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one-leaf-grimoire · 1 year

Text

"Child of the Sun"

Chapter 5

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Synopsis: Something bad is going to happen today

Three Years Later

"Julia? Wake up! We're going to be late for breakfast with the Emperor!"

It took a few shakes for Julia to be roused from her deep slumber, drawing a sad sound from her throat. Bleary-eyed, she blinked a few times, finally focusing on the smiling, red-haired woman leaning over her.

"Ah! M-Ms. Mimosa- I didn't mean to sleep in! I'm sorry!!"

Without giving her superior a chance to respond, Julia leapt out of bed and began throwing clothes on, panicking. In mere seconds, she was dressed in her Golden Dawn uniform, swinging her lavender cloak over her shoulders. "Are we super late because of me?! I'm so sorry! I- I-"

"Julia! It's alright, just breathe."

Mimosa grabbed Julia's shoulders. Despite being older than her by quite a few years, she was still a whole head shorter than Julia. "We aren't late yet. And if we were, it wouldn't be the end of the world." She smiled a little, looking a bit concerned for her squadmate. "Are you alright? You seem… stressed."

"I'm… I'm fine." Julia forced a smile. I shouldn't freak out about little things like that so much, she thought to herself. But… if I was late, people would be disappointed in me. Mom, and dad… Ms. Mimosa, everyone-

"I'm supposed to be taking care of you all on this trip," Mimosa sighed, squeezing her shoulder before letting Julia go. "We're far from home, so if you ever need to talk, or if anything is bothering you-"

"I go straight to you. Right." Julia nodded, before her eyes flickered to the doorway. "Should we go? I'm excited to meet Emperor Yuno."

"Well, then let's go~" Mimosa stepped through the door, a spring in her step at the thought of seeing her old friend again, even for just a routine diplomatic mission. The Golden Dawn often handled those types of missions, and was a good chance for younger Knights like Julia to get to see the other kingdoms. "Today should be uneventful, but fun nonetheless."

Uneventful, Julia thought. That's exactly what I need right now.

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Something's wrong.

Lisa awoke with a start, sitting up in bed. Sweat was still clinging to her skin, and she felt short of breath. She glanced around, realizing that she was alone, and light was already spilling into the room through the open curtains nearby. How late did I sleep in? Lisa wondered, letting out a shallow breath and rubbing her arms in an effort to calm herself down. Why do I feel so panicked…

Then, suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her. Covering her mouth to keep from retching, Lisa sprang from her bed and sprinted to the bathroom, making it to the toilet just in time to vomit. After a minute of unpleasantness, she groaned and slipped down to lay on the tile floor, feeling weak and shaky. She clenched her fists, trying to keep them from trembling.

What's wrong with me?

Am I getting sick? Or…

The panic and dread were still eating away at her. With a sigh, she sat up, taking a few gulps of water from the sink.

I'm just being paranoid. I just had a bad dream. I just wish I could remember what it was about…

"Lisa! Are you alright?"

Julius was halfway up the stairs when Lisa finally came down, dressed in her bathrobe. She wearily shook her head. "No… I woke up from a nightmare and threw up. I just need some tea."

"Oh dear… come on." Julius took her arm, his brow scrunched with concern. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I wish I could. But I don't remember anything…"

She sighed heavily, sitting down at the kitchen table while Julius quickly started up a pot of hot water. At least Rhea and Titus aren't here, she thought. The twins were spending the weekend at the home of her friends Nita and Finral, who had twins the same age. Out here in the forest, there weren't many other kids, not even at the school in the village, so it was nice for them to get some socialization. "I feel so off… I feel like something horrible is going to happen."

"... I get that feeling all the time," Julius told her, picking up the kettle and pouring the steaming water into a mug. "But, I think it's just the usual aches and pains of being a parent. You can't help but worry."

It was true. Especially since both Juno and Julia were away, living their own lives as Magic Knights. Juno had joined the Black Bulls earlier that year, and was quite content with cruising under the radar. The chatter around the kingdom about her and her possible parentage had died down, much to Lisa's relief. A mother couldn't help but worry… however…

This doesn't feel normal… I feel sick.

With a fresh cup of tea in hand, Lisa and Julius moved out to their porch, where they sat with their legs hanging off the side. Julius hummed softly to himself, his gaze flickering over to Lisa as she stared out into the forest. Then he reached up to stroke her hair, causing her to jump in surprise.

"What is it?"

"Hmmm, nothing." Julius winked, before his gaze became more thoughtful. "It's just… you look so beautiful this morning. You're… glowing. "

Lisa felt her cheeks redden. Even after all these years, she couldn't help but squirm under the pleasant pressure of his gaze and compliments. "O-oh-" She cleared her throat, feigning a cough. "I'm sure it's just the light. It's a beautiful day outside."

Indeed, these were the times that Lisa was glad they had moved out of the Capitol and into the wilderness. The forest was especially serene today, a calming quiet hanging over the meadow in the absence of the noisy twins. Lisa couldn't help but feel a stab of melancholy in her heart; Just a few more years, and the twins would be out of the house, too. She and Julius would be the only ones who remained.

"That wouldn't be so bad, hmm?"

Lisa raised an eyebrow, turning to look at Julius, who sat silently beside her.

"Really? Do you really need to speak in my head when we're sitting right next to each other?"

"Huh?" He turned to her, surprised. "I didn't… I didn't say that."

"Oh."

"Anyway, it won't just be the two of you."

Right… that's right.

Lisa couldn't help but smile again, the fact comforting her enough to relax just a bit. Julius echoed her smile, reaching over to lay his hand atop hers.

"It'll be alright. Why don't we go visit Juno and Julia tomorrow? After Julia's back from her trip, of course."

"... yes, I'd like that." At the very least, seeing them both would put Lisa's mind at ease.

"Good. I'll make the arrangements."

Julius raised her hand to his lips, placing a tender kiss upon it. Lisa couldn't help but admire him in the midmorning light. The years had aged him in the kindest way possible. The existing lines had deepened, his twinkling eyes now in a permanent, lazy squint. His golden hair had been invaded by streaks of gray, which caused a pleasant shimmering effect in the light. Silver and gold; Lisa didn't need any other kind of riches than that.

"What are you staring at?" Julius asked, pouting. "Are the crow's feet getting that bad?"

"No, no," Lisa shook her head, her cheeks heating up. "I'm just… so lucky to have you by my side."

"And I'm not going anywhere," he promised, before rising to his feet. "Come on, let's walk. I found a bird's nest when I was hiking yesterday."

Lisa nodded, rising to follow him, hand in hand. However, the shadow of fear continued to follow her. Her mind kept returning to one name, over and over.

Juno.

Why do I feel like something awful is going to happen to Juno?

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Why do I feel like something awful is going to happen today?

Juno's thoughts circled back to that question, again and again, as she trudged through the woods behind her squadmates. It was quiet in the woods, the morning dew still clinging to the foliage despite it being long past noon.

"There! Everyone, stop!"

Magna Swing, who was leading this mission, dropped to the ground, causing Luck and Juno to follow, hiding behind a big bush. Juno peered around it, spotting a camp in a clearing up ahead, where a small bonfire was blazing, five men sitting around it. Each of them had a hefty bag at their side. "That must be the money they stole," Magna hissed to the others. "They don't seem too powerful, just sneaky. Should be an easy capture."

"Then let me at'em!" Luck whispered excitedly. "It's been a while since I could go all out."

"No, no." Magna shook his head, before looking at Juno. "You should try."

"Me?" Juno repeated, stunned. She had been in the squad only half a year, and had never taken on a group of this size on her own. "Are you sure?"

Magna nodded, smiling encouragingly. "Don't worry, we'll jump in if you need us to. Just shout!"

Juno sucked in a breath, but nodded, her face hardening into a determined stare.

"Right. I'll take care of it."

Before she had the chance to feel scared and chicken out, Juno lept from the bush and raised her hand. Her grimoire, which was a dark maroon color, embossed with golden designs that formed a pair of hands encircling a three-leaved clover, flipped open, glowing a fiery orange. The men in the clearing immediately alerted to her presence, whirling around and jumping from their seats. Juno noted that most of them grabbed for the money bags, unwilling to leave them behind.

"Shit! Magic Knights!" one of them shouted, his voice wavering. "What do we do?!"

"Just one magic knight," another corrected, a sneer appearing on his face. It wasn't clear if he was masking his fear or was genuinely confident. "We can take 'er!"

However, Juno's lips already moved, her hand raised in preparation for her spell. She squeezed her eyes shut.

"Solar Magic: Eternal Blight."

Blinding light filled the clearing, as if the sun high above had finally given up and collapsed into itself, blinding the earth in the moment of its doom. Screams rang out, but as quickly as the light appeared, it was gone. Just a single flash, but in its wake, the five bandits were on their knees, on the ground, or stumbling. All were clutching their eyes, unable to see after such a powerful flash. Juno opened her eyes, blinking once. She herself was not immune from that spell (she had gone blind for two days the first time she used it), but now she could see clearly. Now! she shouted to herself, before springing forward. Her mother's words echoed in her ears as she rapidly approached the men.

"Control is crucial. If you can't control your attacks, you'll consume them from the inside out. Only let out what you want to let out."

Of course, those words had been meant for Julia. Juno had overhead one of her training sessions with their mother, shortly after Julia received her grimoire. Juno knew that her older sister had a little trouble controlling her mana, which was dangerous with such a powerful attribute like Void Magic. She remembered that day, only a week before Julia's exam, when Lisa did her best to prepare her daughter for what awaited her.

Only let out what you want to let out.

Juno had taken that advice as well. In more ways than one.

"Solar Magic: Solar Beam."

A bolt of orange-white light shot from her palms, striking two of the men. They gasped, the sound hollow and horrid, but then fell, unharmed, as if only a stream of sunlight had shot through them. Juno knew this was because her Solar Beam wasn't solid; it burned through air and people without any trace, but touched something within them that left them unable to maintain consciousness.

"AHG! Where is she-"

Another beam. Two more men fell.

Juno let out a held breath, before hearing the crunch of footsteps behind her. The last one. He must have heard her footsteps and located her general location. Unfazed, she turned on her heel, raising only one hand this time.

However, she paused as she realized that the man was frozen in place, trembling. Her eyes widened as she saw cracks form across his skin, as if he were being dried out like mud on the riverbank. With one last croak , he fell, leaving a trail of wispy purple smoke behind.

"Ah, oops. I didn't mean to steal your thunder there."

Juno looked up sharply, startled. A woman stood there at the other end of the clearing, looking as if she didn't have a care in the world. Her mousy-brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun low on her head, but two long, luxurious strands hung around her face down to below her shoulders. Her face looked… tired, her brown eyes half-lidded. She was smiling though, and there was something very familiar about her.

After a long moment, Juno realized that the green cloak she wore was that of a magic knight, and she relaxed.

"... it's no problem," Juno said carefully, glancing down at the unconscious bandit. "Thank you for helping…"

Her voice trailed off as she took another moment to examine this woman's cloak. Her eyes caught the brooch keeping the garment together, noticing that the design was of a sword with green leaves sprouting from the hilt. All at once, Juno realized who she was talking to.

"Oh! Captain Adelitt! Forgive me-" She ducked her head in respect. "I didn't realize who you were."

Captain Kaethe Adelitt, who led the Olive Swords. The newest squad had been established two years ago, as a continuation of the Purple Orcas.

"It's alright," Kaethe replied, amused enough to let her lazy smile widen. "Our squad was sent here to look for the money, too."

Squad? Juno thought, nodding along. But, it seems like Kaethe's the only one here.

"Captain! I didn't expect to see anyone else out here."

Magna and Luck had finally emerged from the bushes. Magna eyed the woman suspiciously before patting Juno on the shoulder. "Great job! You took them out like they were nothing!"

"Yeah!" Luck balled up his fists excitedly. "You'll have to spar with me when we get back to the base!"

"Ah, sure," Juno replied awkwardly, not entirely sure how to react to the praise. "I was just following orders."

"Your magic was quite amazing," Kaethe replied, giving Juno an encouraging nod. "What was your name again? I don't believe we've formally met."

No, they hadn't. The only time Kaethe would have seen Juno was at the exam, when she didn't raise her hand for her.

"Juno," she replied anyway.

Kaethe raised an eyebrow. "Just Juno?"

"Yes. Just Juno."

Just Juno. She had become accustomed to that introduction. As she had grown older, Juno became aware of how… different she was from her siblings. Her family had never treated her differently, nor her squad, but the rest of the world certainly did.

"My dad warned me about you."

For whatever reason, it seemed like people believed she wasn't really Julius's daughter. But, in order for that to be true, there had to be another man. And Juno was certain that there wasn't. She had grown up watching the two of them every day, and there was no way her mom could have been unfaithful to her father. Either Lisa or Julius must have had a raven-haired relative somewhere along the way. However, the unwanted attention was heavy, so Juno did her best to avoid drawing more to herself. So, for the time being, she was Juno. Just Juno.

"... Well, Juno, it was nice to meet you," Captain Kaethe said, before turning back to Magna. "I'll leave the transportation of these five to you. Have a good day~"

She turned around, and disappeared back into the woods, leaving the trio confused.

"... she's nice," Juno commented as they began to drag the unconscious men away. She said she liked my magic , she thought to herself. It's nice to be recognized by a captain.

"Eh, a little too nice," Magna muttered. "I don't know what to believe with her."

"Huh? Why not?"

"She comes from a noble family that used to be very… powerful," Magna explained. "Nobles used to control everything back in the day. Since Asta became Wizard King, that power has been stripped away. They're like everyone else now." He shook his head. "No idea why one of 'em would be nice to us."

Us. Juno couldn't help but notice him using that word. I'm technically a noble too, aren't I? But, I suppose there's no way Kaethe would know that.

"Not all nobles are nasty, though," Luck commented, easily hoisting two men over his shoulders. "Julius, for example. He was nice to everyone even when things were unequal."

"True." Magna snorted, as if something were funny. Juno nearly missed the look Luck shot him, and Magna cleared his throat. "But, you're right… Kaethe's always been nice. Weird, but nice. And her magic is freaky…"

Juno couldn't disagree there. She nodded, falling silent as they began their trek out of the forest.

Something was gnawing at her insides.

Why do I feel like something awful is going to happen today?

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The sun dipped low, staining the sky red before it yielded to the night. The forest quieted. Yet, the worry in Lisa's heart did not.

Julius did his best to soothe her. First, with an evening walk. Then, a hot bubble bath. A warm, savory meal that she ate every bit of. A new book to read by the fire. A massage. A kiss. A few more. And more. And-

"Julius!" Lisa breathed, pushing him away as his lips started to trail down her neck, the hands on her hips grasping her with new intentions. "N-not in the living room!!"

"Hmm?" He hummed, unbothered. "We have the house to ourselves. What's the problem?"

"I-I-"

When he kissed her again, Lisa did not resist. She melted into his arms, to his whims, and for one brief moment, forgot the worries that had plagued her that entire day.

BANG BANG BANG

Both of them screamed and jumped, clutching each other tightly where they lay tangled together on the couch. "A visitor?!" Lisa whispered, glancing at the grandfather clock. It was almost ten at night.

"You have to be joking," Julius growled as he sat up, face still flushed. "They're going to regret coming here!"

He lurched up from the couch, stomping to the door as another knock echoed out. Lisa gulped, sitting up as well, her heart pounding.

Who would be…

Suddenly, it surged back; waves upon waves of nausea, fear, guilt, dread.

Something bad is about to happen.

Everything was in slow motion. She watched Julius's hand reach out toward the doorknob, and she panicked.

Don't open it. If you open it-

" Julius!" she screamed, but it was too late. The door swung open.

"..."

"Marx?" Julius said, startled by the advisor's presence, as well as Lisa's shout. "What-" He looked behind him to see Cobb there as well, his portal still open. "Er- why such a late call-"

"Julius-" Marx said breathlessly. Lisa paled at the sight of his face. He looked grave, as if…

Oh god…

"There's… there's been- something's happened."

No, no, no no no nonono-

Lisa's mouth opened, her breaths shallow.

Juno… please-

"Huh? What happened? " Julius asked, his eyes widening. "Why- who-"

Please God… someone hurt Juno, didn't they?! Someone-

It was worse than Lisa could have ever imagined.

"It's Julia. There's been an accident. They just brought her back from the trip…" Marx gulped, before gesturing at the portal. Lisa's heart was in pieces.

"You need to come. Now."

#black clover #black clover fic #next gen fic #black clover oc #oc: lisa #oc: julia #oc: juno #oc: kaethe #magna swing #luck voltia #julius novachrono #mimosa vermillion #lucius zogratis

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