The Golden Heart (Yuno Grinberryall x reader)

Chapter 8 - Hage Village

"Here we are, Hage Village" Yuno breaks the silence and takes a deep breath. "We better get to the church"

Yuno and I both get off our brooms and begin walking to the church. I glance around, trying to get familiar with the area. There are plots of farming land, a few houses around, a tower just down the road, and finally, a small church in the distance. The farmers looked up, smiles decorating their faces. 

'They must be happy to see Yuno' 

"Y/n, come on. I'll leave you behind"

"R-right"

I follow Yuno closely as the townspeople start smiling and greeting him. A smile forms on my face as their moods start to lighten and they become happier. It seems like a nice village. I get a feeling of warmth, something I haven't felt in a while. Suddenly i crash into Yuno's back as e unexpectedly stopped.

"Ow-Sorry Yuno"

"Yuno-Nii!!!" Little girls from the church run out and hug Yuno's legs

"Yuno!" The priest comes out, tears falling down his face

"Father compose yourself" A nun walks out, patting him on the back. She notices me and smiles. "And who might you be?"

"My name is Y/n, I'm from Golden Dawn just like Yuno" I look back at him and see the kids dragging him inside the church and the priest following. I let out a small laugh at their antics as Yuno sighs quietly in response.

"It's nice to meet you Y/n, they call me Sister Lily" 

"It's nice to meet you as well Sister Lily"

We walk into the church and see some of the older kids starting to show off their magic and the younger ones trying to get Yuno to use his. He looks unamused and bored, but starts to use some wind to please them. Bell comes out and some of the little girls start playing with her as she yells at them to stop.

"So....how is he?" Sister Lily breaks the silence, gaze still focused on the group in front of us

"Yuno? Well I only just joined Golden Dawn so I don't really know much about him, but he's kind of rude if you ask me" I cross my arms, but slightly smile as he talks to one of the older kids and smiles himself. "But he's very powerful and someone we can rely on" I let out a small laugh and turn to Sister Lily who wears a wide smile on her face.

"Uhm...is something wrong?"

"Do you like him?" She giggles 

"HUH?!" I exclaim, getting the attention of everyone in the room. Yuno gives me a confused look, but everyone continues what they were doing soon after

"Do you have feelings for him?"

"N-No of course not, he's my squad mate, nothing else" I turn my head away. My face feels like it's on fire. But why? Yuno's been rude to me since I joined and I don't know why. But I did say he's reliable, and he did show me a bit of his soft side...

'Y/n! What the hell are you thinking!' I slap both my cheeks, trying to snap out of whatever was making me think like this

"You guys got here just in time, we're about to have dinner" Sister Lily guides us to the table where the kids rush to sit down. The food is presented to us and we dig in

"So Yuno, given that you brought someone with you, you're not here to check up are you?" Yuno and I exchange glances and he begins to speak.

"The wizard king told us about the missing children" The room goes silent. The priest and Sister Lily share a glance, then look back at the two of us

"7 total, one a night. The people of the village are getting nervous, even we are" Sister Lily whispers. "Everyone is worried for their children, and the ones who have gone missing. We're worried for everyone here"

All the children, except for one, wore faces painted with fear. I could only imagine what they're feeling. At any moment, they could be taken...

"Do you know anything about the kidnapping? Like how exactly they're taken?"

"Well parents have said they heard some kind of melody that had not effect on them, but for some reason it attracts children. They'll hear it, and next thing you know the kids are gone" Sister Lily has a worried look on her face

"A melody? So we just have to listen for a melody?" Yuno asks

"I don't think it'll be that easy, it can't be. If it was, someone would have caught this person by now, don't you think?" Yuno nods and suddenly one of the older kids stands up from the table and walks out of the room. I cock my head in confusion and turn my head to the priest who just sighs and shakes his head

"That's Nash for you" Sister Lily sighs

"What do you mean?"

"Nash has always looked up to Asta, he's probably upset that you came here with me instead of Asta" Yuno explains to me. I make an O shape with my mouth, understanding his actions

"Not only that" Sister Lily starts. "He's been a little antsy since the kids started disappearing. He's been training a lot, I'm guessing to try to protect the church"

"How old is he?"

"He's 10" 

While I admire Nash's bravery, he can't protect the church alone. He hasn't even gotten his Grimoire yet, so he probably doesn't even know any powerful offensive or defensive spells.

"It's pointless, really" Yuno speaks before places food in his mouth. "He can't do it, he's not Asta"

"Yuno-"

"Yuno you asshole!" My attention is directed back towards the door where Nash stands, tears brimming the corners of his eyes. "You've always been so mean to everyone...I hate you!" Nash runs out the front door.

"Nash! It's dangerous to go outside right now!" Sister Lily calls out, starting to get up to chase him. 

"Yuno don't you think you were a bit too...blunt?" 

Yuno drinks a bit of his water, then gazes into my eyes before speaking. "I'm not going to tell him he can do anything, his magic is not powerful enough to protect everyone"

I sigh, leaning back in my chair. A small melody starts to play and my eyes widen when I realize what it was a was hearing.

"Nash!" Yuno and eye exchange glaces and both bolt up from our seats to follow where Sister Lily went

We get outside and see Sister Lily on the floor, covering her arm which has a scratch that is bleeding out. In the distance I can see a shadowy figure, holding an unconsious Nash. Gritting my teeth, I race after them, completly ignoring anything else.

"Y/n! Wait!" Yuno calls, but I don't stop. The figure runs into the forest, followed closely behind by me. I flip open my grimoire, starting to charge my light magic.

"Light arrows of judgment" I shoot arrows to the figure in front of me, who disappears. I narrow my eyes, then feel something stab my leg

"Argh" I let out a groan of pain, falling onto my knees. I see the figure starting to run deeper into the forest. I try to get up to follow, but fall back down beginning to feel weak

'I feel so weak...my mana...it's being sucked away...' I let audible pants of exhaustion, trying to use the trees to help me get up. Yuno makes it into the forest, immediately seeing me. His eyes widen and he runs up to me, taking the dagger out of my leg

"What happened?"

I close my eyes, trying to regain my strength. "The dagger was sucking out my mana...I'm really weak...sorry Yuno...I couldn't get him back."