AN: I am surprised I even get one review to be honest, I thought the fandom of this section is mostly dead. No offense though… but it's sad to see how translation on light novel is in hiatus and the manga stop in tenth volume. It's a pity, really… at any rate I am still waiting for my latest chapter of Unsealing Legacy to be fixed so for those who follow it please be patient.

As for this story… as I said, it's my bouncing board to refresh my brain~ so I am not that concerned for review although it would be nice to get some more...

Futsugi, the name I used to call Snake of Festival is the Japanese translation of his old name Fu Xi. It's just so Yuji to not stir too far in naming… then again Yuji being Yuji perhaps just want Shana to easily familiarize herself with her new name.

'Bla bla bla' Crimson Lord talking telepathically or thinking.

"Bla bla" Normal talk

Chapter 2: Flickering Torch

When he returned to his city, Sakai Yuji didn't expect to find his double he had left behind to be trapped inside a Fuzetsu and in the center of battlefield to boot. He had contemplating to stay still but his double was part of himself and what he had left of his brother. It didn't matter that his contractor kept calling his double a thing, if he could help it he didn't want to see it died as it brought back bad memories.

A foolish sentiment perhaps, but he couldn't help it. And now… he had a sword pointed at him, demanding his identity he had been so carefully hid. Not to mention this girl was the one who caught him, of all people it had to be this girl.

Fire haired, blazing eyed hunter… the Flame Haze that contracted to God of Destruction, Flame of Heaven Alastor. Rumors of her were raging rampant in crimson society for the last few years. If those were to be believed, she was the strict and righteous sort Flame Haze but also hot blooded. If he didn't tread this carefully, he would find himself on the unmerciful end of her sword.

"Uhm… " He ignored the telepathy from his contractor that protesting the stupidity of one syllable respond. Why did he feel like he had been caught red handed for something?

"So you're the Flame Haze that become the guardian of this city." Alastor spoke, startling Yuji a little to hear his voice. "Someone is rampaging your city in your absence."

Yuji tensed at that, "It seems so."

'Of all possibilities, you're astonishingly manage to run to my equal… are you lucky or unlucky?'

That was the voice of his contractor, the counterpart of Alastor. Snake of Festival and the God of Creation.

'Leaning towards later… now, what should I do to pacify her? Flame of Heaven seemed content to hear me out first but his Flame Haze was not as patient. If I say something wrong she will cut me up.'

'Hm… a gratitude and a compliment perhaps? She did protect your city…'The black god muttered.

"First of all thank you for your help… I really appreciate it." He said nervously, and to be honest her glare was so unnerving and that blade she was still pointing at him was not helping.

Yuji gazed at her, mindful of the still frozen torch double behind him. He had heard of Fiery Haired Blazing Eyed Hunter before, this was the second holder of the title. The rumors were not exaggerating; she was really a beautiful girl. She had petite body with long hair that emphasized her lithe figure, it's almost hard to believe she used to be a human with that elfish look she had.

'If you have time to admire Alastor's Flame Haze's beauty, use it to think up an explanation that will leave your limbs intact.'

Yuji flushed a deep red when he noticed he was staring at her, and not to mention was appreciating her beauty no less. If they found out about his contractor's identity they could have an army of Flame Haze on them faster than you can say Fuzetsu.

The girl narrowed her eyes and it was really hard to stop himself from looking away from her. "Oi." She called her out, "Why is that torch looks like you?"

Of all things to ask, she had to ask that one. "Eeh… first of all, may I fix my city first. The interrogation can wait for later." He suggested nervously.

She looked like she wanted to protest but a quick glance to her pendant indicated Alastor convinced her to be patient. "You want some help?"

"Ah, it's fine… if it's just this much." He pointed his index finger up and the damage done to the city repaired itself in rapid rate.

The Flame Haze's eyes widened, she had never seen anyone who repair material damage so quickly and if her eyes didn't deceive her, this mysterious boy didn't even use any leftover power of existence the rinne left but purely his.

'He is not a normal Flame Haze…'Alastor said telepathically to her. 'What a capacity and mastery of Unrestricted Method, it seems we really have to keep an eye on him.'

'I agree… Alastor, not to mention he behaves so strangely… he didn't even give me his title and his contractor has not said a word.' The latter was what made them concerned of this boy and his contractor's identity the most. Alastor was one of three Crimson Gods, there's no Lord from Guze that will be so rude to not even offer a greeting to him.

"All done." The boy said, shooting the torches around him a sad look. "Those rinnes were too greedy, these torches wouldn't last more than a week."

There were this many torches in span of four months he left Misaki City, he was sure protection he casted on his mother would keep her safe but… It seemed future venture had to be cut short or not at all.

The red haired girl shrugged, "True… but as long as those replacements works, you don't have to be so concerned…" She said in indifferent tone, earning a frown from the blue-eyed boy she noticed. "What's your problem?"

Yuji clenched his fist, "As long as balance is preserved, you don't care of anything else… did you?" He said in low voice, not loud enough for her to hear. "Nothing." Even though he wanted to say it out loud he had no wish to compromise a conflict with the Flame Haze in front of him.

"Hmph." The petite girl harrumphed.

"And to answer your previous question." He tried to steer the conversation away, "This torch… is a body double I left behind." He turned around to face his body double that relaxed in his presence, eyes closed as Yuji's hand hover above his head.

She frowned, "Why you need that?"

"I have a normal human life here… and I want to keep it for as long as I can." Yuji explained vaguely. "Well then, I will take it back to my…" He trailed off as a blue rune circle formed on his hand.

"Wait!" Alastor called in warning tone.

"Hm?" Yuji stopped, wondering what set the Flame of Heaven off. "What is it? I am just going to absorb my double back so I know what happen in my absence." He explained.

"Are you aware it's a Mystes now? Or you're the one who put the Hougu inside?"

Yuji's brain froze when he heard word Mystes and Hougu, "What?!" He exclaimed in disbelief but it was too late as the body double burst to flame and sucked inside his palm along with an orb of light that was undoubtedly a Hougu.

"It was not there when you created it?" Alastor queried. "And did you just store it inside of your body?"

Yuji paled as patted his chest as if he could get the Hougu out of his body. "Did I just…"

He ran a quick scanning spell and froze when he sensed the Hougu had already hooked to his existence, and while he could get it out if he wanted there were risks of doing that. His special condition if anything would make the process very dangerous than if it was done to normal Mystes or Flame Haze.

"I can't… get it out of my body…"

'Dear me… Sakai Yuji, I never ask for a neighbor inside your body.' His contractor dead-panned, 'What is this, I wonder… oh…"

Yuji was almost afraid to ask when the voice in his mind became so quiet, nothing good happened when his talkative contractor became too silent.

The red haired girl stared at him incredulously, "So you're stuck with it?"

Yuji gave her a weak nod of confirmation.

"Well, deal with it." She gave him an amused smile.

Her face might be cute, but she was not sympathetic at all with his predicament.

'Get out from here Sakai Yuji… our condition have become even more complicated with this Hougu, trust me… you'd rather not to be around Flame of Heaven and his vessel.' He hissed with a sense of urgency.

That snapped Yuji out of his thought, and he had a feeling if he didn't follow his contractor's instruction he would get more trouble. How big was the chance he had to escape from this girl without a fight at all? Not big at all but he had to try! With that in mind Yuji dispelled the Fuzetsu without warning, startling the red haired girl who quickly turned off her power. That action completely took Alastor and his Flame Haze off guard, and Yuji quickly joined the crowd and out of their sight.

"That bastard!" The blazing eyed hunter cursed under her breath.

The next day…

Yuji put on his high school uniform, feeling it was a little awkward to wear it for the first time. He dismissed that thought the moment his mother called him down for breakfast and rushed downstairs to join her. He gave his mother's smiling face a glance he was eating his breakfast, Yuji couldn't help but grateful she was all right in his absence.

She was wearing those pearl earrings he gave her as birthday present, oblivious that it was a hougu that protected her. It made her unnoticed inside Fuzetsu by Tomogara even if she was trapped in one. It was not a perfect protection, but he couldn't be with her 24/7 to protect her so he had no better choice.

"I am going." He said as he opened the front door.

"Take care, Yuu-chan." His mother said as she waved at him.

Yuji calculated the time he needed to get to school, ten minutes on foot with another ten minutes to spare.

"Yuji! She is coming."

"What?!" The blue eyed boy froze on his spot when he sensed a presence, and before he could decide what to do he heard his contractor speaking again.

"Too late, I told you that you need more exercise… " He just knew that lack of exercise was going to bite them painfully, if Yuji had a good head start he had his chance but outrunning Flame of Heaven's Flame Haze when she was already this close? "She will be here in three, two, one…"

Yuji froze in mid-run when his ever so helpful tenant started the count down, he saw a shadow over him and regretted the instance he turned only to see Fiery Haired Blazing Eyed Hunter was about to pounce on him. The next thing he knew, he was on the ground and the furious petite girl was pining him. With the girl straddling his hip, he couldn't move and he doubted he had strength to push her off.

"You!" She hissed in threatening manner. It was understatement of the year to say she was furious.

Yuji flailed his arms like a helpless fish out of water, "Wait! I can explain! And get off me!"

"So you can run away again? As if!" She hissed angrily.

Yuji shook his head frantically, "It's not that! Do you have any idea that people will…"

Before Yuji could finish his sentence, an elderly couple walked passed them, eyeing them with disapproving look. "Young peoples these days…" The old woman muttered, shaking her head.

Followed by a mother-son pair, "Kaa-san, what are they doing? That nee-chan is playing horsy with that nii-chan?"

The mother shot them a glare and led her son away, "Hush! Don't look."

"…"

"…"

Both of them blushed redder than her fiery hair, and her temper was rising fast. "You!" This time she really drew her sword out and Yuji pathetically flailed his arms as if that could save him from the furious girl.

"Stay calm." Alastor tried to pacify her.

"I agree…" A new unfamiliar voice chimed in, startling the girl and Flame of Heaven. "The one who pounce on my vessel is you young lady, and unless you want more people to think you're doing something unmentionable to him I suggest you get off of him."

Yuji looked at the silver pocket watch on his waist, "Futsugi! But I thought…"

If the watch had shoulders, he would have shrug. "There's no way Flame of Heaven and this young lady will leave us alone now, so we might as well try to talk first…"

"But…"

Alastor cut him off, "Futsugi? I have never heard of you… "

"I discarded my old name… Futsugi is a new name my vessel chose to call me with." He said in amused voice. "At any rate… my vessel have school so any question you have for us should wait for later."

She snarled at him, "What should we believe you?"

"We live here young lady… and you have seen his uniform so it would be easy for you to find my vessel's school, you can keep an eye on us the whole day from afar if you want." The silver pocket watch Yuji wore yesterday had turned to a modern looking silver watch on his left hand, a default form used to not draw attention when Yuji was in school. Futsugi preferred pocket watch though, as nothing obstruct his sight on Yuji's waist.

She narrowed her eyes dangerously, "Oh really?"

Yuji nodded frantically, "Uhm! I have nowhere to hide anyway… if you're here you should have known where my house is and my school too."

"True." Alastor agreed, it was easy to find his school and in fact his Flame Haze had snuck out to school's achieve to see Sakai Yuji's personal data to find his information. "Very well then…"

Yuji released a relieved sigh before he blushed a deep red when he realized they were still in compromising position. "Uhm… could you get off of me now?"

Futsugi chuckled softly, unable to resist teasing her. "No matter how comfortable it is for you strangling him like that, my vessel live here and it would be bad if rumors start circulating."

The dark haired girl blushed a deep red, sputtering indignantly as she got off of Yuji in a flash. "Urusai! Urusai! Urusai!"

Yuji stood up, patting his dusty pants. "Hm?" A torch walked towards them, her flame was flickering and undoubtedly won't last even a day. The torch of Hirai Yukari, a classmate of his who his double ran into yesterday. "Ah… "

The Flame Haze noticed the dying torch he was looking at, "Not much time left for that torch, those rinnes from yesterday were gluttons."

Yuji nodded in agreement, recalling memories of his double in regards to Hirai Yukai. A perky and kind girl who had crush on Ike Hayato, their class rep. "I am going to school now, you can keep watch on me but please stay out of sight when I am with normal humans." He said as he run to catch up with Hirai's torch. "Good morning Hirai-san." He greeted the torch, earning a curt nod and nothing else from the dying flame.

The Flame Haze watched the boy dragging the girl to walk faster so they won't be late to school in confusion. "What is he doing? That's a dying torch, why he treat it like a human?"

"What a strange boy…" Alastor muttered, "And contracted to an unknown entity to boot."

Sakai Yuji was well aware of the crimson truth of this world and in spite of that he couldn't bring himself to see torch as object, a mere replacement to minimize damage to the balance of their world. He couldn't bring himself to dismiss them as such, to him they're transient life and deserve to live their short time to its fullest.

Especially a torch that didn't even have a day left like Hirai-san.

Ike Hayato looked surprised Yuji suddenly asked him to hang out together after school. Ike was one of few classmates Yuji could consider as a friend, not a very close one. He tended to keep people at arm length but Ike was considered as the one he interacted the most with throughout middle school time. Yuji was well aware Ike found him a pleasant person and wanted to get closer, but Yuji always politely declined his invitation. Ike was not offended as he thought Yuji was just a little shy if not introvert, especially his excuse always revolve on his frail mother.

In fact Yuji just had no wish to feel too attached to normal humans, he had enough pain just imagining how he will outlive his parents and inevitability to leave them sooner or later. The reason he dared himself to join Leanan-sidhe in a short journey? The inevitability of that future that came crashing on him few months ago.

He gazed at his hand, and to his whole body reflected on the mirror in the rest room of game arcade. His body had stopped growing, just like humans that bind themselves to a contract with Crimson Lord. Because of special circumstances of his contract with Futsugi, his body could still grow and he had been warned it would stop sooner or later. He had just to stop growing at the very awkward period, on age where teenagers was having their growth spurt.

It would be weird that he won't grow at all when he was still fifteen, and inevitable someone would notice in few years of his frozen time. If he wanted to push it, two years would be the time limit before anyone noticed his ageless status.

He placed his palm against his chest, frowning as he recalled what he had absorbed to his being. A hougu called Reiji Maigo, one of the most precious treasures ever created. Futsugi said the hougu had been altered by different entities, a keeper, an entity called tyrant, and a mystes. It was a miracle the hougu was still working with all botched works done to it.

It was a mixed blessing, although the pain of chased for it was not worth it at all.

Then again, all he had to put him mind onto during short time he had left in his city had to be fulfilled no matter what. Once he achieved it, he could leave Misaki City in peace.

"Yuji." Futsugi called him, "Alastor's Flame Haze is outside… you better go meet her before she come in."

Yuji blushed at that, "This is man's restroom, there's no way she would be that bold!"

"I am not so sure… that young lady is a little odd."

Not willing to test Futsugi's prediction would come true or not, Yuji went to confront the Flame Haze. Like Futsugi said, she was waiting for him just outside the arcade. She also had this annoyed look on her face. "What is it?"

"Stop wandering around." She said in demanding tone, "How long do you intend to make us wait? And what are you trying to achieve?"

Yuji sighed wearily, "I am sorry… but please give me around thirty minutes more and beside… ah!" Her presence, Hirai-san's presence in the arcade was diminishing.

The Flame Haze noticed the same thing, frowning at him. "Why are you sympathizing with a torch? It's going to disappeared soon anyway!"

Yuji stopped at that and turned around to face the dark haired girl, startling her when he gave her a pained smile. "To us whose time have stopped… torch is a transient existence, but could you deny they're still exist? To me… they're still part of human being, if I can help it… I want them to make most of their short life no matter what."

She narrowed her eyes, "It's pointless."

"To you perhaps but not to me." He shot back before he rushed back inside the arcade.

Ten minutes later…

Yuji found Hirai Yukari near the riverbank, her flame was already nonexistent and that meant she was on her very last minute. He braced himself as he sat beside her, and he couldn't help but wish Ike was the one who console her instead.

"If you cut me off, you will get a couple shot with Ike." He said in consoling tone.

Hirai-san nodded. "Uhm."

"I hope you have fun today…" He couldn't help but say his innermost wish, for her to make the best of her last day.

Hirai-san didn't answer but gazing at the beautiful scenery of sunset before her. "I… love this view."

So Hirai-san instinctively knew her time was near, "I see… I wish we could show Ike this view too." He said wishfully. "Hirai-san… I know you like Ike and you're a kind girl who likes to help your seatmates. I will remember you…"

After a brief moment she was enveloped in azure flame, and Yuji almost missed her very last word. "Ari… ga… to."

Her very last flame of existence dispersed, and its fragment fell like snowflakes. This was the proof of torch's transient life, a placeholder that would burn out. Yuji was glad she was happy until her very last moment, and today was not meaningless.

But the Flame Haze nearby, judging from the frown that marred her beautiful face she was thinking otherwise. "A remainder will burn out quietly, no one will remember their existence, and no trace is left behind…"

Yuji picked up the photos they took together, Hirai who supposed to stand in the middle had disappeared. He was reminded of the time he returned to his home only to find that… Yuuichi-niisan was no more and he was...

He gritted his teeth and dashed towards the Flame Haze who gave him indifferent stare. "I remember she was Hirai Yukari, that she existed!"

Her eyes narrowed. "So? We, who live in different flow of the word doesn't count!" She exclaimed, "Just like she was just a torch, we are just Flame Haze!"

Yuji tensed, if Flame Haze in description were those who bind themselves in contract to Crimson Lords he was considered one of them. He tried his best to preserve the balance in Misaki City, but he had never actively seek to exterminate Tomogara.

However…

"Don't say just!" Yuji snapped, "We're not merely hunting tool! I am Sakai Yuji! And so are you! You're not just Flame Haze!"

She still had that indifferent face, as if she could be careless of her designation as tool of hunting. "So you're still so attached to your humanity… to your human name." She concluded tonelessly.

How could she be this indifferent? He had avoid Flame Haze for years but from rumors he gathered they're usually not this detached to their former life, in fact most Flame Haze chose their path because of tragedy of their former life. However this girl was different, it as if she didn't knew how to live other than as mere Flame Haze.

"You're so…" He shook his head before he looked at her determinedly, startling her with intensity of his gaze. "Give me your name… tell me your name." He requested softly.

She hesitated and for the first time Yuji saw uneasiness in her face. "I don't have a name."

"Huh?"

"How could you don't have one? You're formerly a human, aren't you?" Futsugi couldn't help but chimed in. "Flame of Heaven, what is this suppose to mean? That your Flame Haze has a title but not a name?"

"As a Flame Haze…"

"I don't need it!" She snapped, "I am just a Flame Haze!"

Yuji frowned at her, "You said that again…"

"Urusai! Urusai! Uruuusai! I don't need a name!" She yelled angrily, "If I need to be distinguished from other Flame Haze, Nietono no Shana is enough!"

"Nietono no Shana?" Yuji echoed.

Alastor sighed, wondering why this boy could make her lost her temper so easily. "That's the name of nodachi she has…"

"So… even her sword has a name while she doesn't." Futsugi muttered in deadpan tone.

Yuji came to a decision, if this girl continued the way she was… she'd just be what she said. She was merely Flame Haze, tool of hunting to preserve the balance of this world. "Then… you're Shana! I will call you Shana from now on! You're not just a Flame Haze now!"

She looked indignant as Yuji so suddenly named her out of the blue, "You think you can just name me as you please?!"

Yuji smiled at her, "So you do care of what you're called with, Shana."

"No!" She flushed a deep red, "I don't!"

Futsugi couldn't help but felt pride surged through him as Alastor's Flame Haze, now dubbed as Shana sputtering at his vessel. "Give it up young lady… I tried to convince him that he could just use my title to address me but to no avail I am Futsugi now… and you're Shana to him."

"Beside…" Yuji trailed off. "Your sword has a name, and your contractor do too! Why don't you have one? Shana."

The newly named Shana couldn't take it anymore and she exploded, "Urusaaaaaaaaaaai!"

In the end since she had said she didn't care, Shana could only let Yuji to call her as he please. She didn't know why back then, why he could stir her emotion so easily with just a name she should be careless of. The name Shana was a new piece of her existence that had nothing to do with her duty and part of her true self.

It was only by the next day Shana was snapped out of her annoyance by Alastor who reminded her that they completely forgot interrogating Yuji and his mysterious contractor.