“Wh-what’s going on?” Asked a small six-year old boy as he looked around in confusion and horror at the strange sights around him. Maharo, a small island out in the middle of the ocean inhabited by a simple group of monks was being attacked, not by people, but monsters. Everywhere the boy turned and looked there were priests and priestesses being chased down and attacked by black, shadow-like, creatures.

They were about five and a half feet tall with black bodies and clawed hands and feet. They didn’t have any actual physical features aside from narrow red eyes. It seemed that they embodied void, nothingness, and just empty shadows. They were silent aside from an unignorable laboring breath interrupted only by a mumbled growl on occasion.

The young boy looked up in to the sky only to see it covered by a veil of black clouds only to glance back around to see the creatures chasing down the island inhabitants, and more still appearing.

‘I have to find Jin.’ The boy thought, remembering the monk who had raised him. The boy ran down the stone steps towards the coast, wanting only to look straight ahead so that he didn’t know if or not he was being chased. Once he was down the hill he saw Jin at the base of the stairway, a man in his thirties in a monk’s attire with his long, black, hair in a single braid. To the boy’s surprise, Jin was fighting back the creatures with a long pole; he looked as if he was accustomed to fighting with the pole, his movements were fluid and graceful. He knocked away one after another with ease; however, as one jumped at him with its claw raised, Jin hit the brick paved ground with the pole and a column of rock shot out of the ground knocking the monster away.

“Jin! What’s going on? What are these things and how did you do that?” The boy asked running up to his guardian in fright.

“There you are! Listen to me Nezz, this is very important.” Jin told the boy with a serious tone, “I will hold them off and keep them away from the temple for as long as I can, but once he gets here I will have my life taken. The ani have come here for the hidden treasure, you must not let them have it! Go in to the main hall of the temple and behind the large wall scroll that is hanging behind the altar there is secret chamber. Inside is a chest, take what’s inside it and then go out the back way of the temple. Go down to the dock, get on one of the sail boats, and then get away from here as fast as you can.”

The boy listened in disbelief and said, “You can’t be serious Jin; this has to all be a dream right?”

“This is no dream boy! You have to do as I say.” Jin announced as he fought back more and more of the monsters.

“But what do I do then? Where do I go?” The boy asked

“Find Craven! You have to go and find Craven. Set sail to the east, that’s the direction he went and is the fastest way to the main land. Now go Nezz, and don’t look back, never look back.” Jin said looking over his shoulder at the boy.

Nezz nodded and ran back up the steps toward the temple. ‘Good luck kid.’ Jin thought as he watched the boy leave. He then felt a chill go down his spine, “So, you have finally arrived to finish me off?” Jin asked with a smirk as he turned to greet his visitor.

Nezz dashed in to the temple as fast he could to find no one there. He ran in to the main room and examined the wall scroll Jin had told him about; indeed there was an opening in the wall that led to a small, dark room. Inside were several paper talismans stuck all over the walls and against the opposite wall a small wooden chest. The young boy slipped inside and fell to his hands and knees before the chest. He opened it to find a green, glass orb that was about the size of a baseball. He reached inside and lifted it up; as he did it began to glow a brilliant green. If that wasn’t enough to shock the boy, the necklace around his neck, a silver chain with a white angel wing trinket, began to glow as well. He took it off and it transformed in to white sword with an arm guard designed as two angel wings. The orb then floated toward the sword and slowly vanished inside the sword. ‘Is this for real?’ He thought to himself.

Nezz didn’t have time for thinking and took the sword out of the secret room; he was about to make his way outside when the doors were pulled off their rails and dozens of black creatures rushed in to the chamber. They all stepped to the side and made a path, a large man with long dark hair walked in to the room. Nezz didn’t know why but a strange cold sensation went through him from the presence of this man, he had a look of pure evil. The man looked in to the secret room and smirked amused, “Talismans, did they really expect those to not find this place?” He inquired. He then noticed Nezz there with the sword and waved his hand. All of the monsters rushed at Nezz at the gesture.

Strangely, every time one would get close a powerful wind would blow them away and destroy them. The man watched this for a few moments but soon was no longer amused; he raised his hand and suddenly all went black, Nezz lost consciousness.

When Nezz woke up he was lying on a beach soaking wet, he still grasped the sword in his hands. ‘I’m alive?’ He thought to himself. He stood up with wobbly legs and soon realized he was not on his island, he had no idea where he was. Before him was a town illuminated with lights, it was a clear night. He slowly made his way in to the town.

He walked slowly through the scarcely populated streets aimlessly. ‘Where am I?’ He thought as he looked around. It wasn’t long before he noticed something strange in the corner of his eye. He turned and could have sworn he had seen the shadow of a lamp post moving. He looked down at the shadow then jumped back when he saw a pair of glowing red eyes looking back at him. Black arms emerged from the shadow and a creature just like the ones on the island pulled itself out of the shadow. It was only the first; soon many came forward from the shadows and surrounded him.

Nezz tried to lift the sword up in an attempt to defend him but he could barely carry it, much less use it. One of the creatures jumped at him; the boy raised his hands and a great wind blew from his palms sending the demon tumbling back but knocked Nezz to the ground as well. He scrambled to his feet and ran.

‘How did I do that? It just jumped at me and wind blew from my body.’ Nezz questioned as he ran through the empty street. He turned around as saw at least half a dozen coming after him. Once again an intense wind swirled from his sword sending the creatures flying.

“They’ll keep coming and coming after you from out of nowhere.” Said a deep voice from behind the bot. Nezz turned around to see a tall man in a long red coat, short dark hair, and an enormous sword.

“What the….Who are you?” Nezz asked, unsure about the stranger

“You see, here they come.” The man said as several more ran around the corner at them. In one swift movement the man swung his sword creating a powerful wave of energy destroying the creatures. “You can’t control your mana can you?” He asked as the strange wind started up again.

“Mana? What are you talking about?” Nezz replied as the wind blew from his hand and another of the creatures appeared.

“Listen carefully to me. The wind that you’re generating, clear your mind and focus on it. Concentrate on trying to focus it in to a ball.” The man said

Nezz decided to do as instructed and began to focus his mind on the wind.

“That’s good; imagine condensing it in to a ball and trapping all of that energy tightly.” The man continued. Nezz listened and tried to form a perfect ball of wind. He was partially successful but a lot of the wind was still escaping his control. The dark monster kept running at him.

“Now release it in one direction, like poking a hole in to a balloon.” The man said as the creature came close. Suddenly the wind in Nezz’s hand exploded in a powerful blast that sent the shadow creature flying in to the wall turning it in to nothing but black smoke.

Nezz looked down at his hand in awe, “What was that?” He asked the man.

“You’re power.” The man replied simply and grabbed the white sword from Nezz’s hand and set it against the wall. “Notice anything different now?”

Nezz looked around then his eyes widened, “The wind’s stopped now…..and those things are gone.”

The man nodded and placed his own sword against the wall, “So, tell me how you came to possess that sword.”

Nezz felt like he could trust this man and began to tell the story of how the black monsters had attacked the island and the man who controlled them.

“And that’s the whole story.” Nezz concluded then sighed, “It feels like I’ve woken up for the first time; as if everything I used to know was just a dream.”

“In a sense, that is not too far from the truth.” The man commented.

“What do you mean?” Nezz inquired, confused by his words.

“Your powers have awakened.” The man replied, “You possess magic powers; although, you are not yet able to control them.”

“Me? Are you serious?” Nezz questioned in disbelief.

“That sword over there you have is what we call a ‘key’. Think of it as a magic wand, it releases your mana and is used to cast spells. As long as you are in contact with your key, you will have access to your powers. That’s why when I took it away from you the wind stopped and the ani quit pursuing you.” The man explained and grabbed his sword. He placed his hand on it and it began to glow as he 

pulled out a red glass sphere out of it, “It looks a lot like the green orb you told me about that those creatures were after doesn’t it? These are called spell spheres, magical jewels that are used with a key to cast a spell. The type of spell depends on the spell sphere. Yours, for example, was a wind sphere.” The man said as he made the spell sphere vanish again in to his sword.

“What were those things though?” Nezz asked.

“They are known as the Ani. They are evil creatures with an unquenchable appetite for magical energies, which is why they were after you. You can’t control your powers, so you were releasing a great amount of magic, which is why they kept coming after you.” The man finished, “So, what will you do now?”

Nezz was silent for several moments in thought before he said, “I don’t know.”

“How would you like to come with me and fight against the ani?” The man offered

“Fight the ani? Just who are you?” Nezz asked

“My name is Vega Akai, I am a mana knight, a magic warrior sworn to fight against the ani and protect the people of this world. So what is your name child?” Vega asked

“Nezz, Nezz Masamune.” Nezz told him.

“Masamune….” Vega repeated with a little laugh

“What’s so funny?” Nezz asked

“It’s nothing. Well Nezz, what do you think? You can come along with me and I can teach how to control your powers.” Vega offered to the boy.

“Will I be able to find Craven?” Nezz asked Vega.

“I can’t say, but I will help you search.” Vega told him.

Then, please let me go with you.” Nezz requested

Vega nodded and with a smile said, “Very well then. From this point forward you, Nezz Masamune, are my apprentice.”

Ten years later

Nezz Masamune was a sixteen year-old teenager with medium length brown hair and crimson colored eyes. He sat up out of the futon he'd been sleeping in and thought, 'I wonder why I was dreaming about that night?'

"Oh great you're up, Nezz!" came a cheerful voice from the door. Nezz looked up to see Momiji Ikado, a small built fourteen year-old boy with sky blue hair and eyes. Although quite opposite in many different ways, Nezz and Momiji had been best friends for ten years. While Nezz had a quiet reserved personality Momiji was always cheerful and outgoing.

"Yeah, I'm up now." Nezz said as he stood up and walked over to the closet, pulling out a school uniform.

"Aren't you excited?" Momiji asked practically bouncing up and down

"About what?" Nezz asked curiously

"About going to school, today's the first day either of us will have ever gone to real school." Momiji said already dressed in a junior high uniform

"I guess." Nezz said

"Ok! Well, I'll leave so you can get changed. But hurry ‘cause I'm ready to go." Momiji said stepping out.

"Heh that kid, always excited about something." Nezz said to himself amused then looked closer at the uniform. "Do they actually wear these weird clothes?"

Nezz quickly changed and headed for the front door. "Bye Grandpa, bye Vega-sensei." Momiji said as they walked off.

"See you, Vega-sensei, Harial." Nezz added.

Nezz began to think back again to the events after the night when he had met Vega. He had been taken to the celestial shrine, the place where the mana knights lived and were trained. That was where he had met Momiji, Harial, and other mana knights. It was ten years later and Nezz had become skilled at using both his key and his spells, he now had three: Wind, Water, and Speed.

"Hello, Nezz." Momiji said

"Huh?" Nezz said snapping out of his flashback

"You zoned out." Momiji said

"Oh, sorry." Nezz said

"It's ok! Oh, here's the junior high I'll see you this afternoon. Make lots of new friends for me to meet ok Nezz!" Momiji said as he walked up to the school, "Bye Onii-chan!"

Nezz watched Momiji go in then continued down the road. he let out a sigh and said, "High school huh? How bad could it be?"

At the high school all the students were heading to their class room including a certain girl heading for class 5-C. Sakura Mizuko a was sixteen year-old girl with long pink hair and bright blue eyes, she was one of the most popular girls in school. When she entered the class she noticed there was more comotion than usual.

As she placed her things down by her desk two of her friends, Kiki and Shion, walked up. "Sakura-kun, have you heard?" Kiki asked

"Have I heared what?" Sakura asked

"There's a rumor that we're getting a new student. Of course, Kiki believes it to no end." Shion said calmly

"Isn't it weird? A student transfer at this time of year. I wonder if it's a boy or a girl." Kiki said

"Jeez, making a big commotion just because of a transfer." Said a boy named Xanatos. Xanatos Agni was an eighteen year-old, american with blonde hair and emerald green eyes; most of the girls liked him.

"Ok, everyone in your seats." The teacher said as he entered followed by Nezz and began writing a name on the board. "We have a new student joining us today, his name is Nezz Masamune."

"Red irises, how strange." Shion muttered to Kiki

"Yeah, you think he has an eye condition?" Kiki replied

"Let's see, you can take that seat behind Xanatos beside Sakura." The teacher said motioning to the empty desk. Nezz nodded. walking to the desk and sitting down.

'Luckly litte runt, I've always wanted to sit there.' Xanatos thought to himself

"It's good to see you again, so your name is Nezz-kun." Sakura whispered to him smiling

"uh...yeah, good to see you again too." Nezz replied, 'Nezz...kun?'

'What the hell was that? How do they know eachother?' Xanatos thought to himself