Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS AGO, March 23rd 1989 –

THE LAST TIME RYOMEN SUKUNA WAS SEALED WAS SHORTLY AFTER HIS BELOVED , and that had been centuries ago. Asahi cocked his head to the side again, tongue darting out slightly before he began to recite the words.

“Blood of the Conjurer. Heart of the Victim. Tears of Sorrow. Whispers of the Departed…”

Léa’s eyes grew wide, understanding slowly setting in as she began to recognise the list.

“No.” She said simply, shaking her head more vehemently now. “You couldn’t possibly have…” The woman paused, taken aback by the words. “I know the ingredients of that forbidden spell by heart. What could you possibly gain by attempting such a thing? Bringing someone back from the dead?” There was an edge to her voice now, something intangible, incomprehensible. “There’s a reason us sorcerers never thread there!”

The Magistrate was very strict about these things. If anyone found out Asahi had attempted to… the Jujutsu Society would burn him alive, just as they had done their ancestors during the witch trials. There was a reason these things were forbidden, why the books had been burnt, their words forgotten. Some Jujutsu spells were closer to curses than to righteousness, and this was one of those. Bringing someone back from the dead was the stuff of Gods; The Maker, The Architect, The Widow… not of men like him; mortals.

Just his attempt at such a thing was considered to be sacrilegious.

“You wanted Sukuna handled, did you not? So that’s what I did.” The Kinzoku announced, wholly unbothered by the whole thing. “I made a binding vow with him.”

Léa Dubois’ blood ran cold at the admission.

“Asahi… what have you done?”

The question lingered in the air for what felt like an eternity but was probably only a couple of seconds. Asahi watched her, carefully assessing her reaction before his shoulders finally sagged, his posture relaxing sightly. It was odd for him to lower his guard, especially with her around, yet he couldn’t bring himself to keep his Eternity up a second longer when his talk with Sukuna had taken everything he had in him.

“The only thing I could think of to appease him.” Asahi answered simply, yet nothing in his tone made it casual. “I promised I would protect the vessel of his beloved so that she shall be reborn in this new era.” Something flashed in his golden eyes, like this admission pained him greatly. “I promised I would give him my own flesh and blood so Kogane could be returned.”

Kinzoku Kogane. The Sinner. The Mother. The Witch. Known by many names and hated by many others. Yet loved by only one. As far as anyone was concerned, curses didn’t have feelings; curses weren’t supposed to love. And yet, it seemed someone forgot to give Sukuna the memo. No one in this world had loved more fiercely and more truly than Ryomen Sukuna.

Well, maybe someone. And look how that ended? Léa couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony of it.

“This spell has never worked.” The woman spoke through gritted teeth as she recalled the history lessons she’d been taught. “There hasn’t been a successful casting of it since it was created. Why would Sukuna have believed you?”

No sorcerer had ever casted the spell properly, not even after gathering every single ingredient, not even after performing the necessary sacrifice. And yet, why didn’t Léa doubt if anyone were able to do it properly, it would be him? Fucking Kinzoku Asahi – perfect in every sense, even the biblical one.

“Because I showed him.” Asahi said slowly. “I took my pregnant wife up to him and let him feel the life of his beloved.”

“What you’ve done… this will have consequences.” Léa sidestepped the desk, walking over to Asahi with sure yet slow steps. “You have doomed us all.” She whispered, awestruck by the force of her own words and knowing there was nothing but truth in them.

Sukuna was a curse. He was cruel, he was madness and he delighted in the pain of others. But he was a curse. Kogane, on the other hand… Oh, Kogane. She was wrath. She was fury. She was the wings steeped in gold, she was the song of chaos, she was the trumped of the end. She was divine, and rapture, and everything holly, and yet, she’d chosen hell instead. The reason why Kogane was so dangerous, why her power was so brutal… she’d seen heaven, and then turned her back on it. Before Kinzoku Kogane became a curse, she was a sorceress. The sorceress.

“If there’s anyone more dangerous that Ryomen Sukuna, that is his lover; his beloved, the Queen of Sin herself – Kinzoku Kogane.” Léa droned on, hoping her words would finally register and maybe then Asahi would understand the gravity of what he’d done. “And you’ve just given her a mortal vessel.” The woman stepped back, mouth agape. “What have you done.”

Asahi’s expression never changed. Either because he was completely disinterested, caring very little about what his ancestor may do, or because he finally saw a side of Léa he never thought he would. She was afraid. Truly, utterly and completely terrified.

“Hopefully, ensure our mutual destruction.” Asahi spoke evenly as he leaned in, whispering against her ear. “With this, I am buying my freedom from you.” He said quietly, breath ghosting against Léa’s ear. “Léa Dubois, you and your Magistrate will never hold any power over me and my family ever again.”

Léa looked up at him, her big brown eyes colliding with his perfect sunset ones.

“You would risk the entirety of the Jujutsu Society – of the world – just to buy your family some semblance of safety?” She asked, incredulous.

Asahi didn’t move an inch, simply smiling.

“From this moment on, you might be the Head of The Magistrate,” He began, the threat lingering in his words. “but I assure you, Léa Dubois, I am the King of Sorcerers.” The Kinzoku cocked his head to the side, eyes glowing with mirth. “Move against me and my family and I will unleash the wrath of Kinzoku Kogane on you and your own.”