Book 4 - Schemer of the Scalding Sands: Chapter 1; Winter Break Is Here

The screen turns on as a new opening plays "Book 4 - Schemer of the Scalding Sands" before the chapter title plays "Chapter - 1; Winter Break Is Here".

It was a couple of weeks later, after the whole Octavinelle incidents.

Yuu was sucked into another dream sequence by the mirror, as it ripped and glowed before sucking her in.

It was only a desert around, she looked around and asked, confused "It feels so dry… Am I in a desert?"

Just then a man on a horse is seen in the corner saying "You…are late." Another shorter man is seen in front of him apologizing telling him "A thousand apologies, O patient one. But I got it!" The person on the horse goes closer to the other telling him "Trust me, my pungent friend. You'll get what's coming to you." They both disappear for a second as a light flies across the horizon. The man on the horse quickly chases after it shouting "Quickly! Follow the trail! Faster!" The light fades to show them something as a cave with a lion's head is seen rising out of the sand. It is then shown that the man on the horse was actually the Sorcerer of the Sands, Jafar, as he watches the cave rise up saying "At last, after all my years of searching… The Cave of Wonders." A parrot then appears on his shoulder, seemingly named Lago, repeats "Awk! Cave of Wonders!" Jafar then shouts at someone not shown "Now, remember – bring me the lamp!" It then zooms into the lion cave face as its stone mouth moves and it speaks "Who disturbs my slumber?" before it all fades out and Yuu is taken out of the mirror and blinks her eyes open.

Yuu sits up and rubs her head, as it's been awhile and when she was staying at Savanaclaw that she's had another one of those dreams. She groans and says "Now I'm dreaming of a desert? I've never even seen that before."

She shakes her head but gets up and does some of her normal morning stuff before walking into the hallway.

She's still pleasantly surprised Azul had cleaned and fixed the place up, due to him assuming he would win Ramshackle, but it was still a very nice and welcomed surprise.

Ghost A then appears in front of her asking "Hey, Yuu. Why so bleary-eyed?" Ghost C shows up next saying "You look like you've seen a ghost." before laughing at his own joke.

Ghost B reminds her "Today's the last day of the fall semester. Look sharp and don't bungle the landing." Ghost A nods as it too remembers saying "Oh yeah, tomorrow's the first day of the winter holiday." A then asks "Have you two decided what you'll be doing?"

Yuu sarcastically thinks 'Dealing with an overblot, most likely at least.' As every time she starts to have dreams like that, it always seems to somehow evolve into an overblot situation. Although only if she starts to see the droplets would she be sure.

But Grim is only confused and asks them all "Huh? What's a win-ter holly-day?"

Ghost A explains to Grim "It's like when school lets out for the season. Most students go home to celebrate the new year with their family. They have fancy dinners, too."

Grim excitedly shouts, questions "Wait, there's FOOD?!"

Ghost B then adds more to the explanation, with food "And plenty of it. Roast turkey, pie, a ham as big as your head, you name it… Now that us ghosts can eat, of course." Ghost A explains some more about what the ghosts do for winter holiday "Some ghosts head home to the netherworld to spend holidays with the family too, y'know."

Ghost C then jokingly teases "Yeah, and some of 'em never come back!" before laughing.

Grim then says, with a kinda depressing tone and expression "Spendin' time with the family while gettin' your grub on sounds nice…"

At that Yuu thinks 'I wonder if the headmage's actually looking into a way for me to go home.'

But then seeing Grim's expression she asks him "Say, what's your family like, Grim?" Grim thinks back while saying "My family? Hmmm…"

Before telling everyone "I don't remember 'em." He then further explains and slightly complains "I only remember wakin' up hungry and alone. It was real cold. I was waitin' out there for someone to come get me for ages. What happened after that again? It's all so foggy…" His voice fading off slightly and taking on a rarer much more somber tone.

But after that he bounces right back to how he usually is with a big smile as he shouts "But hey, I'm a forward-facin' kinda guy anyway! The future's way cooler than the past! Especially 'cause I'm gonna be a rich and powerful sorcerer!" Before he laughed a bit.

Ghost A sniffled, seeming to cry in the way ghosts do as he shouts "Awww, poor little Grimy had it rough!" Ghost B also feels sympathy, but isn't crying like A, as he offers "How'd you like to spend the holidays sitting around the fireplace with us?"

Grim fist-pumps the air and happily cheer laughs as he shouts "If there's good food to be had, consider me ready for some holiday cheer!"

It then switches over to a classroom, where Yuu, Grim, Ace, and Deuce are all having their last class of the day.

Crewel is the one teaching as he tells them "Listen up, whelps. Your holiday vacation starts tomorrow. I'm sure all of you are foaming at the mouth to get back home. But every year, there's always some foolish pup who forgets about his homework and spends the whole break goofing off. Just remember that I have a severe punishment in store for any such slackers out there. Are we clear?" The students all answer "Yes, Professor!"

Crewel nods with satisfaction as he mores on "You have permission to use the Dark Mirror to return home for the holidays. Report to your dorm mirror once you've packed your things!" They all shout "Yes, Professor!"

The bell then rings and signals the end of class and start of winter break as students are heard murmuring as they pack up their school stuff and get ready to head out the door.

Ace leans back in his seat as he happily says "Ugh, finally! A break from this cramped dorm life!"

But Deuce was meanwhile flipping through the multiple pages of assignments over winter break as he complained "Good grief. Night Raven College doesn't kid around with holiday homework. Look at all this!"

Ace then holds his head up with his hand while he lays on the desk and asks Yuu "Speaking of going home, I guess you haven't found a way back yet, Yuu?" Yuu nods, in agreement with Ace's question albeit rather sadly.

Deuce nods at Ace's thinking and asks "Will you two be spending the holidays in your dorm?"

But Grim is still rather cheery as he tells Heartslabyul first-year duo "Yup! We've made plans to have ourselves a feast with the ghosts!"

Ace nods in understanding as he says "Oh, that's right! There's plenty of ghosts on campus to keep you company, so it won't just be the two of you."

But Deuce notices a problem with their situation as he asks "But when school lets out, doesn't the cafeteria and school store shut down too?"

Grim now in a panic shouts "Wrow! I didn't even think about that! Where'm I supposed to get the food for my feast?!" Yuu says "Surely the headmage's planned for this… I hope. Since I'd rather not go hungry over winter break."

Deuce tells her "Sounds like you'd better check in with the headmage soon."

Ace tells the two "You need Crowley's permission to use the Dark Mirror, so my guess is he's probably there right now. Let's find out."

The group of four walk out to see if Crowley's there and get answers about the Ramshackle duo's food situation over break.

The screen fades to black as "to be continued" plays before it fully turns off.