Stillness and void.
Almost as if time has been stopped.
A soul's bright flame twinkled.
...
The past stays in the past... However, the future is yet to be known.
...
...
Then, a world unknown uncovers right before his eyes. This is not his world. It was foreign. However, it was a new beginning.
...
...
A world, seeping with magic... With life...
...
...
A life, so different from the past...
...
...
But the past... was long forgotten. It was never etched into a book.
...
...
Will it remain hidden?
...
...
He, a boy with yellow hair and blue eyes, stands at the corner of the stadium. Yukito Tokito.
"Gotcha!"
A girl grabbed Yukito by the arm, a girl with Red hair, Silver eyes, round glasses, wearing the same graduation toga as Yukito. It was the graduation for the middle school of Ishin.
"Shiina, you don't have to grab me too hard. I'm not going anywhere." Yukito replied with a sigh, his eyes nonchalant and empty.
"Who knows where you'll be sneaking out if I don't grab onto you. We'll be going to the karaoke for our last meeting! After all, I'll be transferring to Russia after this." She said, softly letting go of Yukito's arm.
"Russia, huh? Privet."
"Wait, do you speak—"
"Just learned it from a videogame. I'm not sure if my pronunciation is even correct."
"Wow. Next time, you have to visit me in Russia, okay?"
"Sure, if I remember."
"What do you mean if you remember?!"
Just as the two of them were talking, another set of people walked up to them. It was their friends. With cheerful grins and smiles, they greeted one another. However, despite the lively atmosphere, Ritsuki's eyes remained. Cold, still, and unmoving. Seeing an opportunity for escape, he casually slips out of their group.
...
"Hey! Where is Yukito again?"
...
Yukito took off his graduation toga and placed it at the teacher's table before leaving the school.
"I've finished middle school. Now what?" He murmured. There was something consistent ever since his childhood.
There's a certain heaviness in his chest.
From when he wakes up to when he'll eat, and pretty much to everything he does, he feels a heavy burden on his chest. And on random occasions, he tears up for no apparent reason.
"Just what the hell is happening to me?" He murmured as he walked through the sunny street.
He remembered a conversation with Shiina.
Did you know that reincarnation is true?
He chuckled to himself, "Maybe I was once a soldier in my past life. Carrying the burden of my comrades' death on my chest."
But while he thought of that, he didn't believe in that concept. Reincarnation is impossible.
Another explanation he thought of was... he has a disease. But when they went to the doctor, he was healthy in all aspects of life.
Or maybe it's that his mana is unstable?
But when he went to check again, it was all normal.
So, what could possibly be causing this heaviness in his chest ever since childhood?
The feeling of... loss, as if he had lost something very precious in his life.
The feeling of... despair, as if something broke his heart.
Whatever it was, he couldn't place his head around it.
He has loving parents. Friends. Talent. Skills. What did he lose for him to feel this heaviness daily?
Just as he was pondering, he noticed a building as he was walking by. It was the Magic Academy of Hakuyou.
In middle school, magic was just a sub-lesson, not a priority. However, in high school, it mostly focuses on magic, now that the world thrives on it. He looked at the gigantic building curiously.
"Maybe, this will be a good next chapter for me." He mumbled.
In this world, people are granted a magic aptitude, similar to DNA. Magic differs for everyone, and most can only control one magic at a time.
Ever since he was a child, he has been obsessed with magic. He learned ice magic at 7 years old. Now that he's graduated from middle school, he can pursue the dream of becoming a magician.
But... something about his magic was... off.
...
He lived in a simple house with both his parents.
"I'm home." He greeted. However, replying to him was silent. "Oh yeah, I forgot they were out of town." He disappointedly murmured.
He took off his shoes and immediately went to their magic room—a place where he trained to use magic. Memories flood in as he remembers his training sessions here. But he didn't come for nostalgia.
Looking at the wooden dummy in front, he immeadiately raised his left hand, then shot out a shard of ice towards the dummy. It sharply pierced through the wood.
He wasn't talented, at least for him. Since childhood, miracles have happened to him. At just a young age, he was able to cast magic that kids his age wouldn't be able to. However, even he was confused, until now, as to how he could do them.
He knew them... But... at the same time... don't know them.
A certain incident from his childhood stands above his memories.
A bookshelf was about to fall onto him. However, in some miracle, as if his body moved on its own, he managed to unleash a tier-3 magic, an ice magic that summoned sharp icicles, emerging from the ground. Out of the five tiers, the 3rd tier was considered adequate for a strong magician. However, at that time, he was only six years old.
Not just that, but on a few occasions of life-and-death, he was able to cast some tier-3 magics, as if it were natural for him.
He tried doing it again, but he couldn't. He is only able to do mere tier-1 magics. Remembering correctly, his mana wasn't depleted. Since then, he has tried to cast those spells every day; however, he can't. Only measly tier-1 magics.
He looked up at the dummy again, determined to cast the spell like he once did. Once, twice, even thrice. However, no matter how much mana he depletes, he can't remake what he did.
"D-Damn, another day of no success." He said, catching his breath. He grew stronger, but only enough for him to cast tier-1 spells.
"What was that about...? Is it just... adrenaline rush? I doubt it. Tier-1 and Tier-3 are completely different tiers. I could believe it if it were tier-2." He pondered to himself.
Looking at his rough hands that are practicing every day, he can't help but wonder, what were those incidents about?
"But regardless, magic is the dream. I need to be better." He murmured to himself, his eyes determined.
Suddenly, as he was about to compose himself again and train, his phone vibrated. Surprised and curious. He grabbed his phone out of his pocket.
...
Hey, Yukito! Where did you run off?! We were going to have our last party before I move to Russia!
It was Shiina. Her messages were filled with cute, angry emojis.
I'm busy. I'll just see you back when I see you.
"You'll be like that to your only best friend?"
"You're not the only friend I have."
"Really? Then, why are you always alone in the corner?!"
"I prefer my self's own company over others."
"I doubt that!"
She replied with multiple emojis.
Yukito left her on seen, and closed his phone. However, just a few seconds after,
"Why did you leave me on seen?! Don't you care about your childhood friend, Shiina Yasuno?!"
"I mean, I don't have anything more to say."
"You're really mean. Anyway, could you meet me at the cafe near our school? I wanna give you something."
"But it's a hassle. I'm at home right now."
"Oh, coincidences."
Suddenly, he heard a knock on their door.
"Don't tell me..." Yukito immediately rushed towards his door. And just like he thought, Shiina was there.
"There you are, always trying to ditch me, aren't you?" Shiina, wearing her uniform, smiled. Behind her was a long, black bag.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were with them, going out somewhere?" Yukito asked, surprised at her sudden appearance.
"Well, I wanna give you this." Shiina placed the long bag from her back on the ground.
"W-What's that?!"
"W-Well, just see for yourself, will you?"
Yukito, although hesitant, crouched down, and opened the bag.
Inside was a sword, sheathed, crowned in a gorgeous blue color. Mesmerized, he slowly unsheathed the blade, revealing its mystical, bluish shine.
"I noticed that you always had your eyes on this sword. So, here. Finally saved up."
"W-Wait, what?!" His heart pounded in nervousness.
"Well, I'm going to Russia after all. I don't know when we can meet, but our friendship was what saved me. So, there. My farewell gift."
Yukito stood up and sighed in disbelief. "You don't have to do this. You can just return it to the shop."
However, Shiina only giggled before running away.
"H-Hey!" He tried to run after her; however, with her wind magic, she easily disappeared from view.
"W-What is wrong with her?" He looked at the sword again. Numerous thoughts rushed through him. Should he return this to the store? Should he chat Shiina?
But a feeling inside his chest tells him to keep it.
"*Sigh*,"
He slowly walked up to that bag and brought it inside.