The Autozam-Runes war left deep scars, especially on that fateful day when the country of Autozam was wiped from the face of the earth, but the people were saved and survived.
No one knew who the woman was. Yet, without knowing her name or origins, the people of Autozam had already embraced her as one of their own. She was a figure of great significance, sacrificing herself for the peace everyone now enjoyed. She placed herself between the two warring nations, Autozam and Runes, and compelled the leader of Runes to cease the conflict. With the last of her strength, she protected the last member of the Vision family. After that, the red-haired woman was called by the last word she repeatedly uttered before drawing her final breath: Shinre. This is the story the people believed.
To remind the people of the high price of peace, Nexus, the last general of Autozam from the Albatross Vision regime, erected a memorial at the site where peace was won. The statue of Shinre stood tall, challenging the sky. It depicted a pregnant woman embracing two children. Her face was turned eastward towards the rising sun. Everyone spoke of its meaning, but all agreed that the statue symbolized motherhood and loss—a mother who lost her children or a child who lost their mother to war. It was the story of most people in this land.
Years passed, and throughout that time until this very day, peace was maintained. Both nations held the treaty firmly, and the promises were never broken. Loyalty to the leader of Runes grew among the people of Autozam until, at some point, there were no longer two nations in one land. All acknowledged Runes as the name of the country, even though the existence of two peoples with two distinct cultures could not be erased. Nair Shin-Re, the Ruler of all, showed his fairness, giving everything to the fractured land. The great war of the past was no longer much remembered; with that, the memory of that woman began to fade as well. Her death was deemed no different from the countless others who perished in the war. Yet, there was one person who could not see it that way.
Albatross Vision, the last surviving member of the Vision family, the child whose life was saved by that woman, was now a 22-year-old young man. He had grown into a tall and slender young man, strikingly resembling his father with his silver-white hair and sharp eyes. However, in ideology and thought, they were worlds apart. He held peace and harmony in the highest regard. Unlike his father, he was not ambitious; he lived peacefully, content, and satisfied with what he had. Every time Alba, as he was commonly called, passed through the city center, he would always cast a longing and questioning gaze at the statue, now adorned by a large pool surrounding it. Is it true that she is really dead?
One day, he asked about that woman during his study period with Maestra Nova at the Northwest Tower. She responded with the same answer the people of Autozam always gave. Yet, Alba couldn't believe it because the Magic Guru had a history of concealing significant truths, one of which occurred on the night she secretly delivered a baby boy to be raised by Nexus. Without hesitation, Alba had named the baby Shinre. That child had since grown into an exceptionally troublesome 14-year-old teenager.
Not a day went by without an explosion in Alba's workshop. Alba now worked as a mechanical and robotics engineer, serving Lord Nair. He assisted in the design of many urban plans involving high-tech machinery. This evening, he contemplated his new combat equipment to strengthen Runes' security forces when an explosion far louder and longer than usual echoed through the air... DUUMMM!
"What now? SHINREEE!" Alba roared. He slammed the table and dashed out of his room toward a particular workshop area, which fumed thick black smoke. His anger dissolved instantly, replaced by fear, as he saw the intense flames engulfing that area. The smoke billowed into the sky. People were running in panic, fleeing the scene. Alba's eyes widened in shock.
"Shinre!" Schwan screamed, calling out for Shinre, while her brother Gannet held her back from approaching the workshop. She yelled at Alba, "He's still inside! HE IS STILL INSIDE!" Schwan and Gen were his two assistants.
Alba and everyone around him turned pale. He felt his body tremble, and cold fear crept into his fingers. He hoped he had misheard. Is Shinre still inside? An unbelievably terrifying thought as he watched the raging fire.
A large hose had already been deployed, spraying vast amounts of water. It took an hour before the fire was finally extinguished. Without waiting for the heat to dissipate, Alba and several others rushed inside.
"Shinre!" Alba called out in desperation. He felt foolish, realizing that in a fire like this, no one could possibly survive. "Shinre..." He knew his call was in vain, bracing himself for the worst, but then... Alba heard a sneeze.
He turned, looking around in disbelief. He was sure he hadn't misheard. He glanced at Schwan, Gannet, and Robin, his other assistant who had joined them. Only they were present, all wearing gas masks, shaking their heads in confusion.
Another sneeze echoed through the smoky room. Suddenly, a section of the collapsed room shifted. Everyone froze in terror as they watched. "Hey, help me!" someone called out from beneath the debris. "My leg is stuck!" A fit of violent coughing followed the voice. "Anyone there..." the voice trailed off.
"Shinre?" Schwan couldn't believe what she was hearing. She dashed towards the pile and began trying to move the debris off Shinre. But she quickly pulled her hands back. "It's burning hot!"
"Water!" Gannet shouted. He and Robin sprinted outside and dragged the hose back in.
They sprayed water to cool down the scorching metal. Piece by piece, they moved the debris until they found Shinre unconscious and utterly helpless at the bottom of the wreckage, soaking wet.
"Shinre!" they all cried out in unison, unable to believe the boy had survived. It was a miracle! His body was unscathed, though his clothes were singed and tattered from the flames.
"How is this possible?" Robin asked in disbelief as he carried Shinre on his back, leading him out of that place. They were met with relief on the faces of everyone outside. Even Elder Nexus, who was present, appeared to be crying.
"Don't talk about this to anyone," Alba instructed. His companions nodded in agreement. They headed to their headquarters and carried Shinre up to his room. Robin gently laid him on the bed.
"Don't worry about him, Alba!" Schwan suddenly snapped. Her voice filled with anger. "You have to punish him. He set the workshop on fire! I saw him playing with some instruments!"
"Leave us. I'll handle this," Alba said. They all obeyed and left Shinre's room. Alba opened the windows to let in the fresh air. He walked over to a closet, grabbed some clothes, and tossed them onto Shinre's body. He pulled up a chair and sat down, resting his chin in his hand. "Setting the workshop on fire? I must punish you." Alba shook Shinre's shoulder. "Wake up."
Shinra remained silent, unconscious.
"WAKE UP!" Alba shouted into his ear. "I know you're just pretending!"
"Alright, alright!" Shinre yelled back just as loudly. He sat up, scowling at his brother. But then, he quickly lowered his head and covered his ears, anticipating Alba's next outburst.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"
"You're making me deaf–"
"ANSWER ME." Alba ignored Shinra's complaint.
"I didn't do anything!" Alba shot him a menacing, disbelieving look, clearly wanting Shinre to confess. "Really, I didn't do anything."
"Don't try to dodge the question. So, what was Schwan talking about earlier? Who's telling the truth?" Alba demanded.
Shinre lowered his head, hesitating. "W-well, it wasn't on purpose. I didn't do anything. I wasn't playing around, but the fire just… came out of my hand when I tried to bend the wire," Shinre answered timidly, looking genuinely confused. He stared at his hands in disbelief. It had happened simply because he willed it.
Alba sank back into his chair, stunned. "My workshop was destroyed in an instant. My NX prototype is gone. What should I tell Lord Nair at this year's state meeting?" Alba opened his eyes and saw Shinre, who seemed far too pleased rather than remorseful.
"I was just thinking about fire... I saw those people doing it... I just thought I could do it, too. I focused and... whoosh!" Alba was shocked by Shinre's story. Shinre turned to Alba with a wide grin. "I'm… amazing! I'm like a knight with hidden powers!"
"Stop your nonsense." Alba grabbed Shinre by the shoulders and cornered him. "So, you admit you've been visiting the East Tower again?" Alba pressed. Shinre instantly fell silent, his mischief exposed. He avoided looking Alba in the eye. "Did you even listen to me when I told you not to go there again?"
"I..." Shinre tried to defend himself, but seeing the deep disappointment in his brother's eyes, he stopped short. "I'm sorry."
"You won't go there again." Shinre nodded reluctantly. "Here is where you belong," Alba asserted, trying to meet Shinre's gaze and seeing the glimmer of unshed tears in his eyes. The boy was angry.
In a more sympathetic tone, Alba attempted to provide a reasonable explanation, "You know, right? Those towers are incredibly dangerous. The people there are practicing powers we don't have. I'm afraid you'll get hurt..." Shinre immediately raised his head to protest, but Alba silenced him by continuing, "I'm really afraid you'll get hurt there. You're my only brother." Alba emphasized the last sentence.
Even though Shinre understood Alba's concern, the reasoning didn't sit well with him. The surprising event earlier had shown him that he possessed the exact power. He no longer doubted who he indeed was.
"You're always afraid something will happen to me," Shinre said, looking at Alba with an expression he had never seen before. Shinre was defiant. "You keep forbidding me from doing this and that. You're always scared. Why are you afraid of what I'm not afraid of?!" Shinre threw himself down, turning his back on Alba.
Alba could only watch him, feeling utterly helpless. Everything Shinre had said was true. He was indeed fearful of one thing. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll discuss your punishment." Alba stroked Shinre's dark hair and rose from his seat. He walked towards the door and opened it. Just before he stepped out, Shinre pulled the blanket over his head.
Alba quietly left without looking back. Outside, he leaned against the door, recalled the day Nova arrived, and brought Shinre into his life.
"Keep my arrival a secret."
Keep it secret that the boy was brought by one of Nair's trusted aides. Keep it secret that he came from Runes. This meant keeping Shinre's true identity as a magic swordsman hidden. Alba sighed, "It's getting so much harder now."