Chapter One - The Little Bird

Black Rock Shooter

The little bird flies to worlds of different colors... The words of the story echo in my mind. 'But there are only two worlds. The real world, and the Otherworld. There is nothing else. It is not as it used to be... the Otherworld is scattered and torn. I have destroyed the balance of this place... I must compensate. But how...?'

Standing up in my world of mixed colors, I watched as Black Gold Saw's eyes appeared, studying me. Looking longingly into the sky, I wished, just this once, that there was a way to give as much as I had taken from this world. It was a common dream I knew we all shared... we who had led up to the crippling of the Otherworld. Strength, Dead Master, Black Gold Saw, even Chariot. We all were at fault... we all had to make up for our sins in this fragile world.

Suddenly, my vision blurred, and I fell back a step, my hand coming up to my head. Blue flames whirled from the corner of my vision, and I looked instinctively. They were not mine. Instead, a boy, the same age as I, flickered into existence. He held a sword above his head, a determined expression on his face. Plunging the sword down into the thick substance that held him, as well as another body, blue flames erupted from the sword and his body. The bubbling, vacuous liquid quickly flamed and disappeared, leaving the boy kneeling on the floor, his sword held in his hand as he leaned against it. Tearing my gaze away from him, I sought out the older man. Lying facedown on the floor, his head turned sideways, revealing the bloody tear tracks that ran from his eyes. His mouth was turned in a tiny smile, though his eyebrows held the shadow of a frown. A choking sound brought me away from the man. The boy's eyes were hidden, but tears streaked down his face. "Daddy..."

Even as I watched through impassive blue eyes, I felt his suffering deep in my spirit. It was similar to my own when Yomi/Dead Master and I clashed... I looked at his crying face and, for an instant, Kuroi Mato's face replaced his. It was then that I became aware of a heartrending cry in my mind. Give him back! I want... I want my Daddy back! Please... Somebody! Help me... Help me avenge him!

My vision went white as I was lifted into the air, my blue flames exploding around me, activating in my left eye. It was as if I had grown wings, for I felt myself propelled by a hitherto unknown force. I lost consciousness as my colorful, broken world faded behind me.