Author's Note:

This chapter is written in Yuna D. Kaito's point of view. Enjoy!

Chapter 6

The Curse

Yuna

I will never forget the day I was ready to sell my soul to the devil. My parents had abandoned me, afraid of the power I was releasing as a child, something they had never seen before, something they could not understand. My despair started the day I almost drove them to madness with things I never intended to happen taking form day after day. Nobody could help me, nobody understood me. We were living in a nightmare and one day, they could take it no longer.

I could not comprehend how a parent could do such a thing to a young child but this reality hit me hard. I was barely 10 years old, cold, dirty and hungry hiding in the streets of London. By the third day after my parents had abandoned me, I was weak. I was wondering if death awaited me when I saw her. A small child, a girl to be exact. She was smiling, taking uncertain steps while holding to her mother's hand, her parents fussing over her lovingly.

Jealousy. That was all I could feel. This world was so unfair.

The child's father caught me staring, his eyes seeking mine, as if he wanted to see inside my soul. He appeared to be a foreigner, not like the typical English men I was accustomed to seeing. He approached me slowly with a kind smile on his face but I was so angry still just looking at the scene I refused to acknowledge him.

"Are you okay child?" He asked. I continue to ignore him not bothering to make eye contact, my pride telling me I should not be pitied.

"We are celebrating my daughter's second birthday today so we just bought a cake. To tell you the truth the cake it's too big for us three" He gestured to the big box he was holding with one hand while he continued "why don't you come over and help us eat it? It would be a shame if it went to waste..." He pressed, unfaced by my attempt to ignore him.

I did not want to look at him, I really hated pity! What is more, I did not trust people. My parents had no difficulty leaving me so why would a stranger care? I really wanted to ignore him but I was very hungry so the hunger became more powerful than my pride. I finally nodded and he took me by the hand and said no more.

When his wife who was holding the child gave him a questioning look as we approached, he just smiled and said he wanted me to celebrate Akiho's birthday with them. I could tell the woman was English, with her blonde locks and blue eyes shining brightly in the sun. She gave me one last look, no doubt seeing how filthy I was, before nodding in agreement.

As we started walking, their daughter caught a glimpse of me and raised her arms towards me, as if she wanted me to hold her. Her mother tried to calm her down when she threatened to cry if her mother did not comply with her wishes.

"Child, what is your name?" The man asked as we continued down the path.

"John" I said.

"A very nice English name indeed. My name is Akito Shinomoto. This is my wife Maria and our daughter Akiho. Looks like Akiho wants you to hold her... do you mind?"

The man was strange but I complied with his request. His daughter came to my arms and grabbed my fingers, not letting go. She was smiling and laughing. I had never held a small child before, I was a child myself after all. I was surprised by the energy this girl radiated when she smiled at me easily seeing past my pitiful state, unable to understand what had happened to me.

"She likes you" The man said "I think this is a good omen"

We arrived at their home and the man welcomed me. It was a large house yet it felt cozy. Still proud I refused to show my emotions. I still distrusted these people but my solace was in having something to eat at least for a day. I humored them with their daughter who seemed very attached to me. By the time nightfall came I made my way to the door knowing it was time to leave but the man stopped me as I reached for the door.

"Stay tonight, today will be a cold night in London"

'You said there was a good omen today but you were wrong" I told him, recalling his words earlier today during our first encounter.

"Why would you think that?" He asked, confused.

"I bring misfortune to people, it may be wise for me to leave, thank you for the food"

"You are kind indeed... for thinking of us. So much kindness in such a young child" he chuckled "I can see your power, you are no ordinary child, I can see that very well. Do not fear John, you are not alone in this word. I too have a gift, today was a good omen indeed."

A gift? I could not understand how he thought that could be a gift when I had driven my parents to anger and fear, to abandon me...

"I see the anger too you know. Stay here and start anew. I will protect you from now on. John will be no more. Today, Yuna is born"

What happened next was unexpected. I never left their home. The man was genuinely interested in me and treated me as a son. He gave me shelter, food and an education and demanded nothing of me. I forgot my painful past and grew to like the new name bestowed upon me: Yuna signifying "Dark River". I took the last name Kaito for Akito's name as I vowed to myself to always serve his family.

As the years went by Akito taught me about magic. As he told me the day we met, he too had powers. His wife had no magic but she knew everything and did not seem scared of it as my parents had. I learned about Akito's native country of Japan throughout the years while growing up. He also told me that during a trip to England he had met Maria while waiting on a train. An unexpected storm came to London one winter so the trains were late. While waiting on the train he noticed a young woman, Maria, running towards the platform looking at her watch clearly hoping to make it in time to ride the last train. She looked confused when she noticed the train had not come and that the platform was full. Akito told me her confused faced caught his attention so he approached her to tell her it was late likely due to the weather and that she was on time. After that day, they were never apart. Akito said he knew the storm was a good omen and so they got married a few years later.

Living with them was a blessing. Akiho continued to always be by my side, never wanting to be away from me for long. My jealousy transformed to adoration for this child who so blindly showed me love; thus, further motivating me to become stronger to protect her.

When I turned 15 years old, Akito introduced me to the English Association of Magic. A secret organization formed by powerful sorcerers in the country. We held duels and practiced with one another in order to strengthen our powers. I enjoyed being part of this group very much and I was thriving. I could say I was happy too... that was until the day Akito came home with a strange book. He had a habit of collecting magical books around the world and researching new things. I had a bad feeling that day but chose not to think anything of it.

"Maria!" He called for his wife in excitement "I found a very interesting book at this shop. Come take a look"

His wife approached him just as interested as he had been an admired the book with him once she reached him. "The design is quite strange, what language is this?" She asked him after opening it to the first page and pointing to the scriptures.

"I am not sure, the person who sold it to me said it came from a faraway land many centuries ago"

"It does look old, let's take a closer look." Maria took the book to their library and as Akito followed behind her, Akiho came out from her room - now 7 years old - calling to her father lovingly.

"Daddy, you are home!"

"Yes Akiho-chan, daddy brought a book, do you want to read it with papa and mama?"

"Okay" she responded with a huge grin adorning her face "Yuna, you come too!" She told me, knowing full well I would never deny her of anything so I obliged.

We entered the family's library and her parents sat in a loveseat near the window, Akiho in between both of them carefully holding the book while I was various steps behind them observing the scene unfold.

"You sure love books Akiho-chan, just like your daddy!" Her mother chided. The child just smiled and opened the book, her eyes full of excitement at the uniqueness of the designs. To our surprise, she started reading the book in a language we did not know. We all looked at each other in alarm and before we knew it, a light came from inside the book blinding us all. I tried to reach for her but it was hard fighting the strange power now surrounding the room. When the light faded, I saw the three of them on the floor, unconscious.

"Akiho! I called for her but she did not answer, the book still clenched in her arms. I used my powers and whispered a spell to remove the book from her hands without having to touch it, afraid that its power could further hurt her. The book was thrown to the opposite side of the room with the force of my spell. I approached her then and noticed she was still breathing giving me some hope that she was fine. When I reached for her parents I was in disbelief... they were deceased.

I was trying to process what had happened, thinking what to do and how to destroy the book when Akiho awoke.

"Akiho, are you okay?" I asked as I reach for her, worry consuming me.

"Who are you?" She asked, confusion evident in her face. I did not know how to answer so I stepped back as she looked to her surroundings and saw the bodies of her parents on the floor. I could tell she did not recognize them either as she seemed calm and uninterested as she spoke.

"Are they sleeping?"

"Yes" I lied, not having the heart to tell her what had just happened. She nodded and soon her attention shifted to the book in the other side of the room. She ran to it before I could stop her.

"Don't touch that!" I yelled but it was too late, she had the book in her arms once more.

"Why? This book is mine isn't it? It calls to me, can't you hear it?"

No, this could not be happening. I no longer understood if the book had done this or if it had been Akiho's doing. It was clear now she had also developed powers. When did that happen? I could not tell... but looking around it was clear to me the book was cursed.

"Let's go Akiho-san, these people need to rest and so do you"

"Who are you?" She repeated her question.

"I am Yuna Kaito, your butler Akiho-san, let's go" She nodded and I took her to her room to sleep unable to take the book from her. I could tell her memories were hazy. I just needed her to rest while I figured things out. After putting her to bed I debated whether to report this to the association but I was afraid they would do something to Akiho if she was found guilty of her parents' murders so I hesitated. After thinking about it I decided to destroy the bodies so they could never be found and take care of Akiho myself.

Akiho was never the same after that day. She could not part from the book for long and her memories were still hazy weeks after the ordeal, not quite remembering her past...our past. As she started to remember about her parents I make her believe they were on a trip and that she was under my care. In the meantime I worked hard at the association to hide the crime by telling them the Shinomotos were on a mission elsewhere while I gained popularity and fame as I grew stronger in England. While I climbed the ranks in the associations, I secretly investigated about the book.

In my quest to find more information I took Akiho in various trips away from England from time to time but I had not been successful in finding anything useful. I could also tell the association was growing suspicious of me since the Shinomotos had not been seen in years. That however did not stop me from becoming more and more powerful until I reached my 18 birthday and I was given the title of "D". The recognition served me well as it allowed me to learn of the association secrets including objects that were believed to have great power. Among them, the Clock of Time, a coveted item that was said to have the power to go back in time.

As I continued looking for answers, I noticed the book seemed to have power over Akiho who was unable to part from it for long. Sometimes she said she could read its inscriptions but the story always changed. Her powers instead of increasing with age as its common with sorcerers started to disappear slowly and her body became weak as well. I could tell the book was draining her. I was growing more and more desperate to find a solution, fearing Akiho's life could be in danger.

One lucky day while visiting China I learned of the Clow Cards made by a powerful sorcerer who was said to be the most powerful of his time. I traced the cards who were rumored to still exist and to my surprise I found that a child nonetheless had captured them and converted them with her own power. It all became clear then. A plan formed in my mind with this child's power as the key to saving Akiho. This had to be the only way to break this curse. A curse to break another curse.

I waited for the right time and I cursed the child and her powers while she was sleeping. I had just performed my most powerful spell yet and I felt the pain in my body signaling the damage it had caused me for doing so. With Akiho in my arms unconscious, I looked towards the house of the child I had cursed in the distance. My plan already in motion.