This story is being co-written with LiteralistNazi, aka, How're you doing. The ideas and the writing have been done equal parts by both of us. The story has merely been posted by me. The link to this story will be available on her profile as well.

This story is set in an alternate universe. The two of us have worked extremely hard on it. The plotline has been decided by email and message correspondence (which is very difficult).

Some of the concepts of KNS in d anime/manga have therefore been slightly altered. I advise the readers to give this story a chance. I'm sure you guys will enjoy it! Any questions and queries will be gladly answered... just PM either of us or state your query in your review.

AS I ALWAYS SAY: NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER AND A STORY BY ITS FIRST CHAPTER!

Disclaimer: We do not own KNS. This story is a figment of our imagination. Or a large part of it.

AKAGAMI NO NOROI: THE CURSE OF THE CRIMSON HAIR

Prologue

Seinaru Kouen – The Land of the Holy Flame.

That was what all the followers of the divine Spirit King of Blaze called the land they dwelled in. In an era where people fought over everything from fertile soil to jewel-studded ornaments and from horses to beautiful women, Seinaru Kouen was relatively peaceful because of the strong governance of the Kannagis. There had been skirmishes and conflicts, sure, but nothing serious. The Kannagis were a highly respected and widely recognised family of spirit users, known to have descended from the first contractor of fire. The First entered into a contract with the Blaze Spirit King at the cost of a part of his soul, in exchange for which he could summon the fire spirit and wield the Crimson Flame. Legend had it that after entering into the contract with the Spirit King the First had hair as red as the power he wielded, and eyes as brilliant as the flames that licked his hands.

The Crimson Flame had been something like a legend around the region, like great power out of reach that was a topic for spinning folklore, and the subject of admiration and hero-worship – but no one ever thought that someone would be born capable to wield the Crimson Flame again. For starters, a power that has been obtained at the cost of a part of one's soul amounted to both good and evil in equal parts, and thus was the greatest destroyer and the greatest purifier.

There had not been a Kannagi after the First who had dared to even think of giving up their soul which was bound to the flames in pursuit of power. Such power had been foretold to bring misfortune and was nothing less than a curse.

There had been some truth in that, however, because the First had certainly not led a happy life. He had chosen to have his partner enter into a contract with him through the spirit of fire in him, but she had managed somehow to suck up a large part of his power and his life energy. That had been regarded as an unfortunate accident since not much had been known then of magic, but many descendants were of the opinion that it was the deliberate move of a scheming catalyst. The First had died soon after, and his children had fought over his possessions, land, his fire sword and the right to practically everything he once had as the leader of the family. There had been invasions and attacks alongside internal disarray, and it was many years between Seinaru Kouen could be called peaceful.

They said that the way his hair had changed colour to an uncommon fiery crimson had been an indication of his fate, and the mark where the curse had manifested in exchange for massive power.

And since the prophecy of the power of the Crimson Flame being a curse to bring about tragedy had been made much after the First's death, and when Seinaru Kouen had gained wealth and power and was prospering, there was no desire to see who the next person to wield the First's Flame and inherit his crimson hair would be – or if there would be any such person at all. Desire to misuse the Enraiha of the First or perform magic rites to gain ability of such calibre was squashed before it could rear its head, and no new types of magic were allowed to be practiced. Owing to this fact magical powers decayed in users and most of the magic practitioners would prefer to send shikigamis, their familiars to battle if need be instead of going themselves.

But that had been several centuries ago when fear had won over the desire to experiment.

Presently, the Kannagi family was still strong in its actions and wise in its words, but there had always been power struggles between family members that were eating away at the clan from inside. Situation had called for it, and the previous head had allowed for magic other than the spiritual kind to be practiced in the region.

And generations later, she with the cursed crimson hair and power of the first had been born.

IMPORTANT:

SHIKIGAMI: A shikigami is a familiar made of magic. They are like dolls who have no personality or thoughts of their own and merely act on the orders of their master. They are mainly made of paper. All strong spirit users have shikigamis or familiars to protect them and to battle for them. They are not uncommon.

CONTRACTOR: A contractor is someone who has entered into a contract with the head or heir of a family who has traces of the First (i.e. the founder of the family). Contractors are extremely rare and extremely dangerous. Contractors can only be taken by spirit magic users who have the power of the First or are a reincarnation of them. Once entering into a contract, the contractor must put his master's life and his/her needs before his own, swearing to protect them at all costs. Marriage and/or love between a contractor and his master are forbidden by most families.

We hope you enjoyed the prologue! Updates might be slow due to correspondence issues. Please bear with us.

Please review! Thank you!~

Until Next Time!