I - Ignis: The Coreless Boy

Yokohama's peaceful streets were alive with the soft hum of the morning. In a world driven by both magic and technology, sunlight filtered through the glass roof of the train station, dispersing golden dust. Faint trails of blue mana were left behind as delivery drones hovered between buildings.

Sora Minami watched one fly past as he sipped the last of his canned coffee. Its smooth flight made him sigh softly.

If only life could be this easy.

Every magic user had a small silver bracelet with a gem embedded in it, in which a person's elemental affinity was reflected. Most shone with their element's vibrant colors. But his was gray. Lifeless.

Coreless.

That word followed him everywhere.

He let out a sigh and slung his bag over his shoulder.

Sora: “Another day, another reminder I’m useless…”

He muttered under his breath and began walking towards Maho Academy, a school for preparing aspiring magic users and "heroes" to battle Mares for peace. As for the non-magic users… They are trained to be bystanders.

The streets were already bustling with students practicing minor spells, from floating school bags to heating their morning bread with their hands.

When he arrived at the school's gates, he saw the enormous statue of the Sage standing there with his hands clasped around an orb that symbolized the six elements. He passed it each morning. And it served as a daily reminder of what he didn’t have.

Sora let out a soft but bitter laugh.

Sora: “Morning, old man Sage. Still watching us, huh?”

A voice suddenly called out from behind.

???: “Sora! You’ll be late again if you keep talking to statues!”

His childhood friend Akiha Senzaki, her eyes like embers, her red hair tied back. She casually slung her bag over her shoulder and waved to him. The gem on her bracelet, in contrast to his, was blazing as bright as crimson.

Sora scratches the back of his head sheepishly.

Sora: “Good morning… Did you blow up your alarm clock again by any chance?”

Akiha laughed and gave him a friendly slap on his back with her bag.

Akiha: “That only happened once!”

The difference between them became clearer as they moved through the courtyard. Students’ spells flashed like fireworks as they sparred in training circles. Mana energy danced through the air as teachers yelled corrections. Sora watched silently from the edge.

Sora Minami was one of the 30 percent of people who could use magic in this world, where 70 percent of people could.

The Coreless, or simply, people who cannot use magic.

But deep down, he continued to dream.

He wished to be treated equally.

He wished that he had the power to protect someone.

But what he didn’t know was that this dream would soon set the world ablaze.

***

The first bell rang, echoing through the courtyard. Another day of lectures, mana drills, and quiet stares from people who already forgot he existed.

Sora was sitting in his seat, staring outside the window and daydreaming as usual.

???: “Hey loser!”

A voice called out to him. He turns his head, and a basketball immediately slams onto his face.

The ball boomerangs in the air back to Ryu, the notorious school bully who usually picks on the Coreless students.

Ryu: “Help us do our homework! Oh, wait, you can’t use magic, so you can’t even do our homework! Hahaha!”

Sora looks down at his desk. In a society filled with magic and non-magic users, definitely the weaker ones get picked on.

Sora is used to it.

Ryu: “Hey, loser, are you deaf!? Say something you—!”

Just then, Ryu felt a hot sensation on top of his head. He glanced upwards, and his eyes widened in shock.

His head is on fire.

Ryu: “Ahhh—!”

He turned back and saw Akiha, her right hand emitting a fireball.

Ryu: “A… Akiha!? The successor of the Senzaki family and the most popular girl in school!?”

Akiha: “I’ll close one eye for now. If you dare pick on my friend again, I’ll deal with you personally.”

With crimson red eyes, Akiha gave him a sharp glare. Which gave Ryu, and even Sora, the chills down their spine.

Akiha: “Now scram, trash.”

Ryu: “Y-Yes..!”

Ryu bolts out of the classroom. After he is nowhere to be seen, Akiha sighs and takes a seat next to Sora.

Akiha: “Sora, you've got to be more observant of your surroundings. Even if you are coreless, you can definitely dodge such a third-rate throw, right?”

Sora laughs softly and glances away from Akiha awkwardly.

Akiha: “Well… Don’t worry. If anything happens, as your best friend who has known you since childhood, I’ll protect you.”

Akiha placed her hand on Sora’s shoulder, which led him to burst out laughing.

Sora: “S-Shut up! Not like you’re my older sister!”

Akiha: “But I technically am! I always treated you like my cute younger brother…”

Laughter filled the classroom. Akiha's hand felt warmer than he thought. Sora can't help but wonder whether it was her fire magic or simply because she always burned brighter than anyone else he knew.

Just then, their homeroom teacher enters the classroom with a serious and strict expression on her face.

Teacher: “Before I dismiss everyone, I would like to inform everyone that there’s a recent outbreak of Mares. So please be extra careful going home. As for the Coreless… It’s recommended to go home accompanied by a magic-user…”

Sora gazes down, even though he knew that his homeroom teacher is concerned with every student in the school, Sora felt relieved, but also weak at the same time.

Teacher: “... And that’s all from me. Everyone, please stay safe.”

As their homeroom teacher left the classroom, Akiha gave Sora a strong pat on the back.

Akiha: “Let’s walk home! It has been a while since we did anyway!”

Sora broke away from his train of thought and nodded.

Sora: “Y…Yeah… We should.”

Both of them started packing up their bags and left school together. The streets were bathed in tangerine light as the sun began to set.

Akiha: “Let’s take the usual road home. It will bring back a few nostalgic memories!”

Sora: “I… I’m fine with anything.”

As they both walk together side by side, Akiha starts humming softly while her crimson bracelet flickers in rhythm. Sora kept looking at it, that dim light he never had.

Akiha: “You’re staring again.”

Sora: “What? No, I just thought… the light suits you.”

Akiha grinned.

Akiha: “You know, I’m very sure that in the future, there will be technology that allows you to use magic. When that time comes, I don’t mind lending you some, and you can become the Knight in your dreams.”

Sora: “Wait, you still remember that stupid childhood dream of mine!?”

Akiha laughs softly.

Akiha: “Oh, look, that shrine! We used to play there.”

Akiha rushes towards the shrine in front of them, gazing at it in awe.

Sora: “Well… I was just stupidly confident, you know! I kept coping that I’m a late bloomer, but in the end I wasn’t…”

Akiha turns back and lets out a small smile.

Akiha: “But that’s what I like about you. You’re strong. Even though I may be born in a prestigious family with a lineage of strong magic-users, I’m not…”

Sora smiled faintly, pretending not to notice the sudden chill in the air.

Sora: “E… Enough of the past. Let’s go home, it’s getting dark…”

Birds start scattering, and winds begin to shift unnaturally.

Something definitely feels wrong.

Before Sora or Akiha could say anything next, a distorted scream cut through the air.

Lamposts flickered before bursting into sparks one by one.

Sora: “W… What’s happening…?”

Just then, a shadow, no. A shape can be spotted dragging itself from the darkness. Its body is twisted, and its veins are lit up in blue light.

Akiha: “A Mare…!”

Akiha immediately leaped forward, summoning blazing rings of fire around her arm.

Sora froze. Everything he had ever heard about Mares… None of them can compare to seeing one in person.

Akiha punches through its stomach. But just then, more similar-looking Mares start walking slowly towards them. As if they’re zombies.

Sora: “Akiha!”

Akiha: “Sora, run!”

Sora hesitates, gripping his bag strap tightly while trembling.

Sora: “But…!”

Akiha: “Just shut up and run! I can defeat them all myself!”

Sora nods hesitantly, turning his back and dashes away as fast as he can.

***
I’m… Useless…

Sora stopped his tracks mid-way and panted heavily.

What am I doing…? She’s out there, fighting… and I’m running?

Is this… What you really want? Sora Minami!

Sora slapped his own face.

Why am I useless? Why can’t I do anything? Why can she help me out so much when I can’t help her when she needs it!?

As Sora lifted his head, he widened his eyes.

He saw himself, but younger.

The younger version of him lifted a wooden stick and struck a ridiculous pose.

Sora(young): “After I get my magical abilities, I’m gonna become a Knight, and I’m gonna protect everyone from Mares!”

Hold on.

Is that… Really me?

The confident idiot, who is useless, thought of becoming someone who can protect others? That’s…Hilarious but… Sad.

Sora froze and gazed at the rocky grounds, deep in thought.

Sora: “Yeah… That’s me. The me who hasn’t given up yet.”

Sora stood up slowly.

Sora: “If I couldn’t give up the last time… Why am I giving up now? Why did I let society make me feel useless?”

Sora gripped his bag strap tightly. But this time, there’s more confidence.

Watch me, society. I’m gonna prove to y’all that y’all are damn wrong!

Sora turned back and started dashing to where Akiha was.

As Akiha was fighting, the group of Mares was in sight. Sora leaped as high as he could and landed a kick onto one of the Mare’s faces.

Akiha: “S…Sora!? Didn’t I tell you to run away!?”

Sora landed on the ground and looked at the group of Mares walking towards them slowly.

Sora: “But I can’t just leave you alone like this, right!?”

Akiha opens her mouth, but no words seem to come out.

Sora: “If you’re gonna fight those Mares…”

Sora lifted his arm and took a strong step back. He lands a punch on one of the Mare's faces, causing it to stumble back.

Sora: “...Then I’m gonna fight too!”

Akiha stood silent before letting out a soft pfft sound.

Akiha: “I hate this idea. But I can’t help but like it at the same time!”

Akiha starts summoning a bunch of fireballs at the group of Mares. As one managed to take a step near them, Sora gripped its shoulder and gave it a strong headbutt.

However, that same Mare stood there, not moving an inch.

Sora: “It hurts!”

Before Sora and Akiha could react, the Mare landed a headbutt at Sora, sending him flying and stumbling back.

Akiha: “Sora!”

Sora burst through the abandoned shrine's ancient torii gate. The stone and woods crack, and Sora’s back landed onto the shrine with a loud thud.

Sora: “Ow…”

Sora got to his knees and tried getting back on his feet weakly. Just then, he felt a light gush of wind onto his back.

Sora Minami.

Sora: “Wha..!?”

He felt like someone was calling him from behind. But that’s impossible, as he’s very sure that no one would even be living in this abandoned shrine.

Sora turned back, and his eyes widened.

Half-buried in the ground, something glowed in the middle—a sword, humming softly, encircled by firefly-like specks of light.

For the first time, his reflection on the blade's surface glowed dimly.

The sword’s guard had a hole in between, and the handle… It seems to have a gun trigger-like button on it.

Sora: “Wait… There are some words carved onto the blade?”

Sora took one step forward, glancing up to down at the blade.

Sora: “Gene..sis…Engi..ne?”