Sergeant Scarlet of the Chromatic Corps.

I

There's an island. Have you heard of it?

Vast forests with villages in between, divided into two countries.

The Colored Lands, or the Chromia was vibrant, with lush vegetation and forest consisting of many shades of green complement the halcyon blue sky. The villagers of the lands had quite colorful personalities, but their purpose was what unified them: to restore the world to its former glory with its diverse cultures, restoring and retaining the beautiful colors within it.

On the other hand, the Monochrome was in shades of black, white and grey, uniform and bleak. Unchanging. It was the exact opposite of the Colored Lands with dark, ominous grey clouds and shades of black, grey, and white.
Instead of embracing the special traits that lay within them, they were buried for their one and only purpose.

This was the opposite side, with its dark gray clouds that never shone.

They were all taught to fight, to fight the world and make it theirs. To take over Chromia.

From this generation of determined soldiers arose an especially skilled young man whose name was still unspoken today. He wanted to take over Chromia and become the supreme ruler himself, for reasons unknown. He spied on the Chromatic Corps, an offshore training facility for the Chromia and planned his attack.

There was only one fault in his plan : among these talented military men and women, there was a girl.

He fell deeply in love with her, and faked his identity just to see her everyday.

He masqueraded as "Commander Cedarwood".... and everyone fell for it.

By the time of his invasion, Ceadarwood realized that he truly did love this girl.
("How foolish. Love? I don't---" he had muttered, eyes downcast before she interrupted him with a kiss.)

And in fact, so did she in return.

Nevertheless, this did not stop his plans--he wanted to rule this island with the girl, but she opposed his ideas.

He went forth with his brutal attacks.

On the day of the invasion, he inevitably crossed paths with the girl he loved.
Held a monochrome sword at her neck.

(She was unarmed. Defiant in the face of death.)

He stood, strong. Proud. Victorious.
He thought he had won.
He slung his black sword back and thrust it forward- in direction of the General.

But he loved her.

(She didn't move. Held at sword point by her true love in the opposing side---ah, could it become any more cliché?)

Oh, love can save lives. Or perhaps it can lead to their destruction.

He stabbed the colorless blade onto ground beneath. mere inches from the General.

(She dare not touch his weaponry, for it was of the Monochrome- void of color and dangerous.)

This was the General of the military. He could've captured her and have easily won, as that would have been all that was necessary. He could have taken over the entire island.

(Yet he didn't.)

The rest of her troops fought off the Monochrome and defended their villages successfully.

Yet in the midst of the war, countless lives were lost.

If a single colorless weapon comes in contact with a Chromia, a person from the Colored Lands, the unfortunate victim would become very ill due to not being immune to the Monochrome.

The Momochrome had deeply wounded both the citizens of Chromia and the land itself, increasing the size of the Monochrome World.

The blame was laid on Cedarwood.

A warrant for his arrest immediately was placed all over the island.

It is not known exactly what happened, but what everyone knows is that Cedarwood and the General had fled the island after his failure to kidnap the head of the Chromatic Military, his true love.

They haven't been seen ever since.

But what the Chromatic Investigators say that they had children, and have returned to area of the Chromia.

"The whole family poses a danger to the island and to its existence today."

_(Or so they say. Is that a lie? Is that a warped truth?
I cannot tell. Oh, not anymore.
It's not all black and white.)_

I am Sergeant Scarlet.

"I swear on my life and honor to protect this island from threat to the best of my ability and to keep the Monochrome where they belong. I must remain truthful to my fellow trainees and commanders. I will dedicate my loyalty and life into defending Chromia and will never leave a comrade behind,"

I recited dutifully after my instructor.

The day the mission was announced, I knew within my heart that this wasn't going to be an easy battle.

Far from it.

We were not going down without a fight.
And neither were they.