Footsteps dashed across the street, black boots pounding the earth with each step. A rolling wall of unseen power and order. The D.S.O. had received intel on extreme void particle traces within a small village south of Sector 9 [Japan] and had sent several D-ranked Blood Wardens to survey the area. One surveyed the massacre before them. The lifeless bodies of animals, children and the elderly lay breathless, piled across the village gate. Nothing had survived.
Another spoke into his intercom, "4th interception, beside the first grey wine barrel."
A voice simply responded, "Received."
Several Blood Wardens emerged from nearby houses, scanning the village floor. The D.S.O. had sent over thirty D-ranks to gather intelligence. Why? Because this was no simple investigation. Across the world, intelligence groups had detected the extreme shift in void energy within Sector 9. What had caused this immense energy spike? Why and how had the locals died? Questions echoed globally. But the D.S.O. had a larger problem. Sectors had always competed for intelligence since the 2nd century, but if the World Government got involved, there would be unavoidable chaos, a shift in political power, and Sector 9 could not afford to have the World Government snooping around their territory. And so they had sent not only D-rank agents, but a Holy Pillar.
"Honestly, what a mess."
A voice slithered past the wall of agents, soft and melodic. A group of D-ranks froze, their bodies locked like windup toys. They did not dare to move, not in the presence of a Holy Pillar.
There were no footsteps or rustling clothes. Not even the distant feeling of a cold breeze as he passed them. His figure manifested before the unmoving line, tall and intimidating. A military-style cloak hung from his collar, stopping just before his waist. His white blindfold rested above a wide, eerie smile. On his right hand was a tattooed Sigel of a skull and a blade placed deep within. The being who stood before them was none other than the Holy Pillar, user of Music, Takashi Hirato.
With their boots dug into the ground, the void guards stood perfectly still, their hearts racing. There was no rule prohibiting movement in front of a Pillar, but their mere presence instilled order and fear. Takashi looked back, his gaze fixed on the wall of D-ranks behind him. He squinted, piercing their souls with his invisible eyes.
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"Return to duty," his voice was stern and authoritative.
They wasted no time. Without words, they leapt into action. The unmoving became moving, scanning the village floors once more. For a moment, there was the expected rumble of footsteps, the sound of rustling bricks, and the many voices reporting back to D.S.O. HQ in Sector 9B. Until…
"Sir! Traces of demonic activity have been found, sir!" a void guard called out.
Takashi turned to face the lone guard standing under the broken remains of an old house. Before him stood a void guard whose eyes had focused on something strange and unnatural. An object that exuded a dark, malevolent evil. Takashi walked toward the void guard. Placed on the ground like a remnant of a long-lost war was a brown cane.
Meanwhile, in a nearby forest, a grey rabbit leapt from the ground as dirt tumbled from its fur. It was on a journey to find some food to eat. It paused, looking toward the light blue sky, its vision focused on something beyond the stars. But it was just a rabbit, a prey in the wild. Rustle. Its ears twitched. A subtle sound had pierced the air. The smell of burnt leaves was no longer intense, and the trees were still, with claws stretching toward the sky. Yet that subtle sound echoed like a warning. To a prey such as the rabbit, something was near, something that could eat it. So it sprang into action, leaping from ground to rock, from rock to fallen branches, from fallen branches to soft grass. The more it hopped, the more the grass softened beneath its feet. Then the rabbit stopped as a puddle of water swallowed its feet whole. Its two beady eyes scanned the ground, trees and sky, searching for any signs of danger. Then its eyes caught something shiny. Merely a few feet ahead, a large berry bush stood alone in the vast forest. As though sent from the heavens themselves, it radiated a faint blue hue. A warm embrace that swallowed anything within its grasp. The rabbit neared, entranced by the appealing, warm aroma of the strange plant. However, despite the overwhelming presence, it had failed to notice the strange figure close by.
She sat atop a large rock, her hands brushing the fur of the animal before her. Her gentle gaze fixed on the endless blue above her. Below, several puddles of sapphire calmed the raging fires beneath her feet. Her clothes, worn and torn, flowed through the wind like water. She was none other than the girl in blue, Akari Hinamata.
