Curses

Life and Death

Yuno can't do anything but shake as the drunk dangles his necklace in front of him. The one and only connection he has to his parents; to his family. He doesn't want to lose it but at the same time he knows that he is not strong enough to take it back.

His hands tremble as he summons what little magic power he has; a flicker of wind builds up between his palms.

The man merely bellows a laugh.

"Cast that spell and you die."

He can't win.

He's all alone.

A child and a commoner.

He never stood a chance.

"YUNO!"

He jumps as he hears an all to familiar cry. No words are able to leave him before Asta is barreling past him and slamming his tiny body into his attacker.

"That belongs to Yuno-" the boy claws at the strangers shirt "give it back!"

The man shouts an insult and brings his fist down into the little boys cheek and the force of it breaks Asta's grip and sends him toppling over into the snow.

Asta scrambles back up to his feet, a fury burning in his eyes.

"I'm not done!"

He slams all his weight into the man, it barely makes him falter.

"Give it back!" He may be small but his voice is loud and it echo's across the sky.

The stranger sneers and strikes the child again.

Asta is forced back once more but he doesn't give up.

Yuno can't do anything.

He can't make his body move, he can't even speak. All he is able to do is watch as his brother is beaten black and blue. He looks on in horror as blood begins to speck the snow and he wants to tell Asta to stop, to let the man take it, that this isn't worth it.

He doesn't get the chance too.

The man started to become more and more panic, Asta is making so much noise it's only a matter of time before he gets caught.

In his drunken mind he does the only thing that makes sense.

He pulls out his pocket knife and plunges it into the boys throat.

The sound Asta makes will haunt Yuno until the day he dies. He chokes on both air and his own blood, nothing but a strangle gasp is able to leave his throat.

Asta falls to the earth.

And this time he doesn't get back up.

The blood that splattered through the air and the sickening sound that escaped Asta is finally enough to break Yuno out of his trance. He screams bloody murder as he races to his brothers side.

The man turns to run but Yuno doesn't care. Asta is bleeding. Asta is dying.

He falls to his knees and pulls his brother into his lap, tears already falling in hysterics.

Asta is choking.

He gasps and coughs but he can't get any air into his lungs. He can only gag on the blood that pools into his mouth.

"Asta," Yuno sobs placing a hand on his brothers cheek "I'm so sorry! Stay with me please!"

Asta's for once terrified eyes meet Yuno's as he desperatly claws at his brothers hand.

"You'll be okay," Yuno cries squeezing Asta's hand "Sister Lily can heal you!"

He knows the sisters magic isn't strong enough.