The Prince and the Serpent

The Keys

Horror rooted Sarada to the spot. The overwhelming feelings of helplessness and disbelief choked her as she watched her brother disappear into the white light of the arcane blast. He wasn't this stupid. He wasn't really throwing away everything they had worked for; everything they had gone through hell for. Not after all she and Mitsuki had done to keep him alive.

The cavern shook, the roof fell and she felt her body go numb. As Boruto's blue eyes disappeared, she felt like it was her life, not the cavern, that was crumbling. She dropped to her knees as pieces of ice flew in every direction but she did not shield herself. This wasn't real. He wasn't doing this to her. She had been so close!

In all the madness of his tirade, her eye had started to feel strange. When she focused with it, she could see magic, like gossamer strings, connecting Boruto to the guardian. That was the answer, she just knew it. That was why they couldn't hurt the guardian without hurting Boruto too. She didn't know how she did it, but she was able to remove the possession enough to free him at least partially so that he was himself again.

Sarada had been ecstatic. She could push back the arcane! With time, she might be able to find a way to slow the curse too! But instead, the perfect idiot was choosing to throw his life away. Anger rose up in her, burning her insides even as shock forced the air from her lungs. Did he not think about what this was doing to her? To Mitsuki? She gasped shallowly, drowning within herself with angry grief as the light faded.

The proverbial dust was slow to clear. When it did, all was as she expected. The guardian was gone and Boruto's body lay among the rubble. The curse lines covered his face, his chest, everything up to his left wrist. They needed to be ready. She knew that any second now, he would transform and she and Mitsuki would be forced to kill him while they had the chance. As her thoughts touched on Mitsuki, she heard him groan. He was stirring somewhere to her left. Numbly, she turned to watch even though she didn't want to see what she knew was going to happen.

The Serpent Prince gingerly sat up and looked around, taking in his surroundings. His golden eyes moved over the remains of the guardian, the destroyed ice cavern, the sky showing through the partially collapsed ceiling, and the sunlight spilling across the body of his beloved Sun. His face slowly contorted with horror as he realized what he was seeing.

"Boruto!!" He cried the precious name as he half scrambled, half crawled to Boruto. Mitsuki kneeled and took Boruto into his shaking arms, pressing his body to his chest and burying his face in the neck of his lost beloved. For what felt like an eternity, there was silence except for the echoes of crumbling ice and Mitsuki's labored breathing.

Sarada felt tears sting her eyes as the reality set in. Her stomach clenched and she fought the urge to vomit. A voice in her head told her that she needed to move. Boruto was going to transform and they needed to either run or prepare for battle. But, as she watched Mitsuki grieve over Boruto's body, she knew he wouldn't be able to leave. It would all be up to her but she couldn't move. Just like Mitsuki, her sorrow held her in place.

"Please... Sarada..." Mitsuki's soft voice drifted through the ringing quiet to meet her. It was a moment before she realized he had spoken at all.

"Mitsuki...?" She whispered.

"Sarada, please... kill me." Mitsuki begged, his voice stronger this time. His words sent deep chills through her body. She slid from her knees to sit sideways on the ice. She had half expected this but she still felt woefully unable to handle it.

"No...Mitsuki, I can't." She was just able to wheeze around the tightness in her chest and the emptiness of her lungs.

"Please, Sarada!" Mitsuki cried out. His bloodied body shook as he clawed weakly at Boruto's hair with his good arm. "He was my Sun! What is the moon without the sun?! I cannot live without him! Please!" Mitsuki's angry and anguished cry tore at Sarada's insides but she remained resolute.