Marichat May 2020

Day 22 - Kiss

"The spell will become permanent in three days. Say goodbye to your precious princess."

Adrien felt his jaw tighten, anger bubbling up inside of him. He had exhausted every resource, every favor he was owed, every nonsensical idea. Nothing had proved successful, and he was running out of time to save her.

The corrupted lord who called himself Hawkmoth had always tormented Adrien and Princess Marinette as they worked to make things right within the kingdom. He'd perverted all their attempts to rectify injustices, but their last encounter with him had proved to be disastrous.

Just when the two of them thought they'd righted a wrong, Hawkmoth appeared to destroy their work once more. He was more ruthless than ever, revealing his dark magic and casting a spell over Marinette. She would be asleep for three days, and at midnight on the morning of the fourth day, she would awaken and be completely loyal to Hawkmoth.

There was only one way to break the spell. Hawkmoth had told Adrien himself.

"To break the spell, she must receive true love's kiss. But I won't let you even look upon your beloved princess's face after this moment. Adieu, Adrien," Hawkmoth had hissed, disappearing into a flurry of smoke with Marinette in his arms.

Adrien felt his hands clench into fists, tears of fury pricking his eyes. He couldn't stop seeing the dread in his princess's eyes as Hawkmoth's magic entered her heart. He was wracked with guilt from not being quick enough to have blocked his attack.

Just when he thought all was lost, the beginnings of dusk washing the sky, a long lost memory resurfaced in his mind.

Adrien had once encountered a traveler from the east on a journey to a distant town for medicine. He'd presented Adrien with a strange gift after speaking with him for a few mere moments. He was instructed that he should only use it as a last resort and for a good and pure cause. The traveler was certain that he would be in need of it and told him explicitly that he would need to hide it until that time came. That man was the strangest character Adrien had ever come across, but he felt a great need to trust him, so he did as he said.

It was at his moment of utter despair that this thought came into his mind, and he knew it was no coincidence.

Adrien rushed to where he'd hidden the curious box, pulling up the wooden floorboard near the north wall of his humble dwelling. He brushed the dust from the lid, pulling it open and jumping back in surprise when the light of the sun filled the room.

When the light faded, Adrien looked around, his heart beating quickly. Whatever had happened had shaken his trust of the traveler he'd met. Only magic could conjure such a magnitude of light, and if it was dark magic like Hawkmoth's, he wanted nothing to do with the traveler's present.

He finally laid his eyes on it as it floated in the air. A small black cat was looking back at him, glaring just the way he was.

"What are you?" Adrien asked, backing away a little, investigating the creature and wondering what possible use he could have for it.

"I'm a kwami," the being spoke, making Adrien flinch.

"What is your purpose?" he wondered, watching as the creature, the kwami, glanced around the room.

"I'm assuming the guardian didn't explain," it sighed, and Adrien blinked at him, perplexed.

"Nevermind. I'm the being that gives your ring the energy it needs to transform you," the kwami explained, and Adrien glanced down at the box, seeing that there was a black ring nestled there.

"Transform me? Into what?" Adrien wondered, holding up the ring in the dim light and inspecting it. It was heavier than he'd expected, and it was made of a metal that he hadn't seen before.