Curses

Sometimes Dead is Better

Yuno remembers it clearly.

Stumbling home in the dead of night, snow whipping past his ears and biting his skin all whilst his brothers is body draped over his back. He remembers how cold the air was and how it didn't feel nearly as cold as Asta's paling skin against his own.

He remembers the stench of blood and the feeling of the warm liquid oozing into his clothes. He remembers feeling so tired and weak.

And he remembers Asta's shadowy visage walking beside him.

He doesn't understand it but Asta has come back.

Yuno doesn't know how to feel about the creature who walks silently by his side.

Right now he can't bring himself to feel anything at all.

When he finally sees the warm glow of the churches light he stills.

He can hear Sister Lily calling out for him and Asta, an oil lantern gripped in her hands to help her see through the bleak dark sky and flurry of snow.

Yuno takes a shaky breath.

"Asta," his voice is weak.

The shadow of his brother turns to look at him.

"You should...you should wait here." he doesn't know how Sister or the others will react to the sight of them. He doesn't even know where he would start.

First he needs to tell them that Asta had died.

Asta blinks slowly at him.

Then he takes a few steps backwards, melting into the darkness of the trees and night.

Yuno watches where his brothers ghost once stood and he can't help but wonder if he was even real. If he was going insane. The only thing that allows him the believe it was real is the fact that his pendent hangs from his neck.

Yuno gathers himself together and prepares for the storm he knows is coming.

The moment Sister Lily spots him she drops the lantern and runs towards the boys, collapsing onto her knees and gathering them into a hug.

"Oh thank goodness," so overwhelm with relief is she that she has yet to notice the state they are in "I was so worried."

Yuno sniffs loudly.

"Sister Lily," the woman gently pulls away to look at Yuno's face.

"Asta," he chokes on a sob "Asta is-" he breaks down crying, helpless as Sister Lily carefully removes Asta from his back.

She says nothing as she inspects his still face, merely caressing his hair out of his eyes.

"S-sister." he manages to say through his tears.

The Sister looks at him, her expression blank other then the tears straining the back of her eyes. She blinks as if trying to comprehend that Yuno is sitting in front of her.

She stands suddenly, shifting Asta's body in her arms so she can place a free hand on Yuno's shoulder and wordlessly guide him through the doors of the church.

The only sounds is Yuno's uncontrollable sobbing.

The Sister lays Asta's body down on one of the pews and raises a shaky hand that glows with water magic.

She's trying to heal him, Yuno realizes.

But he knows its already to late.

She keeps trying.

Yuno watches her try for hours.

He watches as she becomes weaker, and weaker. Her magic only a flicker in her hands now as her whole body shakes. She recast the spell over and over again but nothing changes. Asta will not wake.