Nothing

She couldn't see anything.

It took a moment or two for her eyes to adjust to the pure darkness, enough to process she was alone. How delightful.

"What the fuck happened now?"

Ophelia muttered to herself as she stood, immediately feeling around for the charm.

Gone.

𝑶𝒉 𝑭𝒖𝒄𝒌.

"Looking for this?"

The sound of footsteps came from nearby, and although she couldn't see the figure, the bright purple light cast by her charm, dangling from and being somewhat smothered by what was likely his hand, told her atleast to be wary.

𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒍, 𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒖𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆'𝒔 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈.

Standing and putting on a small smile, even if it couldn't be seen, she tried faking surprise.

"Oh, you found it! It must of fell off when I got teleported. Mind passing it to me?"

She could hear him moving closer, and although she desperately wanted to back away, she stood her ground, even if it was a tad shaky.

"And let you off the hook that quickly?  Not happening. Oh, and congratulations."

"For what?"

Their pace was slow, as if basking in her terror with a sense of pride.

"Making yourself into the perfect pawn."

A full on chill went through her, lightheadedness hitting out of the blue.

"I don't understand what you're talking about."

"You've got Heartstabyl on their knees worshipping you as a savior, Radish Sprout talkin' to you out of his own free will, and now Diasomnia's inner pride making their move. And this-"

He held Che'nyas charm up like it was the concluding evidence for his statement.

"Tells me you've got a real powerhouse happy to give you enough magic to blow this school sky high.  Make sense now?"

𝑾𝒂𝒊𝒕...𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝑰𝒅𝒊𝒂 𝑹𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑺𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏?

"Not really. Its not like I'm trying to build myself an arsenal of stupid reasons for people to use me, I'm just trying to adapt to this insanity of a world the best I can."

The unknown person sneered, making her flinch when she could feel them two feet away from her, practically breathing down her neck.

"Yea? And hows that going for you?"

Clenching her fist, Ophelia attempted to glare back at where she heard the voice.

"Fine, but that doesn't matter. What are you bothering me for?"

She almost fumbled and dropped it when the charm was thrown at her, but she caught it in the end, and lifted it in an attempt to finally see who it was.

Aggravatingly enough, the only thing she could see was taunting emerald eyes reflecting in the light.

"I'm just letting you know why your life is going to be a living hell from now on, so do yourself a favor and stay in the wings, herbivore."

𝑶𝑯

𝑶𝑯 𝑺𝑯𝑰𝑻

Stepping backwards upon her realization,  she tried to keep from breaking her act of confidence.

"You don't happen to be Leona Kingscholar, do you?"

"There a problem with that?"

"No, Nope, just..uh..This is just a weird way to meet another housewarden is all.
Kinda thought I wouldn't run into most of you guys until the whole ceremonial meeting thing."

"Sounds more like you were hoping."

Once again, he leisurely stalked forward, but this time, now knowing who it was, she somewhat understood what being prey felt like as she scrambled to move backward.

Instead, she backed into something hard, and felt a hand hover over her forehead before stumbling away, onto something that slightly dipped under her weight, then tossed her in the direction of a random wall, and going straight through it.

———————————————

"So heres my working theory-"

The alchemist drew out a chart in chalk, the other rooms occupants not matching his energy in the slightest.

"We are Experimental Group B, and the you guys who weren't with us and were told about the whole plan beforehand are Control Group B.1, and Control Group B.2 are the ones who weren't told and got dragged in here last minute."

Both 2 others present stayed silent as the brunette pointed to an Octavinelle 3rd year, slightly bigger boned with a cocoa complexion, fluffy wine red locks tied back in a neat ponytail, somehow not caught in the silver chains connected to his slim glasses as he focused on stitching a plush animal in hand.

"Wait...Whats your name again?"

"Lonnie."

"Right! Lonnie, you said Crowley told you guys this was extra credit if you participated, and theres a second group?"

He nodded, soft hazel eyes still focused on the torn plush as he patched it.

"Yup.  The second group should be in the Labyrinth."

Elephys, who had curled himself up in the corner next to Vyr, questioned aloud in a shaky voice.

"Labyrinth?"

The other nodded, continuing his sewing without losing focus.

"Its an old area that used to be apart of the schools coliseum and used for hands on stealth and teamwork training, back when the school required that for certain courses."

"So Experiment Group A is the ones still down there that were with us, and Control A is the rest of your group!"

Pulling a thread through with a strong yank while Vyr scribbled down that addition to the chart he had drawn, checking up and seemingly giving Elephys, who was cuddling Onyx, a detailed run down of the situation.

The rooms oldest sighed as he tied off the seam to the doll.

"I'm not too sure using it for a school wide blot awareness demonstration is safe, though. 
Lots of people here really know how to hold a grudge, and putting Hunt, Scrooge and Bucchi on the loose in the pitch dark isn't going to end well, no matter which way you cut it."

Grabbing another torn up plush from a small basket, he looked to the pink haired fae.

"Hey, are you feeling alright?"

Elephys flinched back when the wine haired turned to him, scooting closer into his now stress bubble arsenal in the corner.

"Is that why you chose this group? Safer?"

"Nope.  Crowley put me here because of my My Unique Magic, and theres some other people in similar situations in the other rooms.
Lets just say my Unique Magic can have a kind of calming affect."

A snort came from the other corner of the room, where a messy white haired Savanaclaw student was lounging in aggravation. Scars littered across pine brown knuckles seemed to move as he carved into some form of bone he found with a switch blade.

"Calming effect? I, for one, do not feel calmed."

"Makaburini Ndovu, Class 2-C, right?"

"Just Makab works fine."

He aimed and shot the sharp mid-carved bone in Lonnies direction, who just caught it with one hand and threw it back, not once pausing his stitching.

"I didn't use my unique magic to do that, but maybe ask some questions before you go in for the attack then? You're not the only one here against their will, plus, we're all stuck here together."

"Says the one who chose to be here.
Half of their group have a blood red target on their back. They may aswell be doomed."

————————————

They were totally doomed.

First they got dumped in the pitchblack middle of nowhere, just him and Ace, with only the basic confirmation from the Headmage that Vyr and Elephys were in a safe room, and that Ophelia would be joining them, but she was somewhere else in this weird maze and they had to find her.

He also confiscated Grim, saying he was a unfair advantage or something similar, then left.

By sheer luck, they ran into a friend Deuce had made in Flight Class, Epel, and some oddly creepy sounding guy who had been following him, Book? No, Rook, It was Rook.

Ace decided he hated this guy on sight, something about "Getting Total Stalker Vibes." from him.

Hiding out behind a pillar, as to not accidentally trigger the pressure plate to opening the wall, the three freshman tried to remain dead still as they listened in from to other side of the wall, copying the what the aforementioned hunter told them to.

"-You don't happen to be Leona Kingscholar, do you?"

Ophelias voice. She sounded....scared.

"There a problem with that?"

That was the guy from the gym. Was he trying to intimidate her? What was going on?

Deuce began moving away from his respective pillar a bit to reach the pressure point, and Ace seemingly had the same idea, but both were pulled back with a harsh tug.

"We found her, so what hell was that for?"

"I'm with Ace on this one! It sounds like she's being threatened!"

Although they couldn't exactly see him, it sounded like Rook was shaking his head (and had a very large hat on?)

"Patience, Moniseurs. It is not yet time to go in for the kill."

With seemingly lightspeed, he also caught Epel, who was also two feet away from triggering the plate himself.

The sound of something large crashing echoed, followed by a scream, and both Ace and the Rook guy vanishing behind a new wall, leaving just him and Epel behind.

A groan came from where the crashing sound had been, followed by a dimming purple light emerging from under a bit of rubble.

"Ugh, what the fuck is my life anymore?"

"Ophelia? Is that you? Are you alright?"

He moved towards the sound as quick as he could, summoning a small bit of light magic to confirm it was her.

Jade eyes squinted and winced at the light from under the pillars remains, followed by an almost hissing sound when the light got too close.

Yup, Ophelia.

On closer inspection, blood was trickling down from her forehead, and she had taken alot of damage, but was playing it off as nothing, standing up with a minor limp and brushing off some of the dust on her uniform.

"I'm alright, thanks for the worry—"

Mid sentence, a rumbling started from above them, likely caused by the loss of a pillar.

"WATCH OUT!"

The brunette struck her hand out, a large burst of force sending him and Epel back as a bit of the ceiling caved in.

"Ophelia?"

There was no response this time.

No wince or hiss when Epel summoned light magic.

She was lying in more rubble, and still, breathing, but still.  And Bleeding.

The moment from after Riddles overblot flashed before him, then the hospital bed, like an old fashion camera flicking between the three images.

The next felt like a video feed, of all the good moments, when they had the victory dinner after the mines, then their victory brunch after her and Ace woke up. 
When she had attempted to make him a hard boiled egg , but somehow managed to set it on fire in the process.

But the good memory that hit him the hardest was when she consoled him, even after she witnessed, and somehow knew about the old him, but still decided to be his friend.
Something she had said in that moment repeated in his mind.

"𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐨𝐰, 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐲, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫.
𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐨𝐟, 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬."

𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑛'𝑡 𝐼 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑚 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠?

A ghost pain flared in his leg, but he kept pulling off the rubble in a frenzy. He wasn't even aware he had been shaking until Epel yelled at him in a barely understandable accent to take a breather.

Before he could respond, he noticed from behind a giant shadowy figure crossing over to Ophelia.

He was unable to dash forward, because something struck him in the back of the head.

Did someone really want to fight him right now? He didn't have the time for this!

—————————

By the Queens Roses, being paired with Lilia when he was this focused was blessing in disguise.

Nevermore had been found in under 5 minutes, information on the situation in 12, and not once had they encountered or been struck by any of the long forsaken traps, as any set off where minced in seconds.

The aviary fae had seemingly stolen the tablet belonging to Ophelia at last minute, giving them the advantage of a map before losing signal.

Ace was uncovered traveling with Rook, and right as that followed, they chased to the discourse sounding down in the same direction.

"-Fightin' dirty! Yer a bunch of cowards! Think you can take a bite outta me?!"

"The hell do you punks want? If its still a fight, buckle up!"

Undoubtedly, the former was Spade, and the latter a voice he was unfamiliar with.

"I hear people coming!"

"Its got to be the redhead their always with! He's probably got backup!"

"Just grab her and go!"

"Are you stupid? She's practically buried! We don't have the time! Besides, If the housewarden catches us , we're gonna be sanded! Just use a sleep spell on these two!"

Those three voices he had never once heard, and the wording gave notice their intentions were harm, plain and simple.

Two thuds followed, and although it seemed like they succeeded, all three voices grew shaky.

"Dude...you're seeing those green sparks around her too, right?"

"Do you think its—"

"JUST RUN!"

Though the implications weren't clear on the fourth's identity to him, judging off Lilia and Nevermores shared glance, it was someone they knew quite well.

Due to the many changes and tricks of the maze, it took them far longer then he would have liked to reach their destination after hearing everything.

Pressing against the stone, then moving back, the huntsman rapped against one in rhythm, allowing it to open to the other side.

In it they found the three missing students.

The first thing that caught attention was the smell of blood.

Lilia and Nevermore moved at a speed Riddle had never before witnessed, grazing past in an instant to remove the rubble, whilst Rook tended to Spade and Feilmer.

Given his personal excel and teachings from his mother on medical knowledge, Riddle took to the more critical case after ensuring Rook was capable of handling the other two alone.

Blood trickled down Ophelias forehead, one leg bent in a distorted manner, and a wrist caged under a pillar piece.

Something that no longer remained had struck her in the side largely, and shards of the stone shot through in small areas.

There was no room for doubt that it would have been far worse had her charm not released something akin to a shield on her back before the impact, judging by the circular dent on the wall behind her.

It truly felt as if time stopped for a moment when her image flickered, then vanished.

A Memory Mirage of the seconds prior to their entrance was the only solution he found possible.

Nevermore gave Diasomnias Vice a sharp nod after examining the scene, both then vanishing into thin air for a moment, then returning.

All that could now be done was tending to the others, and getting their testimony.

Deuce had seemingly been struck in the back of the head and torso, his knuckles and palms were bleeding quite badly, and both him and Epel hit with a sleep spell, but the bruises and cuts on both their arms proved they had put up enough of a fight to cause the perpetrators to resort to it.

This was no accident. They had most definitely been attacked.

What AUDACITY those brutes had to harm one of HIS Card Soldiers. Riddle took a mental note to take their heads the moment the chance arose.

But the Labyrinth had no mercy, as the floor gave way, sending small groups in all sorts of directions.

[𝙻𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚗𝚎 : 𝙰𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍]
————————————-

𝑀𝐸𝐴𝑁𝑊𝐻𝐼𝐿𝐸
----

The Diamond tapped through his phone with one hand, sourly looking at the singular data bar and complete lack of wifi, then to the "message not sent." on his screen.

"Lils said they found Ace, but after that they went offline, and nothings going through. Should we be worried..?"

"Lilia and Riddle can handle themselves.
I'm more worried about what happened to the first years, and Che'nya. If anyone I know can get us out of most situations like this, its him, but...."

"Now that you mention it, its totes weird he hasn't appeared yet. If Riddle pulled the full government name on me, I think I'd confess on the spot before my head rolls away."

Trey chuckled and turned a corner, glancing around for any signs of life at this point.

"Collaring Che'nya is about as effective as using a cup of water on a wildfire."

"Weird analogy, but ok."

"I'm serious. He'd probably pop his head off and take the collar off that way to taunt Riddle as a joke."

Tapping on a suspicious brick, to no result, Cater dashed backwards upon feeling something with a strange texture graze his hand.

"Thats why you added on the whole "No treats." part, right?"

"Yep, pretty much. If that wasn't going to work, nothing would."

"Y'know, I've been wondering..."

He panned his phone flashlight briefly after a small noise, then continued.

"Chenyan is like...super powerful, right?
I mean, he's kinda the sole reason we've lost the Interschool Spelldrive Championships to RSA for the past two years, even with you know who on our team. You've also known him since you were kids?"

There was a quick ting of jealousy in his voice at the last part, but it was barely noticeable, being overshadowed as he began waving his hand around a bit.

"Don't get me wrong, he's a super good friend, his bangs are kinda atrocious, but he's still totes fun to be around—"

"Alright, Alright, so whats the question?"

Seconds before disaster, the last question asked was:

"What is he..?"

Trey never got the chance to respond before the ground below them opened and sent them.....somewhere?

[𝙻𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚠𝚘: 𝙰𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍]
——————————-

𝑀𝐸𝐴𝑁𝑊𝐻𝐼𝐿𝐸 (𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛) :
---

"And who will win the grand prize for best metal?"

Watching Vyr fight his boredom in a large and very loosely populated room gave off the same impression of leaving a hyper-intelligent golden retriever on crack cocaine to its devices on a tennis field.

Seven Forbid that tennis field has an automatic ball dispenser and shooting cannon.

In the 30 or so minutes they had been waiting for Crowley to conclude the demonstration, he had almost set something on fire around four times, made a step by step demonstration of how to carve out certain bones in the human body while causing the least amount of pain (At Makabs Request. Why he wanted to know was not asked)
-Drew the blueprints for a Weather -> Food rocket, accidentally vaporized it, and went back and forth talking with Elephys about something and comforting him.

Lonnie may or may not have thought it was possible Vyr had opened the gates to hell at some point and it went unnoticed. It didn't feel like that far of a stretch.

Why? Because the entire room locked itself and started dropping.

It felt like something similar to a horror film, and the only thought the wine haired student had was to soften the impact on the first years while they tried to figure out the situation.

After instructing Elephys to put himself and Vyr in a bubble, along with backup oxygen bubbles and giving them the basket of dolls, he undid the numbing spell on Makab, who had fallen asleep.

In panic upon waking up to the madness, the aforementioned practically turned the room into a sand storm, followed by an attempt to dilute it with water, a decision he chalked down to him still being barely awake, creating a weird aquarium tank like situation.

They heard the crash before they felt it, in full honesty.

So the only think he could think