A Magic Kiss Is Still A Kiss

Dust covered the ruined plaza, and collapsed buildings flooded the space, blocking streets and alleys with rubble. The ground was a mess of shattered and melted cobblestone, with small fires burning across the field of debris, but among the wreckage was a single zone of safety.

Takao and Sumire sat huddled together under a magical barrier that separated them from the destruction. Takao’s vision was tunneling, but he could just make out that Sumire’s arm was free of the black curse mark. He smiled despite himself, knowing that his plan had actually worked, and suffered a renewed wave of pain from the scant movement. He’d lost so much blood and combined with the pain of losing his hand, he was fighting a losing battle to stay awake.

Takao closed his eyes, gladly accepting his imminent death with the knowledge that he’d at least saved Sumire, and happy her beautiful face was the last thing he would get to see. Darkness filled his thoughts and his senses went numb. His consciousness started to slip away, but then Takao felt something. A warm touch reached him through the oblivion, and pulled him back to himself.

A gentle warmth spread through his body. It was familiar to Sumire’s locket, but more powerful. In no time the feeling filled him to the brim, and as it did, banished all his pain away. His senses cleared, and the warmth took form. He knew what it was without needing to open his eyes. Sumire’s soft lips pressed gently to his. A sweet and tender kiss that filled him with more warmth than any magic ever could. Takao held her dearly and returned her kiss lovingly.

After what felt like a long time but also no time at all, their sweet moment ended all too soon. Only when they’d separated did Takao open his eyes and see Sumire just inches away. Her violet hair and purple eyes struck him as if for the first time. She was beautiful, and he wished their moment together could go on forever. But reality was coming back to him. He held up his arm to find a hand where only moments ago there had been none.

“I thought you couldn’t use healing magic.” He said in astonishment.

Sumire blushed.

“That’s not exactly true. There are just— conditions for using it.”

Gears turned over in Takao’s head.

“Sooo— you’re saying I get more kisses if I get injured.” He mused.

Sumire chuckled as she wiped her tear streaked face and sniffed her nose.

“Don’t be stupid. I’d rather kiss you when you’re not injured— uh! I mean— forget I said that!” She said, blushing furiously.

“Not a chance! I could never forget!” Takao took Sumire’s hands and gazed into her purple eyes. “Sumire, I love you. You’re the one I want to be with. You’re the one I want to date, not Nanako. Will you go out with me?”

Sumire face lit up, and her smile reached all the way to her eyes, but before she could answer, all the dust hanging in the air was suddenly blown away by a powerful gust of wind.

“I thought I heard some squeaking mice!” Karou roared, unleashing a gale of wind that smashed into Sumire’s shield, leaving deep cuts in the stone ground.

“Can you fight?” Takao asked as another gust rammed their shield.

“I can now! Thanks to you!” She answered with determination, and pulled her jagged lightning bolt shaped sword from her magical storage.

“Got anything for me?” Takao asked as Karou drew closer and sent more violent winds at them that left cracks in their shield.

Sumire snapped her fingers.

More wind buffeted them, expanding the cracks in their shield.

Karou approached, looking livid.

“Sumire?” Takao said nervously.

“Wait for it!”

Karou raised her fan overhead like a hammer ready to strike. She swung down, murderous intent glinting in her eyes, but at the last instant was forced to jump back as a spear came hurtling from the sky toward her. It stuck into the ground, and Takao recognized it immediately.

The shield surrounding Takao and Sumire dissolved.

“NOW!” Sumire yelled.

Takao wrenched his spear from the ground and ran at Karou, with Sumire by his side. He suddenly felt stronger and faster, and realized he’d copied enhancement magic from Sumire without even meaning to.

Takao and Sumire stretched a hand forward in unison, sending a lightning storm streaming toward Karou. She danced away desperately, but couldn’t avoid the numerous bolts raining down on her. She yelped in pain as electricity surged through her, but didn’t fall and only looked more livid.

“I'LL KILL YOU!” She raged, drawing a second fan from her robes. She opened them with a flourish, revealing the fans to be made of wicked metal blades.

Karou screamed wildly as she rushed Takao, swinging her bladed fans viciously. He blocked her attack, but was sent skidding back from the force of the blow. She swung again before Takao could regain his balance, but Sumire covered for him, catching the blow with her sword. Karou aimed her second fan at Sumire’s throat, but Takao blocked with his spear, covering for her this time.

Metal clashed and clanged as Takao and Sumire fought against Karou. They were in perfect sync as they slashed and stabbed at her, but it was apparent that Sumire was not yet at full strength while Karou was demonstrating the might of a dragon god. Each slash of her fans left deep scars in the ground and buildings, each wave sent debris flying and caused the still standing buildings to creak ominously.

Their battle intensified as Karou’s anger grew. Takao and Sumire dodged and parried every attack while landing more and more hits. Takao copied Sumire’s magic, sending fire, lightning, wind, and stone at Karou from her blind spots, or he feinted copying a spell to distract her from Sumire’s attacks. Karou’s wind magic was powerful, but with each other’s help, Takao and Sumire countered all her attacks.

Karou raised a shield to block Sumire’s blast of fire, but Takao shattered her shield from behind, launching his own attack as well. Fire engulfed Karou from both sides, and she screamed in pain and rage before extinguishing the flames with a wave of her fan.

She fell to one knee, panting hard. Her extravagant clothes were burnt and torn. Her neatly styled hair was disheveled, and her golden accessories were broken or missing. Her beautiful featured were marred by dirt and injuries, but most of all by the expression of pure hatred she wore like an ugly mask.

Takao stood by Sumire’s side, unsure if he should keep attacking, but since Sumire made no move to continue, he followed her lead.

“It’s over Karou. You can’t beat us. Please just go. You’re still my sister, and I don’t want to—”

“I don’t need your pity!” Karou spat, rising shakily to her feet. “You're a disgrace to all dragon god’s! Always have been!”

Sumire’s expression hardened.

“I don’t need you reminding me. I’m well aware. It’s the reason I was banished from the immortal realm, after all, and that’s something I’ll never forget.”

“Good!” Karou screamed. “You brought this punishment on yourself, and you deserve it! You can suffer among these mortal pigs until you die, and I hope it’s a painful death, too! I hate you! You dirty whore! Filth! Trash! Stupid idiot—”

Karou broke off from her train of insults and collapsed to her knees. She erupted into sobs as tears streamed down her face.

Takao and Sumire exchanged looks, and he could tell she didn’t know what was happening either. Sumire took a tentative step toward Karou, and Takao followed.

“Karou? What happened to you?” Sumire asked tenderly.

“I— I can’t—” She sobbed.

“What are you even doing in the mortal realm?” She pressed.

Karou wiped her eyes, and slowed her choked breathing.

“I— I can’t go back— not without your powers— He—”

Karou suddenly threw her head back, and a blood-curdling scream issued from her throat.

Takao and Sumire jumped back, startled by the sudden scream. Then, just as abruptly as she started, she stopped. Her head lolled to the side. Wide, blank eyes stared at them. Her mouth hung open. A drop of blood trickled down her face from a slit that appeared on her forehead. The slit spread open, revealing a crimson red eye.

The eye wobbled in place for a moment before steadying. It fixed Takao with a piercing gaze, and all the warmth left his body. A horrible presence choked the air from his lungs, pressing on him like a vice. For as long as he lived, he knew he would never forget this feeling, and understood all too well the fear Sumire had experienced in her cave. The fear of something truly evil.

Sumire’s Exposé!
Banishment is a rare and extreme punishment for immortals that typically includes striping of their power, but leaving their immortality. This is so they suffer as much as possible before they are eventually killed or die, commonly by their own hand.