.” Lilia said with a mysterious air.
Yuu raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
Lilia chuckled. “Later my dear. Let’s meet your little dream friend first.”
After drinking a light sleeping draught, the little group constituted of Yuu, Grim, Lilia, Silver and Ortho drifted to dream land in order to meet with Mickey. It took them several trials to finally reach a place that looked exactly like Yuu’s bedroom in Ramshackle.
Except that this room was perfectly intact, not having been destroyed by the raging fire. Yuu felt a lump in his throat as he stared at what his old room used to be. He managed to keep his emotions in check but he couldn’t help the strong wave of loneliness he felt by seeing it.
He missed Ramshackle very badly. And he could see from the corner of his eyes that Grim was also sniffling discreetly. Yes, they might have received seven homes, but Ramshackle was still their first one in this realm and they were determined to return back there.
Spreading out to research the place, Yuu approached the large mirror upon the chimney, where he first met Mickey.
At first, he could only see his own reflection but suddenly, the surface of the mirror shimmered, rippling like disturbed water, and a silhouette materialised within the depths of the mirror.
Yuu gasped. He recognized it. The prominent round ears, the large hands, the unique shape. “Mickey?!” He called, gaining the attention of the others as well who approached him from behind.
“ Is that you? ” Mickey answered back, his voice muffled.
“Yes, it’s Yuu. Grim is here too, as well as some of my friends! We wanted to ask you a few questions.”
“ Okay! Sorry I can’t really see you though… Everything is foggy…”
“We can’t see you either…”
“Yuu-san, we need to hurry.” Ortho said, concern slipping in his voice as he examined the room. “I can sense some disruption in the air, and I don’t know where they are from.”
“Disruptions?” Silver asked with a frown. “Similar to the darkness?” Yuu remembered how Malleus’ magic created all sorts of obstacles in the dreams of all his friends, he was not eager to face those again.
Ortho shook his head. “No. But something is trying to interfere with Mickey-san's dream.”
Yuu frowned and nodded. “Alright then.” He turned back to the mirror. “Mickey, we have some questions about your past. We found out that you were a sorcerer thousands of years ago and you created the school and Ramshackle. But you turned evil and the entire magical world shunned you… Is this all true? What happened? Why are you in the mirror? Who is Chernabog?” Yuu fired all his questions at a quick speed.
Mickey stayed silent for a few seconds before sighing. “ Yes, that’s all true…and at the same time, not completely. Well done for finding all this out! I’m sure it was not easy since any records about me should have been erased. ”
“We had to dig quite deeply, yes… What do you mean ‘not completely’?”
“... Chernabog. He is… He is Evil. The incarnation of Evil. I came across him when I started my research about dark magic…and he ended up possessing me. ”
“What??”
“ That was around the time we created Night Raven College. A student had come to me and asked if dark magic would ever be taught… At that time, it was not a forbidden art, just something frowned upon. So I looked into it for him…but how could I have known that this simple request would have trapped me in this mirror for thousands of years?! ” Mickey’s voice wavered, his gentle and cheerful demeanour slowly morphing to a deep sorrow, regret and misery.
Yuu’s heart clenched for him. “So all the misdeeds attributed to you… Was it because Chernabog influenced your mind?”
Mickey nodded. “ Yes. I started doing things that were not me… I had lapses of judgment and I hurt people. Colleagues, students, everyone. ”
“How did you get trapped in this mirror then?” Lilia asked.
“ It was by pure luck… I managed to regain control of my body while he was asleep and I trapped us both in Ramshackle. In this mirror. I decided to take on the duty to watch over him, to make sure he doesn’t get out…but it seems that I even failed at that. ” Mickey let out a sigh, and Yuu could feel how old and tired he actually was.
“Don’t beat yourself up. You locked him for thousands of years, we are going to finish the job.” Yuu said with assurance.
A tremor suddenly shook the room and everyone gasped. Ortho ran out some scans and said. “The room will break in thirty seconds! We need to go!”
“Mickey!” Yuu immediately said, needing the answer of one last question. “How do we beat him??” They had received so much valuable information, they needed to make good use of it.
“... Light. The purest light from the purest magician. ” Mickey answered and suddenly his face appeared and he gave them a small smile. “Go. Stop him for me.”
“ MICKEY! ” A loud voice resonated in the room and the roof started to collapse.
“It’s him!” Mickey said. “It’s Chernabog! You have to go!”
Yuu nodded and grabbed Silver’s hand who started to chant. He gave a last look to Mickey and said. “We’ll see each other again, Mickey! Wait for us!”
“ To the one I’ve met before, to the one I’ve yet to meet. Meet in a Dream!”
The last thing Yuu saw was Mickey’s smile and the rubble burying him as a giant dark shadow loomed over them.
They managed to escape in time, waking up in their Ignihyde’s beds.
“Do you think he’s ok?” Grim asked with a small voice.
Yuu petted his head and nodded. “He’s alive. He has to be.”
“An interesting fellow, your friend.” Lilia chirped up, standing up from his bed, before turning towards Silver and Ortho. “Do we know how the dreamland got affected?”
Silver shook his head. “It’s different from Malleus-sama’s darkness. It was not an external invader… Chernabog was already there.”
Ortho nodded. “Yes, Silver-san is right. The disruption grew from within the mirror. I believe some of Chernabog's influences remain in Mickey-san.”
Lilia put a hand on his chin. “Hmm. It would make sense, indeed.”
“Lilia-senpai.” Yuu addressed the elder. “You said that you had information to share as well.”
“Indeed. It is related to Dark Magic and incidentally to Chernabog.” Lilia took a moment to find his words. “Briar Valley has been the first country to ban the use of Dark Magic after humans used it to attack us… However, we have not banned research about it.”
Everyone widened their eyes but they let the fae continue. “Our purpose was to track its origins and to eradicate it completely, in order to not suffer another attack from it. One of our leads was Sage Island…and specifically Night Raven College.”
“You found Dark Magic here?” Grim asked.
Lilia nodded. “Yes. Thousands of years ago. I was not even born yet. Briar Valley tracked some unusual use of Dark Magic amongst a few students. When asked, the students said that they had found an old textbook about it and wanted to practice it.”
“It seems like a minor incident…” Silver mused.
“It was. The book was taken, the students were suspended, and we never heard about it again. Then, some centuries later, it happened again. A group of students harassed and attacked some members of staff, specifically those proficient with Light Magic. Upon investigation, they found that those students had some level of Dark Magic proficiency. They were trying to get rid of Light Magic users due to their natural incompatibility. And those are only part of a dozen Dark Magic related cases in Night Raven College.”
“A dozen?” Yuu mused. Compared to the school’s longevity of thousands of years, these cases seemed to be just exceptional happenings without any particular link between them, especially if they were spaced by centuries. However… “They were all linked to Chernabog, weren’t they?” He asked no one in particular.
Nonetheless, Lilia nodded. “After hearing your friend’s story, that’s what I think too. I believe Chernabog has been trying to escape Ramshackle’s mirror little by little, expanding his influence throughout the school, entering the minds of the students and pushing them to use Dark Magic.”
“But why?” Grim asked. “What’s the point?”
“...Night Raven College is the home of exceptional magic users from all over the world. Every country, including closed-off ones like Briar Valley and even STYX itself, sends their youngsters to study there for three years. If Chernabog manages to get to their minds, he can slowly and gradually expand his influence around the world. This is why criminal organisations and the use of Dark Magic in the underworld have been prolific. His plans were already in motion.”
“Overblots!” Yuu suddenly cried out, making everyone jump. He felt like he got a revelation from heaven. “Don’t you think he was also the cause for all the Overblots cases we got this year? Think about it, Mickey said he was Evil. He emanates evil and dark thoughts. I experienced those myself, I was depressed, miserable, angry. If Chernabog has been spreading his influence, then what if he was also the reason why the dorm leaders and Jamil-senpai overblotted? They each had their reasons, but what if it ultimately was due to Chernabog’s evil influence on the school?”
The rest of the group took a moment to digest Yuu’s theory. It was supported by Lilia’s and Mickey’s information. Silver even added. “And on the world. Their reasons were traumas born from their environment. If Chernabog already had some influence on the world, it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that he indirectly also affected them.”
Lilia nodded. “It makes sense. And that’s why he is so adamant to go against Yuu. Ever since you arrived, you have been helping every one of us with our past and traumas. You are the Light against his Evil.”
“...The purest light from the purest magician…” Ortho whispered, echoing Mickey’s last words before exchanging a glance with Yuu and Grim who immediately understood.
Yuu had magic, and according to Mickey, the key to defeat Chernabog, would Idia manage to awaken it.
They ended their discussion there, mind buzzing with all the newly acquired information and formed theories…but also a touch of hope.
Notes:
Hullo! I'm very happy to see that Chernabog's reveal was so well received HAHA! This is genuinely an actual headcanon of mine. I really wish that when Mickey's deal will be revealed in the game, Chernabog will also be involved 'cause i think he would fit the story so much!
Anyway, as usual, please leave kudos/comment and see you in a few days for the second part of the arc!
Chapter 14: At Ignihyde (Part 2)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
That night, Yuu had a peculiar dream.
He was at the foot of a tall mountain. An ominous and desolate mountain shrouded in fog and illuminated by the moon, only source of light in this dark setting. Looking around, he noticed that there wasn’t any recognizable landscape. The area was murky and bleak, just like the mountain in front of him.
A flash of lightning suddenly crossed the night sky and Yuu gasped. The shadow of a creature appeared for a fraction of seconds on the clouds. A tall and large creature with horns.
“Chernabog!” A voice called from behind and Yuu saw Mickey appearing suddenly.
He looked very different from the Mickey he knew. His expression was grave and he looked tired, his clothes dusty and torn apart as if he had just fought a storm to arrive.
His eyes were locked towards the top of the point in a glare as he called again. “Chernabog! Show yourself! I finally reached your lair… It’s time to finish this!”
“Hehehe.” A low chuckle resonated and more flashes of lightning illuminated the sky. The creature Yuu saw became clearer as it towered them upon the peak of the mountain.
Yuu reflexively took a step back, eyes wide at the sight of Chernabog’s true appearance.
To say that he looked like a monster was demeaning enough. “Demon…” Yuu whispered in a shaky breath.
He looked like a demon coming straight from the deepest layers of Hell. His body was textured with dark shadowy forms and he had two large and spiky wings on his back which were just as tall as the mountain beneath him.
A vicious grin appeared on his face as he looked down on Mickey. “I must congratulate you for having come this far…Sorcerer. But alas, this is where you will meet your end.”
He raised his arm and a horde of dark creatures swarmed from behind him and lunged at Mickey at full speed. Mickey raised the staff he was holding to erect a barrier but he was quickly overwhelmed and Yuu couldn’t see him any longer.
The scene suddenly shifted to black and Yuu was facing a man. A young man in his twenties, hair pitch-black and wearing a dark suit too, but Yuu recognised him at his grin. He was wearing the same grin as the creature earlier….
“Chernabog.” Yuu addressed him with apprehension.
The man tilted his head in acknowledgement. “Himself. I’m glad to finally meet you, Prefect of Ramshackle.” He said with a tone full of danger.
“What do you want?” Yuu asked, guarded.
The man simply smiled, letting a few seconds pass before answering. “I just wanted to formally introduce myself. I know that you have been investigating me for a while now.” He started to approach Yuu, standing a few paces from him.
Yuu tried to keep distance but it was as if he was frozen in place. “Stay away from me!” He shouted, trying to move his legs. This person was emanating danger, threat and death, and Yuu only wanted to escape and wake up from this nightmare. He felt alone and entrapped.
Chernabog chuckled and raised his hand to touch Yuu’s cheek. It was a cold hand, no warmth could be felt from his skin. It made Yuu shiver. “Relax. I won’t harm you…yet.” His eyes glowed with a dark red. “You are a thorn in my plans, but you are also quite fascinating to observe. Your powerlessness makes you struggle and attempt feats that would have been impossible…and it gives you hope. Hope that everything will go well, that you and your little friends will be able to resolve this peacefully and go back to your boring lives… But listen carefully. Enjoy what little hope you have because soon enough, we will actually meet face to face, and you will be sorry to have held on to this fragile sentiment.”
Yuu felt his conscious fading and he suddenly woke up, drenched in sweat and gasping for air. The memories of his encounter with Chernabog fading away and he was left with a vague feeling of discomfort.
He had the awful sensation of forgetting something important but he couldn’t recall it and it started to gnaw at him.
***
Idia emerged from Room 32 three full days after Yuu’s arrival at Ignihyde.
Yuu and Ortho were so engrossed in researching and discussing Chernabog that they got a fright at the sight of Idia suddenly barging in Yuu’s room, hair in a frenzy and looking like a walking zombie.
“Nii-san!” “Idia-senpai??” Both Yuu and Ortho cried out, suddenly catching the boy who collapsed onto them.
Ortho immediately scanned his vitals and left a sigh of relief. “He’s just exhausted.”
They brought him to his bed and let him sleep for a couple of hours. He woke up in the middle of the night and immediately snatched Yuu outside of his bed to drag him to Room 32.
“Idia-senpai…? What..?” Yuu asked, groggily. He grabbed Grim in the process, but the cat didn’t even bother waking up and was still soundly asleep in his arms while he was fighting off his own drowsiness.
Idia didn’t answer him until they had reached the room, where Ortho was already busy with the machines. “Nii-san!” He reprimanded him. “You can’t drag people out of their beds in the middle of the night!”
Yuu let out a yawn and waved his hand in dismissal. “Don’t worry about me, Ortho. What’s up?” He was at a point where he couldn’t even start to be bothered by the antics of his friends. He learned after months of living in this land that going along whatever was happening was sometimes the best option.
Ortho sighed. “Nii-san found a way to activate your magic.”
Yuu widened his eyes. “Really??”
Idia was the one to answer this time, his first words ever since he emerged from his isolation. “Yes. I designed a program to train your magical circuits by submitting them to an intense maturation process that will involve blot accumulation.” He explained while typing on two keyboards simultaneously. “STYX has a sample of each of the problem children’s blot which are highly concentrated in magic. The idea is to expose you to them in order to elevate your own levels of blot and bring you close enough to an overblot state. Since overblotting is caused by overuse of magic, we’ll make your body over-exposed to it. By repeating this process, your magical circuits will strengthen and your body will react more naturally to active magic which will make you more prone to activate your own.”
“...so you want me to overblot several times?” Yuu really tried to connect all his brain cells to understand Idia’s explanation, but it was getting confusing.
“Ortho.” Idia said simply, focusing on the multiple screens in front of him.
Ortho took over with a shake of his head. “Yuu-san, you won’t overblot. This program is designed to elevate your blot levels gradually. We will bring you close enough, but we won’t go beyond that.”
Yuu nodded. He took a moment to think back to Idia’s explanation before asking him. “What are the risks? And how long will it take?”
Idia paused his typing and turned towards him to face him. “The answer to your second question will depend on how you react to this procedure. Could take an hour, could take a month. The answer to your first question…” He made a pause before showing a malicious grin. “I have no idea. It is a world first-time experiment, no one knows what the risks are!” A maniac glint lighted up in his eyes and Yuu chuckled.
“So at the very worst, I die?” He said with a snort.
Idia shook his head. “Don’t be silly. I didn’t spend three entire days without sleep to design an experiment where you die. No, anything could happen except your death, Yuu-shi.” He said with a solemn tone.
Yuu nodded. “Alright then. I trust you, Idia-senpai. How do we do that?”
Idia brought him in front of a glass room in the middle of the room with only a small bed inside. “You will enter this chamber with only your underwear on. A gas, which is a mixture of diluted blot with breathable chemicals, will be sprayed every hour for one minute. The ratio will start at 10-90 and we’ll slowly increase it every time. Try to inhale as much as possible, let the gas enter your body. We will then purify the air with oxygen and you will have the rest of the hour to relax. We will scan your body, analyse how your magical circuits reacted and then repeat the procedure if deemed safe.”
“Alright.” Yuu felt reassured that Idia and Ortho were present with him.
He entered the glass room without clothes on per Idia’s instructions and was pleasantly surprised that it had been warmed up. He sat on the bed which was comfier than expected and waited. He could see from outside that Idia and Ortho were adjusting various variables before Idia spoke to him.
“Alright Yuu-shi, are you ready for the first salve?” Yuu gave him a thumbs-up and Idia activated the machine.
At first, the gas looked perfectly normal, just a regular light grey smoke akin to a winter breath. It was slowly engulfing the room and took a few seconds to reach Yuu, but when it did, Yuu could see from up close that traces of dark smoke were twirling within the gas. Blot. He assumed.
Following Idia’s instructions, Yuu took a large inspiration and inhaled the smoke as much as possible. He didn’t feel anything at first, the gas was perfectly odorless and he expired to inhale more of it.
That’s when he felt it.
It was a strange sensation. He could literally feel something foreign entering his body and spreading throughout him at quick speed. Even though his brain understood what it was, his body didn’t and so it started fighting against it.
Yuu collapsed on the bed and felt a sharp heat coming from his heart and coursing his veins. His head throbbed and his muscles ached. Yuu recognised these symptoms. A fever. The body’s self-defense mechanism against external aggression.
“Yuu-shi.” He heard Idia. “Endure it. I will send a sleeping gas to help you this time, but your body is basically building up immunities. Your magical circuits have not reacted due to the insta-reaction of your white cells. It will take a few hours for your body to understand that this is unnecessary. For the moment, sleep.”
As the new gas entered his room, Yuu slowly slumbered, hoping that his body could adapt quickly.
He woke up three hours later, still feeling achy in his limbs but better than earlier.
Ortho summed up what happened before. “You broke into a 40-degree fever, Yuu-san. But as Nii-said, it faded away after two hours and we are starting to see some reaction in parts of your magical circuits! It’s much quicker than expected, so hopefully you’ll be done soon!” He tried to sound hopeful and Yuu was grateful for it.
Idia said. “Have something to eat and then I’ll send the gas again.”
Yuu got a small sandwich with a bottle of water and a cupcake before readying himself for the second salve of blot gas. “15-85.” Idia announced. A five-percent increase since the first one.
Just like before, the gas slowly entered the room and took a few seconds to reach Yuu. He inhaled some of it and he could immediately feel something different.
It had an odour.
A familiar odour that Yuu couldn’t recall. But for some reasons, this smell made his body relax, allowing the gas to reach the magical circuits inside him. Yuu could feel them pulsing within him. At first slowly, then at a quicker pace, before eventually fading away.
The air in the room got purified and Yuu could inhale fresh oxygen, clarifying his mind. He asked the Shroud brothers. “How are my circuits? I definitely felt some reaction.”
Idia nodded. “Your circuits recognised the blot within the gas. That’s why it reacted. However we want more than that, we want them to accept each other. Your circuits need to invite them in, that’s how we’ll be able to elevate your blot levels.” He frowned, before saying. “We’ll increase the ratio next time, have some rest.”
An hour later, Idia announced. “20-80.” And launched the gas again. The same sensation, the same odour…but this time, Yuu’s brain clicked. “Oh.” He said, making Idia immediately react.
“What?”
Yuu shook his head. “Did you put some fragrance in this gas, Idia-senpai?” He asked in return.
Idia drew his eyebrows together, confused. “Definitely not. Every element is entirely odorless.”
“Then why am I smelling Heartslabyul?” Yuu suddenly said, in disbelief.
He couldn’t mistake this smell. The roses, the cakes, the fresh grass. He had spent more than enough time there to recognise the fragrance of Heartslabyul’s lounge.
As he recalled his time there, he saw his body emanating a red glow that dissipated immediately.
“What..?” Yuu widened his eyes before looking back at Idia. “What was that??”
“...” Idia stayed silent for a moment, looking at some charts before finally saying with a grin. “Well done Yuu-shi. You have unlocked the commonality factor. The common point between your body, your magical circuits and the gas I’m spreading.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your circuits came from the overblotted children, the gas is also from them…and your body remembers time spent with them. That’s the commonality factor. The needed ingredient to make your circuits accept the gas…and the blot. The red light, that’s a sign of Riddle-shi’s magic reacting within you. We are on the right track, Yuu-shi!”
Yuu smiled, feeling reinvigorated by this realization. Riddle, Leona, Azul, Jamil and Vil… He would hold a piece of each of his friends within him to support him.
Idia continued his experiment, increasing by five the ratio of blot every time. When it reached 40-60, Yuu smelled something different.
Sand, palm leaves and wood. Leona-senpai’s Savanaclaw. Yuu thought warmly, remembering his time spent there.
A golden hue enveloped him, which lasted a couple seconds longer than the red one did. He felt a tremor coursing him and something powerful within him which faded quickly.
When Idia passed the 60-40 ratio, Yuu fainted.
His entire body pulsed while a light purple glow wrapped him. He smelled the ocean, sea salt and fish. Azul-senpai… Yuu’s last thoughts before feeling his consciousness leaving his body.
“YUU-SHI!” He heard yelling and managed to open his eyes…before gasping.
The bed he was sitting on was destroyed, burn marks were on the floor and the walls, and the room smelled like heavy smoke.
Behind the glass, Idia was looking at him with despair and worry. “Yuu-shi! Do you recognise me?” He asked in panic.
“Idia-senpai…? What happened?”
Idia let out a sigh of relief and said. “You almost overblotted. That’s the limit to not cross.”
“What??” Yuu was shocked. What did he even do??
“After you fainted, your blot levels rose up at a crazy speed and you started to emanate dark miasma, similar to the problem children. Then it exploded and burned everything…except you. A purple glow protected you while you went on a rampage.”
“I… how long did it happen?”
“Around twenty good minutes. How are you feeling?”
“... I’m tired.”
Idia nodded. “Let’s stop here. Sleep and we’ll see how it goes tomorrow.”
The next morning, Yuu awoke to a peculiar phenomenon.
He was floating.
He was literally in the air, just above his new bed.
Ortho was right outside the room, observing him and analysing a screen at the same time.
“Ortho?” He called for him. “What’s happening to me??”
“It’s a sign that your magic is active on a subconscious level, Yuu-san.”
“My magic is active??” Yuu broke into a grin.
Ortho nodded happily. Idia suddenly appeared beside him and said. “Now we need to make you use it consciously. Be ready for the next spray of gas, Yuu-shi. And remember. You will overblot but you need to stay conscious.”
Yuu nodded. He was ready.
When the next spray of gas occurred, Idia announced. “80-20.” 80 percent of blot. “Once we reach 100%, Yuu-shi, you will be a confirmed mage.” Idia had told him.
Yuu inhaled the gas and smelled a new scent.
Spices, perfumes, curry.
Jamil-senpai! Yuu thought, fighting the pain coursing his veins as the blot was trying to overwhelm him.
He could feel magic sparkling at the tip of his fingers while a mixture of dark blots and crimson hues were twirling around him.
“Argh!” Yuu let out a scream but he managed to hold on.
His head was split into half but he held on. After minutes that felt like hours, he opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Idia and Ortho’s horrified expressions, staring at something above him. When he raised his eyes, he saw it.
A dark silhouette was floating above him, akin the Phantoms that appeared when his friends overblotted, in the shape of a large and muscular creature with horns and large wings.
Yuu felt like he saw this figure before, it felt horribly familiar but he couldn’t recall.
The silhouette dissipated after a few seconds and Yuu collapsed on his bed, forehead dripping with sweat as he was breathing heavily.
“Yuu-shi. That was…” Idia started, trying to find his words.
Yuu nodded. “Yeah…That was a Phantom, wasn’t it? Did I change appearance?”
Ortho shook his head. “No you didn’t. How are you feeling?”
“I think I can sense magic. It feels strange, like electricity is crossing my body but it doesn’t hurt.”
“Can you try to summon it? Anything would be fine.”
Yuu examined his hands, especially his fingers, and closed his eyes, visualising this energy gathering in his palms. He suddenly felt something warm and when he opened his eyes, a small white flame was dancing in his hand. He gasped in surprise and the flame disappeared.
He raised his head towards the Shrouds, and he felt a burst of happiness as he saw the smiles of pride they were addressing him.
Idia snickered and his hair flew in frenzy. “HEHEHE! Yuu-shi, are you ready for the last boss?”
Yuu smiled. “Bring it on.”
The gas that was now so familiar enveloped him for the last time, as Idia announced. “100/0!” 100% blot and nothing else to help him breathe. The only way Yuu had to be able to breathe was to integrate as much blot as possible through his body and not his respiratory organs.
He smelled…bathrooms, shampoo, make-up, and cosmetics. Vil-senpai . He smiled, raising his hands to absorb all the blot through it.
As soon as it touched him, the entire gas flew rapidly towards his palms and entered his body. Yuu convulsed but managed to stay sane.
COUGH . Black blood was dripping through his mouth but he held on. Eventually, he cleared out the entire room from the blot and he started to feel changes.
A deep purple hue enveloped him and he saw a mirage of a costume glitching over his naked body. A gown sparkling with red, golden, and purple hues, large silver wings on his back and two horns on his head.
An Overblot form.
It lasted a full minute, but Yuu had never felt so powerful before. He felt like he could do anything, that he could create, bend things to his will, fly, teleport, do everything his imagination could wish.
It was hypnotising, addictive….dangerous.
The form disappeared and Yuu collapsed back on the floor.
“Yuu-san!” Ortho called for him. “Are you alright?”
He nodded. “My muscles ache…but I feel alright.”
Idia said. “Try summoning another flame.”
Yuu held his palm open in front of him and not even half a second later, a giant ball of white fire was floating in his hand, ten times larger than the one he conjured earlier.
Idia grinned. “Experiment successful.” He opened the door to the glass room and Yuu finally came out of it. Raising both of his hands up, he high-fived the Shroud brothers in glee.
He had acquired magic.
Powerful magic.
***
His last two days in Ignihyde were mostly spent within the lab as Idia and Ortho performed a variety of check-ups to ensure the stability of his newfound power.
However, Yuu had mixed emotions at the fact that he was summoning fire magic. Fire had now been a deeply anchored trauma but for some reasons, it didn’t trigger any panic when he summoned it. Perhaps it was the white colour, perhaps it was something else… But nonetheless, he was apprehensive in using it to attack, he felt that he could lose control, hurt someone…and that terrified him.
It was Idia who reassured him on this point when he mentioned it.
“Your magic signature is interesting, Yuu-shi.” Idia had said after examining the white flames produced by Yuu. “You wield a mix of fire and light magic. But your fire doesn’t burn, rather it purifies.”
“So, it can’t hurt anyone?”
“At the moment, your trauma is what makes this possible. You refuse to wield regular fire and that’s why your fire is harmless. The moment you lose control, it may become a risk to yourself and people around…so here.”
He gave him a magical pen to help him regulate his level of blots and control his magic, and Yuu felt a tremor coursing him. Despite his underlying fears, he finally felt like he could be part of this land, that he could be accepted and remain with his friends.
The only thorn on his side was Chernabog.
Yuu’s dreams regarding Chernabog actually occurred every single night ever since their meeting with Mickey…and every time Yuu was waking up without any recollections of their encounter.
He always had that vague feeling of dreaming something important, but all he felt was unease and confusion…until the sixth night at Ignihyde.
He had fallen asleep on his bed, exhausted after being pushed to his limits by the Shrouds, and he was apprehensive, but also excited about leaving the dorm.
Idia had secretly contacted Malleus and Lilia and had asked them to train Yuu in magic, which they happily agreed. It was the best opportunity for Yuu to actually develop his skills with the best mages in the school. This terrified Yuu because he knew how talented Diasomnia students were, but at the same time, having the privilege to learn from Malleus himself was something he couldn’t refuse.
It was with these thoughts in mind that Yuu fell asleep and found himself once again in front of the tall mountain he kept on seeing with the same scene replaying again. Mickey next to him, Chernabog appearing tall and mighty and sending a horde of demons against them, and Yuu waking up.
Yuu remembered the same pattern and every time he swore to himself that he would remember. That he would be able to tell his friends about it. One thing he had realised the previous night after seeing Chernabog’s true form was how alike it was his own Overblot and Phantoms.
It made him shiver just by thinking about it. Was the link between himself and Chernabog deeper than what it looked like?
Yuu didn’t have the time to delve on this question since the scene playing in front of him suddenly changed.
Instead of seeing the mountain from below, he was suddenly on top of it, looking down on Mickey who was glaring up at him.
Examining his hands and body, he realised that he was in Chernabog’s body and gasped. “What?”
“Shhh.” A voice rose up beside him. Yuu couldn’t see who it was but he knew nonetheless.
“Chernabog…what are you doing this time?” He didn’t have any control. It was as if he was simply spectating the scene playing from the demon’s eyes this time.
He felt his arms rising up and the horde of demons attacking Mickey. He saw the sorcerer trying his best to fight them off but in vain, while he was only hearing a low chuckle ringing in his ears.
“Look at him, this fool. He came all the way up here, in my lair, with hopes to defeat me, yet watch where it led him.”
“Why do you keep showing me this scene?” Yuu asked in anger.
“Because that will be you soon enough. Don’t think I don’t know what is going on. You have magic now. Congratulations. But don’t be too hopeful thinking that your baby powers could defeat mine.”
“I won’t do it alone. I have people to support me.” Yuu argued back.
“Hehehe oh yes, your friends… Well, I have one suggestion for you then. Wake up right now and see what’s happening to them.”
“What?”
Yuu’s eyes opened up suddenly and he could smell smoke.
He heard screams and shouts behind the door and when he opened it, large flames were engulfing Ignihyde’s dorm.
Yuu widened his eyes. He’s burning it…just like he burnt Ramshackle. He thought, horrified, tears pooling up.
“Yuu-san!” Ortho came flying to him. “You need to evacuate! Come!”
Yuu grabbed Grim and the three of them managed to find a way out. All the students were already out there, firemen were already present and Idia was speaking with a few teachers.
“Ortho, what happened…?”
“Unknown. A fire suddenly erupted but fortunately, the security systems managed to warn me in time so that I could alert everyone. Firemen and teachers just arrived and everyone has been safely evacuated.”
Yuu swallowed with difficulty. It was the same thing that started this whole nightmare.
The burning of a dorm.
But this time, students were actually endangered. Innocent people that didn’t have anything to do with this situation almost perished because of…!
Yuu opened his mouth in shock. Several students around him gasped as well and screamed.
There, amidst the scorching smoke and blazing flames, the silhouette of the demon haunting his dream appeared. The horns, the wings, the grin.
A loud voice bellowed from within the fire, addressed at him. “ YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE ME! ”
And Yuu collapsed on the spot.
***
When Yuu woke up, he was staring at a familiar ceiling.
His Ignihyde room. Intact.
He jumped out of bed and immediately went out. He was shocked to see that the rest of the dorm hadn’t suffered any damage.
“How…?” Yuu said in disbelief. He had just seen these same corridors being engulfed in flames, so how was it possible that there were no burning marks left? “Ortho?” He called out.
The humanoid appeared in front of him less than five seconds after. “Something wrong, Yuu-san?” He asked worriedly. It was unusual for Yuu to call for Ortho in the middle of the night.
“The fire… What happened to the fire?” Yuu asked.
Ortho tilted his head. “What fire?”
Yuu widened his eyes at him, making wide gestures with his arms. “The fire that was burning the dorm?? There were giant flames and a demon inside it!”
Ortho shook his head. “Everything is fine, Yuu-san. There was no fire.” He said gently, sensing what was happening. “Did you…had a bad dream?” He asked with caution.
A dream… Everything was a dream…? Yuu felt himself sagging on the floor. “This bastard…” He muttered, gritting his teeth in anger. “It’s Chernabog.”
He told Ortho everything, from seeing Chernabog on that mountain to Ignihyde’s fire. “He’s threatening me. He showed me the dorm burning…just like he burnt Ramshackle. As a warning!” He bursted out. Yuu had endured a lot these past weeks, but this was his last straw.
Ortho listened patiently before saying. “Yuu-san. What happened to Ramshackle will never happen here, you can be sure of that.” He put his hand on Yuu’s shoulder and squeezed it in comfort. “However, his mind control and influence has gotten stronger if he is able to manipulate your senses…Come, let’s go see Nii-san.”
They both entered Idia’s room, unsurprised to see him still awake and gaming in the middle of the night. He was about to tell them off but he had one look at Yuu’s forlorn expression and paused. He muttered in his mic “AFK.” before turning his full attention to his brother and his guest. “Tell me what happened.”
He listened to Ortho’s explanations before nodding. “I see. He’s attacking your weaknesses because he knows that you are becoming an actual threat to him…especially since he is aware that your magic awakened. Yuu-shi, the next couple of days will be crucial. I won’t be surprised if he tries to attack you again through your dreams. Fortunately, you will be in the company of Silver-shi and the other Diasomnia students, they will protect you. Physically and mentally. But you need to get stronger. Quickly.”
Yuu nodded, his mind refocused on what to do. “I know. I will beat him up.”
***
Yuu only managed to sleep a couple of hours before finally standing on the threshold of Ignihyde, ready to bid goodbye to his two friends.
His nightmare still shook him and he couldn’t help the tremors crossing his body at the sight of the empty corridors. He still remembered them burning, the scream of the students echoing and his own heart beating frantically in panic.
He was frustrated with himself.
Chernabog easily accessed his dreams and managed to overpower him in an instant. He couldn't do anything except succumbing to his deepest fears and it made him angry.
Despite having uncovered so many secrets about the demon, but also about his own capacities, Yuu had the feeling, the hope that he could defeat him…yet here he was. Trying to calm down his fears and appear strong in front of his two friends.
Yuu smiled, bowing his head in gratitude. “Thank you Idia-senpai, Ortho. For everything. I can’t believe I’ve only spent a week here, so much happened.” He gave a little laugh, trying to appear at ease. But the Shroud brothers noticed the layer of nervousness he was trying to hide.
Ortho replied in his usual cheerfulness. “That’s right! We made a lot of progress! I’m sure everything will soon be resolved, Yuu-san, so don’t lose hope!” He said sincerely.
Idia nodded. “Ortho’s right. You have acquired all the secret items and unlocked your new power. You need to boost your skills before going after the last boss, but I have confidence in you, Yuu-shi. Your quest is almost over.” Yuu chuckled at Idia’s attempt to cheer him up.
He nodded nonetheless. “You’re right. I’ll make sure to end this for good.”
And on this promise, he stepped out, crossed the magic mirror and entered the Mirror Chamber.
He glanced at the different mirrors standing next to each other.
Weeks ago, he would have been indifferent towards this place. It was a location like any other in this school. He would come if he needed to visit other dorms, most often Heartslabyul, but that was the extent he would use the Mirror Chamber.
Today, however, warm feelings were bubbling in his chest as he carefully looked at each mirror while standing in the middle of the room.
Each dorm had welcomed him, had sheltered him, had made him feel home.
The Mirror Chamber was now the one place linking all his newmade homes and he could only feel emotional at this realisation.
Glancing at the remaining dorm, he stepped into the Diasomnia mirror with a determined heart.
Notes:
Hullo! Hope you enjoyed the chapter lol It's a bit of a heavy one since it's mainly Yuu levelling up lol
I hope you guys are ready for Diasomnia! It's gonna be a long part 'cause as you can see, we still have seven chapters left haha
The last one will be the epilogue though, so Diasomnia will have a whole six chapters to finish off everything!As usual, please leave kudos/comment and stay tuned for the first part of Diasomnia coming this weekend!
Chapter 15: At Diasomnia (Part 1)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It had not been that long since Yuu had last seen the Diasomnia dorm. Lilia’s farewell party and the chaos ensued during it were only a couple of months ago, yet it felt ages ago.
Many things changed in this period of time. The building that had been destroyed was now rebuilt and looked similar to the old one at first glance, but attentive eyes would notice that the wood and glass quality have improved, making the place look better refurbished. The interior decoration had also completely changed. Keeping the dark aestheticism that was the image of the dorm, the new furniture now gave a sense of modernism and sophistication that was much needed.
The main change though was the mood within the dorm. Once stuffy and unbearable with students taking pride in their elitist self and looking down upon others, it was now a much more comfortable and friendly environment. Students of all years had an easy-going smile, chatter and laughter could be heard in the halls and their eyes that once held contempt towards others now showed a genuineness that was much appreciated.
Yuu was fascinated by the changes that every overblots have brought to the dorm where they happened. Not only for the overblotters but also for their environment, the people that had been affected by them. There were negative, positive, neutral changes, but significant enough to have an important impact on the school life. He wondered in a corner of his mind if the school will again go through another change after they resolve the current situation.
Yuu crossed the last threshold of his seven-week adventure. Inside Diasomnia’s lounge, four familiar figures were waiting for him with a warm smile, seated on the brand-new sofas.
“I hope I’ll get sofas like these too once Ramshackle gets rebuilt.” Yuu said with a laugh, taking place beside Malleus and Sebek, facing Lilia and Silver.
Malleus, not getting the joke, immediately responded. “I will buy them for you if you need them, Child of Man.” He said with a determined nod, making Yuu, Silver and Sebek widened their eyes and Lilia chuckling.
Only Grim was excited about it. “YAY!! You’re the best, Tsunotaro!”
“It’s alright, Tsunotaro! I don’t need them!” Yuu knew that the heir of Briar’s Valley could refurbish his Ramshackle with the bat of an eye, however he didn’t want to abuse his kindness and generosity.
“Now, now.” Lilia said, making everyone focus back. “Welcome to Diasomnia, Yuu, Grim. I wish I could promise you a stress-free stay, but I don’t think anyone here will believe that.” Everyone else nodded at these words and Yuu let out a sigh.
“Yeah… None of my other stays have been uneventful. I’m sorry in advance for any trouble I will cause in the next few days.” Yuu dipped his head in apology but Malleus lifted it immediately with a hand under his chin.
“Don’t apologise, Child of Man. We are more than happy to support you. In fact, Shroud has given us a specific task…” The fae-dragon raised an eyebrow at Yuu, leaving unspoken words in the air.
Yuu nodded. “Yes. Please help me train my magic.” He glanced down at the magic pen Idia gave him, twirling it in his hand.
Lilia smiled. “Malleus and I have both raised Silver and Sebek and trained them in efficient use of magic. We know that our pedagogy works, however we have a time limit on this. Not only can Chernabog attack at any time, but you are also the key to defeat him. Which means that you need to be trained in offensive magic immediately and it is one that requires specific control that only comes after months of dedicated training.”
Malleus frowned. “Time that we lack.” He said, echoing the worries of everyone in the room. Yes, Yuu’s potential was great but how would they develop it fully to hope to defeat Chernabog?
Silver suddenly spoke up. “The land of dreams…”
Lilia raised an eyebrow. “You mean…?” He asked, receiving a nod from his son.
“Yes Father. Time flows differently in the land of dreams. If Yuu trains there, he could triple his time practicing his magic.” Silver made a convincing argument, however, Lilia shook his head after exchanging a look with Malleus.
“It means that we would all need to be asleep during this period of time, which we can’t afford to do. That demon could attack us anywhere…”
“And he has access to my dreams.” Yuu added, remembering somberly his last few nights. The last one, the burning of Ignihyde, was still vividly engraved in his mind. He explained in short words what had happened, leaving the Diasomnia group with surprised gasps.
“Well…” Malleus frowned, finding his words. “This is a problem.”
“We need to act fast then.” Lilia stood up, before turning to his son and Yuu. “Silver, from now on, you are in charge of assisting Yuu in his dreams.” Silver nodded. “Yuu, your first lesson will start this afternoon. Meet me in the courtyard behind the dorm.” He then left in strides, climbing the staircase leading to his rooms.
Malleus then spoke up, addressing the last member of their quartet. “Sebek, make sure that the Child of Man is given the same protection you would give me. Also, when the time is right, do train him in the first year curriculum. The school year will soon end, he will need to catch up on what he missed.”
“Yes Young Master!” Sebek saluted Malleus in his usual loud voice. Yuu was almost surprised to not hear any of Sebek’s typical complaining but seeing the serious look in his eyes, he knew that the half-fae understood the gravity of his assignment.
Yuu was even more in danger than ever before, not coming from mobs of angry students but from an all-powerful ancient demon. The Personification of Evil.
Sighing, he hoped that everything related to Chernabog would be over in the next few days.
***
Over the past six weeks…over the past few months even, Yuu thought he had learned what hell was. He almost got killed several times, drowned, and attacked. A literal demon was even after him.
He really thought that nothing could surpass these…but boy, was he wrong.
His first afternoon of magic training with Lilia started as well as it could possibly be. The fae had changed to training gear, just his regular sports outfit, and asked him first,. “It is my understanding that you have a large magical power now, is that right?” He raised an eyebrow in an unspoken request to have a demonstration.
Yuu opened his palm and, just as he showed Idia and Ortho a few days prior, a large ball of white fire was floating in his hand. He made it disappear after a few seconds, then looked at Lilia. “There.”
He didn’t miss the surprised expression the fae wore before schooling down his face and having an amusing grin. “Very interesting. Fire and light elements as well. Can you recreate that ball of fire, in a smaller size? Like an apple.”
Yuu nodded and tried visualising an apple resting in his hand. He opened his palm and a small luminous dot appeared. Yuu frowned, it was not the size he expected, and tried to make it bigger. However, as soon as the word ‘big’ entered his mind, the dot grew in size and became the large ball of fire that he had previously materialised.
“Argh- It’s either too small or too big-” Yuu huffed, annoyed with himself.
Lilia chuckled. “This reminds me of when Malleus was younger… He was gifted with enormous power but had no idea how to control it… I’m not even sure he even completely controls it now.” He said contemplatively before focusing back on Yuu, a mischievous grin on his face. “Very well. This will be your first task today. Create a ball of fire the size of an apple.”
Yuu didn’t have time to bat an eye that Lilia had already vanished without much of an explanation, leaving the poor boy completely at loss.
‘Our pedagogy works’, my ass! He thought in annoyance, left alone in the back courtyard of Diasomnia.
He stared at his hand, a large ball of fire appeared again and vanished, and he didn’t have a single clue on how to proceed on this task.
Nonetheless, he sat down and started producing balls of fire.
After hours of relentless use of magic, the sun started to set on the horizon and Yuu laid on his back, eyes fixed on the orange sky, and completely worn off from the effort. He could feel his entire body trembling and slightly burning up, emanating a fine dark smoke.
He hadn’t been able to complete the task. The most he was able to do was reduce slightly the size of the large ball, but that was it. He felt frustrated at himself but also at Lilia who hadn’t offered a single piece of advice.
He felt his eyes closing tiredly when suddenly he felt a puff of warm air underneath him and he was suddenly floating in the air and moving towards a mysterious direction.
Mysterious for not too long as he directly landed after a few seconds in the arms of none other than Malleus Draconia.
“T-Tsunotaro??” Yuu widened his eyes. Malleus was carrying him in his arms and was strolling leisurely throughout the corridors of the dorm.
“You have exerted yourself, Child of Man.” The dragon glanced down at him with stern eyes. “How are you feeling?”
“...Tired. And my body is burning.” Yuu let a sigh out, closing his eyes and resting his head against Malleus’ chest.
“...It’s a sign of overblot. You have used your magic considerably in a short amount of time and without rest.”
“...” Yuu was half-suspecting that, seeing the familiar dark smoke surrounding him. Opening his eyes, he looked up at Malleus. “Did your body also burn like that when you overblotted?”
He didn’t miss the subtle twitch in Malleus’ body, expressing his unease at remembering this dark episode, but he nonetheless dipped his head in a nod. “It felt as if I entered Hell itself.”
Yuu nodded, not asking any more questions and let himself be carried by Malleus until they reached a door in one of the highest floors of the dorm.
“This is your room, Child of Man.” Malleus announced, entering the place, and being met with a loud snore.
Grim had already taken residence and was sleeping soundly on the bed.
Chuckling, Yuu glanced around.
It was a large room, lavishly furnished with high quality furniture. A big four-poster bed, a long wardrobe, a thick carpet, a desk and a bookshelf. There was also a small sitting area with two couches and a coffee table. That’s where Malleus headed, lowering Yuu gently on one of the couches.
“Thank you, Tsunotaro.” He whispered.
Malleus shook his head. “Don’t mention it. What did Lilia even ask you to do to put you in this state?”
“Create a ball of fire the size of an apple. I can only create huge ones or very small ones, I can’t seem to get the size right.”
The dragon nodded, smiling in nostalgia. “Ah yes. Typical Lilia.” He then opened his hand and created a perfect ball of green fire, shaped in an apple.
Yuu pouted. “Don’t brag, Tsunotaro. Give me pointers instead, please.”
Malleus chuckled. “I’m sure you understood the point of this exercise, Child of Man. You need to feel the strength of your magic and control it with precision. There are no pointers to give.”
“...Lilia told me you also had to go through this type of training. How long did it take you to complete the first task?”
“A week.”
“I don’t have a week!” Yuu complained with a sigh. “Tsunotaro, are you sure there are no other ways to make me speed up this training?” He asked in despair.
To his dismay, Malleus shook his head and started to make his way towards the door. “I’m sorry Child of Man, but unless you feel the control of your magic as an extension of yourself, it will be difficult to move to the next stage. Keep trying.”
And on these encouraging words, Malleus left the room, leaving Yuu spiraling down into his frustration.
He laid down on the couch for a while, thoughts ruminating. He didn’t dare try to summon his magic by fear of burning the room down.
So he just thought. He went through the events of the day, what was said, not said, how he practiced, what he missed.
Despite his frustrations at Lilia and Malleus, he knew deep down that the two faes had a plan in mind and knew what they were doing. They had both taught Silver and Sebek, were amongst the most powerful magic users of the continent and knew that they were currently on a deadline.
If Yuu didn’t acquire magic as soon as possible, he would succumb to Chernabog’s power. The entire school, Sage Island even, would succumb to it.
They knew and yet, it seemed like they had enough faith in him to be able to overcome this simple task.
An apple-sized ball of fire.
Yuu suddenly remembered Malleus’ words earlier.
Feel the control of your magic as an extension of yourself.
He pondered on this sentence.
How did he feel magic?
Ever since he activated his magic back at Ignihyde, it has always felt like a foreign power that had just been added within him and that he needed to control now. He never considered it to be…an integrated part of himself. An extension of himself.
Deep inside, Yuu had always considered magic to be surreal, supernatural. Something coming right from the movies, from a fictional world where he didn’t belong.
Right… Twisted Wonderland was never meant to be his world, his home. So how could he accept using a power that belonged to this world?
He realised that all his troubles were still rooting from the same issue.
His sense of belonging. Despite everything he experienced, he still didn’t accept this world as his home.
Why?
Because he was afraid he wouldn’t find a place in the future?
Because he was afraid to be rejected?
Because he was afraid that after his graduation, he would have nowhere to go?
He didn’t have any family or relatives. He didn’t know the customs and cultures.
He was foreign.
And it was a realisation that he couldn’t part from.
As long as he bore these fears, he wouldn’t be able to unlock his potential, his magic, and he wouldn’t be able to fight and defeat Chernabog.
It felt like an infinite loop.
It felt suffocating.
It felt oppressing.
It felt lonel-
“HENCHMAN!”
“Eh?”
Grim bellowed in his ear, screaming and shaking him frantically. “HENCHMAN! GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!”
Yuu blinked back the tears that were falling from his eyes and sat up from the couch. “G-Grim…” He whimpered before hugging his partner and burying his face into his fur. “Grim!”
Grim let a sigh out. “There, there. Honestly, what am I gonna do with you? Did Lilia bully you so much that you had to scream so loudly and wake me up?” A layer of concern was hidden in his voice as he looked up at Yuu.
Yuu shook his head. He took a deep breath. “No…it’s just that I will never be able to use magic properly…It’s not me. I’m not…part of this world.”
Grim let him ramble, vent out his frustrations, his fears, his realisation about how he felt regarding magic…until he asked one question.
“Henchman…do you really not think about this school as your home? After everything?”
Yuu was about to reply that no, he did not since he was a foreigner on this land…until Grim’s words struck to him. The school as my home? Not the land or the world itself…just the school?
He asked, genuinely confused. “What do you mean?”
Grim took a few seconds to formulate his words. “Well…you said that you feel like a foreigner in this world, that you don’t know where you belong and stuff. But Henchman, you belong to the school. The school, all the dorms, they are your homes. Vil told you so many times!”
“But…the school stays a school at the end of the day. Where am I gonna go when we graduate?”
“You can stay here. That’s the whole point of the school being your home.” Grim stressed the last words in a frustrated voice, seemingly annoyed that Yuu was not getting his point across.
“And do what? What am I supposed to do here?? All my friends will be gone, you will be gone, I will be all alone in this place full of new troublemakers!”
“Henchman…remember that all of us were troublemakers when we met. Then you helped everyone. You can help the new students even more! You can even rebuild Ramshackle and make it a proper dorm!”
“...” Yuu was speechless. Grim was making sense…a lot of sense. Was that why he was sent here? To help the students out? To counter Chernabog’s influence? To restore Mickey’s Ramshackle dorm?
He could do that.
He actually wanted to do that.
For the first time since he arrived, Yuu felt that his existence in this world had a purpose, a meaning.
Unlike his previous world where he didn’t feel needed, here, he could do something.
“Henchman! Your magic stone!” Grim suddenly said, staring at the stone on his pen that had started glowing.
Yuu felt his mind calmer than before, his magic inside flowing better and he decided to try again.
“Grim, move back a bit.” He asked his companion before opening his palm, just like he did before.
Magic is an extension of myself. It belongs to me and I belong to it.
He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again.
There, floating gently in his hand, was an apple-sized ball of pure white fire.
Notes:
Hullo! And we are at Diasomnia! At long last! Omg do you guys remember when Yuu was at Heartslabyul? And now we are there. Diasomnia.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chap!Please leave kudos/comments and stay tuned for the next part of the Diasomnia arc in a few days!
Chapter 16: At Diasomnia (Part 2)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Now that Yuu had passed the first hurdle, Lilia began to properly instruct him.
“Magic is part of you. Just like the way you control your limbs, you need to learn how to wield magic at your will.” He said, leading the both of them down the forest that bordered Diasomnia dorm. “I won’t go through the theory. You attend school for a reason and Sebek can catch you up on any gap from this year’s syllabus.”
“So what will you teach me?”
“Instinct. And control.” Lilia replied before stopping in the middle of a small meadow and turning towards Yuu with a mischievous grin. “Large powers like yours, or Malleus, have the downside of being easily uncontrollable under intense emotions. The first step is making sure that you have appropriate control of your magic under any conditions. The apple-fireball was under unexpected circumstances, now we will increase the level.”
Before Yuu had the time to react, Lilia waved his magic pen towards the forest edging the meadow and suddenly, four large beasts came out of it and stood behind him.
“Let’s play a little game.” The fae said, eyes glinting in mischief. “You have ten minutes to hide yourself in this forest. These four golems will then track you to bring you back to me. Your job is to defeat them. Escape them. For an entire hour. You can attack them freely, they are just magical creations, not actual living beings. However, their attacks are real and will cause you some damage, so you need to protect yourself.”
“Wait…What??” Yuu was completely confused. What do you mean this training session became a survival game?? “And you’re not going to tell me how to do this?”
“Hehe nop. Figure it out yourself. Just don’t burn the forest. That’s my only condition. Any damage to a single tree or flower, and it’s also your loss. Learn how to control your fire. Attack what you need to attack. Keep calm and stay focused. Now go, your ten minutes start now.”
Yuu took a moment to breathe before running off towards the forest, trying to put as much space as possible between himself and Lilia’s golems. Thankfully, he had built up a good stamina and had enough energy to last the entire hour.
He ran, deeper and deeper within the trees, evading the branches and trying to spot a good hiding place.
Ten minutes have passed, and Yuu found himself perched on top of an innocuous tree, well hidden within the foliage. It was slightly on the edge of the main track, and Yuu had a good vantage vision upon whoever could be coming from this way. He thought that he could finally rest a moment and slumped down against the tree, regaining his breath and trying to devise a strategy.
However, not even two minutes had passed before he saw the very face of Lilia’s golem right in front of himself. Yuu couldn’t even release his breath, he was too stunned to react.
This was a fatal mistake since it gave the golem an opportunity to attack and he did so by releasing a blast of air right at his face, making him stumble down the tree.
Yuu closed his eyes, waiting for the impact of the ground but he felt strong arms catching him and saw that he was entrapped in another golem’s hold who started to make a turn towards the meadow where Lilia was waiting.
How did they find me so fast? And why did I not hear them come? Yuu was too shocked by the quick turn of events to react immediately. For everything’s sake, I won’t let myself be caught like that! He thought, furious.
He placed his palm on top of the golem’s torso and invoked his giant fireball. But he imagined it as an explosion rather than a simple ball.
And that’s what happened.
The golem was blown to pieces and Yuu fell on the ground and rolled on the dirt, before breaking into a sprint into the forest. He had seen the other golems following them closely behind and was hoping that this attack would also stun them.
But he didn’t count on the fact that they were essentially robots programmed with one task. Capturing him alive. They didn’t have human reflexes and reactions.
Undeterred, the three other golems immediately went after him, launching attacks after attacks.
Yuu felt air, water and fire hitting him one after the other. A part of his brain theorised that each golem had one magical attribute and that he needed to remember his lessons on Magic Analysis to be able to counter them. But the other part of his brain was in complete panic and only aimed at surviving. He had no idea what to do, he kept on running, trying to evade the attacks from the golems as they were rapidly drawing closer to him…until his feet got caught into the roots and he tripped, crashing heavily, face into the ground.
Not even a second later, a golem scooped him up in his arms and made his way back to the meadow. Yuu was half-contemplating blasting this one as well and making a run, but it would have been foolish. He was exhausted and wouldn’t be able to escape the other two golems.
It was his complete defeat.
He let the golem carry him back to Lilia who had a pocket watch in his hand. When the golem dropped Yuu in front of him, Lilia clicked on his pocket watch and said, with a raised eyebrow. “Five minutes. Hmm, that’s more than I thought.”
Yuu collapsed on his back and let out a sigh. “I never thought they’d be so efficient.”
Lilia chuckled and crouched next to him, handing him a recovery potion. “Of course they are efficient. These golems are used to train Briar Valley’s royal guards. Drink this. Are you hurt anywhere?” He asked with genuine concern.
Yuu shook his head, gratefully accepting the potion and gulping it down in one shot. “I’m fine. I think I was just a bit bruised because I fell.”
Lilia nodded. “It was an impressive feat, for a first time. You did well hiding in the trees, and blasting off the first golem.” Yuu widened his eyes at the praise coming from Lilia.
“What did I do wrong though?” He asked back.
“Technically nothing and everything.” Lilia said with a smile. “You have good survival instincts but you lack experience and strategy. You panicked, didn’t you? When the golems started to fire spells.”
Yuu nodded. “I didn’t know what to do. I was just thinking of running and avoiding them, my mind went completely blank.”
“And this is precisely what we will work on. Training your instincts and your mind to remain sharp. To find a solution in dire situations. We don’t know how or when Chernabog will attack you, but you need to be ready for that. Your mind and body need to be ready.” Lilia looked directly into his eyes, conveying his earnest wish to train him into a successful magic user.
“Right… I’m in your hands then.” Yuu said with a smile.
Yuu trusted Lilia and his method. He could only push himself to follow it.
***
When he was not training with Lilia in the forest, Yuu spent most of his free time in the dorm in the company of Sebek.
Sebek was set on revisiting Practical Magic, Magic Analysis, Conjuration and Defense Magic. Although Yuu had studied them with Grim, these topics had always felt really vague and foggy since he couldn’t put them into practice.
But with his newfound power, Sebek made sure that all the basics of magic control were covered.
“Human! Look at page 26 again! This is not the way to perform this incantation, you need to properly enunciate each word and move your magic pen accordingly! No, Human! To the left, not the right!”
Sebek’s teaching method was frustrating but he was competent enough to be able to break down the lessons into manageable steps, for which Yuu was grateful. Slowly but surely, Yuu was making steady progress throughout the syllabus, but something was still lacking.
He mentioned it to Lilia after being able to evade his golems for a full twenty minutes. “I don’t know what’s wrong but I can’t seem to…complete my spells.”
“What do you mean?” Lilia asked, eyebrows slightly frowned.
Yuu decided that a demonstration would be better than any explanations. He took a moment to calm his mind and raised his magic pen, reciting the incantation for a magic barrier.
And surely, a large and slightly opaque wall was erected in front of him. This was proof that he did not make any mistake. The barrier was there and standing, yet Lilia only needed to throw a rock at it to shatter it completely.
“See.” Yuu said, eyes looking at the spot where his barrier was standing a second ago. “All my spells are…fragile. They don’t hold.”
Lilia stayed silent for a moment, before saying. “Because you’re holding back. Whether you are aware of it or not.”
“I don’t do it on purpose. Even when I put all my magic into it, they are still…lacking. In power, in efficiency.”
Yuu thought back to what Sebek had told him before.
“Your magic is unstable. You have the potential to rival third-year students yet when you actually execute magic, your level is below a first-year student.”
Lilia shook his head. “Unfortunately Yuu, your case is unique in this world. Either it is a mental block or it is a discrepancy between your large magical power and its recent awakening. I understand that Idia-kun’s training made your circuits mature more rapidly than the norm, however they are still at the level of an infant. Perhaps you should seek Malleus’ advice. Your case is very similar to his.”
Yuu, hence, went to see Malleus, this one evening.
He knew perfectly where to find him at this late hour.
There, where everything started.
In front of Ramshackle.
“Tsunotaro.” Yuu said, approaching the fae-dragon who had his eyes riveted on Ramshackle’s ruins.
“It’s a shame. A true shame.” Malleus said. “I often wondered if I didn’t make a mistake that night…” Yuu knew that he was talking about the night they saw Ramshackle burning. “Perhaps instead of pulling you away, I should have stayed and immediately investigated who caused this. Everything could have been resolved faster and it would have saved you from a greater deal of pain, Child of Man.” He glanced down at Yuu, who saw behind the calm emerald of his eyes, a light of hesitation, uncertainty, unrest.
Worry.
Yuu didn’t expect that Malleus would harbor such feelings. Just like he was still haunted and traumatised by this night, Malleus had also been affected in his own way.
Shaking his head, Yuu said with a smile. “I don’t know if it would have changed anything but… Thank you for having thought about me. You know… I think that what I went through these past weeks were essential for me. I wouldn’t have changed one thing because it led me to finally find a place here.”
“You always had your place, Child of Man. Whether you had magic or not, Twisted Wonderland welcomed you, regardless.”
Hearing Malleus utter these words gave Yuu a warm feeling. He wondered if he’ll ever shake off this underlying feeling of being a stranger, despite trying to feel as much as home as possible.
“Thank you, Tsunotaro. I came to see you because of my magic, by the way.”
Yuu explained his predicament and his discussions with Lilia and Sebek. “Lilia said that you might understand why I have this blockage in my use of magic.”
Malleus kept silent for a few seconds, before saying. “Create that giant ball of fire again and sustain it for as long as you can.” He instructed.
Yuu nodded, knowing already the results as Lilia and Sebek had asked him to do the same thing. He usually lasted around twenty seconds. Nonetheless, he did as Malleus said and created the fireball, trying to hold it as much as possible.
After ten seconds, he already felt his limbs straining and his head hurting.
Fifteen seconds, his head was splitting open in pain and his hand was shaking violently.
Nineteen seconds, his vision was getting blurry and he saw the flash of silhouette for a tenth of a second before releasing his magic immediately and falling to his knees.
Gasping for air, he suddenly noticed that he was gently enveloped in a light green aura. Glancing up, he saw Malleus examining him with his magic, a deep frown on his face.
“Tsunotaro?” Yuu didn’t quite like this face. “What’s wrong?”
“...It’s him.” Malleus said, a silent fury emanating from him.
Dread filled Yuu’s heart. “Him? Him? What has he done to me, this time?”
Chernabog. It could have only been him. Of course.
“There is a lock in your mind. Fear. You’re afraid of unlocking your full magic, and this fear has been forcefully put by him. ”
“Forcefully?” Yuu was confused. How could he possibly be scared of something that he couldn’t recall?
“When was your last encounter with him, Child of Man?” Malleus asked.
“In Ignihyde. When he appeared in my dreams to show me the dorm burning.” Yuu answered immediately.
“And he hasn't appeared in your dreams so far?”
Yuu shook his head. “Silver-senpai also accompanies me every night. He would have noticed if something was wrong.”
Malleus frowned and turned away, indicating Yuu to follow him. “I shall accompany you tonight, Child of Man. I worry that he might have found a way to escape both of your vigilance.”
***
That night, the fifth night of the week, Yuu, Silver and Malleus went to sleep and drifted together to the land of dreams. Malleus actually used his Unique Magic to put Yuu and Silver under a light sleeping curse, in order to enable him some control and power in case they encounter Chernabog.
When Yuu opened his eyes, he was alone. Neither Silver nor Malleus were in sight.
He was on a bed, a familiar bed that he recognised because he had spent an entire week sleeping there.
His Pomefiore bed.
Glancing around, he confirmed that he was indeed in Pomefiore and got up from his bed.
“Silver-senpai? Tsunotaro?” He called, expecting to see his companions with him.
But no, he was alone.
His room was completely dark, saved from the light moonlight glow emanating from the window.
He went to open the door, but he found it locked.
He tried again, forcing the handle, then hitting it with his shoulder, but nothing.
The door wouldn’t open.
“SILVER-SENPAI?? TSUNOTARO?? ANYONE??” Yuu called out loud, banging the door repeatedly, but still nothing.
Not an ounce of presence, yet he felt watched. Straightening his back, he glanced at the darkest spot in his room, the one further away from the window. “You’re watching me, aren’t you? Chernabog.”
Silence answered him…before a low chuckle was heard. “Quite fast this time, aren’t you?”
Yuu frowned. “This time?” He repeated.
The shadows shifted, revealing a shape.
Yuu gasped. He recognized it. It was the same shape he saw for a split second when he tried to maintain his fireball. The silhouette of a large creature with horns on his head and spiky wings on his back, smirking at him with evil eyes…before vanishing away.
A flamboyant light suddenly rose up from behind him, and Yuu fell to his knees, shaking violently.
There, raised high in front of him, was a wall of crimson flames so tall, it engulfed everything around it. The bed, the furniture, everything got swallowed inside it and Yuu started to hyperventilate.
Breathing hard, gasping for air, he felt tears rolling down his cheeks as the fire slowly approached him, consuming everything on its way. He called for help, screamed, shouted. “HELP!! SILVER-SENPAI!! TSUNOTARO!! ANYONE!!!!!”
The more panicked he was, the larger and wilder the fire grew, yet it didn’t consume him directly. It danced around him, taunting him, mocking him, shaming him for his fears, but not touching him.
Yuu could feel the heat of the flames, but they weren’t burning him yet. He was simply there, in the middle of this storm, holding his head, screaming and crying.
He saw flashes, visions.
It was not Pomefiore burning, it was Heartslabyul. He saw the maze garden ablaze, his friends trying to approach him and getting hurt. He screamed at them to get away, but the more he did, the wilder the flames were getting.
Then Savanaclaw, Octavinelle, Scarabia, Ignihyde, Pomefiore.
Every dorm, all his friends, they all appeared to him in a succession of images and flashes. Everything was consumed by the fire, the walls were melting, his friends were crying and screaming in pain and he couldn’t do anything.
He was the one causing them to be hurt.
Until suddenly, the flames vanished.
He was back in his Pomefiore room with Malleus, in his Overblot form, who was kneeling in front of him, a hand soothing him on the back. “Child of Man, shhh. Calm down, everything is just a dream. You need to calm your magic.”
My magic? Yuu repeated to himself. This instantly sobered him up and he regained control of himself. Glancing around, he saw Silver standing right behind Malleus, eyes betraying awe and fear. The entire room was burnt to a crisp and he was standing in the middle of a small area that was left untouched.
“Tsunotaro…what happened?” Yuu asked.
He saw Malleus and Silver exchanging a hesitant glance, before the fae-dragon answered him. “Your magic amplified the flames. You lost control.”
“What?” Yuu gasped.
“And it is not the first time it happened.” Silver added, his voice carrying a somber tone. “Every night, Chernabog shows you a dorm burning and you increase the flames with your magic. He shows you your friend getting hurt due to that. We always try to fight him off, but he ends up showing you your worst nightmare and then makes us forget everything when we wake up. I’m sorry Yuu, I failed as your protector.” Silver clenched his fist in frustration, averting his eyes.
Yuu blinked a few times, trying to process what Silver said. He looked back at Malleus to search for confirmation and saw Malleus nodding his head.
“He’s right. That’s where your fear comes from, Child of Man. You are afraid of hurting people with your magic so you subconsciously bridle yourself. He managed to make you suppress the potential of your magic by implementing hidden commands in your brain that he trained through this kind of dream.”
Yuu remembered his conversation with Idia and the warning he gave him.
“The moment you lose control, it may become a risk to yourself and people around you.”
This bastard! Yuu was furious. Chernabog played with his deepest feelings, his deepest fears, and his deepest love for his friends. All of that just to lock his magic away.
“Is there any way to counter that?” Yuu asked, anger seeping out of his voice.
Silver and Malleus exchanged a glance, before Malleus said. “Let’s wake up first. We need to discuss it with Sebek and Lilia, they are the ones training you closely with magic.”
A few minutes later, the four Diasomnia students and Yuu were all seated around the coffee table in the latter’s room, trying to make sense of what they just learned.
“Fear is a tricky emotion.” Lilia said after carefully listening to the situation. “Fear of failure, fear of being hurt, fear of oneself, fear of others, fear for others. Many declinations exist, and each of them need to be dealt with in different ways.” He then looked at Yuu. “Did you notice any change after learning this truth?”
“I’m angry!” He answered immediately. Flashes of what he saw in his dream invaded his mind and he shuddered slightly. “And I’m scared. He showed me…he showed me everything. All the dorms burning, all my friends getting hurt because of me… I know it was an illusion, but… I’m terrified.” He admitted truthfully, tears pooling up in his eyes. “I’m sorry…” He said in a whisper.
It was shameful. All his friends at Diasomnia have done everything to train him and develop his magic, yet Chernabog only needed a couple of illusions to render Yuu completely inefficient, to destroy all their efforts.
Lilia nodded, acknowledging Yuu’s feelings. “And you have every right to be scared and angry, my child. There’s no need to apologise.” He patted Yuu’s arm reassuringly. “It will be fine. Mickey said that the purest of light from the purest magician will defeat Chernabog. We have Silver, Kalim and Rook in this school, all Light Magic users. And Malleus, and everyone else. You are not the only one shouldering everything, we are here to help you face this monster.”
“Lilia’s right, Child of Man.” Malleus said with a warm voice. “Rely on us and let us protect you.”
Yuu nodded, letting his tears fall freely. He always felt that whenever he was making progress in standing on his own, being independent in this world, he would eventually fall back.
He had promised himself that he would be able to fight alongside his friends on equal steps, but once again, he had been relegated at the rear back, as the damsel to be protected from the evil demon.
Above everything, it was frustrating.
Notes:
Hullo! Hope you're enjoying Diasomnia so far :D Everything is going so well for Yuu, and Chernabog is definitely not a huge pain in the bum :DDD
Honestly, even I am annoyed at Cherna and i can't wait to get rid of him lolAs usual, please leave kudos/comments and see you this weekend for the next part of Diasomnia!
Chapter 17: At Diasomnia (Part 3)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Yuu couldn’t go back to sleep. He didn’t want to relive this trauma. He didn’t want to be at the mercy of Chernabog again.
So he trained.
He found a secluded place that was relatively safe to damage if he ever went on a rampage and had Grim act as a vigilante, instructing him to call Malleus or Lilia immediately if something started to go awry.
He started by reviewing all the spells Sebek taught him, trying to push his limits as far as possible, repeating to himself that he wouldn’t damage anyone, that everyone was safe, that everything was just an illusion.
But every time he tried to push himself, a flash of his nightmares appeared in front of his eyes, and his magic vanished immediately, while he crumpled on himself, ragged breathing and dizziness seizing him.
One image in particular stuck to him. Vividly.
It was him, with black wings and horns, destroying the school. The screams, the chaos, everything felt so real.
I know he’s messing with my head… But what if I really lose complete control? This appearance…that’s definitely an Overblot. If I push myself, will I overblot? Ugh I hate that this is exactly what he wants me to think…and it blocks me completely. Yuu punched the ground under him in anger.
He didn’t know what to do.
He felt his eyes getting heavier with sleep. He hadn’t slept a wink ever since their last encounter with the demon, and it was taking a toll on him.
“Grim…” He called his companion who was observing him nervously. “Call Silver-senpai…Tell him that I need to take a short nap…” He felt bad bothering his friend, but he knew that facing his dreams alone would be unwise.
He waited for Grim to leave to start heading towards his room. There, he laid down, closed his eyes…and slowly started to drift to slumber.
When he opened his eyes, he saw his room.
His room at Diasomnia, just like how he left it before going to sleep. It was as if he had just blinked and woken up.
But Yuu knew it wasn’t the case.
He knew that this place was part of his dream. It felt oddly quiet. He couldn’t hear the students walking around the building, or training outside.
He couldn’t smell the food coming from the kitchen and he couldn’t see past the fence outside the window.
What is he going to show me this time? Yuu felt apprehensive. Now that he knew what his previous dreams entailed, he didn’t feel at ease being in Diasomnia. He could easily imagine Chernabog showing him the dorm burning in flames, as he did with the other dorms.
Standing up, he examined elements in his room. Everything was perfectly placed, the clothes in disarray, the empty coffee cup on the table, Grim’s games in a corner.
Then he faced the mirror and took a step back, staring at his reflection in horror.
He didn’t have the clothes he wore when he went to sleep.
Gritting his teeth, Yuu looked away.
He couldn’t bear it.
He couldn’t bear seeing himself like that.
In his Overblot form.
A gown sparkling with red, golden, and purple hues, large silver wings on his back and two horns on his head, exactly the same form he had when he overblotted in Ignihyde. Except that his face was not his.
His expression was not his.
He could have never looked so…evil.
Looking down, he saw that he was still wearing his hoodie, jeans and trainers. This is just an illusion. I didn’t Overblot. I just need to get away from here.
He knew that Chernabog would eventually show him the dorm combusting in flames, that he would be trapped between the raging fire and the screams of the students, and that would trigger him.
He needed to find peace.
Deciding to head for the meadow where Lilia and he used to train, he ran at full speed, ignoring the students looking at him oddly and calling out for him.
He was finally outside when he heard a familiar voice calling him. “Yuu!”
Turning around, he saw Silver running towards him, seemingly looking worried. “I finally found you. You were not in your room when I landed here.” He said, letting out a relieved sigh.
Yuu smiled nervously. “Sorry senpai… I was scared that the dorm would start burning so I decided to head out.”
Silver nodded, understanding. “Of course. I’ll stay with you. Where are we going?”
“The place where Lilia-senpai is training me.” Yuu answered.
“Ah yes, the courtyard behind the dorm, right?” Silver said, making Yuu stop in his tracks for a second.
Cold sweat drenched his back. This was the first day only. Silver-senpai knows that I’m talking about the meadow. This can only mean that this person is not…
“Yuu, something wrong?” ‘Silver’ asked him, brows furrowed in concern.
This bastard, taking the appearance of my friend!
Yuu controlled his anger and shook his head, an easy smile on his face. “Not at all, I just feel a bit tired after running from my room. That’s right, the courtyard, let’s go.”
The pair advanced at a slower pace, but Yuu’s mind raced frantically.
That’s Chernabog, not senpai. Which means that Silver-senpai still hasn’t found me. I don’t even know if he’s in the dream yet. Even if he is, there’s little we can do against Chernabog. Unless…he brings Tsunotaro with him. Why is Chernabog even taking Silver-senpai’s appearance to approach me? What is his goal?
“How about resting here, Yuu?” Fake-Silver said, showing a bench under the shade of a tree. “No need to go all the way to the back of the dorm, right?”
Silver-senpai would have never said that. He would follow my wishes and not redirect me to another place.
Yuu nodded, not betraying his emotions. “Alright.” What are you trying to do, demon?
They both sat down on the bench, and Yuu looked up at the sky. A nice breath of wind caressed him, making him almost forget that he was in his dream.
“It feels quite nice, doesn’t it?” Fake-Silver said and Yuu clenched his fists. Everything that this person did or said was blatantly out of character, as if he was exposing his pretense on purpose. Should I follow his little game or straight up call him out on it? Yuu felt hesitant at how to treat this situation until he saw Fake-Silver smirking at him.
Yuu immediately shot up on his feet, glaring furiously at Fake-Silver who was now outwardly displaying a smug expression at him. “Cut the crap. What do you want?” Yuu said coldly.
Fake-Silver chuckled. “When did you find out?” He asked instead.
“Does it matter? You did a poor job at impersonating him.” Yuu took a few steps back, ready to summon a spell if Chernabog decided to attack him.
As if to prove Yuu wrong, Chernabog draped his arms on the back of the bench and looked completely defenseless and nonchalant, as if he was just relaxing. “Too bad. You took much more time before.”
Before?
“So you impersonated all my friends in my previous dreams and then made me burn them, is that right?” Yuu felt disgusted and violated. To dare intrude on his privacy, on his dreams, to toy with his feelings and friendships, this demon truly did not have any limits.
Fake-Silver laughed out loud. “That’s right, little human. You’re such an entertaining creature. So easy to toy with, to manipulate, to break, and yet it’s as if you don’t learn your lesson and continue to repeat the same mistakes. I told you before, your struggles are in vain.”
And then for a split second, the atmosphere suddenly shifted. The air became heavier, loaded in tension as Fake-Silver changed expression, wearing a murderous gaze that was scrutinizing him with hate.
Yuu gulped down. “Why do you hate me so much? What have I done to you?”
“You exist here.” Fake-Silver replied with a shrug, going back to his casual demeanour. “Your presence negates my influence. We are opposites, human. As simple as that.”
“Then why do you want to extend your influence so much? Why spread all this evil?”
“Because this is what I am. I am Evil. The essence of Evil. I need to spread my influence to survive.”
“...” Yuu didn’t know what to say. Was this really all there was to it? No hidden reason or agenda? Just pure Evil that he needed to defeat. “Then I can’t let you live.”
“I suppose you can’t, no. Which is why I’m here.” Fake-Silver straightened up. “To strike a deal before it gets ugly between us.”
Yuu shot an eyebrow up. “A deal? What sort of deal?”
Fake-Silver smirked. “I did my little research about you, little human. I can offer you the thing you wish the most, something that no one here can give you.”
“Oh and pray tell what is this thing I wish so much for?” Yuu was on his guard, he didn’t want to believe a word from this demon’s mouth. But he needed to stall as much as possible.
Fake-Silver stood up and walked towards the tree in front of them. He placed a hand on its trunk and suddenly a door appeared. “A way home.” He said, glancing back at Yuu.
Yuu opened his mouth, but no sound could be heard. A way home? The thing he had waited for Crowley to find? The thing he wanted most…until a few days ago? He remembered vividly his discussions with Grim and his newfound resolution to stay in Twisted Wonderland and find his own place and role.
“You could leave all this mess behind and go back to your old family and friends.” Fake-Silver said, opening the door slightly. There, Yuu could see his old home, where his dad, mom and little sister were all seated and eating together. He saw his best friend joining them. They were all smiling but Yuu noticed the gloom in their eyes.
They were missing him.
Yuu felt tears pooling up in his eyes. I can go back to my family and friends…I can go home… They are waiting for me…But what about here?
“My deal is simple. This door, against the guarantee that you will not further interfere with my plans. Leave Twisted Wonderland forever, human.” Fake-Silver said, closing the door and vanishing it from the trunk of the tree.
Yuu didn’t say anything. He knew what his answer would be. As soon as Chernabog had laid out the terms and conditions, Yuu’s answer was clear in his heart.
He could never leave Twisted Wonderland and all his friends, knowing that he would abandon them to Evil.
Rubbing his eyes, he looked straight into Fake-Silver’s eyes. “I will never abandon my friends.”
Fake-Silver simply sighed, as if he was expecting this answer. “You heroes…Always the same tune. A shame then.” He suddenly snapped his fingers and a loud explosion was heard from behind Yuu.
Yuu turned around and saw columns of black smoke rising high in the sky from various locations of the dorm’s building. “So is that it? I refuse your deal and you blow up the dorm in my dreams?” He asked in confusion.
Fake-Silver chuckled darkly. “In your dreams? Make no mistake. What’s happening here is no dreams.” And he vanished suddenly, leaving the place with a wide-eyed Yuu who understood what he meant and more explosions around the dorm.
This bastard! Is he doing this to the actual dorm?? I need to wake up!
But how do I wake up?
He started to pinch himself, trying to force enough pain to pull him back to reality. He bit himself, kicked his foot against the wall, and hit his head against the ground.
But to no avail.
He was still stuck.
He looked back towards the dorm and saw that the fire was spreading rapidly. He could hear the students screaming and running around to fetch water or to summon water-based spells.
At least, Tsunotaro is there in the real world. He wouldn’t let anything happen to his dorm or the students.
Yuu tried to reassure himself as he was still racking his brain, trying to figure out how he could come back.
Until he heard a voice.
“Yuu!”
There, falling from the sky, Silver was calling for him. He landed gracefully and took a step towards him. “I finally reached you! Your dreamland was completely blocked.”
However, Yuu took two steps back and asked sharply. “Where does Lilia-senpai train me in magic?”
Silver wore a confused expression, eyebrows shooting high up. “What? What are you talking about?”
“Answer the question, senpai. Please.” Yuu wouldn’t be fooled twice.
“...” Silver nodded. “In the forest, near the dorm. There is a large meadow where he takes you and trains your instincts and control.” He answered, straightforwardly.
Yuu let out a sigh. “That’s right. Thank goodness, it’s you.” He proceeded to explain his whole encounter with Chernabog under the disguise of Silver.
“He took my appearance?” The real Silver was shocked.
Yuu explained. “Yes. He thought that Lilia-senpai trained me in the courtyard, however that was only the first time. I think there is a spy in Diasomnia. The forest and the meadow is a location only known to the six of us. But many students saw us in the courtyard that first day.”
Silver nodded. “It makes sense. We’ll need to sort this out once we are back and we deal with the fire.”
Yuu winced. “Is it that bad? Tell me what happened please.”
“I don’t know. I have been asleep for a while, trying to reach you. But I wouldn’t put it past this demon to finally make his move now. We’ll need to be ready.”
“You’re right. At least, Tsunotaro is there, I’m sure he took care of it.”
“...Malleus-sama actually left the dorm a short while ago.”
“WHAT?? But where? And why??”
“I do not know, unfortunately. Just shortly after our last meeting a few hours ago, he simply said he had to meet someone and told us to keep an eye on you.”
“A meeting?? Wait nevermind that, are you saying that only Lilia-senpai and Sebek are left dealing with it?? We need to join them!”
Silver nodded and extended his hand in front of you. “Let’s go.”
Yuu grabbed his hand and Silver chanted his Unique Magic spell. “ To the one I’ve met before, to the one I’ve yet to meet. Meet in a Dream.”
***
When Yuu opened his eyes, he expected to be in his bed where he fell asleep.
Instead, he found himself being roughly tossed over someone’s shoulder who was running down the stairs at full speed.
“What?” He exclaimed, looking around to get an understanding of where he was. They were still inside the dorm, somewhere on the ground floor and they were heading for outside. Smoke was engulfing the corridors and he saw the walls trembling due to the mass of students running around and trying to get out.
So he really set the dorm on fire… Yuu thought, aggravated.
On his left, he saw Silver’s body also tossed on the other shoulder of the person carrying them…who was none other than Sebek.
“Sebek?” Yuu called for him.
The first-year was panting as he kicked open the front door and sprinted outside, far away from the building. “Later, human!” He said between two breaths. “Let’s find Lilia-sama first!”
Silver started to stir awake as well, and Yuu saw how he jolted in surprise at his current predicament. “What?”
“Silver-senpai!” Yuu called for him. Silver locked eyes with him and gave him a single nod.
A few seconds later, Yuu got his feet on the ground and looked upon the horrific sight in front of him from outside the fence.
The beautiful and majestic castle was in the clutches of giant flames that were producing large and heavy columns of dark smoke that completely covered the sky up.
Lilia was nearby, instructing students around. Some went to seek help from the school, others with strong barrier magic went in the building to look for any remaining students, the rest were organising themselves to water the fire down and trying to control the blaze.
Grim was also there and immediately jumped on his shoulder when he saw him. “Henchman!” Yuu petted him as he approached Lilia.
“Lilia-senpai.”
Lilia gave him a nod, understanding Yuu’s unvoiced questions and worries. “I’m glad to see you unscathed, my child.” He turned to Sebek. “Well done, Sebek.” Sebek gave him a single bow from the head, still recovering from his sprint across the stairs while carrying two bodies. Lilia then addressed both Silver and Sebek. “Once you’ve taken a moment to recover, you and Silver will need to take leadership of the students. I need to find Malleus and have a chat with Yuu.”
Silver and Sebek immediately straightened up. “Yes, sir!” They were quick to take charge, and Lilia was able to focus on Yuu.
“Tell me what happened.” Yuu recounted everything in detail, including the conversation and the deal he made with Chernabog.
“I’m sorry…if I had accepted the deal, you wouldn’t have faced that.” Yuu didn’t regret his decision, but a part of him still felt guilty for causing havoc everywhere he went during these past weeks.
“You did well not to accept, Yuu.” Lilia reassured with a pat on his arm. “We were ready for something like that to happen. In fact, it took him time to actually attack.”
“He wanted to make sure that I was properly powerless… He attacked me relentlessly this whole week without us even being aware of it.” Yuu said bitterly. “And there is the spy.”
Lilia shook his head. “The spy is no concern to us anymore. Not when Chernabog finally made his move.”
“Will the dorm be ok?” Yuu remembered the state of Ramshackle after its burning. Crumbling on itself. He didn’t want Diasomnia to suffer the same fate.
Lilia chuckled. “No worries. The walls of the castle have old protective magic. It won’t collapse, but the furniture inside might need to be replaced. Don’t worry about the fire, it is under control. We need to bring Malleus.”
Yuu nodded. “Right. Any idea where he went?”
Lilia sighed and took his phone out. “No idea. He left an hour ago and is not answering his phone. Not that he ever did anyway. This boy always had a knack to miss important events…” Lilia rubbed his eyebrows in annoyance. “We’ve sent some students to look for him, but-”
Lilia was interrupted by a loud BOUM! echoing in the entire place and they both looked up towards the castle, eyes wide opened in shock.
There, on the tallest tower, was perched an enormous creature with black wings and two horns on his head.
Yuu recognised him instantly. The same creature he saw in his dreams fighting Mickey and overpowering him with a horde of demons.
“Chernabog.”
The creature started to laugh loudly. “It’s the end, little human. You made your choice, now this world and your friends will suffer from it.”
Yuu clenched his fist in anger. “Do you really think you scare me?” He addressed the creature. “I know why you kept on harassing me inside my dreams. It’s your only scope of interference. You can’t attack me in the real world, can you? You should still be imprisoned inside the mirror with Mickey.”
Chernabog chuckled, then with a flap of his wings, he flew high in the sky before landing right in front of Yuu and Lilia. The impact made them both take a few steps back.
Yuu gulped down.
The demon was gigantic. He was reaching the fourth or fifth level of the dorm.
He crouched down in front of Yuu and started to speak. “If I’m not real, then how do you explain this, little human.”
He opened his hand and created a large and dark orb that he sent on the tower he was perched upon earlier. The tower immediately collapsed after the impact, making rubbles and bricks land on the rest of the dorm.
Yuu took a sharp breath. He was real. But how?
Chernabog read Yuu’s confusion and laughed out loud. “Do you really think that this little organisation that you dismantled only served me to harass you?”
“What do you mean? What have you done?” Yuu dreaded what he would say. Did the students involved in the organisation have a hand in Chernabog being fully here?
No-
Chernabog smirked. “Such sweet students. Offering willingly their magic and life force to revive me.” He laughed again, while Yuu had all his blood drained from his face.
“YOU SACRIFICED THEM?? ALL OF THEM??” He yelled in anger.
So this was Evil.
“Yuu, calm down. Breathe.” Lilia said, squeezing his arm. He still had his eyes focused on the monster in front of him. “Chernabog.” He addressed him. “What are your terms?”
“A fae huh…” Chernabog said, noticing Lilia for the first time. “My terms are simple. The human,” He said, pointing at Yuu with his chin. “and every Light Magic user in the school. Give them to me and I will retreat away without harming one of you. Resist, and I’ll start with destroying this pretty castle before moving on to the rest of them.” He looked at Yuu and grinned. “You said that you had seven homes, huh? Watch them all burn because of you. You have one hour to comply.”
And he vanished.
Yuu fell to his knees and Lilia was throwing daggers with his eyes at the spot where Chernabog stood.
***
“Father! Yuu!” Silver approached them, looking bewildered. “The tower-”
“What happened to the tower?!”
“It just fell on its own!”
“How could that even be?? The fire didn’t reach it!”
Screams of confusion were echoing from across the students gathered in this spot. Yuu and Lilia exchanged a glance and turned toward Silver.
“Silver.” Lilia addressed his son. “Didn’t you see what happened to the tower?”
Silver shook his head. “No. It suddenly fell by itself.”
“You didn’t see Chernabog??” Yuu asked, gasping.
“Chernabog?? It was him??” Silver darted his eyes between Yuu and Lilia, searching for an explanation.
Lilia’s eyes darkened as he nodded. “He appeared in front of us as an illusion, but the fact was that he toppled the tower by himself. He’s not bluffing anymore.”
“What do we do?” Yuu asked.
Lilia took a second to think about it. “Yuu, contact the dorm leaders and the school. Silver, Sebek and you will continue to manage the situation here. I will go search for Mall-”
“What. happened. here?”
A cold, familiar voice rose from behind them. Yuu, Lilia and Silver turned around to see an enraged Malleus staring at the blazing dorm in front of them.
With a snap of his wrist, he vanished the flames, leaving only the columns of dark smoke still covering the sky. Yuu remembered how easily he made the flames disappear at Ramshackle too.
“Malleus!” Lilia said. “Where were you?”
“I needed to meet with someone.” Yuu wondered who…before the flash of a lion crossed his mind. “More importantly, what happened here?” Malleus asked again.
Lilia sighed. “Yuu, I’ll leave it to you. While you update him, I will be contacting the school and the dorm leaders.”
Yuu nodded and proceeded to explain everything, once again. Meanwhile, Sebek and Silver went back to organise the students. They decided that the best course of action for the moment would be to evacuate everyone to the school grounds, and hence they were both busy managing the flow going through the Mirror.
Yuu had never seen Malleus being so pissed and angry. “I will eviscerate him.” The fae-dragon simply said after listening carefully to Yuu’s recount.
“Right.” Yuu just nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
“I’m being serious, Child of Man. This ancient monster dares to burn my dorm and threaten my schoolmates. I won’t stop until I see his organs hanging on my ceiling.”
Ok, Tsunotaro is really furious. Yuu gulped down, trying to not imagine what that would look like. “And how do you plan on doing that?”
Malleus grinned, showing the glint of a sharp fang. “By challenging him. Shall I remind you that I am considered to be one of the five most powerful mages in the world? He will not stand a chance in front of me.” Yuu frowned slightly, casting his eyes downwards. “Speak, Child of Man. What is on your mind?” Malleus asked gently, sensing Yuu’s hesitation.
Yuu looked up, boring his eyes into the fae’s. “Am I a burden?”
He finally asked the question plaguing his mind ever since he woke up.
He came to Diasomnia with hopes of getting stronger and being able to stand his own while fighting Chernabog, and yet he had been completely outmaneuvered by him.
His magic was useless and now he was being used as a trading chip to safeguard the rest of the dorm…and the school itself.
Mickey heralded him as the key to defeat Chernabog, he found himself still being a thorn on everyone’s side.
It was beyond frustrating.
He couldn’t do anything except waiting for his friends to save him…again.
Malleus observed him a couple of seconds before making a move that Yuu didn’t expect.
He placed his hand underneath Yuu’s chin, gently lifting it up, then bent downwards, placing a soft kiss on his forehead.
Yuu widened his eyes in surprise. Suddenly, he felt something change. His magic stirred up and he felt…at ease. He felt calmer and peaceful…?
Malleus straightened back and Yuu shot him a confused glance, to which he smiled. “A fae’s blessing.” He explained. “Be proud of yourself, Child of Man. You are the first being that I bestowed with one. It will help you calm your mind and magic, and will protect you against danger. The final battle is fast approaching and this monster clearly wants to finish this matter, once and for all. You need to be safe.”
“Tsunotaro…” Yuu didn’t know what to say. He didn’t fully understand the implication of receiving a fae’s blessing, but he knew it had a strong meaning.
Malleus patted Yuu’s head, reassuringly. “And to answer your question, you are no burden. You are a treasure that we would like to preserve for as long as possible. Never forget how loved you are, Yuu.”
Glancing behind Yuu, Malleus smiled broadly and pointed his chin in that direction. “Look.”
Yuu turned around, towards the path leading out of Diasomnia and he saw them.
Guided by Lilia, they were all present.
Riddle, Ace, Deuce, Trey, Cater.
Leona, Ruggie, Jack.
Azul, Jade, Floyd.
Jamil, Kalim.
Vil, Rook, Epel.
Idia, Ortho.
Lilia, Grim, Silver, Sebek.
And Malleus.
They were all present, ready to fight, ready to defend him, and Yuu couldn’t feel any happier than he was now.
When Lilia approached Yuu, he widened his eyes, then laughed softly. “These children…” He said with a gentle smile as he observed once again the new addition to Yuu's appearance.
There, lodged on his forehead, symbolising the first human to ever be under the protection of Malleus Draconia, an emerald teardrop.
Notes:
Hullo! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I am happy to say that Diasomnia arc is officially over, and we will now enter The Final Battle arc, which will last three whole chapters lol! Then we will one last epilogue to wrap up everything and our journey together will be over...
As usual, please leave kudos/comment! I'm so grateful for all of you who does, they are an incredible moral boost <3
Stay tuned for the next chapter in a few days!
Chapter 18: The Final Battle (Part 1)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The Diasomnia dorm had long been evacuated, leaving only Yuu’s trusted friends to face Chernabog in their final confrontation. The dorm leaders took charge in organising their students, and Yuu was able to take a short break while waiting for Chernabog’s deadline to approach.
His chat with Malleus erased all traces of self-doubt. He knew that he wasn’t gonna be an asset to this battle, but he promised himself that he wouldn’t go down without a fight.
He materialised the usual ball of white fire and tried to summon more. His mind was at ease and he felt in complete control of his magic. In less than a few seconds, he was surrounded by a few dozens of little white orbs that were floating and circling him gently.
“Yuu!”
Looking up, he grinned as he saw his two dear friends approaching him. “Ace! Deuce!” He greeted them happily.
“I can’t believe you have magic now!” Ace said, eyes wide opened in amazement at the orbs still floating around Yuu.
Deuce nodded. “Right! It feels like I haven’t seen you in ages, Yuu.”
Yuu agreed. He really missed his two best friends, and it felt like the right time to tell them. “I missed you, guys.” His voice cracked a little, almost betraying the wave of emotions rushing over him.
Now that he could see the end to his nightmare arriving, Yuu started to feel like he could finally release all his pent-up feelings. His exhaustion, his anger, his frustration, his fear, everything.
Ace and Deuce seemed to have felt that their friend was on the verge of self-combusting. They both wrapped an arm around Yuu and hugged him close. “We missed you too.” They said together.
“Man,” Ace said with a sigh, after releasing Yuu, but still keeping an arm wrapped around him. “They better give us all a damn long holiday break after we’re done dealing with this weirdo.”
Yuu snorted. Leave it to Ace to call an ancient demon a ‘weirdo’. “I’d love that.” He agreed nonetheless. “I want to travel, you know. See more of this world.”
He leaned back, looking up at the sky. Ever since Malleus’ blessing, he did feel strangely at peace.
With himself, with everything. It was as if he could finally examine himself from a third point of view and notice that all his problems could actually be easily resolved, if he were to just simply accept his situation.
He noticed Ace and Deuce exchanging an awkward glance, as if they were hesitating broaching a topic to him, so he whispered. “Go ahead. Ask.”
Ace exhaled. “Grim told us earlier that…you were considering staying permanently.”
Yuu nodded. “That’s right. It’s time I accept my reality… As much as I miss my old world, this one is my home now.” He smiled at them.
It was as easy as that. His weeks of struggle, of hesitation and self-doubt just all ended with this one simple sentence.
“Yuu…” Deuce said, a sniffle escaping him. Then it was Ace’s turn to weep his nose and turn his head away, as Yuu blinked confusedly.
Were they…crying?
Yuu laughed and wrapped his arms around both of his dear friends, hugging them tightly. “I love you guys, I hope you know that.”
They didn’t answer, but the way they gripped his sweater was enough to convey their feelings.
They loved him and cherished just as much, and were glad that their friend wasn’t leaving.
***
The hour was both long and short.
Many things happened during it, including an extensive war council led by Malleus.
The dragon was properly pissed at Chernabog for destroying half of his dorm and was ready to destroy him once and for all.
“Ideally, I would like to take him on by myself.” Malleus said to the rest of the group. “But I’d rather not underestimate him.”
Lilia nodded. “Wise. This demon is older than this school and has an array of dark spells to use. We need to be really careful.”
“So what’s the plan?” Vil asked. “Are we going to go 24 vs 1? Isn’t that a bit too much?” Yuu felt weirdly glad that Vil had included both Grim and himself in the group of attackers.
Malleus glanced at Yuu to indicate that he should be the one doing the explanation, to which he nodded back.
“I’ve seen his Unique Magic.” Yuu explained. “He can summon a horde of demons and make them attack someone. That’s how he defeated Mickey and took control over him.” Yuu remembered his repeated dreams, the tall mountains where he stood, towering upon Mickey and utterly overpowering him.
“But is he even that powerful now?” Jamil asked, a raised eyebrow. “You saw him at his peak, but hasn’t he been locked away for centuries?”
Yuu nodded. “You have a point, and I don’t know. However, he’s been using the students from the organisation to offer him their magic and life force. Depending on how much he received, it would be safe to assume that he is back at full power.”
Everyone present had their faces darkened at the mention of these students. Despite what they had done, they were still schoolmates, classmates, clubmates, dormmates, roommates. Some were even friends.
“We’ll need to find out what happened to these students…” Riddle said, a deep frown on his face. “If they are his source of energy, then maybe there is a way to cut it off.”
“Smart of you, Riddle-shi!” Idia praised him. “Ortho and I are not gonna be very useful in the actual fight, so we can look for them and explore this theory.” He offered.
“We’ll come with you, Radish Sprout.” Leona said, surprising everyone. He sighed and explained himself. “As much as I’d love to see the lizard’s ass being destroyed by the fucker and then disintegrating him myself, Savanaclaw are hunters. We’ll be more useful there.” Yuu didn’t miss the look between Malleus and Leona.
Ruggie whistled in admiration. “Surprisingly thoughtful of you, Leona-san. Are you sure you are our boss?” Leona hitted him on the head and the hyena snickered. “Shishishi, yep, that’s the real one!”
“Take Rook with you, Leona.” Vil said after a glance at his hunter who bowed his head. “Not only because of his hunting skills, but also because he has Light Magic. If these students are under the effect of dark magic, he could be necessary as a countereffect.”
Leona groaned but nodded, nonetheless. “Fine. But he better behave.” He glared at his old dorm mate, who chuckled.
“Ah Roi des Lions, your harsh words wound me, ça sera comme au bon vieux temps. (it will be like good old times).” He winked at Leona who restrained disintegrating him on the spot.
Malleus dipped his head. “Shroud, Kingscholar, Hunt, much obliged.”
“Savanaclaw and Ignihyde gone, that’s a good quarter of our forces away.” Azul said, readjusting his glasses. “We need to organise the rest of us around attack and defense teams.”
Lilia said. “One thing for sure is that the Light Magic users are our trump cards, but also Chernabog’s main targets. We can’t put them at the forefront. Yuu, Silver and Kalim.” He turned towards them. “Our defense will center around the three of you, but we’ll need to disguise it as one centered around Yuu only.”
“Then it would make sense to include Jamil and Sebek in the defense team.” Trey said. “They are powerful and flexible enough to switch between defense and attack magic just in case our vanguard is breached.”
Ace raised his arm, grabbing Deuce’s as well. “We want to be on the defense team! Let us protect Yuu!”
Deuce nodded eagerly. “Yeah!”
Vil looked at his own first-year. “Epel, join the defense team too. Your quick reflexes from your Magift training will be an asset in protecting Yuu.”
Epel widened his eyes at Vil praising his physical skills, then nodded, puffing his chest in pride. “Yes, Vil-san!”
“Then, let’s recap.” Riddle said. “Team Defense, Yuu, Grim, Silver, Kalim, Ace, Deuce, Epel, Jamil and Sebek. Team Attack, Trey, Cater, Azul, Floyd, Jade, Vil-senpai, Malleus-senpai, Lilia-senpai and myself. Team Research, Leona-senpai, Idia-senpai, Rook-senpai, Jack, Ruggie and Ortho. Do we all agree?”
Malleus nodded. “I have no objections.”
Everyone else followed. They knew what to do and they were determined to see their task through.
The team Research immediately left, starting to brainstorm ideas and strategies, while the rest started to locate a good spot for the Defense team to stay which would be defendable but also not a trap.
Curiously for Yuu, they ended up in the courtyard where he had his discussion with Chernabog. The bench and the tree were there, just like in his dream. Yuu frowned slightly at the sight of the tree, remembering the way Chernabog used it as a portal to travel to his original world, but he quickly dismissed this thought.
They quickly positioned themselves, the team Defense close to Yuu and the team Attack covering a wide range, and stayed put.
Holding their breath.
Standing guard.
The hour was almost over.
Yuu only blinked before a gigantic explosion suddenly engulfed the courtyard, submerging the entire area in a dust storm and blinding everyone.
***
Yuu had seen his fair share of battles, ever since he had arrived at the school. Battles against overblots, magic duels, fights against monsters, all sorts of them.
So he knew that his friends were somehow skilled enough to hold their own against any foe.
But he wasn’t ready to see them showcasing the very best of their abilities against Chernabog.
The dust storm had barely settled, that everyone’s senses sharpened.
The defense team tightly closed on Yuu, covering every dead angle and being extremely attentive to any smoke movement. Their magic pens were brandished in front of them, ready to fire any spell.
Suddenly, they started to hear clashing sounds on the left side of the courtyard, where the Octavinelle trio were placed.
“Azul! Jade! Floyd! Reporting!” They heard Riddle’s voice from the center-left.
“We’re fine!” Azul replied. “But be careful, creatures are moving in the smoke.”
Another bang was heard on the right.
“Vil-senpai! Cater!”
“All good, Riddle-chan!” Cater’s cheerful voice reassured them.
Suddenly, they saw the smoke separating slightly in the middle, signs that something was moving there, before seeing a figure emerging out of it and flying high above them.
Malleus.
He pointed his staff towards the smoke and announced. “Get ready to attack!”
A powerful gust of wind shot out of his staff and cleared out the smoke almost instantly. Yuu almost gasped in surprise.
Hidden by the smoke were dozens of terrifying demons flying around and charging at each magician present.
Thankfully, everyone had followed Malleus’ instructions and had prepared an attack spell that was ready to be fired. All the demons got instantly reduced to dust at the same time, and they were all able to confirm everyone’s position and safety.
Yuu glanced at all his friends, and upon seeing Silver’s face, a horrifying thought came to his mind.
Readying a ball of fire in his palm, he looked at Silver and asked. “Silver-senpai, what is Lilia-senpai's favourite type of games?”
Silver blinked and turned to him in surprise. “What?”
“Answer me.” The real Silver-senpai would know why I’m asking this…please.
Realisation dawned in Silver’s eyes and he said, in the same tone. “FPS games.”
Yuu sighed in relief and nodded. “Do you think we need to interrogate the rest?”
Silver looked around, examining the behaviour of his close friends, especially Sebek that he knew like the back of his hand. “At least let’s confirm the defense team.”
Yuu nodded and tapped discreetly on Ace’s shoulder. He gulped hard, horrified to think that his best friends might have been replaced, but he needed to confirm. “Ace.” He whispered.
The orange-head turned towards him in surprise, eyebrows quirked up. “You ok?”
“Strange question, but answer me. What did you do to be collared by Riddle the very first time?”
Ace frowned, showing complete concern. “Why are you asking me this right now??”
“It’s important, answer me.”
“...Ok, I ate a tart. Still a stupid reason honestly…” He scratched the side of his head in annoyance. An Ace-like reaction.
Yuu’s tension left him a little. He nodded. “Yeah, it really was. Sorry, in my last dream, Chernabog took the appearance of Silver-senpai. I have to confirm after he blinded us for a few seconds.”
Ace’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh shit! Ok, let me confirm Deuce quickly.”
Yuu nodded and turned towards Silver. The second-year was able to confirm that Sebek and Jamil were real, the latter confirming that Kalim was real as well. He himself managed to confirm Epel.
Good, only Deuce left.
Turning back towards his two best friends, Yuu was not ready for the scene he saw.
Both of them had their Magic pens pointed at each other, Deuce glaring at Ace and Ace looking completely clueless, eyes darting between Deuce and Yuu.
“Yuu!” He said. “Stupid Deuce is acting strange!”
No! Yuu’s heart sank. “How did you figure it out?” He asked, readying his Magic pen too, eyes scrutinising Deuce.
“He’s attacking me for no reason??” Ace said, confused. “You answered the question right, so what are you doing?” He asked his friend.
Deuce frowned at Ace. “ You were the one who made a strange comment. Repeat what you told me after my answer.”
“I-” Ace stammered. “I just said ‘ Thank god you’re safe! I’m worried for Dorm Leader Riddle but I’m sure Leona-senpai and the rest will be able to sense if things were wrong.’ What’s wrong with that??” ‘Ace’ asked, looking now at all members of the defense team who were staring at him with strange eyes.
Oh no…No…No! Not Ace! Yuu felt his breath stop. He didn’t want to believe it, but there was only one truth.
Ace was fake.
Everyone knew that Leona was not present with them, only because it had been decided a few minutes ago. Chernabog must have made extensive research about his close friends to be able to replicate them so accurately though, because unless he had made that slip-up, they wouldn’t have noticed.
It sickened Yuu. This demon was just attacking every single weak spot he had.
“What?” Fake-Ace took a step back, sensing the mood shift, and Jamil immediately immobilised him.
“Don’t move. I suggest that you stop this poor act and tell us where Ace is.” He glared down at Fake-Ace coldly.
Fake-Ace gulped, struggling to break free, before stopping and sighing. “How did you know?” His facial expression changed despite still being in Ace’s body.
It was cold.
Inhumane.
Chernabog.
“It’s you, isn’t it?” Yuu spoke up. “Chernabog, you are possessing Ace.”
To this, Fake!Ace lifted one eyebrow in surprise before laughing. “You’re a clever one. Indeed, your friend is right there. I have just temporarily possessed his mind. I didn’t expect to have been found so easily though, what gave me away?” He asked again, an easy smile on his face.
No one answered him. They knew that revealing that Leona wasn’t present would lead the demon to understand the purpose of the Research team. They needed to protect them.
Ignoring him, Jamil glanced at Sebek and Silver. “One of you should go and bring Lilia-senpai here. It’s almost certain that he used dark magic to take possession of Ace. Lilia-senpai may know how to undo the spell.”
Sebek nodded and left immediately, returning with Lilia and Riddle after a few seconds.
Riddle immediately pointed his Magic pen at Ace, and with a conflicted expression, collared him. “OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!” Then he turned to the rest of the group. “We can’t risk him using magic.”
Lilia nodded. “Jamil, turn him around and keep a close eye on him. The rest of you, come here.”
They complied, and everyone except Jamil and Riddle gathered around Lilia who whispered. “Light Magic is the key to saving Ace. However, we can’t let him know who our Light Magic users are. I want everyone here to put their palm on Ace’s back and invoke just a bit of magic to warm your hand up. Silver, Kalim and Yuu. You will need to gather up more magic to expel the dark magic out of Ace’s body. Think of it as a purifying water spray that will clean all impurities. That’s how your magic should travel within Ace’s system. Do you think you can do that?”
Silver and Kalim nodded, but Yuu hesitated for a few seconds. His magic control was still shaky. If anything went awry, Ace would be the one suffering from it.
As he was battling with his doubts, he felt two hands patting his shoulders.
Deuce and Grim looked at him with a determined gaze. “You can do it Yuu.” Deuce said, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly.
Grim nodded. “Yeah. Bring back our idiot!”
Yuu looked back at them, saw their unwavering trust in him, and nodded. He had to do it. He had to save his friend. “I’ll bring him back.”
Jamil made Ace lie down, face on the ground, and bound him tightly. Riddle and Lilia had also their magic ready in case something happened.
The rest of the defense team all placed their hands on Ace’s back, while Silver, Kalim and Yuu shared a nod. They agreed beforehand that Kalim and Silver would cover a wider range to relieve Yuu of any strain.
Magic slowly flew out of their hands and Ace started to scream, making them flinch.
“It’s fine, continue!” Lilia said immediately. “Chernabog is the only one suffering from it!”
They saw dark miasma evaporating from Ace’s body while he was breathing roughly. “G-guys-” He said in a raspy voice. “It’s alright, continue… He’s leaving me…”
Ace!
Yuu doubled his efforts. He had managed to infuse his magic within Ace, thanks to Malleus’ blessing which calmed his use of magic, mixing it with Silver’s and Kalim’s, and cleansing any bits of dark magic he was sensing.
The miasma gathered in front of them in the form of a floating ball and Ace coughed roughly.
Silver looked up at Lilia and nodded briefly, indicating quietly that the deed was done.
The ball of miasma suddenly disappeared, dispersing in the air like smoke.
Lilia clicked his tongue. “He got away. I need to tell Malleus. Riddle, stay with them and help them get back in formation. Look after your first-year.” He said, glancing at Ace who had passed out.
Riddle nodded and crouched next to Ace, examining him with worry.
Yuu suddenly blinked. “Wait! Lilia-senpai and Riddle-senpai are safe since we saw them using their magic. But are the rest of the attack team themselves?”
“Malleus-senpai was actually checking on them.” Riddle said. “You lot need to be back in formation. I’ll replace Ace and back you up until he recovers.”
Without warning, the earth suddenly started to shake and everyone got up on their feet, standing around Yuu. Deuce and Riddle were also shielding Ace.
Yuu could see from afar that the attack team had also repositioned themselves, ready to attack.
A loud and thunderous voice echoed in the air. “So is that the answer to my terms, humans?” The sky darkened and lightning flashed through the clouds.
Lilia replied back. “Show yourself, Chernabog. You will need to go over our bodies if you want to get to Yuu.”
Chernabog laughed out loud, echoing throughout the courtyard. “I already went through one. I can easily possess every single one of you.”
Yuu glanced at Ace, just beside him. It was a warning. He proved that he had the ability to enter the mind of anyone to possess it, and leave them in a weakened state afterwards.
Riddle whispered to him. “Don’t fall for his bluff, Yuu. Possession by dark magic requires a lot of energy. I doubt he will sacrifice all the students he captured just to defeat us, otherwise he will barely have enough to survive in this world.”
Yuu nodded. Riddle was right. So far, Chernabog has often manifested his power through illusions and dreams with very little physical damage. The Diasomnia tower and Ace’s condition were his only actual harm, he had only been bluffing so far.
He redirected his attention towards the attack team and Chernabog.
Malleus had stepped forward, magic crackling around him as proof of his anger. “Then start by me, demon.” He challenged Chernabog. “I am your greatest threat standing between you and Yuu, you will need to defeat me first.”
Tsunotaro…
Chernabog stayed silent for a couple of beats before the earth started to violently shake again and dark miasma gathered in front of them.
The miasma started to form a figure that grew in size and width until it reached a few dozens meters of height. Then, it solidified itself in the shape of an upper body with two horns and large wings on its back.
Yuu recognised it immediately. The true form of Chernabog had just materialised itself in front of them.
“Malleus Draconia, heir of Briar Valley, huh?” Chernabog’s voice resonated loudly across the place. “This cursed place which prevented the spread of my influence thousands of years ago… If you, faes, had not intervened, Evil would have long been spread across the lands.” It was the first time that Yuu heard Chernabog sounding almost annoyed. “It seems that by killing you both today, I will be completely rid of my main two obstacles. Very well, child. But it wouldn’t be fair if the two of us are the only ones playing when you have brought all your friends for this party.” He said before opening his arm in a way that Yuu recognised.
“No!” He yelled, but it was already too late.
“ Rise from the shadows, born from the fire… Demons! Wake and serve my wish! Night of the Bald Mountain ! ”
As he chanted, hundreds and hundreds of demons started to emerge from behind him and their numbers filled out the entire area, looming over the Night Raven College students who were looking at them in apprehension.
“What do you say, Briar Valley’s child?” Chernabog addressed Malleus, smugly. “Who will be done first? Me defeating you or my demons defeating your friends?”
Malleus only needed to glance at Lilia by his side who gave him a single nod, before turning back towards Chernabog, a smirk on his face. “You mean the other way around, don’t you?”
Magic accumulated around Malleus, enveloping him like a storm. Now that Yuu had trained his powers, he was acutely aware of the flow of magic in the air, and so he could literally visualise how great of a mage Malleus actually was.
The amount of magic that gathered around him was just unbelievable. It created an opaque veil that shielded him from everyone’s view, leaving only his silhouette to be discernible.
Yuu witnessed Malleus’s familiar figure slowly growing, widening and morphing into the shape of a majestic creature.
The veiling lifted and Malleus’ true form was revealed to everyone present.
An impressive dragon, with black scales and large wings on his back, was now standing in the middle of the courtyard, facing the equally giant demonic figure of Chernabog.
His spiky tail waved around and slashed dozens of demons while he breathed green fire that decimated a dozen others. He then locked eyes with Chernabog and growled.
Chernabog was utterly unfazed during this show of power. “Very impressive.” He said in a deadpanned voice, before slowly grinning.
Without warning, he grabbed Malleus wings and flapped his own to propulse them both high in the sky. Malleus screeched and fought to release himself from the demon’s hold. He managed to get free, and both of them flew around, gauging each other…before attacking.
Explosions of green and black lit the sky as Malleus and Chernabog were caught in a deadly battle.
Dragon vs Demon.
Yuu would have loved to lean back and admire this fascinating face-off, but back on the ground, he and his friends were still preoccupied with the demons Chernabog had invoked.
Despite Malleus taking down a good portion of them, there were still many left who started to attack them all.
The attack team took the majority of the impact and managed to take them down, one at a time. However, many broke through, going straight for Yuu.
The defense team was prepared. They all raised up their magic pens, creating a barrier around them and making sure that not even a gap was left open, and they held position.
Riddle was the only one from the attack team present with them and so he was outside the barrier, sending his most powerful spells to decimate large portions of demons.
At first, Yuu felt hopeful. His friends were holding their own in front of this horde of demons, but soon he noticed something strange.
The number of demons wasn’t decreasing. In fact, it even increased to the point of the entire space being swarmed with buzzing demons who kept on being disintegrated and reforming to attack again.
They were immortal.
Of course they were.
They were created straight from Chernabog’s Unique Magic. As long as he was around, the demons would be unstoppable, while they were getting exhausted. Despite his friends being the strongest in the school, they were humans and their magic was limited. It was only a matter of time until…
Yuu bit his lips. Can’t I do anything? Am I supposed to stay here and see my friends getting injured?
He glanced down at his hands. These demons are made of dark magic…perhaps light magic would slow their regeneration…? He was tempted to ask if Silver or Kalim would try shooting down these demons, but he remembered Lilia’s warning. If the demons noticed that they had two more Light Magic users, they would focus their attack on them even more.
Clenching his fists, Yuu realised that he should be the one trying. He should be the one out there blasting these demons down and giving his friends a chance to recuperate.
But how…?
Opening his palms, he tried gathering magic in his hands.
“Come on, Light Magic…” He muttered, eyebrows scrunched in deep concentration.
He managed to form a ball of magic. Apple-sized. And completely white.
Pure light was floating on his hand, humming with power.
Then, an idea sparked.
Focusing a bit more, he reduced the sphere until it was no bigger than a marble and placed it on the tip of his index finger. He then raised his hand, shaped like a gun, and tapped lightly on Jamil's shoulder.
“Jamil-senpai,” Yuu whispered. “You think you can make a tiny opening in the barrier? Large enough for a hand? I want to try something.”
Jamil only needed a glance to understand Yuu’s plan. “No problem.” He said smoothly. With his precise mastery of magic, it took him only mere seconds to make a small hole in the barrier.
Yuu crouched and slipped his hand through the hole. Luckily, he was low enough for the demons to not notice him.
Remembering the western he used to watch with his father, he imagined a bullet glowing at his fingertip, and aimed for the closest demon. Gathering all his power in his finger, he fired and shot right at the skull of the nearest demon.
Yuu yanked his arm back and Jamil sealed the barrier behind him, observing the effects of Yuu's attack.
The demon immediately vanished in a mist of shadow and didn’t regenerate. The defense team who also witnessed this action, stood frozen, eyes wide-opened.
Yuu grinned.
That’s it.
Notes:
HULLO!!! Oh my gosh guys, I absolutely love the Final Battle arc, it's literally where everything culminates, but I had such a hard time writing it T-T I wanted it to be the best I could do so I spent weeks on these three chapters! Anyway, hope you'll be hyped!
See ya this weekend for the next chapter!
As usual, please leave kudos/comments!
Chapter 19: The Final Battle (Part 2)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Ears twitching, Leona advanced through the muddy path behind Diasomnia dorm, leading to the dark forest. He brought up the rear of their little research group. Ortho and Idia at the front, then Rook, Ruggie, Jack, and himself.
Their task was simple: find the students supplying energy to Chernabog and cut the provision.
While hearing the echoes of the battle happening not far from where they were, Leona remembered the discussion that the Research team had earlier.
~1 hour ago~
“Reporting the scanning of the area. Increased concentration of dark magic observed in the south-eastern region of the forest bordering the dorm as well as the north-western.” Ortho had told them after reviewing the magic density of their surroundings and showing them the locations on the screen.
Leona frowned. “One of them is a bait. He’s trying to waste our time.” These two locations placed at completely opposite points in the forest were proof of it.
Idia nodded. “This, or he split up the students in these two locations. Either way, he wants to divide our party, or make our assistance delayed in the upcoming battle.”
“What would be the best course of action then?” Jack scratched the side of his head. “Should we investigate together or separately?”
“Ortho-kun, did your scan reveal any discrepancies between the two places?” Ruggie asked.
The humanoid shook his head. “Chernabog has been clever. He put the same amount of protection in both locations to override my scanner. I cannot see further.”
“Alors, votons! (So let’s vote!)” Rook announced cheerfully.
And this was how they found themselves in their current situation.
They argued that splitting their forces would have been dangerous, plus the fact that they only had one Rook as a Light Magic user and one Ortho to guide them precisely to their destination. So they unanimously decided to investigate both locations as a group.
They were currently headed towards the south-eastern location. Ortho was guiding them there, while the Savanaclaw trio were guarding the group, using their heightened senses to spot anyone approaching them. Rook needed to preserve his magic so he was simply advancing idly.
The question mark was Idia.
Concretely, Ignihyde's dorm leader was not needed on this mission. He had done his part of the job, namely to configure Ortho and give his input on the strategic discussions. But now that they were all on the field, why did Idia decided to accompany them?
And why on Earth was he fiddling with circuits and mechanical pieces while riding a floating seat right behind Ortho?
The humanoid had a double job of guiding them through the forest and making sure his older brother didn’t get hit by a stray branch.
Leona sighed. He decided to not question it as long as he didn’t get in their way during critical moments.
Rather, all the fibers in his body were urging him to go to the battlefield and fight. Especially after hearing a roar that sent chills down his spine.
That lizard bastard… He thought sourly. But nonetheless, he continued.
He knew that their mission would be critical for the success of their entire operation.
He still remembered his last conversation with Malleus. It was a few hours ago, right in front of Ramshackle. None of them had any idea that a few minutes later, Diasomnia would have been engulfed in the flames. At the moment, they were simply just two different persons, with one goal in common.
“You sure it’s safe to leave the Herbivore’s side?” Leona had asked.
“We just had an encounter with Chernabog in his dreams.” Malleus revealed. “His next attack shall be delayed, so it may be the only time that I can spare for you, Kingscholar.”
“How generous.” Leona said, dryly. “Cut to the chase then, what do you want?”
“The final battle against this demon will soon be upon us. When the time comes, I will take the lead in the fight, but there is no guarantee that I will win.”
Leona widened his eyes. It was the first time that he heard Malleus sound so…doubtful. He gritted his teeth and grabbed him by the collar. “What the fuck are you on? If you can’t beat him, who can?”
“Yuu. He is our hope. You know it better than me.”
Leona didn’t say a word and released him. “What are you trying to say, exactly?”
“That when I fall, Yuu will need to take over. But his state of mind is fragile. I need someone like you to give him the push he will need.”
This conversation had heavily weighed upon Leona for the last hours. Despite the situation moving suddenly fast, he did promise Malleus that he would be by Yuu’s side. But here he was, far from the battle, in another mission that was even more crucial. Guilt gnawed at his heart, as he was evaluating where his priorities should be.
The worst thing was, when he offered to take part of the Research team, he could see approval in Malleus’ eyes. The fae didn’t question him, he simply nodded at him, understanding that he was better suited for this task…even though it meant leaving Yuu.
Leona simply hoped that another of the herbivores would be there to give Yuu the final push he himself would be unable to give. He had made sure that at least one of them would…
After fifteen minutes of trekking, Ortho brought them to a stop in front of a large tree.
“It’s there.” He said, pointing at a glaring red dot on his holographic screen. “The entire area behind the tree is enclosed in a dark magic barrier.”
Leona examined the barrier. It was perfect work.
Entirely invisible to the human eye, perfectly innocuous. Yet, every single one of his instincts were telling him to flee far away from this place.
From the corner of his eyes, he saw that Ruggie and Jack were also very uncomfortable with the energy emanating from the tree.
Dark, bloody, dangerous.
“What would happen if I simply reduced this tree to sand?” Leona asked Ortho, already readying his magic in his hand.
Ortho shook his head. “It has a protection spell against all attacks. It wouldn’t work. Only Light Magic can untangle the web of spells he wovened.”
“Tsk.” Leona backed away, letting Rook do his job.
He glanced in the direction where he heard Malleus’ roar and wondered how the battle was going.
“Worried?” Ruggie came to his side, a knowing grin on his annoying face.
Leona’s eyebrow twitched. “Of course not. Just hope they won’t be all dead by the time we finish this business.”
“So you’re worried.” Ruggie nodded to himself, ignoring the glare of his dorm leader. “I’m too, y’know. For Yuu. I would’ve gone insane in his shoes.” The hyena frowned his eyebrows, eyes downcast, and Leona didn’t reply.
Because yes, mostly, he was worried for Yuu.
He had been worried for him ever since the herbivore came to his dorm. He had long adopted Yuu into his clan, looked after him, and cared for him.
He was one of his own.
“Huh?” Something stopped Leona’s trail of thoughts.
“Leona-san…” He saw Ruggie’s ear twitch, Jack’s as well.
They’ve also sensed what he did.
Something was approaching.
Something fast.
“ROOK, TAKE COVER!” He yelled at the Pomefiore hunter who was deeply focused in undoing the dark magic to notice the creature that was targeting him specifically.
Leona didn’t think twice and immediately tackled Rook to the ground, saving him from whatever thing was after him. He saw Ruggie and Jack in position around Ortho and Idia, also on their guards.
Getting up, Leona saw that the creature was charging back at them. He gritted his teeth in annoyance and held up his arm in front of him. “Begone.” He growled and turned the creature to sand at its immediate contact.
“What was that??” Ruggie immediately cried out. “What the heck was that??”
“Demons. From Hell.” Idia said, a somber look in his eyes.
Leona was about to ask for more explanation but he suddenly felt more of these demons coming from afar.
Here to protect whatever we are trying to reach, huh?
“No time to talk, more is coming. Radish Sprout, I know you are shit at fighting, but you can at least hold up a barrier, right?” Leona said, magic crackling around him.
At Idia’s nod, he instructed. “Jack, Ruggie, with me. Rook, you better hurry up with that barrier, Radish Sprout and Shorty, on support.”
No one defied him and they all held positions.
Leona, flanked by his two dorm mates, was finally reeling at the prospect of letting out his fighting urges.
***
Idia’s multitasking skills have never been so strained as in these past few minutes.
Between holding up a barrier, making sure that no demons would get to Rook and also fiddling with his newest technology that could prove to be a necessary asset for later, Idia was operating on a razor’s edge.
He remembered a conversation he had with Vil and Jamil right before leaving.
*
“Idia.” Vil had come to him accompanied by Scarabia’s vice leader. “A word.”
“What now, Vil-shi? You need something?”
Vil and Jamil exchanged a look and the latter said. “It’s about those students that you will look for. Rook-senpai might be able to remove the dark magic, but…that wouldn’t undo the brainwash.”
Idia quirked an eyebrow. “The brainwash?”
Vil nodded. “After taking down the entire network, Jamil and I studied closely the students who were part of it and we noticed that the ‘influence’ that they claimed to have been submitted to is a very subtle type of brainwashing mind magic.”
Idia darted his eyes between them, tilting his head in confusion. “Isn’t this mind magic dark as well? Can’t Rook-shi undo it?”
“Rook tried. But it was deeply rooted in their brain and soul.”
“I see. I still don’t see what all of this has to do with me though?”
Jamil said, eyes downcast. “Do you think STYX can do something? Even if they are released from Chernabog’s hold, they would forever hate Yuu and be programmed to bring him harm.”
*
Sometimes, Idia wished that he wasn’t such a genius.
As soon as Jamil asked this question, Idia’s mind was already formulating plans to build a counter-brainwashing device…a device that would alter the soul and brain.
Glancing at Ortho by his side, Idia remembered all his attempts at bringing his brother back, resulting in the creation of Ortho.
Soul-waves, brain-waves, this was his domain. And he knew exactly what to do to save these students.
But at that moment, he needed to make sure that Rook was safe and that these two goddamn circuits would connect without disturbing the rest of his complicated networking mismash.
Such a hassle…
And on top of that, these demons disturbed him.
Different in shape, they were giving similar eerie vibes as the Phantoms lying asleep in Tartarus.
Negative emotions that had been awakened after centuries, souls that have never known peace.
This was the true nature of these demons attacking them. The angry, wronged spirits of the dead which were now letting their rage go on a rampage.
Idia pitied them.
He remembered his late brother, his Phantom still underneath STYX. He made his peace with this incident, but he couldn’t help the memories flashing in his mind whenever he was confronted with anything remotely close to it.
So on top of making sure the barrier was up and that he was not messing up the device he was building, he was also mentally fighting his old traumas and remembering that the demons were long-lost souls that needed to be extinguished and find their own peace.
“C’est fait! (It’s done!)” Rook finally said, forehead slightly sweating.
Idia glanced back and indeed, the barrier behind the tree had been undone and he could see from afar, standing up in the distance, a dozen students, each engulfed in a dark bubble, seemingly completely inert.
Idia frowned. After checking each dorm, the dorm leaders have agreed that the numbers of missing students would be roughly thirty-five. So Chernabog really splitted them up. Bastard.
“Ortho, we need to make Leona-shi and the others enter the barrier and reinforce it. Rook-shi, infuse your Light magic in it, it may repel the demons away.” He instructed before exchanging a nod with Leona.
“Oi, Ruggie! Jack! Retreat!” The lion roared at his companions.
The three Savanaclaws immediately entered the hole in the barrier made by the Shroud brothers, before strengthening it with their own magic. Rook entwined some of his magic too, making the barrier a natural repeller of demons.
They all managed to breathe after confirming that no more demons would attack them whilst they were inside the perimeter created by Chernabog.
Outside, the demons were circulating around, not daring to approach, but still hissing at them.
“Damn monsters…” Leona cussed at them. “Kept on regenerating despite being struck down.”
Idia assumed that only Light magic would be able to destroy them completely, and just to prove him right, one demon indeed attempted to attack the barrier before getting completely disintegrated.
“Anyway, we’re safe now.” Ruggie released a sigh. “So what now?” He looked at the twelve students with a frown. “Don’t tell me that we’ll have to do the exact same thing again in the north-western location?” He whined.
“It appears so, Ruggie-shi.” Idia felt a wave of sympathy. He himself wished that they would just be done with it.
“At least, we’ll be better prepared.” Leona said. “Rook, how’s your magic?”
The hunter bowed down dramatically. “How kind of you to ask, Roi de Léon! Allow me a few minutes and I will be in shape to deal with these.” He nodded at the students.
“Very well. Let’s have a short break. We need to reorganise ourselves too.”
Jack scratched the side of his head as he frowned at the demons outside the barrier. “We should look for an exit route. It will be difficult to escape them if we can’t destroy them. Plus Rook-senpai needs to save his magic for the other location.”
“Jack Howl-san has a point.” Ortho analysed the map of the forest. “But to access the north-west location, it will be shorter to come back from where we arrived.”
“And we can’t afford to take a long time.” Ruggie said. “If the Attack team is also fighting similar demons, then it’s only a matter of time before they get exhausted. Silver-kun and Kalim-kun cannot reveal themselves as Light Magic users, and Yuu-kun won’t be fighting them either.”
While Ortho and the Savanaclaws were discussing the best way forward, Idia’s mind was turning at its highest speed.
Those demons are essentially lost souls…if I recalibrate this counter-brainwashing device to alter their souls…would it work? But I need to calibrate it first to undo the brainwash of these students… I can do this later though. Our top priority is cutting the flow of dark magic to Chernabog. Rook-shi will purify them, and I need to take care of these demons. This counter-brainwash- no, this soul-altering device will be the solution, but how am I gonna do this without running experiments first??? Argh!
Crouching on his own, a tablet floating in front of him, the device in one hand, a screwdriver in his other, another screwdriver between his teeth, Idia was working maniacally on his gadget, not hearing that he was being called.
“Oi, Radish Sprout!” Leona crouched right in front of him, an annoyed expression on his face.
“AAH!” Idia fell back, surprised by the lion. “Are you trying to make me die young of a heart attack??” He complained to him. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed that Rook had already started to work on his purification, starting by undoing the bubbles of dark magic, while the rest of the party were standing around him, eyes cast at the demons beyond the barrier, magic pens in hand.
All except Leona.
“Shut up, you should be listening.” Leona frowned slightly before glancing at his object. “We are the two dorm leaders here, you can’t do shit on your own without letting me know too.”
Since when?? Idia widened his eyes, before realising that Leona was simply curious and worried. He’s right… He sighed. “That’s a soul-altering device. Or, well, a prototype at least.” He started to explain, eyes riveted back on his invention, resuming his fiddling.
Leona’s eyebrow quirked up slightly. “And what does it have to do with our mission?”
“Initially, it was to undo their brainwash.” He nodded his head towards the students. “Vil-shi and Jamil-shi were worried that removing the dark magic wouldn’t be enough. If left alone, they might still be a threat to Yuu-shi. But now…”
“But now?”
Idia paused and looked Leona in the eyes. “These demons are dead souls, Leona-shi. I suspect, based on Yuu-shi’s visions, that they are part of Chernabog’s magic, that he can…awaken the dead, specifically the dead who died with a grudge.”
“Isn’t that basically ghosts?”
“Yes and no. They’ve been infused with dark magic and influenced by Chernabog’s Evil, making them much more aggressive and essentially immortal unless attacked with Light magic, or...” He glanced down at the small device in his hand.
Leona nodded. “Then, are you saying that this thing can do something to them?”
“That’s what I’m working on, at least. If I can sync up with the frequency of their souls and overwrite them to a neutral point, it could theoretically work. But,” Idia scratched his head in frustration. “I need to experiment first. I can’t recalibrate if we are in the heat of the action.” He mumbled to himself, racking his brain to find a solution.
Leona studied him for a while before asking. “If I get you one of these, will it help you?”
Idia blinked once, then twice, unsure if he had misheard. “What?”
Leona scowled at him. “Answer me quickly, Radish Sprout! Will it help you if I get you one of these bastards to experiment on?”
“I-” Idia stammered in disbelief. Leona-shi offering his help?? Willingly?? He pulled himself together in surprise and nodded. “It would.”
The lion stood up, stretching his back. “Then wait here.”
He turned around, heading towards the barrier, when Idia called him out. “Why?”
Sighing, Leona gave him an annoyed glance. “It’s not the time to shoulder everything by yourself, Radish Sprout. You need help, fucking ask and don’t be so stubborn.” He turned heels again, magic pen in one hand, a determined step towards the barrier.
Idia watched him step outside, after a few words with Ruggie and the others, and return back a few minutes later with a demon bound in magic shackles.
“There.” Leona threw the demon at Idia’s feet. “Anything else?”
Idia shook his head. “No…” He didn’t know what to say. The usually grumpy, proud and selfish lion had helped him out, had risked his life to get one of these demons, and all of that without asking anything back. He shot him a questioning glance. “Are you really Leona-shi?”
If Leona’s furious eyes were a testament to him being the real one, Idia would have immediately dropped the subject. But he did not. It was genuinely worrying that Leona was acting so much out of character.
“I can disintegrate you to sand, if that’s what you’d prefer.” The lion said coldly.
Idia raised his hands in surrender. “I’m good. It’s just terribly uncanny of you to offer help like that.”
Leona scowled for a few seconds before sighing. “I’d rather we wrap this up quickly…” His gaze went in the opposite direction, and he looked almost…worried?
Idia widened his eyes in understanding. That’s where the main fight is occurring. He wants to fight there.
He wants to protect Yuu-shi.
Idia bit back a smile. Ever since Yuu had arrived in their lives, he’s had a mysterious influence and impact on each of them. Perhaps it was a side-effect of his Lightness purifying the Darkness in their heart. Perhaps it was his genuine kindness prevailing in this school full of mischief. Whatever it was, it has touched everyone, including Leona…and including himself.
Notes:
Hullo! Little break in the main battle, here is Leona's team POV! Next chapter will conclude the battle haha! And then we'll have an epilogue chapter!
Getting closer and closer to the end!As usual please leave kudos/comments and stay tuned for the next chap in a few days!
Chapter 20: The Final Battle (Part 3)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The first demon that Yuu had managed to defeat gave him hope.
Hope that this nightmare would finally be over.
Hope that he wouldn’t be a burden anymore and be a useful asset.
Hope that he could return to a normal life.
And it was the case for a while.
After the first demon, Yuu, Kalim and Silver managed to destroy a good dozen of them. They had found a good strategy where the defense team would create strong barriers around them while they would snipe down all the demons approaching them. Silver was especially good at it and was destroying those demons one after the other.
On the attack team side, they were battling fiercely the same demons, trying to filter them through so that the Light Magic users wouldn’t get overwhelmed.
High in the sky, Malleus and Chernabog were still battling fiercely. The dragon was clawing, biting, roaring green fire at the demon who was escaping and flying around, evading every attack with ease.
In retrospect, Yuu should have seen it coming. If he hadn’t been personally involved in the attack towards the demons, he would have noticed.
Noticed how the status quo that had just been formed started to tilt in their disfavor.
It was in the way that more demons started to break through the filtering strategy. Kalim was the first to fall, he suddenly collapsed due to the amount of magic used. Then, it was Yuu. He became dizzy and couldn’t bear to continue shooting demons. Silver managed to stay strong for them and continued to bring them down a few at a time.
We are getting exhausted… They were only humans after all, with a limit to their magic.
However, the true turning point of the battle happened right after.
“VIL-SAN!” “LILIA-SAMA!”
Epel and Sebek’s cries had pierced through the battlefield, reaching even the skies to Malleus’ ears.
Yuu and the rest of the defense team had looked towards the attack team and froze.
Trey and Azul had collapsed in the distance, unmoving, drained of their magic. Cater’s clones and the Leech twins were defending them to the best of their abilities against a small group of demons. However, the battle was clearly taking a toll on them due to their opponents’ regenerative abilities. They were covered in injuries, Floyd’s left arm was completely inert and Cater was bleeding from his thigh.
Due to Riddle covering for Ace and strengthening the defence around Yuu, Vil and Lilia were the only active students to face the main army of demons. Despite them both being brilliant, they were getting overwhelmed.
Vil sustained injuries all over his limbs, his normally pristine uniform was currently torn and his hair disheveled, while Lilia was covered in dust and was breathing heavily. He was their most powerful fighter besides Malleus, and was facing over fifteen demons at a time, firing wide-range attacks.
Suddenly, something hit Vil’s head, making him bleed heavily and blurring his vision.
He only stumbled for a second, but this was just enough for a demon to launch a direct attack at his unguarded self. It casted a spell that made Vil fly for a few meters before landing heavily on the ground.
Lilia immediately went to him, as the demons were about to attack his unconscious body, but was soon overwhelmed with attacks from over thirty demons, receiving deep scratches on his body and face, blood flowing freely on him. He collapsed next to Vil, leaving them both unguarded and at the mercy of the demons’ claws.
Cater, the Leech and the defense team, eyes wide in shock, shouted in unison for their two friends, but they were all too far to be of any help.
All except for Malleus.
Malleus had heard Epel and Sebek, making him immediately turn his head towards his mentor and his fellow dorm leader, both lying unconscious. He didn’t hesitate one second and went to their rescue, roaring a breath of fire to exterminate all the demons in his reach.
Lilia and Vil were safe, and everyone sagged their shoulders in relief…until Yuu widened his eyes. “TSUNOTARO!! BEHIND YOU!!”
But it was too late.
“That’s what you get for getting distracted, little dragon. Now sleep.”
Chernabog’s cold voice echoed in the battlefield as his arm pierced Malleus’ body from behind.
The ground shook heavily and Yuu’s vision wavered.
Malleus had collapsed.
Malleus had fallen.
Screams from the rest of his friends ringed through the courtyard while his own heart pounded heavily in his chest.
Disbelief. Anger. Frustration.
Fear.
As they saw their mighty protector taken down, a wave of uncertainty washed through each of them, the tide of the battle tilting dangerously low.
Yuu barely comprehended the next few seconds.
One moment, Malleus fell.
The next, blue flames lit up and Grim dragged him out of the rubble, making them both escape from Chernabog.
“What?” He choked out, blinking through the tears clouding his vision.
“HENCHMAN!! NO TIME TO DOZE OFF!! HE’S AFTER YOU!!” Grim yelled, still tugging at his arm in desperation.
After taking Malleus down, Chernabog had immediately appeared in front of the defence team, who were too stunned to react on time. With a wave of his hand, he drowned everyone under an overwhelming amount of dark magic, and reached a hand to grab Yuu.
Grim had promptly intervened, firing a wall of blue flames that startled Chernabog for an instant, allowing him to grab Yuu and dash away from the battlefield. Jamil, Silver and Riddle managed to use that moment to raise a barrier and win some time for Yuu to flee.
Yuu was stunned. “Grim! GRIM!” His voice cracked. “We have to go back!! Everyone is still-!”
Grim didn’t slow down. “We’ve agreed on it! Leona told me! If the situation gets dire, you are our priority, Henchman! So run!”
Yuu felt a lump in his throat.
All his friends were falling, one after the other, while he remained powerless.
Grim managed to find an alcove and hid them both in, panting heavily. “I can’t see him.” He whispered, glancing around.
A panic attack was threatening to submerge Yuu and he struggled to calm it down. His eyes stung, his heart was pounding in his chest, and his mind was blank.
He couldn’t think.
He didn’t know what to do.
It was only him and Grim.
Against this demon. This monster. This-
BOUM!
The walls shook and a thunderous laugh echoed in. “You’ve put up a greater fight than I’ve expected, little human.”
Chernabog was right behind them. His shadow suddenly crawled across the wall. His horns, his wings, his tail. Yuu could almost see him staring right at him, a wicked grin on his face.
“Now is time to surrender. None of your little friends are dead…yet. Make the right choice.” A cold chill crept in Yuu’s neck, as if he was whispering those words next to his ear, the underlying threat clear to them.
“HEY!” A new voice suddenly shouted.
Oh no!
Yuu recognised Ace’s voice. He had stayed unconscious for most of the battle, so it seemed that he just woke up.
“Huh?” Chernabog had turned towards Ace.
“Not very nice of you to possess my body without my consent, old bat!” Ace shot back with his usual cheekiness. “Get away from my friend!”
Yuu exchanged a panicked glance with Grim. What was their idiot doing??
“You are no threat to me.” Chernabog stated, calm and cold.
Ace let out a laugh. “Hah. You sure about that? NOW!”
At Ace’s call, Deuce suddenly appeared from behind the bush and chanted. “I’LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THAT!! BRACE YOURSELF!! BET THE LIMIIIIITTT!!”
He charged straight at Chernabog and threw a punch loaded with his Unique Magic right in Chernabog's sternum, making him stagger a few paces back.
“YUU! GRIM! GET AWAY! WE’LL BUY YOU SOME TIME!” Ace shouted at them, magic pen in his hand and eyes narrowed in focus.
Grim tugged at Yuu’s sleeve. “Let’s go, Henchman!”
However, Yuu shook his head, a fierce light in his eyes. Seeing his two friends still battling, still trying, made his own resolve stronger.
He squatted down, hands open, eyes closed. He visualised the largest and purest orb of magical energy he could conjure. Chernabog’s weakness. He had to send it.
Behind, he could also hear the battle still raging. Ace and Deuce were relaying themselves, relentlessly launching spells after spells to not let Chernabog recover his footing.
Suddenly, the demon waved his hand, accumulating dark magic to launch a spell, when Ace suddenly held up a card, a grin on his face “You fool! YOUR BEST CARD IS MINE!! JOKER SNATCH!!”
Ace’s Unique Magic. The power to snatch away the magic of an opponent.
Dark magic danced in the palm of Ace’s hand and he used it to launch several attacks at Chernabog. “How does it feel to receive your own attacks huh??” He taunted him.
“Puny little human.” Chernabog’s voice seethed in cold anger. “You dare steal my magic from me?”
With a flap of his wings, he ascended into the air, towering above them like a dark god, his arms wide open. “Rise from the shadows, born from the fire… Demons! Wake and serve my wish! Night of the Bald Mountain!” As he chanted, the horde of demons that were fighting the other students all rushed at once to him, creating a swarm of creatures facing Ace and Deuce.
Ace’s grin faltered. “Well… shit.”
Chernabog looked down at him. “Learn your place.”
The demons rushed at Ace who gathered his dark magic up in the air to create a barrier between him and Deuce.
“Deuce, get back!” He shouted, preparing for the imminent impact.
When suddenly, it was not.
The swarm of demons suddenly collapsed to the ground, and Chernabog himself fell from where he was floating.
Ace and Deuce blinked and exchanged a confused glance. “Eh? What?”
Even Yuu was confused.
What on Earth happened?
They all watched Chernabog struggling to get back on his feet, a trace of black blood dripping down his lips as he staggered. “It can’t be… The students…” He muttered in disbelief, and everyone else understood.
Leona-senpai and the rest! They succeeded.
Yuu’s heart jumped. This is it I have to attack now!
Pure light was now pulsing from his hands, and so he stood up, ready to attack.
He stepped out of the alcove, facing the battlefield that was raging, and aimed for Chernabog. The ball of light he conjured was not as big as he expected it to be, but he hoped it would be enough.
Please, end this nightmare. He prayed in his heart, and launched his attack.
Ace and Deuce stood beside him, readying their magic pens to protect their friend and observed Yuu’s spell flying at full speed like a comet.
But before it could strike-
Chernabog let out a deafening roar. Dark magic engulfed him, creating a barrier that swallowed Yuu’s attack.
The demons that had collapsed vanished in a dark thick smoke which swirled in the air, gathering around Chernabog, wrapping him like a living coat. Even the dark magic stolen by Ace was leaving his body to converge with the dark mass accumulating in front of them.
“He’s gathering everything that he has left.” Deuce frowned.
Ace nodded and glanced at Yuu. “Any chance of hitting him harder?”
Yuu observed Chernabog’s magic. His earlier attack got submerged by the dark magic, which means that he needed more to overpower him. “I will try. But it won’t be fast. Or easy.” He said, in complete honesty.
Still, there was no choice.
Leona and the rest had given them the opportunity to strike him down, they needed to seize it and obliterate him entirely.
Ace and Deuce exchanged a glance and without saying anything, they sprang into action. Ace placed a barrier around Yuu and, together with Deuce, launched spells after spells. But each of them were swallowed into the dark smoke around Chernabog, who took a step forward.
It was only a step, but it sent a wave of pressure through the air. His malicious aura was invading their space, making it harder to breathe and focus.
Chernabog calmly marched forward, one step at a time, and Ace and Deuce barely managed to hold on. They were already weakened due to the earlier battle and were unable to conjure their Unique Magic again.
They shot every ounce of magic they had left, but when Chernabog stood right in front of them, a whisk of his tail was all it needed to render them both inoperant.
Yuu widened his eyes.
He didn’t have time to blink that his two dear friends just collapsed in front of his eyes, Ace’s magic barrier vanished and Chernabog’s had launched a powerful spell aimed directly at him, while he was in the middle of conjuring light magic again.
He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the impact when he heard instead a muffled scream.
Nothing had hit him.
He checked what had happened, and let out a cry as he saw his little companion lying in front of him, unconscious.
“GRIM!” He rushed to him, cradling his small body in his arms.
He was still breathing, but his body was burning hot and his fur darkened at their ends. “You stupid cat!! Why did you take the hit??” Tears were flowing down Yuu’s cheeks.
He was alone.
All his friends went down for him.
And Chernabog was still standing, evil and power oozing out of him as he observed Yuu coldly.
Without saying a word, he raised his arm, and shot another spell at Yuu, who, this time, was completely powerless.
But once again, it didn’t hit Yuu.
An emerald gleaming barrier suddenly surrounded him and repelled the spell. Tsunotaro’s blessing! Despite being down, the fae’s magic was still there to protect him.
Chernabog understood it as well and clicked his tongue in annoyance. “That dragon…” He released a succession of spells in rapid-fire, each of them hitting the barrier in powerful blasts, but leaving Yuu untouched.
Yuu saw the bodies of his three friends, he saw Malleus’ barrier still protecting him and he saw the silhouette of Chernabog trying to reach him.
A flurry of emotions coursed him, but above all…
He has had…
Enough.
Malleus’ blessing cleared his mind and he focused, searching deep inside for power.
He remembered everything he had faced so far. The attack, the bullying, the near-death experiences, his magic awakening, his magic training.
He saw colours.
Red.
Yellow.
Purple.
Blue.
Green.
…White.
His magic was born from the overblots of his friends. Perhaps all he needed to do to access their power was to overblot himself.
Yuu found it almost ironic.
He had spent his time in school fighting and helping his friends vanquish their own overblot-self, but now, in order to save them, he had to reach that state too.
It’s fine… They all sacrificed themselves for me, it’s only right that I give my everything to them too.
He gathered every ounce of magic he found and let it all explode.
Streaks of magic flared all around him. He screamed, not in fear but in release, as all the powers that had been dormant bursted out at once and surrounded him.
He saw flashes, flashes of every overblot, memories from his friends. The past and the present collided and suddenly…he felt…
Strong.
His feet lifted from the ground and he floated a few meters above it. He was dressed in the garment that had flashed over him when he almost overblotted in Ignihyde.
A gown sparkling with red, golden, and purple hues, large silver wings on his back and two horns on his head.
Power was at his fingertips. It felt strange to be able to sense it so clearly and to have perfect control over it. He wished he had done this before…but he knew none of his friends would have permitted it.
Despite this abundance of energy, his whole body was screaming in pain. His magical circuits were burning him and he felt his head splitting into two…yet a certain calmness also washed over him and kept him grounded…kept him sane.
It must be thanks to Tsunotaro’s blessing.
Or perhaps was it his friends watching over him.
Yuu didn’t know anymore. He couldn’t care what was happening to him.
The only thing he cared about was the enemy in front of him. Chernabog.
He saw Chernabog widening his eyes in stunned silence…before erupting in laughter.
Yuu frowned in confusion. What was so funny?
As if he heard the question, Chernabog smirked. “You truly know nothing, do you?”
“I know that I will obliterate you for all the pain you caused my friends. That’s plenty enough.” Yuu shot back, voice steady.
Chernabog shook his head and looked almost amused. “I suggest that you have a look at the Phantom standing behind you, little human.”
Yuu didn’t want to avert his eyes from him, a cold chill coursed his spine as he slowly realised that the demon was hinting at.
Every time his friends had overblotted, a horrifying Phantom stood behind each of them, representing their darkest emotions in the form of their dorm’s Great Seven sorcerer, as if he was watching over them…or instead encouraging them to dive deeper into the dark.
“Your friends’ Phantoms,” Chernabog started. “Have you never wondered where they came from?”
Yuu did. And he knew the answer.
They had already theorised that the overblots had come straight from Chernabog’ evil influence in the school. So in all logic, his own magic, which awakened due to his exposure to his friends’ overblots, also originated from Chernabog.
Glancing slowly behind him, he saw the large figure that was towering over him. A figure he was not surprised to see…but one that he had dreaded to acknowledge.
The familiar figure of Chernabog himself.
“Your own magic comes from me, little human. How do you even expect to defeat me?”
Yuu didn’t answer.
He looked at his hands, and saw clear white magic illuminating him.
Chernabog was right in saying that his magic came from him, but then, how about his light magic?
His light magic was the key. It didn’t come from Chernabog.
It came from Yuu.
His magic was not only the result of the overblots of his friends, it was the result of their self-acceptance, their repentance, their hope, their friendship, their bond to him.
It was the light deep inside them.
The light that he had fought for, that he had protected. That light returned back to him.
Chernabog may have ignited their fire, but it was their healing, their strength, that shaped the flame burning inside him now. Not born of hate and resentment, but of the love they built together.
“Thank you, Yuu.” Voices flashed in his mind. “Thank you for saving us. It’s our turn now. Remember, you have…”
SEVEN HOMES.
Magic surged to Yuu’s fingertips in a radiant rush, illuminating the space of its pure light, and he chanted. “When there is darkness, there is light. Ring! ANGELUS BELL!”
The song of clear bells resonated beautifully in the courtyard as an intense and blinding aura of light engulfed the space, and targeted Chernabog directly.
He took the impact head-on, and tried to absorb it in its dark magic…in vain. As if it was poison, Yuu’s light attacked the darkness protecting the demon, eroding it and making it crumble and vanish in the air, before attacking Chernabog’s body directly.
Rays of light pierced his whole body as he screamed in agony. He tried to reach for darkness once more…but it no longer responded to his call.
Yuu sent another wave of magic. The sound of the bells were entwined within Chernabog’s voice…until it was the only thing that could be heard.
Chernabog’s voice was extinct. As was his entire existence.
And as the last bell rang, it wasn’t just a spell. It was every single bond, the light of his seven homes, that were singing in harmony.
Notes:
GUYS
GUYYYYSSSSS
IT'S (almost) OVERRRRRR OMGGGGGGGsorry, im freaking out, cause, finally, Yuu beat the hell out of Chernabog and it felt GOOD to write it!
Welp, I really hope you enjoyed reading the end of the battle, and stay tuned for the next...and last chapter!
As usual, please leave kudos/comment and see you in a few days!!!
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Fanficgirl64 on Chapter 9 Fri 08 Aug 2025 12:46AM UTC
Last Edited Fri 08 Aug 2025 12:46AM UTC
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