Expectations When Expecting

Book 1, Chapter 24

When the ink dropped, Riddle was still there, but as pale as a corpse. For a moment, he remained unmoving as Yuu feared the worst.

"Th-there's something dark... no, evil. There's something evil here." Yuu informed the Headmage, who simply pushed her back.

"Stay behind me, Miss Yuu. It is far too dangerous for yourself and your child here." Crowley informed, establishing that she was not supposed to pull another stunt. Yuu nodded, agreeing to the terms.

Riddle opened his eyes, from stony-gray to blood-red, and smiled. Lips stained in ink pulled back in a gruesome smile as he began to cackle.

"You are fools to defy me!" Yuu jumped when Riddle turned in her direction. "You are not welcome in my world." Riddle growled, turning to face the others whose postures were tense with the knowledge of a life-or-death battle happening.

"In my world, I am the law. I am order made manifest! The only response I will accept from you is 'Yes, Housewarden Riddle.'" He sneered. "All who defy me will lose their heads!" The ink at his feet began to bubble as if it were boiling before it slithered behind the short boy. Yuu's eyes widened when she noticed the monster that erupted behind him.

The students who remained, Ace, Deuce, Trey, and Cater, all made their way over to the headmage, forming a circle.

"Dear me, what have I done? I've allowed a student to overblot in my presence!" Crowley lamented, raising his staff.

Grim squirmed in Yuu's arms, adjusting his position as he turned to look at the bird-man. "'Overblot'? What does that mean?!" He yelped in alarm.

"Overblot is a dangerous condition that mages must avoid at all costs." Crowley briefed. "At the moment, he is overcome by negative energy, and has lost control of his magic and emotions."

Grim's ears pressed against his head at the information. "Okay, sure." He deadpanned. "But what does that mean?"

"Please explain!" Deuce begged.

"To put it in layman's terms," Cater spoke up, simplifying the headmage's language. "He's in evil berserker mode!"

"If he keeps releasing magical energy, we could be looking at a loss of life here - his included." Trey concluded as Yuu sucked in a breath, eyes wide with more terror at that idea.

"WHAT?!" Grim yelped, looking at Yuu, who clung to the cat monster slightly.

"Don't worry, Grim. We'll be okay. The headmage is capable enough to help stop things." She reassured the cat.

"Precisely! The well-being of my students is my top priority. Therefore, I must evacuate them immediately." Crowley's eyes flashed to Yuu, attempting to push her along in the direction of which the other boys had scrambled off to.

"As for Mr. Rosehearts, we must restore his consciousness before his magical energy runs dry. For as bad as losing him would be, there are scenarios that are far worse..." Yuu felt the headmage's eyes on her. Yuu froze, biting her lip as she imagined the loss of Riddle, the idea of his mangled corpse on the floor making her feel sick. Her mind flashed to the day she'd had to go identify her fiance's body.

No one should ever have to feel the despair that I felt that day...

Yuu watched as Trey and Cater were ushering several remaining students out of Heartslabyul, she watched as Ace and Deuce joined the fight. Ace throwing wind spells and Deuce summoning cauldrons at the overblotted Riddle.

"What do you fools think you're doing?" Riddle howled, turning to see Ace and Deuce, pens ready.

"Um, hello?! 911? We've got an idiot emergency!" Cater yelped, eyeing the two underclassmen.

"You DID hear that part about how reeeal bad things are happenin' with him, right?!" Grim cried, squirming a bit before hopping out of Yuu's arms.

"That's why we need to stop him now!" Deuce growled. "I don't want that on my conscience!"

"And I'm not givin' up till I hear him say 'I was wrong and I'm sorry.'" Ace added as Trey gave an exasperated sigh.

"All right, let's do this. I can overwrite his magic for a little longer. In the meantime, do what you can! Headmage, please evacuate the other students!" Trey said, clutching his pen tightly, turning toward Riddle, determined to fight.

"Wait! This is dangerous!" Crowley cawed, pleading with his students.

"Are you S-R-S, Trey? You can't beat Riddle!" Cater cried, his eyes wide at Trey's seemingly reckless decision.

"So what, you're not even gonna fight unless you KNOW you can win?" Ace snarked, poking at Cater.

"Yeah, he's right. That's weak." Grim agreed, adding pressure to Cater's subconscious.

"Yeah... I don't want to lose him. There're too many things I've left unsaid." Trey nodded solemnly. Yuu's heart ached as she took a shaky breath.

"I... I can't leave them."

She turned to the Headmage, eyes full of conviction, stopping him in his tracks as he attempted to usher her out.

"Miss Yuu, please." He pleaded, having sent some of the students for help, he gestured toward her stomach. "It's too dangerous, especially when considering your pregnancy!" He called, making Yuu wince at exactly how Crowley's words echoed.

Ace, Deuce, Trey and Cater froze, eyes wide at the revelation, turning stiffly to look at her.

Yuu turned, glaring slightly at the Headmage, who'd apparently had some very loose lips.

"Ah." Crowley dropped his hand, giving Yuu an apologetic smile.

"Okay... I'll explain later. For now, we don't have time for this." Said Yuu, dismissing any questions. "If you wanna make it up to me, sir..." She sighed. "Then let me do this. We just have to do this, whatever it takes!" She announced loudly.

Cater eyed her, hesitant as he bit his lip before groaning loudly. "Okay, Okay! I do NOT like or subscribe to this, but fine!" He retrieved his pen.

Crowley went to fight Yuu again before pausing, grabbing her hand and pressing something into her palm.

"I'll be back as soon as I've gotten the students to safety." He told her. "Stand firm until then!"

Yuu bit onto her finger as she watched the headmage run off, meeting with other students outside. Yuu opened her hand, noticing a small medallion. She hesitated for a moment as she locked it onto her uniform as it began to glow. Contrasting itself to the cold, golden light of the spirit, Yuu felt a rush of heat as it seemed to glow in the mysterious green light of the gates.

Yuu felt a fit of cold as a familiar golden light engulfed her. If you're certain of this, Yuu. I'll cover you. His familiar voice echoed slightly in her mind. She hummed in agreement and thanks before the ground began to rumble.

"Such defiance, from every last one of you! I shall take all of your heads!" Riddle roared, the monster behind him pounding its fists on the ground as it uprooted trees, launching them in the direction of the group.

Yuu was pulled out of the way of an incoming tree by Cater, who could not yet meet her eyes, keeping his body tense and ready.

"Riddle's body can't take much more of this. We need to stop him before it's too late!" Trey called, sending another flash of magic in Riddle's direction.

Yuu nodded, picking up a rock, looking at Ace and Deuce. She recalled the shape of the giant monster from the mine, realizing the similarities of Riddle's monster. Her mind remembered how it had fallen to several blows to the head.

"Okay. Same plan as the Dawrf's mine?" She asked the two, hoping they would take her seriously. Both Ace and Deuce nodded, shaking off the awkward situation.

"Gotcha!" Ace said, Deuce simply nodded.

"Yeah!" Grim cheered.

Yuu turned to the upperclassmen, tone urgent as she spoke. "I need you two to knock out Riddle. It's possibly the only way we can separate him from that thing." She gestured toward the inky-monster, the boys nodding.

Yuu clutched the stone in her hand.

"Let's go! It's time to save Riddle!" She yelled, running recklessly into danger.