A heartbeat that lasts for eternity...
Lives consumed in soundless balls of fire.
No one can tell when the world is displaced...
...and the flames of the Crimson World sweep over all.
And so, as I dye this sky red
I proceed through time yet to arrive with this body of mine
Shakugan no Shana
The "people" who we walk past, and undistinguished "things"...
...are all memories that will disappear
"Strengths" swaying with devotion and "weaknesses" swaying in vain...
...are all part of the same future
Such a world, melting away the red haze of daily life as the sun sets
Let the wind determine where to draw the line...
...spear the enemy with the flowing hair tip
As I shake off my thoughts, while dreams overflow
All thats required is for me to complete my mission with my own hands
When the cherry blossoms in the city of Misaki were in full bloom...
...this year later than usual...
Life as a high school student had just begun for me, Yuji Sakai...
...and it was on its way to becoming a daily routine.
Another morning like any other...
...days with no change...
Normal days like today were supposed to continue on.
At the time, there was no way I could've imagined what was to come.
The strange world I was soon to encounter.
And the fact that I would die.
What?! What is this?!
What is this?!
What's going on?!
Time to eat!
And...
My encounter with the girl with flame-red eyes and hair.
That day...
...my world...
...came undone.
The End to Everything, the One Beginning
The day began...
...with me meeting up with Hayato Ike, a friend from junior high school.
It was too normal for my last morning.
Misaki High School It was too normal for my last morning.
Hey!
Sakai!
Hey!
With you here, it doesn't feel like I've made the step up to high school.
It just seems there's nothing new about it.
Don't make it my fault.
With your grades, you could've aimed for a better school.
Well, closer to home is more convenient.
It's not fair that you get to choose for reasons like that.
My marks were just barely good enough for here.
You say so, but you're the type who in the end gets where you want.
Perhaps I'm lucky.
Or perhaps you're shrewd.
You think so?
I was only interested in my new life as a high school student.
Hi.
Good morning!
I can hear you. You don't have to shout.
Whoa. He's kind of standoffish.
I hear Sato was pretty rough in junior high.
But ever since he began hanging out with that jock beside him...
I think his name's Tanaka.
Ever since then, he's calmed down somewhat.
Really.
I guess from their perspective...
...we're the honor student types that get under their skin.
Honor student?
Maybe you are, but I'm nothing of the sort.
Well...
lt's common to find one or two guys in your class that you don't get along with.
There's no sense worrying about it.
M m-hm.
It was one week since school began.
Although my high school life wasn't overflowing with hope...
...neither was it hopeless.
I was living a normal life.
Also...
Thank you.
The girls seemed better than average, in terms of looks.
From a male's perspective...
...one could say there was much hope.
Sakai!
Yuji Sakai.
Ah, y-yes!
What were you looking away for?
Read the next part.
Um...
Page 17, line 3
"My father returned from Tokyo."
"I was to start attending the school built where the clan's study center had been."
"To get to the school from home..."
"I would go through a wicket to the west of the land in front of the gateway."
"There's still the remains of a guard house near the wicket."
"A fifty-year-old man lives there. His wife and child..."
That's right.
Very normal, but no complaints.
Who would've known that this daily life of mine was so fragile...
...it would collapse in five minutes.
What are your plans for today?
I have a trial exam at my prep school.
What? You're already preparing yourself for college entrance exams?
I have to keep my parents happy.
It affects how much allowance I get.
What about you?
Hmm... I have time on my hands...
...so maybe I'll go and check out the CDs by the train station.
Well, see ya later.
Even now, I wonder...
...how it would've been different if I had gone directly home.
Would my fate have been the same no matter where I was?
But in any case, unaware of anything, I was headed to that location.
To the place only a few meters from where the world got dislodged.
Oh, hi.
You live in this direction too, Sakai-kun?
No. I came to look at the CDs.
I live in Ogawa City.
No way! I live in Aizawa City.
Just after you pass New Misaki Road.
Wow, that's really close.
Yeah!
By the way, thanks for your help during language class.
Oh, I'm not always paying attention in class either...
...so cover me the next time.
You got it.
I was wondering, isn't Ike-kun with you today?
No. He's got prep school today.
Why?
It's nothing.
You're always together, so...
It's not like we're ALWAYS together.
Also...
I was kinda wondering, does Ike-kun have a girlfriend?
No, he doesn't.
I see.
Well, I'm gonna stop by the station building.
Okay. Bye.
I see. She likes Ike.
I'd love to see how he reacts to this.
No! You mustn't run!
Watch out!
You're kidding.
Wait a minute.
Wh-What happened?
Okay, preparations are complete!
There aren't as many as I initially thought...
...but this should be plenty.
Lets start eating.
Lets eat, lets eat.
Yum, so tasty!
You mustn't talk while you're eating.
- It's bad manners. - Sorry!
What's happening?
What's this?!
What IS this?!
What's going on?!
Hirai-san!
Huh?
What is this guy?
I dunno. He doesn't seem to be a Denizen.
But he's moving around in this sealed world.
He's a Mystes.
Huh? A Mystes?
Those torches with treasures in them?
Yes. And an extremely rare type at that.
It'll be the best gift we've brought home in a while.
I'm sure Master will be very pleased.
All right! We did good!
Gotcha!
Time to eat!
Who did that?!
Who is this girl?
Well? Alastor?
Hmm... It's not a Denizen.
It's only a "Rinne".
How dare you sever my arm!
I'll crush you!
Who is she? Who is she?
I get it. You're...
Don't!
Looks like that's only a shell.
Its real body escaped as soon as it could.
It could still be close by.
This is a Mystes, isn't it?
Hmm.
Furthermore, it appears to be a rather unusual one.
Huh? What?
Why?!
So you were hoping to get the Mystes's contents, huh?
Flame-haired and burning-eyed...
You must be the "Flame Haze" of Alastor, the Flame of the Heavens.
You're nothing but a tool for the Destruction Attack.
That's right. So what.
My Master won't suffer this in silence!
I'm sure!
He'll be screaming in his last moments soon.
Damn you.
But for now...
...you may do the screaming instead.
Wait...
Wait a minute!
Wh-What the...
It's... inside me...
...getting something... s-stop it...
I've been sliced? I've been sliced.
So that's its true body!
Behind you!
It got away.
Judging from what it was saying, there's something powerful in its shadows.
It's been a while since we last used the Destruction Attack on one of the Lords.
In any case...
Help!
I was startled a moment ago.
I had completely forgotten that this thing was moving.
Yes.
For a moment there, I was reminded of Tenmoku I kko.
But that time, we already knew it could move and fight.
Please, get me an ambulance!
Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!
Don't make such a fuss over being cut!
But...
It shows what kind of a person it was when it was alive.
If you were human, you would be dead the moment you incurred that deep cut.
If I were human?!
I must stop the bleeding.
The bleeding?!
I'm not bleeding? What in the world?
Fire! I'm on fire!
Why?
Lets see...
Hirai-san!
She's back to normal. Good.
This'll do it for the torches.
It'll take a few minutes to fix the destruction.
Hmm.
Those Rinne certainly gorged themselves.
Their master must have an extremely large appetite.
I'm done!
Doesn't anybody realize what just happened?
Hirai-san! Hirai-san! Wait for me!
What? What is that?
Hirai-san...
It can't be... Why?
Could it be?
Hey! Wait a minute.
What was that I witnessed just now?
Where did that little boy from earlier go?
And what is that flame-like thing in Hirai-san and the others?
Shut up, you're bugging me!
Alastor. Shall we get rid of this?
No. We mustn't carelessly open a Mystes.
Have you forgotten all the commotion that time with Tenmoku I kko?
I know, but it keeps bugging me.
Just tell it the truth.
When it hears the truth, it will fall silent.
What is it with you?! You keep referring to me as "it" as if I were a thing.
That's right! You are not human.
You are a thing.
Not only you.
Everyone you see with a flame visible within their body.
They are replacements of people who vanished after their existence...
...were eaten by the Denizens of the Crimson World.
They're torches.
Replacements? What are you saying?
If they disappear suddenly, it would disrupt the balance of this world.
So to soften the impact, a replacement is provided in the human's place.
Temporarily, that is.
Then, are you saying?
I'm very sorry, Master.
I lost one of your favorite Rinnes.
You've done nothing wrong, Marianne.
Being attacked by a Flame Haze is like encountering a natural disaster.
Please, give me another chance.
Sure.
But there's no need to hurry.
You must be tired, so get some sleep first.
Good night, my adorable Marianne.
You have nothing to worry about.
The flame-haired burning-eyed one...
Are you saying?
Yes.
The real you has had its existence eaten, and therefore no longer lives.
Right now, you are nothing but leftover scum.
I-I no longer exist.
On that day, a day that was supposed to be the same as any other...
...I found out that I was dead.
The one who will be born at dawn
Do not lose sight, no matter what happens
You are you, girl, now is the time
Untie all, and stand strong!
As you tear through the winds while you hide the scars of your heart
There is no way to just watch over you
Are those eyes of yours looking for the you in the far future?
But I can hear it
The heartbeat of deep sadness is calling out!
I'm just... the darkness before dawn decides one's fate for one's life
It's all right, girl, now is the time
There's no reason to regret or be ashamed
Far away...
While carrying a cross
Risk your life as you run through the flames!
I am already dead.
Before I could really understand what that meant...
...a young girl was about to vanish.
Next episode, "The Lit Flame".