As the crimson petals of a red rose open, they reveal a beauty that is both alluring and guarded, its elegance sharpened by the thorns protecting its heart. That same contrast followed Hitomi Higashi as she moved down the hallway, her fiery hair trailing behind her like the wake of a blaze. Her sharp yellow eyes held a bright, steady intensity as she walked with her butler beside her, their footsteps echoing evenly through the corridor.
Hitomi's crimson hair shifted in the light breeze, almost seeming alive, and her gaze stayed sharp enough to cut through the space around her. Her butler, calm and composed, walked with practiced restraint, his eyes sweeping the hall with quiet watchfulness.
Just as Hitomi looked ready to pass the intersecting corridor without trouble, a figure in a gleaming gold-and-white combat suit stepped into view. His outfit balanced function and showmanship, silver filigree etched along the lines of his toned frame, while a flowing grey cape trailed behind him like the edge of a storm. The clasp at his shoulder, shaped like a stylized wing, caught the light with a polished gleam that made his status obvious.
"Kaelith Sunshadow." Hitomi's eyes flicked toward him, her voice cool, her gaze narrowing slightly at the interruption.
The name suited him well. His sharp features and piercing stare carried the kind of confidence that demanded attention, and as he stood in her path, the air seemed to tighten with the promise of either conflict or spectacle.
"I'm sure you've heard of me," Kaelith said with a smooth smile, his tone polished with practiced charm. "Most people have."
Hitomi answered with a quiet, dismissive tsk, annoyance flashing in her eyes. "How exciting. And what does the great Sir Kaelith Sunshadow want with a delicate flower like me?" Her tone was clipped, her stare clear enough to say he had better get to the point.
"I come with only good intentions, Lady Higashi," Kaelith said, bowing with polished courtesy that didn't match the look in his eyes. "You can lower your guard. I'm not here to harm you."
Hitomi let out a small, measured sigh, though her expression stayed wary. "Go on, Sunshadow. I'm listening."
"I've had the pleasure of noticing your... radiance," Kaelith continued, his voice so smooth it felt rehearsed. "As my father taught me, a gentleman never leaves a flower like you unplucked. I simply wished to ask you to court me."
A wave of disgust crawled down Hitomi's spine, and her stare hardened at once. Old memories rose with it — the stares, the objectification, the shame. She had hoped the Islevale Garden of the Summoner's Scenario would be free of that kind of rot, but men like Kaelith seemed to carry it wherever they went. This place was meant to help them grow, not give men like him another place to hunt. Her resolve hardened. She wouldn't let him define her worth.
"I'll stop you there, Sunshadow," Hitomi said, voice firm and steady. "I'm not looking for a partner, and I definitely don't need your admiration. You've wasted enough of my time. Let me get on with my day." Her words were flat, edged with open disdain.
A few onlookers snickered, their murmurs drifting through the hall as they watched. Kaelith's face tightened with embarrassment before he smoothed it over again.
"Ah, a difficult one," he said, amusement creeping into his voice. "No matter. Like I said, I won't leave a flower like you unplucked."
Hitomi sighed softly, her face unmoved. "Unfortunately, this flower's down to its last petal," she said, her voice stripped of emotion. "I'm not even a virgin. Save your attention for someone who wants it. I have no interest in men right now, and I doubt I ever will."
The tension in the hall thickened at once. Her bluntness cut straight through Kaelith's flowery act, and the snickering around them only grew louder as everyone waited to see how he'd react.
Hitomi stepped past him to continue on, and that was when the cracks started to show. Kaelith's eyes narrowed, his teeth grinding as he snapped, "How... why? Why would you stain yourself like that? Do you have no shame as a lady?"
Hitomi's smile widened, bright with mischief as she leaned into his anger. "No, I don't," she said lightly. "And I doubt I ever did." She paused just long enough to make it sting. "Virgin."
The word landed exactly where she wanted it to. Kaelith's face twisted with anger, and Hitomi went on, her voice laced with mocking sweetness. "Funny hearing you talk about plucking flowers, though. Seems like you're the one who's never handled one."
"You— how insolent—"
"Save it," Hitomi cut in, voice crisp as she turned away. With a flick of her hair, she walked off, leaving Kaelith standing there in seething frustration. The people watching stared after her, caught between shock and amusement at how cleanly she'd shut him down.
…
When Hitomi stepped into the wide, open room, the markings on the floor seemed to shimmer in response. The air felt charged with magic, and the soft glow of floating orbs bathed the gathered students in pale light. With her finely crafted short staff in hand, crowned by a glittering Aetherite crystal native to their world, Hitomi began to chant.
"Xi-aerikor, ri-zhilakai sha-lai! Ni-kalxor kor-sha, sorilai ri-lai! Aer-tha, zhil-tha, kor-tha, lai-tha! Phoenix, ni-zhilakai, ri-kor, sha-lai!" Her voice rose and fell in a steady rhythm, channeling her kardia magia through the staff. The words seemed to sharpen the air itself, weaving fire and light into form.
As she spoke, the space around her began to hum with power, and a blaze of warm golden light burst into existence. The room fell still as the flames gathered into a majestic shape, though Hitomi's attention stayed fixed on something more personal. "Ryu," she called softly, warmth lighting her eyes.
From the heart of the glow, a small fiery bird emerged, its feathers a rich burnished red. Ryu, Hitomi's familiar, spread its wings, and quiet gasps rippled through the room. At first it seemed small, but as it fluttered onto Hitomi's shoulder, it began to grow, its wings unfurling wider and wider. Within moments, Ryu's wingspan had grown broader than most humans, every feather glowing with heat from within.
The students, most of them newcomers like Hitomi, traded stunned looks. Among them stood Instructor Svensson, an experienced mage known for noticing talent. His face stayed composed, but the flicker in his eyes gave away his surprise and approval.
Hitomi barely noticed any of it. She was too caught up in the moment. She reached up to stroke Ryu's fiery feathers, and the bird nuzzled against her, brushing its face along her cheek. Her laughter filled the room, warm and easy, as she leaned into the comfort of her familiar's presence.
As three months slipped by, the coming pageant of the Labyrinth of Lethe weighed more heavily on Hitomi's mind. She couldn't help dreading the trial ahead, with memories of the last page still burned into her. Back then, luck had been the only thing that carried them through, and even that hadn't saved two of their companions. The memory pressed hard against her, and she feared the next page would be worse.
"Ryu, looks like I'll be working you hard soon," Hitomi said, her voice carrying both resolve and worry. "Don't go croaking on me when it matters." Sensing her mood, Ryu nudged her gently with its beak, offering the only comfort it could.
Hitomi looked away from Ryu, pulling her thoughts back from the dark turn they had taken. "Enough of that," she said, forcing more brightness into her tone. "We'll be allowed into the city soon. I really need to get off the Isle for a while, even if it's just for a change of scenery." The thought of the busy streets, the sun on her skin, and the wind in her hair felt like a needed break from what was waiting ahead.