Sunshine and a Blue Castle Prince

Chapter 21: Shadow Garden

When Akiteru and Sakusa return, Kenma has finally arrived. He and a second, unfamiliar man sit at a table with the other four.

"Have you resolved your differences?" Kenma asks as soon as the two have settled into their own seats.

Sakusa nods. "We have."

"Good. Akaashi-san said you have something to tell us."

"I know what kind of magic Nohebi is using."

Iwaizumi leans forward, resting his elbows on the table, not missing the dark cast to the light mage's face. "Oh? Do tell."

"Blood magic. The Daishou family has been using blood magic for more generations than I can count. One of the Daishou foremother's is responsible for the shield around Nohebi. In the same spell that drove her descendants mad, she erected it to protect the rest of the world."

Kenma pulls his hair back into a low bun, leaving no buffer between Sakusa and his golden stare.

The unknown man lays a hand on the blond's back. "Ya don't need ta burn a hole through him, Kenma-kun. How might ya know what the snakes are doin'?"

This is going to be interesting.

It might have been a good idea to give your heritage first.

I doubt it would have done anything.

"I don't have any current information, since the Sakusa family is now firmly Itachiyaman."

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Iwaizumi asks, his voice even and unassuming.

Sakusa shakes his head. "The Sakusa adoptee line wasn't formed through formal adoption. Rather, the Komori's allowed a refugee couple to join the family as a new line."

Kenma's lips part and his eyes narrow as if trying to recall a faint memory, but he motions for Sakusa to continue.

Keep going, Kiyoomi. Avoidance is not in your favor.

I know that, Ryo.

"The original members of the Sakusa's were a Daishou princess and a Nekoma Prince. Great-grandma Yasu and Great-Grandpa Kiyoshi came to Itachiyama and took the surname Sakusa. There is information usually passed to each married couple after they're formal union that details things known only in Nohobi itself. Of that, the most important is the use of blood magic."

A heavy silence descends on the table as each person present processes the information.

Shouyou is the first to speak. "Seijoh is fighting decay, plague, and fires. Oikawa-san sent mages to the border to try and douse the fires, which has helped, but the others won't stop."

The redhead clutches at his shoulder. "Would Light magic stop it at all?"

"Shou," Iwaizumi says, laying a gentle hand on his mate's shoulder, "even if you could use your magic, you couldn't fight along the entire border."

Sakusa raises an eyebrow. "You're a light mage, Shorty?"

Shouyou nods.

"You don't seem like one."

Let me speak to his Light. I'll be able to tell when I speak to her.

"Kei," the younger man whispers.

"Shouyou, don't." Iwaizumi whispers.

"Sakusa-san would not believe me, Hajime, unless he can sense it. I'll be ok."

"No, you won't. We still don't know what's going on.

"I still don't like it."

Ryo, what's going on?

Don't know. Only that Akane and Kei are too focused on their mages to talk to me.

"Is there--"

Shouyou grits his teeth and orders, "Kei, just do it!"

The air in front of the redhead erupts into blinding light.

"Kei, Kei stop!"

Despite the boy's panicked words the light continues to grow. As it does, so too does a dark shadow sprouting from his shoulder.

Kiyoomi, let me douse his light.

Sakusa passes the energy and blinks away the spots clouding his vision.

When he can see again, his eyes are drawn to Shouyou and Iwaizumi.

The former is leaning over the table, clutching his stomach. Pained tears well up in his eyes, but what catches Sakusa's attention is the inky marks covering the younger man's skin. They fade after a few seconds, but it leaves Sakusa with a deeply foreboding feeling.

Sakusa stands. "Iwaiuzmi-san, Shouyou-kun, can I talk to you privately?"

Iwaizumi nods, shaking with tightly controlled emotion."I was going to take Shouyou to lay down anyway."

Kenma nods his agreement, his own anger only barely concealed behind his usual bored expression. "We all need to take a break."

The three move to Iwaizumi and Shouyou's room.

While Iwaizumi tucks Shouyou into bed, ever gentle despite his agitation, Sakusa takes a moment to breathe.

"How did this happen?" Sakusa asks when they've setted.

Iwaizumi threads his fingers through the redhead's damp hair. "Nohebi tortured him and left this gift for us. We don't know what's wrong, much less how to fix it."

"Why doesn't it surprise me that my mad cousin would stoop to tactics like this."

"You know what this is?"

"I'm familiar. It's the result of the Shadow Garden spell. It essentially implants seeds of shadow magic into the body of a Light mage. It uses the Light mage's energy to grow, slowly consuming their body and magic before killing them."

Iwaizumi pales. "You know what this is. Do you think you can help?"

I almost feel sorry for him. It's been years since we've spent time around 'Teru-kun and I would probably be out of my mind with worry.

It would be the other way around. You're the Light mage.

I do love him, but he'd probably be distraught,

"I don't know."

"Damn it."

Sakusa sighs. "Shouyou-kun is going to be sick for a while. It will take at least an hour for the growth to slow again and several days for him to recover. This flare up will have sped up the garden's progression, to a potentially significant amount. I apologize for not believing him."

"No. You don't know him. And he hasn't used Light magic in quite some time. Shouyou can be an impulsive idiot sometimes."

Iwaizumi takes Shouyou's right arm and pushes his sleeve up. The three mage marks are obvious against the boy's pale skin, one of which matches the Light mark on Sakusa's own wrist.

"This could have been avoided had he given us a chance to check his arm. Or given Ryo the chance to talk to Shouyou's Light. Either would have worked."

Iwaizumi nods. "Like I said, sometimes Shou doesn't think things through. Can we have space, please?"

"Of course. I'll have Kenma send a healer."

Sakusa leaves the room, leaving Iwaizumi to care for his mate.