United (Magics AU - Part 1)

Chapter 41 - Shintaro

"Marcus!!" Shintaro screamed in terrified hysteria as the Arielian king collapsed backward, crashing to the floor limply with dark coils crackling and snapping around his body like electricity. Shintaro whipped away from Thorn, his mind focused on Marcus, and darted toward the fallen king, his heart in his throat. 

As soon as Shintaro dropped beside Marcus, the room erupted into chaos. 

"NO!!" Ruby shrieked shrilly, wrestling away from Moon and rushing to her husband's side. She fell to her knees beside him, her hands immediately clasping his shoulders and shaking them. "Marcus! Marcus, wake up! No, no, no! WHAT DID YOU DO?!" she hollered at Moon. 

"Dad!" Emily's high, hysterical voice wailed, and Shintaro saw the princess appear at Marcus's head, her hands grasping the sides of his face. "You liar!! You dirty, rotten liar! You said you wouldn't hurt anyone! What did you do to him?!"

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh," Falte's frantic, shaking voice muttered at Shintaro's other side, and the adviser knelt beside the guardian, his frightened eyes fixed on Marcus. 

"Well, that certainly was not what I was expecting," Thorn said curiously from behind them, undoubtedly gazing over their shoulders down at the collapsed king.

Without saying anything, Caynen appeared behind Moon and grabbed her arms, yanking them behind her and holding the Shadow in place. The woman didn't fight him, only cast a disgusted and annoyed glance over her shoulder at the tall Light. 

The shrill sound of metal whistling quickly through the air came from behind Shintaro, and Thorn made a small "ah" sound. Shintaro didn't have to turn around to know that Ezekiel had pointed his sword at the Shadow threateningly. 

"Shintaro!" Ruby shrieked suddenly, turning her frantic green eyes to him. "Help him! DO SOMETHING!!" 

Panicked, Shintaro laid his hands on Marcus's chest and almost immediately collapsed with relief. The king was breathing, and although it was short and shallow, he was breathing nonetheless. But Shintaro's relief was suppressed as he realized that the Dark Magic was still crackling around Marcus's body, and small spasms were jerking through the king's limbs. 

Trying to control his panic for his friend, Shintaro forcefully slowed his breathing and called his Light Magic to his fingers. He didn't know exactly what Moon had done to Marcus, but he was going to try to help his king in any way possible. 

But when Shintaro reached out with his magic, he found that not only was there Dark Magic surrounding Marcus's body - there was Dark Magic now coursing inside the king as well. Realization came to Shintaro like a punch in a gut. 

Moon had Turned Marcus. 

Something inside Shintaro snapped, and a chill sailed over his skin as pure, unbridled rage took over his thoughts. He recognized this kind of anger - this destructive, uncontrolled fury that burned through Shintaro's veins - as the wrath that he hadn't felt since he was a young child. 

Everything around Shintaro seemed to blur as he, very slowly, rose to his feet. He could hear Ruby's panicked voice snapping at him frantically, but her words were muffled and unintelligible to Shintaro. He ignored the queen and raised his eyes to Moon, who evenly met his gaze with a defiant frown. Behind her, Caynen's scowl turned dreadful as he caught sight of Shintaro. 

Then he too seemed to blur away from Shintaro's focus, which was on Moon and Moon alone. As Shintaro slowly and noiselessly made his way toward her, everyone else fell silent, watching almost in frightened dread. 

Shintaro halted barely a foot away from Moon, staring down at her without tilting his head downward. Moon stared right back up at him, her expression defiant and ready.