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Mage Ch. 4

Remedy

"I still don't see how you're infatuated with that panda Damien." Cameron commented as both teens rode their bicycles home.

The husky, who was starting to become flustered by this point from the reproaching topic glared at his friend. "It's not like that! He just looked like he needed someone to talk to that's all..." Although those words were in fact true, Damien couldn't help his cheeks from burning.

Noticing this, Cameron groaned in dismay. "Looks like I'll have to babysit another one! Zeus strike me now from the heavens above!" He shouted at the sky and to add for a more dramatic effect, his paws let go of the handle bars and reached upward while his legs still pedaled on.

"You are way too melodramatic for someone who shows the classic symptoms of tsundere." Damien knew he struck a nerve but it was too much fun seeing his friend get all flared up because of a single word describing him exactly the way he was.

And just on cue, the cheetah gave a threatening scowl but he wasn't scared. The two of them have teased each other like this ever since they became good friends and each was funnier than the last though sometimes one would take it too far and both ended up fighting but they've always made up in the end. "You watch too much anime...and I'm not like that!"

"Oh you're not are you? Then how come on my birthday last year you bought me a gift, even though you've clearly stated that I wasn't going to get one from you?" He was met with silence but continued nonetheless. "Or yesterday, when I introduced Justin to everyone you never said for him to go away or anything remotely to that effect?" More silence.

Eventually Cameron grumbled under his breath until the typical 'whatever' came out of his mouth and they rode on in a new found quietness that settled between them before arriving to their destination. "Home sweet home eh?"

Damien frowned at the pure white mansion like building in front of him that was obscured by black iron bars. "You know as well I do is that there's nothing sweet about coming here." With a flick of a wrist the gates opened and both boys went inside, heading straight to the garage to park their bikes. As expected, his parents haven't returned yet and this was evident due to the lack of missing vehicles but he never worried because they have always ignored him whenever they returned.

His father was the head of some company he couldn't recall while his mother, a mundane christian woman who went out to her church for frequent bible studies and the like that both men couldn't quite indulge into due to their beliefs. In the past, while Damien was still a pup she would try to take him with her to these events but the boy would flat out refuse each time until eventually she gave up.

Both parents would be away from home all the way until morning came and even then, Damien was practically alone with no one to play or chat with. In elementary he tried making friends but was brushed off like he was non-existent. Then middle school came along and he became best buds with the three guys he knew now, becoming an inseparable bunch.

"So..." Cameron said as he stood near the entrance, snapping the husky out of his sad but happy memories. "Are you gonna stare off into space all day or allow us both in?" This caused the other boy to blush in slight embarrassment.

"Sorry about that! Was taking a little trip down memory lane..." With a meek scratch to his neck, Damien unlocked the door to allow them inside. Taking a look around, he sighed at the usual grandiose pearl marble staircase leading upstairs and the decorated pillars to hold up the place. Closing his eyes, both boys turned right to head down to the basement and from there four doors resided. Picking the one closest to him, he opened it and plopped down on a bed with a content sigh. "I love my room..." He mumbled to himself.

Cameron only shook his head at the sight though a small smile split onto his lips. "I don't see much to reminisce about..." A shrug followed with his words before continuing on, "I mean it was just junior high...nothing particularly special about it."

"Yeah but I got a chance to meet all of you guys!" Damien began to sit up into an Indian style position, facing his friend with a smile. "And there's nothing more special to me than that." He noticed the cheetah stare at him with wide eyes for a moment then turned around, tail keeping very still.

"I hate it when you say stuff like that." Cameron huffed out and his ears laid flat on his skull from hearing the husky laugh. "But anyway, back to the original topic! It's pretty obvious you like panda boy am I wrong?"

Again the white fur on Damien's cheeks burned like crimson and he averted his gaze. "Uhh...w-well...y-yeah...yeah I do." He admitted, scratching the back of his neck and stammering like he was tongue tied making his feline friend laugh hysterically.

Cameron still kept going as if it were the best joke he's heard in a long time until finally he was reduced to mere chuckles. "I'm sorry but it's only been a day and already you've fallen for him that hard? Jeez man...you're never going to get anywhere in life being like that."

It was the husky's turn to huff out in annoyance this time as he flopped himself on the bed, groaning into the pillow before picking his head up. "Yeah I guess but what am I supposed to do? I would wait for him to loosen up but waiting sucks and he's pretty cute looking too..." A wide grin appeared on his muzzle as his mind wandered on about the panda, causing him to giggle.

"You're hopeless, you know that right?" The feline said with an impassive stare towards Damien until losing interest and walked out, heading down the hall to another room. "And since you're so willing to go through with this, you have my blessing!" He shouted with a sarcastic flair.

Damien just rolled his eyes in response, not even bothering to answer back. He was in too good of a mood as of this point. 'I'll tell him how I feel soon'

All Rowen could do was stare after the vehicle that just left school grounds, disappearing out of sight. With a deep sigh he returned his attention to the two that had the exact same look on their faces; worry and confusion. He didn't understand at all what was going on and even if Xun explained more questions would be involved but he stilled his mind on the matter. 'We'll just have to wait and see...'

"So what was that all about?" Zane asked after a few minutes of silence though no one could really answer.

"I don't really know...but it seemed to be important by the way Xun ran off like that." Gwen stated and she was right in regards to how he acted with haste.

Rowen stayed silent on the conversation however, as his mind quickly went back to the brief moment when they were close. His heart was beating so loud like drums that he was afraid if anyone else heard and as he gazed into those forest green eyes he wanted nothing more than to confess his true feelings for him right then and there.

Unfortunately for him though, his musings had ceased once he felt some vibration in his pocket. Digging into it, he fished out his phone to see that there was a text from Xun. Opening it and reading the contents of said message his joyous mood changed into shock.

Noticing the sudden change of emotion, Gwen came right up to the feline. "What did he say?" It wasn't long before Zane came up beside her asking the same thing.

"Apparently his brother has demonic taint inside of him but the infection is spreading slowly. I'm not sure how that's even possible but thank the gods the little guy isn't a thrall right now." Rowen was indeed glad for that fact but he was a tad perplexed on the slow progress.

"Oh wow...so wait, why is Jake with them?" Gwen questioned but no one truly had an answer until she spoke again with excitement in her eyes. "Oh yeah! Now I remember...he practices medicine."

"The kind that professional doctors use right?" Zane asked and received a shake of the head, making him hang his head in dismay.

"Alright...how to say this as simple as possible..." Her brows furrowed in concentration, eyes glued to the ground as if they would speak to her until those amber eyes snapped up to attention and with a smile Gwen started her explanation. "Okay so you know how whenever we heal someone we're using our own energy right? That energy is used for only physical injuries and nothing else."

Both guys nodded though Rowen understood all of this since every student was basically taught on that particular subject but as of what else the ferret might say he might not know about. It was true that each every mage uses energy though that applies to every spell they do, whether it was offensive or defensive magic.

"Now as for Jake, he specializes in anatomy to which we have the gist of but not all of it. His healing properties are much more in depth than our own since it treats both body and mind...so with that conclusion it's obvious he's going to get rid of the taint that's inside of Justin as of this moment." Gwen muttered the last few words but they were heard and she had her paws cupping her chin, lost in thought for now.

As for Zane he yawned and stretched his sore muscles, seeming to be tired from Rowen's perspective. "Okay so now that we know the little dudes gonna be alright, what are we gonna do? Head home?"

_'I guess that's all we can do for today...There's not much else to do.'_With an inwardly sigh, Rowen addressed that he was leaving and headed off to his truck but as he neared it his arm was caught in a tight grip. Startled, he turned around to find a female Golden Retriever in a cheer leading outfit accompanied by a puma and lioness. "May I...help you?"

The retriever giggled upon hearing the deep, rumbling voice and pushed her breasts on his arm. "Hi there! I'm Tracy!" In a swift but casual motion she pointed first towards the puma, introducing the girl as Robin and then the lioness who was Lucy.

"Right..." He really wanted to tell these girls to leave and that he had important matters to attend but the words wouldn't come out. "Is there a reason why you've stopped me?" Silently in his mind, the feline prayed to the gods that this woman wasn't here for what he thought she wanted.

Unfortunately though, this was correct because her face seemed to light up at that moment. "Yeah yeah! I almost forgot because you look strong...and built...sexy doesn't even begin to describe you." Luckily for Rowen, the three girls never got a chance to see him make a disgusted face thanks to them gushing all over him though he wasn't in the least interested. "But anyway, I was wondering if you were free today...or..."

After hearing those signature words, Rowen took on a blank expression and shrugged off the grip she had on him. "Not interested" He said and proceeded back to his truck, leaving the girl and her friends in a dumbfounded state.

"What the hell?" Tracy scoffed then stormed off in the opposite direction with her friends in tow, giving the feline evil glares though he couldn't care less at the moment.

With a roll of his eyes he hopped inside and drove towards home, glad to be done with school for today but dreaded on coming face to face with his father. He wondered why the man was angry in the first place though that answer wasn't hard to figure out, considering the fact he was partially late last night. 'Now that I think about it...that must be the reason why he sent me off to bed rather than confront me.' Sadness filled Rowen in an instant after coming upon this and he felt like such a fool for how he acted but quick as a flash the negative emotions that were beginning to plague him vanished once his house was in sight.

After parking in the garage Rowen climbed out then trudged inside and unsurprisingly his father was present but there was no show of anger. "Hey dad...how was work?" A silly question at best and to make this clear, the older man took a deep breath then sighed heavily, as if the very notion of it made him aggravated.

"Son, I am not here to make small talk or have a pleasant conversation and you know this as well as I do...so please sit." Without a word of rebuttal the young feline did what he was told, looking straight up towards the man with no emotion in his eyes. "Now tell me why you came home late last night and don't give any excuses."

Rowen closed his eyes for a moment then sighed, thinking on what to say and not give anything that might bite him later on. Silence followed and the only sound that could be heard was a clock making it's usual ticking. Having collected his thoughts, he looked up towards his father and began his explanation.

Throughout the beginning Alexander seemed fine as he listened to his son, nodding every now and then and sometimes interrupting only to help him out or give some feedback. However, once Rowen got to the part about the hell hounds his mood darkened and it was if he were a complete statue with how the man stood so still.

After having finished, silence enveloped again then another heavy sigh came from the older feline as he looked at his son. "Why did you not tell me this? You knew it was completely dangerous, yet you went anyway?"

All Rowen could do was nod in response. He didn't have much of a answer to back up his actions and the truer one he held within didn't have much merit, or so he thought. Regardless, an answer was needed and soon. "I did it because if I told you what was really happening you would probably keep me here as if I were still a young kitten!" There wasn't any reason to yell but with how things were turning out, he felt like there wasn't any other choice.

"Damn right I would had I known you would do something like this!" His father rebuked, raising his voice a few octaves. "I know you're not a cub anymore but you are still my son!" A deep growl emitted from his throat and he turned away, not even looking at the young feline. "That is all I have to say on the matter. If you have anything to add, speak now."

"I have nothing else to say dad..." Rowen responded with his eyes glued to the floor, paws curled into fists and tail trying very hard to keep from lashing about.

"Very well...you can go now" Alexander commanded and soon the man was already heading up the stairs, done with what he had to do today.

Soon the sound of a door closing signaled that Rowen was left with himself, alone with nothing but his thoughts and they were mostly leaning toward negative. Why couldn't the man see that he can truly take care of himself? It wasn't like he was doing anything wrong with wanting to show this to him so why be upset?

With a tired sigh he proceeded to his room and hastily stripped down to just his gym shorts, leaving himself bare chested. Taking a look upon the mirror, a smile tugged on his muzzle as he sized himself up. Broad shoulders that fit the type of a football player, thick pectorals along with washboard abs, big biceps and tree trunk thighs. It was still amazing to Rowen how his snow white fur could compliment the physical changes but even so, he truly reveled in it. "Yet I have to hide all of this in a suit...oh well."

Grabbing a nearby towel Rowen set off towards the workout room that was adjacent to his own and once inside he sat himself down on a bench, taking deep breaths before beginning his session. It wasn't uncommon for him to do this or read whenever he had a dispute with his father and really, this solution was the best medicine for him to calm down and set his mind straight.

'Might as well get started!' With that thought he laid back and slowly lifted the barbell from it's usual position lifting it up and down repeatedly. Minutes passed by as he exercised, mind and body working in tandem but soon vivid daydreams started to take over though this didn't make him falter in the slightest.

It consisted of Xun wearing nothing but undergarments and looking completely vulnerable with his ears splayed back, eyes downcast and feet shuffling to and fro. Rowen wanted nothing more than to grab him and have his way with the panda, not even caring who would hear or see but truth be told those actions would turn him on even further.

He didn't know where all of these feelings were coming from but none of this mattered to him at the moment as his biceps kept pumping furiously while his mind continued to add fuel to the fire, imagining now that his longtime friend was naked and wanting him. Licking his lips, he sauntered over to Xun then gently laid him on his back. Hovering, Rowen eased himself down on top of the furry body and looked deep into those forest green eyes before giving a passionate...

Suddenly the sound of a phone ringing could be heard, snapping the feline back into reality with eyes wide like saucers and his arms stood outstretched holding the barbell still. After settling the object back into place he sat up with confusion. "What was that just now...?" Rowen mumbled to himself then groaned once he noticed his full on tent in the shorts he wore. The urge to paw was present and it grew steadily stronger as his cock throbbed in the tight, confined space wanting to be free but unfortunately that would have to wait so with a sigh he trudged on over to the hallway still hearing the sound but it was not from his own phone.

Groaning softly in dismay he headed back to the gym and plopped down on the bench, drenched in sweat. He wondered briefly if Xun was alright and hoped that his brother would be safe as well. 'Let it be good news once we hear about it...' He thought with a sigh then grabbed his towel, dried himself off and proceeded to his room to rest.

To say that Xun was worried would have been a complete understatement, as would being concerned but these words would not even fit into how many times he's asked the shepherd if things would turn out smoothly. The amount of stress that he was having would probably top his father at this rate he was going and it wasn't stopping for no one.

"Bro you need to have more faith and calm down," Justin said trying to relieve the stressed out bear but he wasn't having much success because Xun's mood darkened.

Jake sighed and shook his head. "Your brother is right...if you do not cease what you are doing right now we're more likely to get into an accident at any moment." This much was true since they were still driving down the road with mild traffic all around them.

Seeing how the dog was correct and not wanting more levels of stress to corrupt him Xun let out a deep breath he held in for the longest time then closed his eyes for a quick second before opening them again. "Sorry about that, it's just you're my little brother and..." His muzzle hung open, unable to finish off the sentence and he felt a paw on his shoulder knowing who it belonged to.

"I know how protective you are of us but really, we can take of ourselves! You know that...so don't worry yourself to death over anything that goes wrong with us alright?" After seeing the older panda nod his head, Justin smiled and let go.

It was a silent ride from then on, leaving Xun to have a clear mind and truly think on how he was able to slow the taints progress. The whole thing was still a mystery to him and there weren't any leads or clues to how it was happening. However, he was grateful for whatever it is for sparing his little brother from becoming a mindless thrall.

"We're here" Jake said, snapping Xun out of his reverie and having to park near a two-story home to which both pandas stared at for a few moments. Noticing their brief amazement he chuckled and got out of the car. "I will assume you two have never seen poverty?"

Justin was the first to focus his attention towards the shepherd with his paws held up in a defensive manner. "Oh no you've got it wrong! I mean, we have been in this state before until our parents found better jobs...it's just been awhile since we've...ya know..." He averted his gaze and scratched the back of his neck.

Again the canine chuckled, seeming to have taken no offense. "I understand but come come, we have a task to accomplish." He walked off towards the house with both boys following behind but quickly stopped as Jake turned around. "Ah yes, please remove your shoes before roaming around. It's a rule of ours." Not receiving an answer, only their undivided attention he proceeded and opened the door ushering the two inside.

Upon entering and removing his shoes, a very pleasant smell assaulted Xun's nose making his mouth water. "Oh wow...something smells good! Who's cooking?" He didn't even wait for an answer as his feet started moving on their own and he disappeared down the way.

"Umm...shouldn't we stop him?" Justin asked with a bit of a smile edging on his muzzle.

Jake shook his head in response. "No, besides he'll like what he finds soon" He started to laugh after noticing the boys confusion. "You'll see what I mean...come!"

The scent grew stronger with every step and soon a grin played upon Xun's lips. Within minutes he found himself inside a kitchen only to find a furry butt wagging in his view. _'Okay...'_At first his initial reaction would have been to quietly back out, walk away and watch something gory or play video games nonstop until the image had been completely erased from his mind but that wasn't the case. Slowly the bear sneaked up behind the unsuspecting fur, delighting himself in watching the males balls swinging to and fro. However, just as Xun was close enough to give a firm slap and a bit of a playful squeeze his paw was seized.

Startled, he turned to see Jake standing there giving him a blank stare then focused his attention to the furry rump before them. "Now father, we've been over this countless times...please put on some clothing whenever I bring guests." Upon hearing him did they see the body stiffen with one floppy ear perking up and quickly turning around.

In full view was an adult sized Jake with a pudgy gut and muscle all around. Aside from the shape, his fur looked very kept and silky to the touch as if a professional had done a complete makeover on him. What really stood out on him were the color of his eyes...amber and amethyst. "Hey son!" He greeted in a cheerful manner with a waving spatula in paw before raising a brow and scanning his eyes between the two pandas. "Who are they? Friends of yours?"

"Acquaintances I've met at school and again, please put something on." Jake doted with a sigh then turned and proceeded towards Justin, took his paw and lead him around a corner. "As much as I would like to chat and explain things father I can't at the moment! Xun come to my room once you two introduce yourselves!" He shouted and closed a door that was apparently nearby.

Leaving the two alone for a moment, Xun turned to face the man before him but what he saw almost made him turn on his fight or flight instincts. The jolly, upbeat dog he witnessed before had his thick arms crossed over his bare chest and he did not look too happy. "Uh...." He couldn't get a word out and even though the guy was practically naked he knew what would be the end results if a line was crossed.

"So what are you here for and what were you planning on doing while I had my back turned?" The man questioned with a very serious demeanor about him but was met with silence. "Well? Are you gonna answer or am I gonna have to make you spit it out?"

Xun couldn't believe what was going on right now but he didn't care about any of that at the moment because if no answer came from him soon there would be stars in his eyes. "Your ass..." He answered with a meek scratch to the back of his neck.

"Huh?" The canine cocked his head to the right before shaking his head. "You're going to have to speak up boy."

With cheeks burning crimson Xun repeated himself louder and once those words left his mouth silence fell all around. Embarrassment filled him right then and there but this wasn't his main concern, it was the other male present who's eyes were wide like saucers. Just when it seemed like things could take a turn for the worse, laughter was heard. "Why are you laughing?" He didn't understand what was going on right now but was partially relieved for this, although he cursed his white fur because there was no hiding how he felt.

Eventually the man was reduced to nothing more than a few chuckles before clearing his throat to speak. "Sorry about that. Just wanted to have a bit of fun is all" He said with a grin then extended a paw out for a shake. "Name's Sam Snow!"

Hesitantly the panda reached out and clasped the other paw. "Xun Ling...umm about what I was going to do earlier..." His explanation was soon cut short as the shepherd shook his head with another chuckle coming out.

"Don't worry about it. I knew what you were gonna do and trust me, I wouldn't get offended at all since this sort of thing happens often whenever I'm in the buff and have my back turned." Just then, all of a sudden after Sam introduced himself his ears perked up and he gave Xun an an evil grin, stepping closer to him. "So you like a big burly man's ass huh?" A lusty growl escaped out of his throat and loomed ever closer, causing the panda to back away.

"Huh? Umm...I...I guess...yeah..." Xun mentally slapped himself for that. Why on earth did he answer truthfully to a stranger?! Soon he was up against the wall with nowhere to go and could smell the other male now. "I'm getting a bit uncomfortable here..." And surprisingly turned on by the current actions though he hoped Sam wouldn't notice.

Just as when it seemed his first kiss was going to be stolen away, the shepherd backed away with another barking laugh to follow. "Oh man you should have seen your face! Priceless!" While pointing a finger at the now flustered bear, Sam clutched onto his sides for dear life as he continued with mirth.

Feeling rather embarrassed for the day, Xun left the kitchen quietly fuming and grumbling to himself along the way. As he walked down the hall to try and find Jakes room his feet came to a complete halt while his eyes roamed the interior of the household. The walls were painted a dark green, light brown carpeting, some pictures of the boys family lined the walls...it reminded him of how he used to live struggling in poverty. 'Yet they make the best out of it day by day...' A deep sigh escaped him and once he turned, his heart almost jumped out of his chest upon noticing Jake standing there patiently. "What the hells?! I didn't even hear you move!"

"A secret of mine" Jake responded with an absent wave of his paw before grabbing Xun by the arm and tugging him, ignoring all of his protests. "I know your brother isn't in any severe danger as of this moment but I would like to start treating him now." He didn't say anything further as he lead the teen to what would be his room though as the two entered, Justin was nowhere to be found.

"Where is my brother?" Xun questioned but Jake didn't answer as he simply crossed over to a wall adjacent to were he was standing and placed a paw on the wall. Seconds later it shifted and moved upward, causing other panels to do the same making a small doorway. "How...did...you...do that?" The bear was in awe by what he had seen although in his mind he wondered just who was he dealing with.

"A modification I have requested among other things" A grin spread upon the shepherds muzzle as he went through the hollow space with Xun following close behind.

As they proceeded down the dark yet well lit hallway, he briefly wondered how this was even possible. The walls were clean cut and smooth to the touch, very spacious on all sides and strangely enough there was a pleasant smell. Although this seemed very awesome to Xun there was one nagging question on his mind. "So Jake..." One floppy ear was raised in attention "why go through all of this trouble to treat Justin? Does your dad know?" It wasn't like he was trying to get into the dogs personal life and business but he was curious.

At this Jake let out a sigh. "Yes, he is well informed of my practices and completely understands why I do this. As for the secrecy I will tell you another time now hurry, you're slacking." He said without turning his head.

Without a word of protest or a grumble he followed, eventually seeing light around the corner. Coming closer Xun shielded his eyes because of the near blinding effect before putting them down and what lay in front of him made his mouth agape again in awe. There were flowers everywhere and in all different varieties as well planted in each of the four corners. In the middle stood a fountain bringing forth sparkling water and with how the room was brightly lit up, it shined beautifully. "This is...incredible! I'm amazed right now!" He praised while beaming at the shepherd.

"Another one that I have requested and I'm glad to see that you've taken a liking to this although it is just simply a garden." With that said Jake proceeded but suddenly swiped his left arm out, stopping Xun in his tracks. "There is a special enchantment here that will instantly drain your magic if you step through without me dispelling it."

It was known that mages can regenerate their magic during sleep but depending on how much energy is depleted he or she may sleep for days or even months. None have ever made it to a year thankfully though it was likely possible though it all came down to the certain individual.

Taking heed of the warning Xun stepped back and watched whatever Jake was planning to do. As he stepped up closer to the entrance his paws clasped together while bowing his head, as if in prayer. In seconds he saw the boys body glow but just as soon as it came it vanished without a trace, almost making him groan in dismay. 'That sucked...' He huffed in annoyance, hoping for a spectacular light show but those thoughts were soon dismissed.

It seemed that Jake was done as his body started moving once more and he removed a slip of paper, turning around and motioning with his paw to come over. Closing the distance, his head cocked to the right in a puzzled fashion. "Are you alright? You look very unhappy."

"Well..." Xun's cheeks blushed crimson for the third or fourth time today and sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "I was sorta hoping there would be...more than just what I saw...heh." He really did want to see a light show but unfortunately life was not forgiving to him.

The canine let out a barking laugh that almost resembled his father until he regained himself. "I'm sorry to disappoint you but this particular spell does not require much effort of me though it does provide quite powerful protection."

'Protection? From what exactly?' He knew there wouldn't be an answer to that but his curiosity was peaked enough to want to know more. However, he also figured it might be shared later on so with that thought Xun set his sights back towards his brother. "So where is he?"

"Look in front of you"

He did as he was ordered and felt completely stupid for not noticing any sooner if his attention wasn't focused on everything else. Justin was asleep on a laid out blanket, snoozing away peacefully. "Is there a reason for why he's like this?"

Jake nodded in response. "It is so things can run smoothly with no dangers involved" His face darkened at that as he stared off into the distance, seeming to recapture a memory he would want to forget. "The very first time I've done this, my patient was wide awake and the events that followed were catastrophic so now I make sure they rest." With nothing else to add he went forward to the sleeping panda.

_'I can't imagine what must have happened in here during that time...'_Xun felt bad for the canine and wished that memory could be erased but knew that he would refuse it if ever offered to him. After shaking his head to clear away those thoughts he obediently followed and once near his brother he crouched and softly caressed the side of his face while Jake walked past them. "So is there anything I should know about before you start?" He asked, doubt and fear already beginning to cloud his mind.

"Yes" The dog answered as he came back with a steaming cup in paw then crouched down on the opposite side of Justin, staring at the older bear with a very serious look "you'll have to bind him so he won't injure us or himself."

Xun didn't object so once more he did as he was told, white glowing chains wrapped around Justin's wrists and ankles so he wouldn't escape although his mind was at an misunderstanding. Why bind him when there's not much taint? It didn't sound terrible once the particular news was shared and nothing in Jake's tone or movements indicated he lied so why now all of a sudden? "You've never mentioned doing this."

"I've realized but would you really be willing to do this if I gave the details sooner?" Jake asked and with a sigh, Xun shook his head. "That is fine. It is only natural for you to see that no harm comes to your brother and I commend you for it but we must get this done now or we'll pay later on."

With a flick of the wrist the chains were wrapped tighter but not too much to where Justin would be uncomfortable. He didn't want to watch, to stay and see if something dreadful will happen but he had no choice in the matter because of his condition. Seconds ticked by and Jake sat motionless, his eyes staring at Xun with the cup still in his paw. Only then did realization hit that he was waiting for him to give him the okay. "Do it..."

Giving only a nod in response, the canine parted open Justin's lips and slowly poured the contents inside while watching his throat to make sure his body was responding and functioning properly. After having it all guzzled down Jake placed the cup down near his side and both teens waited.

No later had a minute passed by once the young bear showed any sign of the remedy working through him. First, he gasped then gritted his teeth as if he were in an insurmountable amount of pain and suddenly his body started to struggle against the restraints done to him. Next came the cries added with more thrashing about.

Xun couldn't bear to see his little brother like this and he had to fight not to pounce on Jake and force him to stop the process but he knew that would do no good whatsoever because it has already started and there was no backing out now.

"Agh! Aaaah!" Justin cried out, causing the older pandas heart to shatter at it let on. He struggled more fiercely than ever before trying to break free but to no avail.

Fighting back tears, Xun had his eyes glued to the floor just so he wouldn't witness anymore but the cries, whimpers and feeble struggles were beginning to be too much. When Justin shouted out his name, begging for him to help and release the restraints the dam broke and fresh tears streamed down his cheeks. 'Dammit...Dammit...Dammit! Why?'_The feeling of helplessness weighed on him and all he could do was punch the ground in frustration. _'It's not fair! Why is this all happening so soon? What did he do to deserve this?'

"Xun..." Jake spoke with sympathy in his tone and laid a paw on the bears shoulder. "Trust me, it will be over soon."

Wiping away the tears and calming down some, Xun nodded and thanked him though his heart was still heavy. True to his word however, the session did end very quickly and the young bear had come down to only a few gasps before both teens saw splotches of ivory red cover certain parts of his body. "That's not a little..."

"Believe me when I say this that your sibling is very lucky. In most cases, I have seen where a fur had their entire body enveloped in taint and some were near to completion of becoming a thrall so do not doubt me Ling!" Jake exclaimed with his eyes boring into the pandas skull before closing them and letting out a deep breath as he stood up off the ground. Like earlier with the enchantment spell he gradually got into the usual stance but this time a great deal of light glowed from the canine, almost blinding the bear though luckily he shielded his eyes.

Removing his arm, Xun resumed watching the performance, his mind calming down somewhat as he could feel it coming to an end. He watched as Jake got down on one knee and simply touched the young bears chest then suddenly, the splotches were all fading away while a small red mist floated above and disappeared into nothingness. Feeling glad that those were gone his attention became focused upon Justin, never noticing the canine returning to normal.

However, Jake cleared his throat to catch the teen's attention. "You can unbind him now. It is done."

Xun didn't have to be told twice as he hurriedly got rid of the spell and cradled his brother close in arms. He was more than overjoyed that the whole process was done and over with, glad to see Justin ridden of demonic taint. With his eyes never leaving the boy, he addressed the canine that was still present. "Thanks...for doing this."

"You are very much welcome. I would supply you with a bill for this..." Upon hearing those words out of Jakes lips did the panda snap his head in attention, causing him to chuckle "but I chose not to, considering what you've just went through."

He sighed in relief. It was already hectic enough to have him sit here and witness such an event but to have a bill that would probably have been costly would cause his stress levels to sky rocket again. Overall, Xun was thankful this had happened. His thoughts became derailed after hearing someone come into a coughing fit and looking down to see the young panda beginning to wake. "Justin?" He cried out, expecting to see those brown eyes.

Eventually Justin's eyes fluttered open and a groan escaped him. "I feel like someone knocked the wind out of me...all I remember is having some sort of drink and then falling asleep." He tried to move but was occupied with arms wrapped around him and tilted his head, confused. "Umm...what happened while I was out?"

"I have removed the demonic taint out of your body. Can you stand?" Jake questioned though his eyes went straight to Xun, indicating for him to let go.

"I think so..." Justin slowly began to get on his feet after being freed and stretched with a yawn. "Well everything seems fine and I feel a lot better than before." With a smile he turned around to face the canine "Thanks."

Jake simply nodded and stood up himself with Xun doing the same. "It is no problem at all. Now that we're done here we should go. Shall we?" All three teens left the garden but not before sealing it again.

As they made their way back into the bedroom, curiosity sparked inside Xun's mind with a vengeance and he desperately wanted to have an answer now. "Okay really, what's there to protect in that place? Is it something big?"

"No" Jake answered in a flat tone once they proceeded down the hall. "And the answer to your previous question are the flowers."

"Huh..." He didn't expect that sort of answer though thinking on it now, he could see why since there were plenty of varieties and from the looks of them they seemed almost rare to him. Not even bothering to ask on how the rooms were 'modified' to his tastes he walked on in silence until coming to the entrance and slipping his shoes back on.

"Well I guess we're ready to go" Justin said as he unlocked the door and opened it. "See you at school!" And with a wave goodbye he walked away with Xun saying his farewells also then following the young bear back to his car. "This was an interesting day"

Xun could only sigh heavily in response as both of them climbed in. "You have no idea..." At this, Justin tilted his head but never said anything more once they drove down the road towards home.