燃焼[Burning]

Prologue II

Nakajima Yuri, age 15, one of the youngest Saniwas to join the frontlines. There were several rumors about her family background, which led most to mistrust her and brand her as a potential traitor.

Orphaned when she was two, Yuri spent most of her life in an orphanage. Born with silver hair and dark sapphire blue eyes that shone like the sea, she was deemed an outcast by the other children. She grew up without any close friends and was seen as a cold and heartless lass by anyone who saw her.

Even when she was directly threatened, her face showed no sign of emotion. She would merely stare her opponent down, and her stare soon grew so strong that she was able to avoid many conflicts just by looking in someone's general direction.

Age 14, she was scouted by the government to participate in the war against the Historical Revisionists.

Now, she found herself in a blindingly white room, with two government officials sitting opposite her, stern yet unnerved looks on their faces.

"Why-" She began, but stopped herself, biting her lip.

"We need more people on the frontlines," One of them said simply, "Manpower issues."

"But why? Why me out of all those children?" Her voice was monotonous, yet it held a questioning tinge. "Why would you select someone like me?"

The other official smiled lightly, "Out of all those at the orphanage, you had the most potential. Your spiritual energy readings are off the charts, Nakajima-kun. You'd do perfectly."

A vision of bright flickering flames suddenly flashed across her mind and Yuri flinched, one hand hitting the table harshly while the other grasped at her head.

The officIals took no notice of her actions and instead waited for her breathing to calm down before they continued to talk. "Your initiation will begin the day after. You may take your leave now."

Yuri stood up weakly, bowing before she left the room. She hurried back to the holding room they'd put her in when she first came, collapsing onto her bed the very moment she set foot in the room. She breathed heavily, clutching at the silver necklace around her neck, the sharp edges of the star pendant digging into her palm.

She never wanted to see those flames ever again.

Sadness and anger raged on in her heart. After all...

The Historical Revisionists took everything.

She shut her eyes tight, her balled fist tightening even more. She'd only been two. No child deserves to lose their parents so young. Yuri still remembered the acrid smoke that burned her lungs that night as she struggled through the flames, searching desperately for her mother and father. In the end, she never found them, having been pulled out from the burning house still screaming her throat hoarse as she watched her home collapse.

Everything after that was a total blur, or maybe she'd just made herself forget what happened. They dumped her in an orphanage where, while having a nice environment, the other children ignored her and called her names. She learned to keep her emotions hidden from others, learning that if you showed too much emotion to anyone, they could use it against you. When the other children saw her, they either screamed and ran or just turned away hurriedly.

She grew used to it after a while, training herself to remain unresponsive to all outside threats. Eventually, the others learned to avoid her.

And now, she found herself in the care of the government, awaiting her training to be a Saniwa, one who fought against the Historical Revisionists.

~The next day~

Yuri was led to her Citadel, nestled away in a corner of the East Sector. The compound was absolutely enormous, with its empty rooms and spacious engawas. She felt just a little bit intimidated by the size, but shook it off and made her way to what appeared to be an arrival hall. In the main courtyard, she noticed a compass-like device, no doubt what they used to travel through the fabric of time and space. The moment she stepped into the hall, she saw another Saniwa waiting for her.