The Other Side of Darkness

Surprising Promotion

Prologue: Chapter 19~20 (Prologue Finale~!)

========

The group once again passed through the Magic Mirror, reentering Night Raven Collage. Crowley was there, waiting for them. From what Lev could see of his face, she could tell he had been worried.

"Where have you been?!" the crow man exclaimed. "Do you know how worried I was?!"  

Lev furrowed her brows. "We were getting the crystal," she answered, pulling out the multi-colored gem.

"Yeah, just like you told us to," Ace continued. "Don't you remember?"

From the eye holes in his mask, Crowley's amber eyes widened. "What?! You really went to the Dwarf's Mine?" The whole group flinched in surprise. The headmaster chuckled. "I really didn't think that you all would go to such an awful place. Not only that, but you managed to return with a crystal! I even completed the papers of your expulsion!"

Does he really think so little of us? Lev wondered, sighing.

Grim growled. "The nerve of this guy!" he complained. "Sending us off to fight some psycho monster while he just plans on kicking us out anyway?! Talk about rude."

Crowley crossed his arms and looked at the teens in confusion. "Monster?" he repeated.

"There was a monster there!" Ace told the headmaster, his tone just as annoyed at Grim's. "It was super gross and crazy strong! Beating it was a pain in the butt."

Crowley seemed genuinely confused and intrigued. "Strange...Could you perhaps explain in more detail?"

"Sure," Lev said, and opened her mouth to speak. Crowley pinched her cheeks together.

"Wait," he ordered. "Not here. Let's continue this in my office." He let go of Lev's face and led the teens to his office, where he had them sit down and explain. Each person in the group took turns describing the event that had just unfolded. From first entering the mine to fighting and defeating the monster. 

While the others took their turns talking, Lev looked around the Headmaster's office, drinking in every last detail. From the golden stars and moons sewn on the violet curtains, to the several portraits of the Great Seven that were hung behind the incredibly large Headmaster's desk.

After they were done explaining the events that had just unfolded, they all sat in silence, awaiting the crow-man's response.

Finally, Crowley spoke. "Let me see if I have this correct," he started. "You four went to the Dwarf's Mine to collect the magic crystal, found that a mysterious monster was guarding it, and worked together to defeat it and bring back the crystal?"

Ace flushed and looked away from the adult. "N-no. We didn't work together," he denied. 

"It was more like our goals were aligned," Deuce continued, also not meeting the Headmaster's gaze. 

Lev sighed. Were they still clinging on to their pride? After all that progress fighting the monster?

Well, boys are boys, she thought, shaking her head in defeat. Crowley, however, didn't seem to notice the students denial. He started to shake and cry.

"OOOOH!" he sobbed dramatically. 

This situation is suddenly very uncomfortable.

Grim flinched. "What the--? Why is an adult bursting into tears?!" 

"All these years that I've been headmaster," Crowley explained, "I've waited for the day to come that students from Night Raven College go hand in hand to face and defeat their enemy!" He continued crying.