"Stop that girl!"
"Take the magic from Scarlet!"
The shrill voices pierced the void of space. The echoes echoed in the void, sounding as if the universe was screaming. Thousands of pairs of feet stepped on the surface of the crystal platform floating in the middle of the galaxy. They—the dark wizards—dressed all in black with long robes that flowed with the pressure of space, running without hesitation through space, chasing a single point of light.
There, at the edge of the half-destroyed platform, stood a young girl. Her body was covered in blood, her dark red hair hanging wildly covering part of her face. Her eyes were sharp, but lost their light. In her hand, she held a crystal staff with ancient magic that gleamed almost extinguished.
Her name was Scarlet. The most talented wizard in a hundred generations. But now, she was just one body against the power of the entire universe.
The magic inside her staff vibrated violently. As if wanting to break free. As if crying.
"I'm sorry... I can only go this far," Scarlet whispered softly, her breath hitching.
Her tears broke out, not because of the unbearable pain all over her body, but because of helplessness—because she could no longer protect her friend, a living magic, a soul named… Yomiru.
Yomiru was magic from an ancient ritual, created from the sacrifice of thousands of lives and stolen star energy. She was not just power, she had consciousness. She thought, felt, and loved. She was living magic.
"Scarlet…" Yomiru's voice drifted, like a whisper of pain in Scarlet's head. The voice was not loud, but it cut deep. "Please, let me kill them. Don't leave me like the others…"
Scarlet shook her head slowly. "I can't… If I let you go, they will take you… abuse your power."
Scarlet's hands trembled as she pulled Yomiru out of the wand. A bluish-red light instantly exploded from her hand, dazzling and hot. Yomiru's form was faintly visible, like a flame, like a silhouette that pulsated with life.
Her eyes stared at Scarlet—there was no hatred there. Only fear. Fear of losing again.
"My last request…" Scarlet's voice choked, "…Please, live on Earth. Be a normal human being. No destruction. No war. No misery. Continue to be happy… For me."
Yomiru trembled, her energy pulse weakening. She understood.
A portal opened—the only way to another world untouched by magic. A world where humans lived without magic, without spells, only with love and hope.
With the last of her strength, Scarlet threw Yomiru into the portal.
"NO!!! SCARLET!!!"
Yomiru's voice was shrill. But she couldn't stop herself. Her energy body was sucked into the portal like stardust. Her eyes—if they could be called that—stared at Scarlet for the last time.
Scarlet turned, blood pouring from her mouth. Her lips moved, inaudibly, but Yomiru knew she was saying: "I love you like my own child."
Then…
Scarlet was torn apart. A destructive spell was fired from behind. Her body shattered into red crystal shards. There was no scream. Only silence. Just a wound.
And the portal closed.
***
Earth's Sky.
Nighttime.
At first the sky looked ordinary—pitch black, studded with stars. But suddenly, the clouds parted. A crack formed a silvery zigzag pattern, as if the sky were a fragile mirror that had finally shattered.
Light burst from the crack. It shook the atmosphere. Static electricity filled the air. The people of Tokyo looked up, confused. Some filmed with their phones. Others ran in panic.
Then…
Something came out of the crack.
Not a plane. Not a comet. But a soul.
Glow a soft blue, the body floated down slowly, calmly, as if it knew where it was going.
Yomiru…
The body hovered in the air for a few seconds, then descended rapidly.
Down below, on the busy Shibuya highway, an accident had occurred. A woman had been hit by a car that had fled. Her body lay, barely recognizable, blood forming a puddle on the asphalt.
Yomiru looked down. Her eyes lit up, recognizing… an empty body.
She slid down.
And entered.
The next second, the woman's body moved.
Her muscles spasmed. Her bones creaked. Blood was still dripping. But slowly, she rose. Her hair changed, from black to silvery white. Her eyes were now dark purple, glowing faintly behind her short, messy hair.
She coughed. The first breath she took was painful—because this was the first time she breathed as a human.
"Haah… So this is Earth, huh?" she whispered.
She—Yomiru—stood in the middle of the sidewalk. Her clothes were torn, the body of the woman she was occupying was still injured. But no one saw. The streets were empty. Maybe because of the small miracle she brought with her.
She looked around. Neon lights. Tall buildings. The sound of vehicles. Human faces in large, smiling advertisements.
"The world Scarlet wanted for me…" she muttered.
Yomiru looked up at the sky, to where the crack had been. But the sky had returned to normal. There was no sign of anything. As if it had never happened.
"Okay," he said, smiling for the first time in his life. "Let's live in peace…"
But far away—beyond that peaceful world—waves of ancient magical energy rippled slowly.
And someone was opening another portal.
...