Spellbound: Chapter 1
Jun. 8th, 2018 10:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matsu1ninoTitle: Spellbound
Pairing: Matsumiya
Genre: AU, Dark, Fantasy
Disclaimer: Arashi is not mine.
Summary: After accidentally binding himself to a demon, the greatest hunter in the eastern realm is forced to reconsider everything he has ever known.
Author's Note: Happy birthday![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jheili. Hope you've had a wonderful day!
Chapter 1
The air was thick with the scent of rain. Dark clouds obscured the once clear skies; trees rocked and creaked with each violent gust of wind, their roots threatening to tear from the ground itself. Every house in the village was fighting against the billowing surge of nature. It would not be long before the heavens opened and released a vengeful torrent upon the earth.
Jun walked through the town, one hand clenching the handle of his blood-soaked blade. The clamorous howl of the wind was like a strange music which Jun found himself increasingly soothed by. It surrounded him, drowning out the echoing shrieks of his demonic victims, and though the black stains on his armour were still fresh, it made his recent battle seem like nothing more than a faded memory.
“Conqueror!”
Jun’s bliss was interrupted by the distressed cry. He drew his attention away from the calming storm and turned to meet the group of young men running over to him. Recognizing a familiar face amongst them, Jun could not help sighing. He had lost count of just how many times he’d been called upon by the young cottar, but Jun was certain it far outweighed the number of monsters he had defeated or otherwise driven from the man’s acreage.
“What is it this time, Chinen? Another ala?”
Chinen momentarily glanced at the impending storm, a flicker of dread flashing in his gaze, before one of his companions laid a hand on his shoulder to draw his attention back to the matter at hand. They turned to Jun.
“Not this time, sir,” said Chinen. “It’s an imp. It has escaped.”
“An imp?” Jun echoed, and watched as the men nodded earnestly. Though they were all clearly shaken, Jun couldn’t hide the amused smile that graced his lips at their deplorable timidity. “I see, and what exactly is it you’re asking me to do about it?”
The men exchanged a bewildered glance. “Capture it. Kill it. Drive it from this land before it wreaks its havoc everywhere.”
Sighing again, Jun shook his head hopelessly. “What you call ‘havoc’, imps call fun,” he told them. “They are nothing more than miscreants.”
“But they destroy crops.”
“So do pigs.”
“But—”
Irked by their continued complaints, Jun raised his sword and effectively silenced the men. Their eyes, wide with awe and fear, were fixed on the mighty blade. “It’s my duty to protect these lands from real monsters, not to act as pest control.” His voice was stern with underlying warning. “There are plenty of other trained hunters journeying through the neighbouring villages. If you are too incompetent to deal with one pesky imp on your own, I advise you request their services instead of wasting my time.”
The men nodded and stepped out of Jun’s path without another word. They kept their heads lowered in respectful silence as he walked past. Like all others in the eastern realm, they knew better than to argue with the Conqueror. He was a protector of the innocent, as strong and just as the stories claimed, and though he was a mortal man, he fought like the demons he slayed. The people knew he would lay down his life for anyone in his noble quest to rid their world from evil spirits. But there was a poisonous bard in his otherwise pure heart. Jun’s ample pride often clouded his judgement and turned his arrogance to ignorance. Unaware that lives were far from the only thing at risk of being lost, it seemed the great hunter had strayed from his intended calling.
Jun didn’t look back as he made his way to the secluded house on the outskirts of town. The people had built it for him many years ago when he first travelled here. It was a symbol of their gratitude for having saved them from the succubus that had plagued their village for three generations. The house was small but sturdy. The stone walls were encased with iron to ward off evil, much like the barracks where he’d been raised. To one side was the village and surrounding mountain ranges that made it near impossible to traverse. On the other was a forest, dark and deep and crawling with vile monstrosities.
Jun liked living this far out. It allowed him to easily guard the border from any threat and was isolated far enough to not have to deal with the constant and trivial plights of the townspeople. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help them, but the village had seemingly become dependent on him. His recent encounter proved as such. Imps were far from dangerous beings; a menace at the best of times, but hardly a proper threat. Yet the people acted as if one could kill them with a glance. Jun feared he was to blame for their cowardice. He wanted to defend and fortify humankind against the threats of the underworld, not make them even more vulnerable than they already were. It was the whole reason he came to this village in the first place.
Putting such troublesome thoughts out of his mind, Jun entered his residence. He removed his stained armour at the door and carried it closer to the fireplace. Comforted by its warmth, he loosened the sheath on his belt and placed it upon the table. A pot of salted water simmered high above the flames. He grabbed an old rag and submerged it in the caldron, ringing it out a few times before scrubbing the stains until it was clean. As he was polishing the last of his armour, he heard a soft thud behind him. He spun around and instinctively drew his sword. The noise had come from deeper in the house. With silent steps, Jun made his way to the second, smaller chamber where he slept.
The room was shrouded in shadows. Jun’s gaze searched the darkness for any signs of movement. He stood in the archway between rooms for a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust to the gloom before stepping inside. The deep rumble of thunder could be heard as the storm outside came to a head. When it faded, a sudden silence fell over the room, a silence which was broken by a faint wheezing coming from somewhere in the darkness ahead of him.
Jun raised his blade, ready to strike, and stepped towards and silhouetted mound he could see curled beside the bed. It was not until a flash of lightning split the sky that Jun was able to get his first proper look at the intruder. There was a boy crouching there, soaking wet. His dark hair reached his ears and almost hid his small face. The arms protruding from the ragged tunic he wore looked like nothing more than bones tightly wrapped in a casing of pale skin. Jun couldn’t tell whether he was very young or older than he looked. His attention was drawn to the stranger’s left, black-stained shoulder. It was the colour of blood. Not human blood, Jun realized, his hand clenching tighter around the handle of his blade.
The stranger glanced up at him, his pale yellow eyes seeming to glow in the dimly lit room. He didn’t even blink at the sword pointed at his chest. Instead he stared straight up at Jun, his penetrating gaze betraying the weakness of his body. For all his physical impairment and disadvantage, his eyes held a confidence Jun was not used to seeing, as if he were in complete control. It was enticing, more so than Jun was willing to admit.
“I assume you’re the imp that’s been causing all the trouble?” Jun said, his voice calm and conversational. His gaze swept the room. There was no evidence of a forced entry in this chamber, nor had he seen any at the door. “How did you even get in here?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” There was a proud gleam in his eye as the imp grinned up at Jun, despite his words coming out between exhausted pants.
The boy’s audacity shocked Jun. He narrowed his eyes but lowered his sword. “You have a name?”
“Nino,” came the immediate answer.
Jun failed to hide his surprise at the unexpected reply. He had always thought of names as a sort of power, not to be easily given up, yet the expression Nino wore as he said it was somewhere between amused and bored. It was as if he could not care less about Jun knowing his identity but rather was finding this whole situation entertaining, regardless of the deep shoulder wound he was clutching.
Jun frowned and raised his sword, allowing the tip of the blade to brush against Nino’s chest. Nino’s expression did not change. “Do you even care?” When Nino shrugged, Jun scoffed and let his arm drop to his side. “As if I could expect anything less from an imp. Everything’s a game to you.”
“And here I was worried you were going to prick me with that pretty piece. Turns out you plan on talking me to death.”
Jun flinched at the sharp remark. His shock turned to anger and his posture stiffened, his brow furrowing as he loomed over the imp. “Well, if your intention was to live,” he snapped. “I’m afraid your choice of hiding place could not have been worse.”
“You’re a hunter?”
“I’m the hunter,” Jun corrected with a slight growl.
Nino looked at him with his unyielding gaze. It burned right through him, making Jun’s skin crawl. Then he gave a thoughtful hum. “I thought you’d be taller.”
“Insolent creature!” Angered by his flippant comment, Jun’s hand clenched around his sword, but before he could plunge it into the imp’s chest, Nino leant back and settled himself comfortably against the bed. He stretched his good arm and rested it behind his head, seemingly relaxed.
“Go ahead,” he said, not even bothering to open his eyes. “Put me out of my misery. You’d be doing me a favour.” The last part of his sentence was whispered so quietly Jun wasn’t sure if Nino had meant for him to hear it or if he’d merely lost the strength to sustain his voice as his consciousness ebbed away.
Any chance Jun had to question him further disappeared when Nino half collapsed, his unconscious body slipping from upright to flat on the floor with a thud. He was weakened considerably; his eyes were closed, his breathing shallow. If not for the pained expression on his face and slight spasm of his left side, Jun might have mistaken him for being dead. He stared at the limply lying imp. The logical side of his brain was telling him not to be fooled by this creature’s deception. He knew he should just get it over with and finish Nino off—heck, Nino had even told him to do just that—but he could not find the strength to lift his weapon. Asleep he looked so harmless, almost vulnerable. Jun found himself grimacing at the thought of taking his life now. It would be like killing a child. Given how young he looked, Jun worried that might be closer to reality than he was willing to accept. Like a knife in his mind, his conscious tortured him until finally he could bear it no more.
Cursing himself softly under his breath, Jun sheathed his sword and bent down to pick Nino up. He was surprisingly light. As Jun carried him from his sleeping chambers to place him down in front of the fire, he took the chance to examine the boy in greater detail. His appearance was somewhere between human and demon. Jun’s gaze was drawn to Nino’s face. It was narrow, but not distinctively skull shaped like many other imps he had seen before. His features were delicate, his white skin perfectly smooth like a porcelain slate. His dark lashes were splayed out over his pointed cheekbones and formed a seamless frame for the pale orbs currently hidden from sight. His slightly elongated ears were curved and spiked, though not as much as Jun was used to seeing on imps. Unnerving shadows were painted beneath his eyes, hollowing out his face while a trail of them ran parallel down his throat. Though his nails were blackened and filed to a point, his hands were small. His body was stone-cold in Jun’s arms. He lacked the repulsive trait that was trademark of his kind, and undoubtedly exploited this in his deceptive deeds. Jun had never encountered a creature quite like him before.
He couldn’t help wondering how old he was. Nino was far from the first imp Jun had come across; he knew they were capable of living hundreds of years without aging a day, but there were other tell-tale signs to determine if they were a fledgling or mature. The length of their teeth was the most obvious among them. Looking at Nino, Jun could see his lips were still soft and unblemished. His fangs were yet to properly grow through.
Jun teared Nino’s tunic open, unable to keep himself from staring at the carved shallow ridge in the flesh of Nino’s white shoulder.
“What trouble have you gotten yourself into?” Jun murmured as his hand ghosted over the wound. It had been made by magic, most likely from an enchanted arrowhead.
Magic itself was not rare in their world; in fact, it manifested almost everywhere. But those were small amounts almost too weak to matter. Hardly anyone had access to magic this concentrated. If Jun had to guess, he’d say Nino was probably shot at when he escaped from the dungeons on the far side of the mountains. It was a heavily guarded area despite its limited occupants. Few creatures lived long enough to be taken prisoner. Even fewer survived an escape attempt.
Jun’s gaze softened as he looked down at Nino. “You’re a brave one, I’ll give you that,” he said as he dragged a water soaked rag over the imp’s wounds. Nino’s back arched and a snake-like hiss escaped his lips. Jun held him down and continued to gently wipe away the blood. “Irksome beyond belief, but brave.”
When his shoulder was clean, Jun hesitantly removed the talisman from around his neck. A parting gift from his mentor following the completion of his training, it was an enchantment stronger than anything else Jun knew of. It was said to have been made from the core of a unicorn’s horn and forged in dragons fire. With the combined magic of both evil and light, it could protect against anything. Jun had never used its power to its full extent, but he had worn it in every battle he’d ever faced and walked away every time. Now it was to serve a different purpose.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he muttered to himself, holding the talisman over Nino’s open wound.
In an instant, the talisman burst into flames. Jun winced at the heat surging through his hand as he dangled the burning metal over the imp. The room filled with a slight charge and Nino’s whole body seized up. The fire flared white, trickling down the emblem and dropping onto the wound. His skin sizzled and hissed in resistance. Still unconscious, Nino began to writhe about. His limbs thrashed around, blindly searching for the source of his pain. Using one hand to keep him as still as he could, Jun continued to hold the talisman over him. Nino’s expression twisted into agony and an anguished howl tore from his throat. With every drop of fire that touched his skin, his flesh hardened like stone. The gaping wound slowly began to close as the magic slid over his shoulder until there was nothing but a patch of clear white where the deep gash had once been.
Nino’s body stilled. Jun stepped back from the imp. His worried gaze trailed the boy’s face, a flicker of fear creeping into his mind. A soft moan escaped Nino’s lips. With a sigh of relief, Jun watched as he rolled over and drew his thin arms up to hug his exposed upper body. Jun place the talisman back around his neck and let his gaze rest on the imp a moment longer, admiring the way his smooth, pale skin glowed in the firelight. Catching himself before his wandering mind could concoct any further disturbing mentalities, Jun turned his attention away from the imp and shook his head clear.
“You’re a hunter,” he berated himself for his reprehensible thoughts. He strode across the room and grabbed a blanket. “Remember your oath. You swore to protect this world from creatures just like this one.”
Despite the sternness of his words, Jun couldn’t help feeling somewhat unconvinced. He glanced back over his shoulder at where Nino slept by the fire. He looked anything but dangerous. The magic had done it’s job to heal the arrow wound but Jun knew he required further treatment. He wasn’t sure what life was like for the prisoners in the dungeons, and until now he never really cared. But the boy in front of him looked half-starved. He could see the bruising, old and new, as purple and blue littered Nino’s body in unsightly blotches. There were what appeared to be lashes running the length of his back. Looking at them made Jun’s blood boil. Laying the blanket over his exposed body, Jun made a mental note to pay a personal visit to the dungeons at a later date. He was a hunter, not a heartless killer. The treatment he could see inflicted upon Nino’s body was nothing short of torturous. Now that he was here, Jun would not leave him to suffer.
Jun let his fingers brush over Nino’s cold cheek. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth seeing the way the imp snuggled deeper under the soft cover, his once pained expression turning peaceful. It was with some reluctance that Jun pulled himself away and retreated to his sleeping chambers. Some small part of him was concerned about leaving Nino alone while he slumbered, but Jun was convinced an injured, unconscious imp was not at all dangerous. A quiet echo of “good night” lingered long after silence had settled.
Nino’s eyelids fluttered as he clung to the edge of unconsciousness. His arm dropped out from the blanket. There was a speck of black tainting the white canvas of his wrist. Illuminated by the flickering light of the fire, the mark began to grow. It swirled and danced across his skin until it mirrored the intricate pattern of the talisman. With a desperate gasp, Nino woke. His eyes flashed deep purple, and in the next instant they had faded back to their normal colour. His tired body collapsed as sleep engulfed him once more.
Pairing: Matsumiya
Genre: AU, Dark, Fantasy
Disclaimer: Arashi is not mine.
Summary: After accidentally binding himself to a demon, the greatest hunter in the eastern realm is forced to reconsider everything he has ever known.
Author's Note: Happy birthday
jheili. Hope you've had a wonderful day!Chapter 1
The air was thick with the scent of rain. Dark clouds obscured the once clear skies; trees rocked and creaked with each violent gust of wind, their roots threatening to tear from the ground itself. Every house in the village was fighting against the billowing surge of nature. It would not be long before the heavens opened and released a vengeful torrent upon the earth.
Jun walked through the town, one hand clenching the handle of his blood-soaked blade. The clamorous howl of the wind was like a strange music which Jun found himself increasingly soothed by. It surrounded him, drowning out the echoing shrieks of his demonic victims, and though the black stains on his armour were still fresh, it made his recent battle seem like nothing more than a faded memory.
“Conqueror!”
Jun’s bliss was interrupted by the distressed cry. He drew his attention away from the calming storm and turned to meet the group of young men running over to him. Recognizing a familiar face amongst them, Jun could not help sighing. He had lost count of just how many times he’d been called upon by the young cottar, but Jun was certain it far outweighed the number of monsters he had defeated or otherwise driven from the man’s acreage.
“What is it this time, Chinen? Another ala?”
Chinen momentarily glanced at the impending storm, a flicker of dread flashing in his gaze, before one of his companions laid a hand on his shoulder to draw his attention back to the matter at hand. They turned to Jun.
“Not this time, sir,” said Chinen. “It’s an imp. It has escaped.”
“An imp?” Jun echoed, and watched as the men nodded earnestly. Though they were all clearly shaken, Jun couldn’t hide the amused smile that graced his lips at their deplorable timidity. “I see, and what exactly is it you’re asking me to do about it?”
The men exchanged a bewildered glance. “Capture it. Kill it. Drive it from this land before it wreaks its havoc everywhere.”
Sighing again, Jun shook his head hopelessly. “What you call ‘havoc’, imps call fun,” he told them. “They are nothing more than miscreants.”
“But they destroy crops.”
“So do pigs.”
“But—”
Irked by their continued complaints, Jun raised his sword and effectively silenced the men. Their eyes, wide with awe and fear, were fixed on the mighty blade. “It’s my duty to protect these lands from real monsters, not to act as pest control.” His voice was stern with underlying warning. “There are plenty of other trained hunters journeying through the neighbouring villages. If you are too incompetent to deal with one pesky imp on your own, I advise you request their services instead of wasting my time.”
The men nodded and stepped out of Jun’s path without another word. They kept their heads lowered in respectful silence as he walked past. Like all others in the eastern realm, they knew better than to argue with the Conqueror. He was a protector of the innocent, as strong and just as the stories claimed, and though he was a mortal man, he fought like the demons he slayed. The people knew he would lay down his life for anyone in his noble quest to rid their world from evil spirits. But there was a poisonous bard in his otherwise pure heart. Jun’s ample pride often clouded his judgement and turned his arrogance to ignorance. Unaware that lives were far from the only thing at risk of being lost, it seemed the great hunter had strayed from his intended calling.
Jun didn’t look back as he made his way to the secluded house on the outskirts of town. The people had built it for him many years ago when he first travelled here. It was a symbol of their gratitude for having saved them from the succubus that had plagued their village for three generations. The house was small but sturdy. The stone walls were encased with iron to ward off evil, much like the barracks where he’d been raised. To one side was the village and surrounding mountain ranges that made it near impossible to traverse. On the other was a forest, dark and deep and crawling with vile monstrosities.
Jun liked living this far out. It allowed him to easily guard the border from any threat and was isolated far enough to not have to deal with the constant and trivial plights of the townspeople. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help them, but the village had seemingly become dependent on him. His recent encounter proved as such. Imps were far from dangerous beings; a menace at the best of times, but hardly a proper threat. Yet the people acted as if one could kill them with a glance. Jun feared he was to blame for their cowardice. He wanted to defend and fortify humankind against the threats of the underworld, not make them even more vulnerable than they already were. It was the whole reason he came to this village in the first place.
Putting such troublesome thoughts out of his mind, Jun entered his residence. He removed his stained armour at the door and carried it closer to the fireplace. Comforted by its warmth, he loosened the sheath on his belt and placed it upon the table. A pot of salted water simmered high above the flames. He grabbed an old rag and submerged it in the caldron, ringing it out a few times before scrubbing the stains until it was clean. As he was polishing the last of his armour, he heard a soft thud behind him. He spun around and instinctively drew his sword. The noise had come from deeper in the house. With silent steps, Jun made his way to the second, smaller chamber where he slept.
The room was shrouded in shadows. Jun’s gaze searched the darkness for any signs of movement. He stood in the archway between rooms for a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust to the gloom before stepping inside. The deep rumble of thunder could be heard as the storm outside came to a head. When it faded, a sudden silence fell over the room, a silence which was broken by a faint wheezing coming from somewhere in the darkness ahead of him.
Jun raised his blade, ready to strike, and stepped towards and silhouetted mound he could see curled beside the bed. It was not until a flash of lightning split the sky that Jun was able to get his first proper look at the intruder. There was a boy crouching there, soaking wet. His dark hair reached his ears and almost hid his small face. The arms protruding from the ragged tunic he wore looked like nothing more than bones tightly wrapped in a casing of pale skin. Jun couldn’t tell whether he was very young or older than he looked. His attention was drawn to the stranger’s left, black-stained shoulder. It was the colour of blood. Not human blood, Jun realized, his hand clenching tighter around the handle of his blade.
The stranger glanced up at him, his pale yellow eyes seeming to glow in the dimly lit room. He didn’t even blink at the sword pointed at his chest. Instead he stared straight up at Jun, his penetrating gaze betraying the weakness of his body. For all his physical impairment and disadvantage, his eyes held a confidence Jun was not used to seeing, as if he were in complete control. It was enticing, more so than Jun was willing to admit.
“I assume you’re the imp that’s been causing all the trouble?” Jun said, his voice calm and conversational. His gaze swept the room. There was no evidence of a forced entry in this chamber, nor had he seen any at the door. “How did you even get in here?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” There was a proud gleam in his eye as the imp grinned up at Jun, despite his words coming out between exhausted pants.
The boy’s audacity shocked Jun. He narrowed his eyes but lowered his sword. “You have a name?”
“Nino,” came the immediate answer.
Jun failed to hide his surprise at the unexpected reply. He had always thought of names as a sort of power, not to be easily given up, yet the expression Nino wore as he said it was somewhere between amused and bored. It was as if he could not care less about Jun knowing his identity but rather was finding this whole situation entertaining, regardless of the deep shoulder wound he was clutching.
Jun frowned and raised his sword, allowing the tip of the blade to brush against Nino’s chest. Nino’s expression did not change. “Do you even care?” When Nino shrugged, Jun scoffed and let his arm drop to his side. “As if I could expect anything less from an imp. Everything’s a game to you.”
“And here I was worried you were going to prick me with that pretty piece. Turns out you plan on talking me to death.”
Jun flinched at the sharp remark. His shock turned to anger and his posture stiffened, his brow furrowing as he loomed over the imp. “Well, if your intention was to live,” he snapped. “I’m afraid your choice of hiding place could not have been worse.”
“You’re a hunter?”
“I’m the hunter,” Jun corrected with a slight growl.
Nino looked at him with his unyielding gaze. It burned right through him, making Jun’s skin crawl. Then he gave a thoughtful hum. “I thought you’d be taller.”
“Insolent creature!” Angered by his flippant comment, Jun’s hand clenched around his sword, but before he could plunge it into the imp’s chest, Nino leant back and settled himself comfortably against the bed. He stretched his good arm and rested it behind his head, seemingly relaxed.
“Go ahead,” he said, not even bothering to open his eyes. “Put me out of my misery. You’d be doing me a favour.” The last part of his sentence was whispered so quietly Jun wasn’t sure if Nino had meant for him to hear it or if he’d merely lost the strength to sustain his voice as his consciousness ebbed away.
Any chance Jun had to question him further disappeared when Nino half collapsed, his unconscious body slipping from upright to flat on the floor with a thud. He was weakened considerably; his eyes were closed, his breathing shallow. If not for the pained expression on his face and slight spasm of his left side, Jun might have mistaken him for being dead. He stared at the limply lying imp. The logical side of his brain was telling him not to be fooled by this creature’s deception. He knew he should just get it over with and finish Nino off—heck, Nino had even told him to do just that—but he could not find the strength to lift his weapon. Asleep he looked so harmless, almost vulnerable. Jun found himself grimacing at the thought of taking his life now. It would be like killing a child. Given how young he looked, Jun worried that might be closer to reality than he was willing to accept. Like a knife in his mind, his conscious tortured him until finally he could bear it no more.
Cursing himself softly under his breath, Jun sheathed his sword and bent down to pick Nino up. He was surprisingly light. As Jun carried him from his sleeping chambers to place him down in front of the fire, he took the chance to examine the boy in greater detail. His appearance was somewhere between human and demon. Jun’s gaze was drawn to Nino’s face. It was narrow, but not distinctively skull shaped like many other imps he had seen before. His features were delicate, his white skin perfectly smooth like a porcelain slate. His dark lashes were splayed out over his pointed cheekbones and formed a seamless frame for the pale orbs currently hidden from sight. His slightly elongated ears were curved and spiked, though not as much as Jun was used to seeing on imps. Unnerving shadows were painted beneath his eyes, hollowing out his face while a trail of them ran parallel down his throat. Though his nails were blackened and filed to a point, his hands were small. His body was stone-cold in Jun’s arms. He lacked the repulsive trait that was trademark of his kind, and undoubtedly exploited this in his deceptive deeds. Jun had never encountered a creature quite like him before.
He couldn’t help wondering how old he was. Nino was far from the first imp Jun had come across; he knew they were capable of living hundreds of years without aging a day, but there were other tell-tale signs to determine if they were a fledgling or mature. The length of their teeth was the most obvious among them. Looking at Nino, Jun could see his lips were still soft and unblemished. His fangs were yet to properly grow through.
Jun teared Nino’s tunic open, unable to keep himself from staring at the carved shallow ridge in the flesh of Nino’s white shoulder.
“What trouble have you gotten yourself into?” Jun murmured as his hand ghosted over the wound. It had been made by magic, most likely from an enchanted arrowhead.
Magic itself was not rare in their world; in fact, it manifested almost everywhere. But those were small amounts almost too weak to matter. Hardly anyone had access to magic this concentrated. If Jun had to guess, he’d say Nino was probably shot at when he escaped from the dungeons on the far side of the mountains. It was a heavily guarded area despite its limited occupants. Few creatures lived long enough to be taken prisoner. Even fewer survived an escape attempt.
Jun’s gaze softened as he looked down at Nino. “You’re a brave one, I’ll give you that,” he said as he dragged a water soaked rag over the imp’s wounds. Nino’s back arched and a snake-like hiss escaped his lips. Jun held him down and continued to gently wipe away the blood. “Irksome beyond belief, but brave.”
When his shoulder was clean, Jun hesitantly removed the talisman from around his neck. A parting gift from his mentor following the completion of his training, it was an enchantment stronger than anything else Jun knew of. It was said to have been made from the core of a unicorn’s horn and forged in dragons fire. With the combined magic of both evil and light, it could protect against anything. Jun had never used its power to its full extent, but he had worn it in every battle he’d ever faced and walked away every time. Now it was to serve a different purpose.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he muttered to himself, holding the talisman over Nino’s open wound.
In an instant, the talisman burst into flames. Jun winced at the heat surging through his hand as he dangled the burning metal over the imp. The room filled with a slight charge and Nino’s whole body seized up. The fire flared white, trickling down the emblem and dropping onto the wound. His skin sizzled and hissed in resistance. Still unconscious, Nino began to writhe about. His limbs thrashed around, blindly searching for the source of his pain. Using one hand to keep him as still as he could, Jun continued to hold the talisman over him. Nino’s expression twisted into agony and an anguished howl tore from his throat. With every drop of fire that touched his skin, his flesh hardened like stone. The gaping wound slowly began to close as the magic slid over his shoulder until there was nothing but a patch of clear white where the deep gash had once been.
Nino’s body stilled. Jun stepped back from the imp. His worried gaze trailed the boy’s face, a flicker of fear creeping into his mind. A soft moan escaped Nino’s lips. With a sigh of relief, Jun watched as he rolled over and drew his thin arms up to hug his exposed upper body. Jun place the talisman back around his neck and let his gaze rest on the imp a moment longer, admiring the way his smooth, pale skin glowed in the firelight. Catching himself before his wandering mind could concoct any further disturbing mentalities, Jun turned his attention away from the imp and shook his head clear.
“You’re a hunter,” he berated himself for his reprehensible thoughts. He strode across the room and grabbed a blanket. “Remember your oath. You swore to protect this world from creatures just like this one.”
Despite the sternness of his words, Jun couldn’t help feeling somewhat unconvinced. He glanced back over his shoulder at where Nino slept by the fire. He looked anything but dangerous. The magic had done it’s job to heal the arrow wound but Jun knew he required further treatment. He wasn’t sure what life was like for the prisoners in the dungeons, and until now he never really cared. But the boy in front of him looked half-starved. He could see the bruising, old and new, as purple and blue littered Nino’s body in unsightly blotches. There were what appeared to be lashes running the length of his back. Looking at them made Jun’s blood boil. Laying the blanket over his exposed body, Jun made a mental note to pay a personal visit to the dungeons at a later date. He was a hunter, not a heartless killer. The treatment he could see inflicted upon Nino’s body was nothing short of torturous. Now that he was here, Jun would not leave him to suffer.
Jun let his fingers brush over Nino’s cold cheek. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth seeing the way the imp snuggled deeper under the soft cover, his once pained expression turning peaceful. It was with some reluctance that Jun pulled himself away and retreated to his sleeping chambers. Some small part of him was concerned about leaving Nino alone while he slumbered, but Jun was convinced an injured, unconscious imp was not at all dangerous. A quiet echo of “good night” lingered long after silence had settled.
Nino’s eyelids fluttered as he clung to the edge of unconsciousness. His arm dropped out from the blanket. There was a speck of black tainting the white canvas of his wrist. Illuminated by the flickering light of the fire, the mark began to grow. It swirled and danced across his skin until it mirrored the intricate pattern of the talisman. With a desperate gasp, Nino woke. His eyes flashed deep purple, and in the next instant they had faded back to their normal colour. His tired body collapsed as sleep engulfed him once more.
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Date: 2018-06-10 05:39 pm (UTC)The beginning felt like the calm before the storm (hehe pun intended ;p) and as I was thinking that, BOOM nino came down from heavens.. eh or hell? XDD In a flash of lightning!!! Haha i thought that was really great~
It’s such a mystery why nino was in that state, and of course still manage to be sassy given his circumstances.. ah classic nino..and again the last comment he made before collapsing is certainly something to think about.. ><
Jun jun the softie jun, of course cannot bring himself to kill an imp that was seemingly have been tortured,and instead lifted him on his arms and treat his wounds.. I totally understand Jun’s point of view, like I’d be weak to an injured and completely helpless nino.. 💜💛 super adorable though aaaaaaahhh
And dun dun dunnn this is where Jun finds out that they’re actually linked isn’t it, oh he just wants to help the injured imp and now accidentally binded himself with him.. They’re just adorable!!!