„Asta wait!"
The teen came to a sudden stop after trying to run out of the castle towards the danger. He looked back to see the taller teen holding onto his arm. It didn't hurt, he observed. Everything was fine again.
"What?" he asked confused. They didn't have the time for any of this. Not when just a minute ago, they got the message that the forest was being attacked. They could help, they had to help. Because
that was what magic knights do.
Helping those who couldn't help themselves was their job. That is why he joined the magic knights. And he wasn't going to let some abnormal being stop him from doing just that. The girl had said that she had never seen anything like this ever before.
Asta saw how Yuno gave the others of his squad a pleading look, asking them to go ahead. That they would follow. And so, everyone of his team left the castle, running towards the raging battle.
He could briefly see the fire not so far away. A mile away, maybe two. But he could see the trees burning and smoke rising into the sky just before the door began closing once again. And so they were alone. Even the queen had left them to themselves.
Asta crossed his arms over his chest after the other had finally let go. Not like he wouldn't have been able to free himself. If he wanted to, he could've just yanked his arm back, forcing the other to let go or fall to the ground. But he felt that something was wrong and decided to listen.
"I think you should sit this one out" Yuno said after taking a deep breath.
Asta leaned his head to the side. "Why?" he asked. "It sounded pretty serious. They can use any help they can get."
"Yes" the wind mage sighed. How was he supposed to explain this? "But your arms just got fixed. Do you want to risk hurting them again?"
The teen shook his head. "Even if I do, I'm sure the queen would help me again. Sure, she said that she usually didn't do anything for free, but Vanessa would get her to do it."
Yuno bit back a groan. There was probably nothing he could say that would make the teen stay inside the castle and hide, while everyone else was fighting of the (Probably) demon.
Unless he told him the truth, there was nothing that would stop the teen, Yuno just knew it. And yet he couldn't allow Asta to fight with the others this time. Just this one time. No, he didn't know if the attacker was actually a demon, specifically the demon Asta had a connection to, but risking it was just no option.
And yet he promised. He promised that he would delay this outcome as long as he could. Because as long as Asta didn't know about any of this, it would be perfectly fine. He would be safe, and no one would consider him dangerous either.
But then what was he supposed to say, if not the truth. And if he allowed Asta to go now, then the demon would tell him, Yuno knew it. The demon would play dirty and make up lies just so that Asta would be angry and side with him.
No, he wouldn't allow that.
He sighed, realizing just how long he had stayed silent. "Fine, but… Asta I don't know why but I have a bad feeling about this. Please just stay close to me, okay?" he begged.
Asta smiled. Yuno wasn't a person of many words and didn't show that many emotions either. But he knew that he meant it. And yet he just felt that there was something else that was bothering him. Something he desperately tried to avoid talking about.
Someday, Asta knew it, someday he would tell him what it was, and it would be fine. There was nothing the other could say that would make him hate him. Because, and there was no denying it anymore, Asta loved him. What could possibly ruin that?
Taking a step forward, Asta pressed his cheek into the taller teen's chest. He could feel the steady heartbeat that was getting faster once again. One would think that they were past this nervous and anxious phase by now.
But every now and then, he caught Yuno, and of course Yuno would catch him too. It wasn't a one-way street. This went both ways in so many ways. They trusted each other and that was a good thing. Something they needed in this cruel world that made people go against each other.
Another deep breath. Yes, he knew that this secret had something to do with him, but that didn't bother him. He wasn't stupid, knew very well when something was going on. And just like Yuno, he had a bad feeling as well.
"Okay" he mumbled, arms sneaking around the taller teen's waist. "I'll stay close to you, promise."
He heard a relieved sigh from Yuno. Seemed like that was already enough to calm his nerves. Asta chuckled, attempting to take a step backwards, only to be brought closer again. His chin rested on the others chest.
Emerald eyes meeting the molten golden color that his boyfriend walked around with. The fear and hesitation being more present than ever. The ash blond teen bit his lip. Maybe he should ask right away, rather than wait any longer.
But that thought was flying right out of his head when their lips met. Soft and slow. They were teenagers and yet they were able to keep their cool pretty good. And better yet, they were able to keep their pants up. Not like it would be the right time now.
At some point it would probably happen. And when it did, Asta would make sure that it happened in Yuno's room. Because Dad would kill him, they did it in their headquarters. Henry would be able to tell him before they had the chance to beg Finral to open a portal for them.
The taller teen pulled again first, nuzzling their foreheads together. He sighed. "Be careful" he whispered.
Asta smiled, eyes closed and nodded. "Of course" he promised.
When they reached the battle, they found a lot of the young witched injured, lying unconscious on the ground. Most of them wore a pained expression, while some had been knocked out into a peaceful slumber.
Asta saw that a lot of them were bleeding. Only some had been able to avoid such an injury. It was hard not to get hurt during a battle, almost impossible. He had only seen his parents and some other magic knight Captains been able to avoid getting injured.
That didn't matter now though. Because right now they had to find the others, and this weird being Natsuki had been talking about.
Asta didn't want to believe it. The description she had given them sounded like the person he had met almost ten years ago. The person that had given him his Grimoire when he had been six. Asta remembered how friendly the man had been.
The teen remembered the man like it had been just yesterday. Black skin which looked like it had been made from pure leather. Smooth and shiny against the gleam of the sun on that day. The eyes had been a crimson color.
Asta just couldn't imagine that it could be the same person. Then again, he had been the only person he had ever met with such a unique skin. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding. That the witched had thought he had been intruding the forest and attacked. Thus, he defended himself and it got out of control.
The teen nodded to himself. Yes, that had to be the reason. There was just no other way that the friendly man he had met so many years ago would be so violent. That he would attack them first without a reason.
And yet, he saw what had happened on the battlefield. He saw how injured the witches of the forest were. He saw none of his friends among them, which was good. They were okay. But he saw no one. The forest was burning, and the smoke was making it harder to breath.
But where were they? He didn't see the man and his friends weren't near either. All he could see while running through the burnt part of the forest with Yuno, was the destruction that had taken place.
"Where is everyone?" he panted, slowing down a bit.
"I don't know" Yuno answered. He was obviously just as confused as he was.
"They have to be somewhere around here" the ash blond teen grumbled.
As they ran through the forest, both of them were surprised to find themselves in a clearing. A circle surrounded by the treed, nothing but grass. But more importantly, their friends were there too, tied up to poles.
Vanessa, Finral and Noelle had been tied up by their arms and legs. On a pole that held their legs together while their arms were held on either side.
Both teens came to a stop when they saw it. Asta felt his eyes widen as he watched his friends.
"Asta" Noelle yelled, struggling to move her body away from the pole she was tied to. Unlike her, Vanessa and Finral seemed to be unconscious. Whatever had happened, Noelle had been the first one to wake up.
"Noelle!" the teens yelled, rushing forward to help them.
"Well well well…." A voice said.
Asta yelped as he was dragged back, his right arm being held once again. Looking back, he saw Yuno gripping his arm tighter than he had ever done before. A grim expression on his face as he stared ahead.
Breathing out shakily, the teen nodded, signaling Yuno that he could let go. That he wouldn't run. The taller teen slowly let go of his arm and Asta took a step back, placing himself right beside Yuno. He felt a hand wrapping tightly around his waist just a second later, making sure he wouldn't do anything stupid.
What was going on here?
A figure stepped out from behind the poles. Every tough caused the ground beneath the feet to die. The bright green color turning into a deep black. But only the grass that was touched died, everything around it maintained unharmed.
It was him, Asta realized. His eyes widened. It was him. He was the man that had given him his Grimoire. He knew that it was the same person standing just a few feet in front of him and Yuno.
But he didn't understand. This was nothing like the person he remembered. The person he had seen almost ten years ago was kind.
The smile they were receiving from the person now though, was cruel and even seemed a bit insane. He felt uncomfortable and for more than just a short moment, he understood why his parents refused to let him out alone after that day.
And he asked himself if he had even been that friendly the first time they saw each other. Had his childish vision made him believe that the being he saw back than wanted to help him? But why would he give him his Grimoire then?
"They weren't very careful, were they?" the man chuckled.
On an instinct he didn't quite understand, Asta leaned further into Yuno's side. It felt safe. Like he wouldn't be able to get hurt if he stayed close.
The man sighed, running a hand down his face before grinned, sharp teeth showing themselves.
"I did tell them that I would find you someday."
I feel a bit evil for making you wait another week before you actually see them talk. You all know by now who it is and what is about to happen. I have yet to even write the ending of the story and I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to follow the anime that much but I don't really know what else I can throw into the story.
Anywas, I hope you enjoyed this weeeks chapter.
Bye
