Far in the depths of Lunafry Forest, the trees and magical beasts stirred from their long slumber. Winter had just ended. The snow was melting, and the trees slowly regained the lush green they had shed in autumn.
Beneath a lone pine, Zephyr lay resting, a fallen log serving as his pillow, nothing but the open sky as his shawl. His shoulder-length black hair faded to white at the tips, framing his tired face. He looked up at the heavens, his sky-blue eyes half-closed with weariness.
"Winter is over," he murmured, smiling in quiet relief.
When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer beneath the pine. He now stood in an endless field of golden wheat, stretching farther than sight could carry. In the distance, he caught a sound.
"Humming? That tune…"
His heart quickened. He began to run—through the swaying wheat, chasing the familiar melody. At last, he saw her.
She stood among a flock of birds, her hands clasped behind her back, fingers entwined. A brown woolen blouse and a long purple skirt draped around her form. Her long orange hair, neatly braided, danced in the breeze as she hummed an ancient lullaby.
Zephyr's eyes blurred with tears. His legs trembled.
The woman's voice rose in song:
"When the clouds shall block the light,
When darkness spreads and hope is gone…
Then shall the shadow and his army rise,
Kings for themselves, knights for pride,
No hope shall remain.
But fear not, my child.
For when the sun crowns the tip of Mount Lunafry,
The Crimson Heroes will come.
Heroes with hearts of gold,
Knights of justice,
And kings of the people.
The people shall rise,
Knights shall stand,
Heroes shall awaken…
Because the Crimson Soul has come."
As the last words left her lips, she extended her hand toward him. Slowly, she turned, revealing eyes as sky-blue as his own.
"Zephyr," she whispered, her smile radiant. "You've grown so much."
A loose strand of hair fell across her face.
"Mother!" Zephyr cried. Without hesitation, he rushed into her embrace, falling to his knees as tears streamed down his cheeks. He clung to her, burying his face into her shirt. She gently patted his head, then lifted his face with her hand and looked into his eyes, as though gazing straight into his soul. Her voice was soft, almost a whisper.
"Zephyr, my dear child… our meeting will not be long now. Bear with me a little longer. But for now—you must wake."
At her words, he jolted upright from the dream. His eyes were damp with unfallen tears. Looking skyward, he listened to the birdsong, but their cheerful chirping only deepened the ache in his heart. He rose slowly, letting out a weary sigh.
"Hah… nothing but a dream. Mother… Father… where are you?" he said, his voice heavy with sorrow.
"I'd like to know that myself," a voice intruded.
From the shadow of a tree stepped his brother, Masamune. His long brown leather Victorian coat billowed in the wind, fastened at the waist by a black belt with a golden buckle. But it was his striking features that drew the eye—his fiery orange hair, their mother's gift, and those piercing golden eyes.
"Masamune…" Zephyr huffed, placing a hand on his hip. "How is it you always wake before me?" His sky-blue eyes met his brother's golden ones in a playful challenge.
"Please. Waking before you is no feat," Masamune replied with a confident smirk. "I could throw snow on your face, and you'd sleep right through it."
As he strode closer, his calf-length boots pressed into the soft green grass.
"Ha!" Zephyr scoffed. "Lies!"
"Really? Then take a look at your shoulder," Masamune said, pointing.
Zephyr turned his head, only to find a large brown smear across his cloak. His confident expression melted into sheer horror.
"Wait—this isn't… dung, is it?" he stammered, his face twisting in disgust.
Masamune erupted in laughter, his voice carrying through the trees.
"MASAMUNE!" Zephyr screamed, his cry echoing from the forest all the way to the mountains.
Zephyr froze like a statue, staring in horror at the mysterious gunk smeared across his shoulder.
"What… in the world is this thing?" he muttered, eyes wide as if he'd just discovered a cursed relic.
Masamune was already doubled over, clutching his stomach with laughter. "ka ha hahaha !"
Zephyr ripped off his coat as though it were on the floor, frantically scrubbing it with water—once, twice, five times, then ten, each wash more dramatic than the last.
Masamune could hardly breathe, tears running down his face. "You… you do know it's just mud, right?" he finally managed, wheezing between laughs.
Zephyr froze, his expression sliding into a dangerous mix of crimson embarrassment and simmering rage. Without a word, he scooped up a hefty handful of earth and launched it at Masamune's face.
The mud hit its target with a wet splat. Masamune stood still, silent, mud dripping down his cheek. Slowly, theatrically, he wiped it away with his hand. The laughter was gone. The air grew still. Even the birds seemed to sense it.
"Oh… it's war now."
The trees groaned, the wind hushed, and the brothers rose to their feet like duelists in some ridiculous epic.
Zephyr's hand slid to his longsword. When he drew it, the black-and-white blade hissed as though it cut straight through the warmth of the air. A strange frost rolled out from the steel, curling like ghostly mist. Its guard, adorned with a silver lily, and the pale rose etched into the hilt, seemed almost alive—delicate beauty hiding lethal promise.
Masamune smirked and unsheathed his weapon in reply—a katana with twin ridges running down its spine like the fangs of a beast. The blade glowed faintly, whispering heat into the air, while its golden guard caught the light like fire. Even standing near it, the forest felt warmer, as if the sword itself had pulled summer into the clearing.
The earth between the
m held its breath.
Two brothers. Two blades. And one very stupid argument about mud.Their blades clashed, sparks bursting like fireflies against the pale morning light. The trees swayed with each impact, branches scattering dew that glittered in the newborn sun. Zephyr's sword gleamed with an otherworldly blue glow, every swing releasing icy flakes that shimmered like frost in the dawn air. Masamune's blade blazed crimson in answer, its heat bending the light so that the steel looked blurred, like a mirage.
Zephyr moved with agility—dodging, parrying, his breath sharp in the cool air—but Masamune's raw strength and seasoned skill pressed down on him, heavy as the rising day. The difference in power was clear, yet Zephyr refused to falter, his stance tightening as he waited for the opening he knew would come.
Again steel met steel, ringing like thunder across the quiet morning. Masamune's swings grew heavier, more reckless. One savage strike drove his sword into the trunk of a towering pine, splinters flying as birds scattered from its branches.
"Perfect—an opening!" Zephyr shouted, surging forward.
But Masamune's lips curled into a faint smirk. With a surge of muscle beneath his coat, he wrenched his blade free and cleaved straight through the pine, splitting it in half as if it were nothing but paper.
Zephyr's eyes widened—not with disbelief, but with grim recognition. He bent back just in time, the blade's heat brushing his cheek like the first harsh rays of sun. Using the momentum, he rolled into a backflip, his leg lashing out to crack against Masamune's chin. The air grew thin as both warriors stepped back, their chests rising and falling in rhythm. The forest fell into silence. Each lifted their blade to their chest, as if swearing a solemn vow.
Zephyr's sword shimmered with a frosty blue glow, ice crystals spiraling from its edge. Masamune's blade flared with crimson heat, the air around it warping like a mirage. With a sudden roar, they charged.
Steel met steel.
The clash rang out like thunder, shaking the earth. Half the clearing froze solid under Zephyr's power, while the other half burned beneath Masamune's flame.
"You've grown stronger," Masamune said with a smirk, standing tall, seemingly untouched by the impact.
In contrast, Zephyr sank to one knee, his breath ragged. "(Panting)… Well, I guess I've got you to thank for that," he muttered, exhaustion dragging at his voice.
Masamune chuckled. "Then let's call it even, shall we?"
Before Zephyr could reply, a sharp voice cut through the tension.
"What in the world are you two idiots doing?!"
From the treeline, a woman stepped into view, her hood pushed back to reveal bright purple hair that shimmered against the gloom. Her golden eyes—so like Masamune's—blazed with irritation.
"Senna!" Zephyr and Masamune blurted at once, stumbling over their words, their earlier ferocity evaporating as they scrambled for an excuse.
"Haha—we were just, uh—"
"Training! Yes, training!"
Senna's gaze narrowed. "And what happened to our camp?"
The brothers exchanged nervous glances and pointed toward the clearing. But when they turned, their faces dropped.
Half the camp lay scorched in fire. The other half, buried in ice."Ha ha.haaaaa....." Zephyr attempts to bring out a laugh but it slowly dies. "Well that's not supposed to happen " Says Masamune as he rubs his chin. "You idiots!" Senna shouts out. She extends both her hands out and points towards her brothers. An orb of 🟣 magic charges up and she blats them both in to the forest. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Masamune & Zephyr scream in horror.Hours later, at nightfall, the embers crackle softly in the heart of the forest. The trees around them rise like ancient guardians, their tall silhouettes swaying gently in the cold night breeze. Shadows stretch long across the ground, dancing in rhythm with the flames. Senna sits beside the campfire, warming her hands around a small cup of tea, watching her brothers struggle with the tent they destroyed during their usual chaos. The faint smell of pine and damp earth drifts through the air, mixing with the woodsmoke curling up into the dark sky.
She smiles softly at her brothers.
"I reckon we put this pole in the middle and these four poles at the end," says Zephyr, rubbing above his lip where his imaginary mustache is supposed to be. He states the obvious just so he can look smart.
Masamune raises an eyebrow. "Sure, genius. Now instead of saying the obvious, how about you actually help?" His words are sharp and mocking.
Zephyr only smirks in return. "That's impossible."
"Oh? And why is that?" Masamune asks, rolling his eyes.
Zephyr then picks up three poles and another pole that is half-frozen and broken.
Masamune's eye twitches in irritation. "Oh, come on!" he yells. Even the wolves in the forest seem to howl at their misfortune.
They settle on using makeshift wooden poles, hoping they won't collapse on them.
"Dinner's ready!" calls Senna in a happy, chirpy voice—quite the contrast to her earlier rage.
"Coming!" Masamune and Zephyr jump up from the leaf-covered ground.
Senna takes a black pot from the campfire. Its unique golden designs seem to glow brighter with every touch of flame. When Senna removes the lid, the sweet aroma of beef stew fills the air, and the brothers can't help but drool with delight.
Before Senna can even put a spoon in, a large light flashes across the sky.
A blinding streak tears through the night.
BOOM!
The forest trembles. The thunderous sound echoes between the mountains, and birds burst from the treetops in frightened flocks.
"Eek!" Senna squeaks.
The night sky flashes white, turning every tree and stone into a stark silhouette. The wind rushes through the branches, making them creak and bend as if bowing to some unseen power.
Then—
A streak of blue light slices through the forest like a comet. It races from the northern mountain, weaving between the trees at impossible speed. Leaves whirl into the air around it.
It shoots straight through their campfire clearing before stopping inches from Zephyr's face.
The light hovers there, humming softly, its glow reflecting in Zephyr's wide eyes.
A whisper follows—so quiet it seems impossible to hear, yet the words reach him clearly:
"Zephyr Rintaro Takahibe… how fortunate you are. Alas, be aware, O fated hero… cursed by the trials of red, cursed to be branded as the villain."
The blue glow pulses. Zephyr reaches toward it, feeling a gentle warmth brush against his skin, but just before he can touch it, the light shoots upward and speeds toward the southern mountain.
It rises high into the sky.
Lights of every color surge from the forest—like streams pulled from the ground, the leaves, even the air itself—drawn upward as if answering a call.
Suddenly, the siblings are driven to their knees. The forest around them grows still. Their magic pulls outward from their chest—Masamune's shining red, Senna's swirling purple, and from Zephyr, a pure white luminance.
Zephyr grabs his shirt, the energy tugging at him in a deep, draining way—as though something inside him is being pulled forward.
The forest holds its breath.
Zephyr struggles but manages to raise his head. He looks at the light and extends his arm to reach it. The warm glow touches his palms before it shoots toward the northern mountain, crashing through the trees in its wake. It trails toward the mountain's peak, shattering it to bits before shooting straight into the sky, breaking the mountain's upper half. The impact of its ascent pierces the clouds until it finally stops at the highest point in the sky.
Then—silence.
The light begins to shrink, and the forest seems to hold its breath. Zephyr manages to stand weakly, his legs wobbling.
Suddenly, a deafening sound erupts as the star-like object explodes into what looks like nuclear frost, sending Zephyr and his siblings flying into the forest. The entire woodland freezes over. The trio lies covered in snow as a faint light sparkles above them, whispering lullabies of old.
Hours later, Zephyr growls awake. He lies on his side, wincing from the pain. Masamune also stirs, placing a hand on his head as he grunts.
"Oye, Zephyr… you good?" Masamune asks, his hand resting on his face as a headache takes hold.
"Yeah… more or less." Zephyr dusts off his black boots. "Wait—where is Senna!?" He turns back in panic.
They look around until they spot their sister lying close to a tree. They rush over. Zephyr holds her in his arms.
"Oye! You alright!?"
She doesn't answer. She is out cold.
"What was that?" Masamune's voice is shallow with exhaustion as he lifts Senna's arm over his shoulder, while Zephyr lifts her other arm. "It felt like magic—probably from someone not close by."
Before the siblings can take another step, they are cut off by the sound of something screaming and growling in the distance.
**ROAR!**
Suddenly, a monster of fire appears—an Ember Hollow, a being born from the dark emotions of people. Its form resembles that of a human, but blazing flames make up its body. Its hair stretches upward like fire, its eyes hollow, with nothing but flames burning inside. On its chest lies a star-shaped crystal serving as a heart.
Zephyr reaches for his sword.
"It seems we have company," he says with a smirk.
They place their sister by a nearby tree.
Masamune extends his hand, blocking Zephyr's path. "I will handle this." His voice is sharp, a smirk tugging at his lips as if he has already won the battle.
The beast's eyes narrow to slits.
"You mock me… I burn you!" the Ember Hollow growls, grinding its teeth as sparks fly like a blade being sharpened.
Zephyr and Masamune's eyes widen.
"Impossible… Ember Hollows are non-intelligent beings. How is this one able to communicate?" Zephyr says, shifting into a battle stance.
Then—cracking branches.
"And they don't attack in groups. Show yourselves, monsters!" Masamune shouts as he draws his katana.
Monsters hidden beneath the snow begin rising to their feet.
Zephyr and Masamune press their backs against each other as they slowly sidestep toward their unconscious sister.
Masamune's smirk widens.
"Well then, brother… you did say you can handle this one," Zephyr teases.
"Shut up. That was when it was one—now it's fifty."
The air grows thin.
Then the monsters charge with such speed that the sound follows only after their movement, scattering the fallen snow like landmines exploding.
Zephyr draws his longsword, slicing the first monster in half. The second lunges with a claw aimed at his face, but Masamune intercepts it, grabbing the creature and slamming it into the ground while drawing his blade in the same motion and stabbing its red core.
The battle continues.
Monsters come one after another. Sweat, flames, and sparks fill the air. First ten… then twenty… then fifty… until they lose count.
Finally, one remains.
The brothers stand, leaning on their swords, which are plunged into the frozen ground.
"Looks like this is the last one," Zephyr says, breathing heavily.
The monster steps back, tripping over a rock.
Zephyr approaches, his blade gleaming with red magma from the others.
"Nowhere to run, you little monster," he says, his voice filled with venom.
"Wait!" Masamune extends his hand, blocking Zephyr's path. "Something isn't right about this one."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Zephyr takes a closer look.
The monster is crying.
Its figure is that of a young woman. Though her body is made entirely of flame, within the core of her chest—where the crystal should be—there is a human heart.
Zephyr approaches slowly, his feet crushing the snow beneath him as his blade lowers.
The monster quivers in fear.
"Oye… can you understand me or not?" he asks, crouching in front of her.
Masamune's hand remains on his sword. "Be careful. We can't trust her."
The Hollow pushes herself backward along the ground until her back hits a tree.
"Mer…cy… please…" she cries, tears of flame forming.
Zephyr pauses.
He extends his hand cautiously.
"I won't harm you."
The monster looks at him—confused, bewildered. Slowly, she raises her hand to meet his.
Masamune tightens his grip on his sword, ready to strike.
The moment her hand touches Zephyr's palm, it freezes.
Her core suddenly begins shining black.
It explodes with energy, pushing Zephyr back.
He flips backward, regaining his footing.
"Tch… dark magic," Masamune grunts.
He draws his blade with such speed it creates a whipping sound as he dashes toward the Hollow's core.
The Hollow writhes in pain, rolling on the ground and clutching her chest.
Hands tear out from the ground around her, charging toward Masamune as a wet scream escapes her.
Masamune slices through the arms with cold, merciless precision. Each strike cracks like a whip, his blade heating with every movement. He dashes forward, snow rising behind him.
The Hollow grovels, trying to escape—falling, scrambling, her form shifting closer to human. The flames on her face shrink.
She glances back—
Nothing.
Only a massive spray of snow rising skyward.
Suddenly, her face is smashed into the ground.
Masamune lands from above, pinning her down, spinning his blade between his fingers before aiming it directly at her crystal core and thrusting—
**Grab.**
Just before the blade can strike, it is stopped.
Zephyr grips Masamune's wrist tightly.
"Wait… she is not a Hollow," Zephyr says, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"What do you mean?" Masamune loosens his grip slightly, confused.
Zephyr pushes Masamune's hand off her.
"Wait, Zephyr, she—"
Masamune stops as he sees the sadness in Zephyr's eyes.
Zephyr places his hand on the Hollow's forehead.
"Forgive me for not noticing too late… child."
His hand begins to glow a faint blue.
Her eyes widen. Her flaming hair falls to her shoulders, losing its fire and revealing a soft amber. Her body begins to change—shrinking, becoming human. The flames fade completely.
She becomes a child—no older than seven or eight. A red blouse, a long blue skirt. Blue eyes.
When Zephyr removes his hand, she is fully human.
A young girl—likely from the countryside of Lunafry.
Tears stream down her face as she clutches Zephyr's white coat.
Masamune steps back in awe.
Zephyr gently places his hand on her head.
"You are free…"
His smile does not reach his eyes.
She looks up at him, crying.
"Thank you…"
Her form begins to fade.
Zephyr's grip tightens.
She smiles softly.
"Thank you… sir… hero…"
Then she disappears.
Zephyr looks to the sky, inhales sharply—then slams his fist into the ground.
Masamune places a hand on his shoulder.
"She was cursed by him. I know it!"
Zephyr shouts, his face lowered in anger.
Masamune pats his shoulder.
"We'll make him pay."
His voice is filled with hatred, his golden eyes darkening.
---
**(Meanwhile, Senna rests by the tree, oblivious to what transpired—Zephyr's scarf beneath her head, Masamune's gloves covering her hands.