Prologue
It was the day after Christmas, known as Boxing Day in England. A light snow was still falling on Misaki City, the inhabitants wandered through the streets or stayed in their homes, unaware of the catastrophe that had narrowly been avoided. The hero and heroines of the city unknown to its populace, and it would stay that way, which is perhaps best.
Who would know what would happen should the human race find out the truth of the world? That beings called Guze no Tomogora eat humans' existence in order to gain power, and that Flame Hazes hunt them, to keep the balance of the world. That a passer-by, a close friend, might already be dead, nothing but a temporary replacement to keep the balance of the world, a Torch.
The hero and heroines in question are an unusual group, three Flame Hazes, and a Mystes, a Torch that carries a Hougu, a treasure, still recover from the events of Christmas Eve. In particular, the Mystes and one of the Flame Hazes, for much change has occurred in their lives over the past two days, changing their futures forever.
The Mystes in question bears the name Sakai Yuji, and although many Flame Haze do not have names, just titles, this Flame Haze has two names. The name of the girl whose existence she 'barged into' after the girl died, was replaced with a Torch which disappeared as all Torches are destined to, Hirai Yukari; and also the name the Mystes gave her, Shana, after the name of the sword she carries, Nietono no Shana.
The Mystes carries the rarest and most unique of all Hougu, the Reiji Maigo, a Hougu that replenishes the power of existence used that day at midnight, in other words, unlike other Mystes and Torches, Sakai Yuji will never disappear, as long as he continues to carry the Reiji Maigo. But an army of Tomogora, Bal Masqué, know of its location, and have twice tried to use its power to accomplish their own goals, but twice they were foiled by the Flame Hazes and the Mystes.
The night of Christmas Eve, a normal human and the Flame Haze, Shana, made a promise. For nearly a whole school year they had fought over Sakai Yuji, but through many experiences their love for Sakai Yuji had brought them together as close friends. They wrote letters to Sakai Yuji, asking him to meet one of them at the Misaki Station, Shana waiting at the North exit, the human, Yoshida Kazumi, waiting at the South exit.
Sakai Yuji went to the North exit, choosing Shana over Yoshida Kazumi. Now a new path has been laid before them, not only will they fight together as a Flame Haze and the Mystes carrying the Reiji Maigo, but as something more. Much hardship and trouble await them in their future, Bal Masqué will undoubtedly come for the Reiji Maigo again, and other enemies may appear. Misaki City seems to attract Tomogora and Flame Haze, making the city a battlefield, and yet no one notices.
Sakai Yuji descended down the stairs to the kitchen of his house. His mother was already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast early, as always. Only a few days ago had he found out she was pregnant, and that he would be an older brother, but not only that, he was the second child. His mother's first child had been unable to live after a bad delivery.
"Good morning, mum." Yuji said. His mother turned around and smiled in her usual, calm, kind way.
"Good morning, Yu-chan. Breakfast will be ready soon. Could you lay the table for four people?" His mother asked.
"Okay. Wait, four people?" He asked, counting in his head just to make sure.
Mum, Dad, me…
"Yes, Shana-chan is joining us. She's in the living room right now." His mother asked, turning back to her cooking in the kitchen.
"Eh, Shana is?" Yuji asked in surprise, then he smiled to himself and walked out into the hall. In the kitchen, his mother continued her work with her ever-present smile, but there was something different about it this time, the smile seemed to have cause for it.
"Shana?" Yuji asked, looking into the living room. Shana was sitting there, her long black hair loose. She looked away from the television, it looked like some generic drama was on.
"Yuji!" She exclaimed happily, blushing a little. She was sitting on the sofa, clearly wanting Yuji to sit next to her, he complied after a few moments of awkward silence.
"Hey, Shana, do you want to go out somewhere today?" He forced himself to ask, they were both new to this type of relationship and weren't entirely sure how to handle the situation.
"I don't know, the shops are all closed so…." Shana said, trailing off. More awkward silence.
"Then, how about the cinema?" Yuji asked, Shana looked up questioningly.
"The cinema? I've heard about them but I don't actually know what it is." She said, embarrassed at her own naivety.
"It's like, how to explain this… it's like a huge room with a big screen at the front. Lots of people go to it and you see one film in there that's not out on TV, you can get popcorn and…." He trailed off, not sure how to continue. The silence was broken before it could drag on too long by Yuji's mother.
"Breakfast is ready!" She called from the kitchen. The two stood up and left for the dining room. There were footsteps as Yuji's father, Kantarou, walked down the stairs, scratching his head.
"Ah, Chigusa-san's cooking always smells good." He said, sitting down. Yuji and Shana stood in the doorway, unsure of where to sit, Yuji's mother would sit next to Kantarou, but that would mean they would have to sit next to each other, at that moment they found it hard to talk normally to each other, let alone sit close to each other.
"Eh, is something the matter? Yuji, Shana-chan?" Kantarou asked, looking at them.
"No, nothing." Shana said, walking and sitting opposite the empty seat next to Kantarou. Yuji sighed and walked over to the seat next to Shana, pulled the chair back, and sat down. Chigusa, Yuji's mother, came into the room from the kitchen, carrying a tray with plates of bacon, omelette and fish on. She put the plates down on the table and returned the tray to the kitchen before sitting down next to Kantarou.
"Itadakimasu!" The four chorused and took their portions of the food laid out before them.
An hour later, Shana and Yuji had left the house and were walking in an uneasy silence towards the city centre, what shops that would be open were there, and the cinema was close to the city centre.
The sun was still low in the sky, casting long shadows across the ground, Misaki City was unusually quiet for this time of day, the city was sleeping. Yuji and Shana seemed alone.
"Hey, Shana. I just realised you don't have Alastor's pendant with you." Yuji commented, breaking the silence. Shana nodded.
"Mm, I left the Jinki back with Wilhelmina. I thought… maybe… it would be best if he…." She trailed off, her face bright red.
"Eh?" Yuji queried, prompting her.
"It's nothing." Shana said, cutting off all argument in her returning clipped tone.
"Oh, okay then. Let's hurry, or we'll miss the start."
The two began to run together. As far as they were concerned, Bal Masqué had been defeated, the mysteries of the Reiji Maigo had been solved, and the battle of love between Shana and Kazumi had ended, life was calm and would give them a chance to be together unlike before.
But as with all things, Fate had other plans for them; life would not be made so easy for them, further challenges to the two as a Flame Haze and a Mystes, and as young lovers, awaited them in the near future.