"Artoria-kun~!"
The bedroom door slammed open. In stepped a tall man with waist-length white hair and mischievous purple eyes. He skipped over to the bedside, beaming as he shook the lump under the blue comforter.
White-Haired Man: "Wakey-wakey~! It's your first day!"
He threw open the curtains, letting sunlight flood the room.
Artoria (muffled): "Just five more minutes..."
The man crossed his arms and pouted. As he headed for the door, he called out with a grin:
White-Haired Man: "Guess I'll just eat all that breakfast I made..."
A single strand of ahoge twitched. The next second, the blankets flew off, and Artoria bolted toward the kitchen. By the time he got there, she was already halfway through the pancakes.
Artoria: "Morning."
White-Haired Man: "Enjoying the food? Eat up quick! You're starting school today!"
She paused, fork halfway to her mouth.
Artoria: "So that's why you're here?"
White-Haired Man (mock-offended): "Aw, come on. I'm not that absent."
He dropped a uniform on the table, ruffling her hair as he passed by.
Artoria: "You're gone for months at a time."
White-Haired Man: "But I'm here now, right? I wouldn't miss sending you off for the world."
He tossed the uniform at her face and left the kitchen.
As she continued eating, her eyes drifted to her left hand-clutching a small red book with a dragon engraved on the cover.
Artoria (thinking): That dream again...
{Later, at Kouh Academy}
White-Haired Man: "You're growing up so fast!"
Near the gates of Kouh Academy, a formerly all-girls school now turned co-ed-the man was openly sobbing.
Artoria: "H-Hey! There's no need to cry-"
White-Haired Man: "I can't help it!! My little 'King' is all grown up!"
He fussed over her uniform, adjusting her blazer and ribbon.
White-Haired Man: "Perfect. Like a little King."
Artoria (blushing): "Don't say weird stuff like that!"
Nearby, two girls giggled.
Girl 1: "Aw! I wish my parents were like that."
Girl 2: "You're so cute!"
White-Haired Man: "Look, Artoria, you're already making friends!"
Murayama: "I'm Murayama, and this is Katase. Stick with us and you'll be fine!"
They took her hands and dragged her away.
Katase: "You're a second-year, right? We'll show you around before homeroom."
Artoria nodded, stumbling slightly as they dragged her around. After twenty minutes of rapid-fire introductions, they stopped at the Student Council room.
Katase: "This is where you'll get your schedule."
Artoria: "Thanks. I really appreciate it."
She knocked.
Souna: "You must be the new student. I'm Souna Shitori, Student Council President."
The poised, bespectacled young woman welcomed her in. Artoria bowed respectfully.
Artoria: "It's a pleasure, Shitori-senpai. I'm Artoria."
They shook hands.
Souna: "My vice president will be here shortly with your schedule. I hope you don't mind waiting?"
Artoria: "Not at all."
Souna: "You just moved to town?"
Artoria: "Sort of. I've been here most of my life... but a lot of it's a blur."
Souna: "Memory loss?"
Artoria: "Bits and pieces. Nothing major. I think it'll come back."
Tsubaki Shinra soon entered-tall, elegant, with heterochromic eyes and floor-length black hair.
Tsubaki: "Here's her schedule. Sorry for the wait."
Souna: "We were just chatting. Thank you."
As Artoria left with her map and class list, the two student council members exchanged serious glances.
Souna: "You felt it too?"
Tsubaki: "Yes. It was... suffocating."
Souna: "Then Rias must have noticed it as well. Her profile didn't list a surname?"
Tsubaki: "No. Just... Artoria."
Souna (quietly): "I hope Rias doesn't do anything reckless..."
[...]
Artoria: "My name is Artoria. It's a pleasure to meet you all."
Whispers rippled through the classroom.
Teacher: "Quiet down. Artoria, take the seat in front of Mr. Hyoudou."
Katase waved as she sat beside Artoria.
Katase: "Glad you made it! No trouble getting here?"
Artoria: "None at all. I remembered the layout thanks to you two."
Girls quickly swarmed her with questions and praise.
Random Girl 1: "Where'd you transfer from?"
Random Girl 2: "Do you have siblings?"
Random Girl 3: "You look like a fairytale prince!"
Artoria blushed from all the attention.
Artoria: "Thank you. I was homeschooled, and no siblings."
Behind her, Issei Hyoudou and his two friends grumbled.
Issei (whispering): "What's the big deal with her?"
Motohama: "She's another damn Kiba."
Matsuda: "We're doomed..."
Issei scowled at the back of Artoria's head.
Issei: "Tch. Whatever..."
Unnoticed, a soft red glow pulsed from the book in Artoria's pocket.
{Late Sunday Afternoon}
Artoria: "I probably shouldn't have come out this late. Oh well, I don't live far anyways."
Walking home from a convenience store, Artoria has on a red windbreaker jacket and black jeans. The streets were quiet, and the sun was setting, casting long shadows across the pavement.
Artoria carried a small bag with a few microwave-able foods and sodas, her thoughts drifting back to the dreams that had been plaguing her.
As she turned a corner, she felt a sudden chill in the air. Her senses sharpened, and she instinctively reached for something that wasn't there.
Issei: "H-HELP! Someone please!"
Artoria dropped everything and sprinted towards where the cries for help came from. Coming out from the shadows, a tall young woman with platinum blonde hair with blueish green eyes, she wears Kouh academies female uniform.
Mysterious woman: "The old coot was right, she truly is here..."
The merged back into the shadows and followed Artoria.
Artoria makes it to an empty park, Issei is desperately crawling away from a scantily dressed black haired woman with black bird wings.
Winged woman: "Quit movin'! This will all be over soon."
Artoria quickly ran between Issei and the woman.
Winged woman: "Huh?"
Issei: "New kid?!"
Issei looked surprised to see his savior was the new student from Friday.
Winged woman: "Aw, how sweet. A little human trying to play he-"
The woman stops speaking and she feels a massive amount of power coming from the blonde girl before her.
Winged woman: "No way... How did I not sense you earlier..."
The woman summoned two light spears staring down at Artoria and Issei.
Winged woman: "No matter I'll kill you to before you become a bigger threat."
Artoria: 'This was a terrible idea...'
Artoria quickly grabbed Issei and sprinted out of the way. The winged woman's light spears flew past them embedding themselves in the pavement.
Winged woman: "Tch! Stupid brat!"
Artoria: "Stay behind me, Issei-"
The winged woman moved faster than she did, a light spear was stabbed through Issei's torso and one in his right thigh.
A harsh, wet cough erupted from his lips, followed by a sickening splatter as blood splashed onto the floor. Each ragged breath was punctuated by the ghastly sound of crimson droplets hitting the ground.
He falls back laying in a pool of his own blood. A look of horror and anger over took Artoria's face, even though she didn't really know the guy he didn't deserve this. Even if he was a bit of a pervert.
Artoria: "You...!"
Her jaw tightened, muscles straining as she fought to keep her breathing steady. Her green eyes, usually calm, now held a storm of unspoken fury. She clenched her fists so tightly hee nails dug into her palms, leaving deep crescents of white.
Winged Woman: "Don't worry. You'll join him soon."
Dozens of light spears formed above.
Winged Woman: "Bye-bye~!"
Artoria stared up.
Artoria: 'Is this... it?'
Then-a flash of red. Fire engulfed the park, vaporizing half of it.
The woman screamed as flames scorched her wings.
Artoria stood untouched, holding the glowing red book.
Artoria: "Did you protect me...?"
She opens the book.
"There once was a mythical creature with the ability to obliterate everything.."
The book glows once more, a pillar of fire shot out into the sky taking the form of a red dragon, roaring as it struck the earth-leaving behind a flaming sword.
Artoria: "A sword?"
Winged Woman (panicking): "Sacred Gear! I have to destroy it before-!"
The woman summoned another light spear and charged at Artoria.
Winged woman: "I won't let you even get the chance to touch that!"
Watching nearby, a young woman with aqua eyes and long wavy black hair in a two-side-up hairstyle, which consists of part of her being made into twin tails tied with black ribbons, while the majority hangs loose.
Blue eyed girl: "When the world unravels, the dragon will awaken the Sword of Flames... Don't tell me..."
Artoria gets up and starts sprinting towards the sword through the field of flames. She rolled under the winged woman's swing.
Winged woman: "ARGHH!!! Stop moving you filthy insect!"
A light spear is thrown into Artoria's left shoulder and another one grazes her leg. She stumbled but continues on moving forward, a faint memory appears of a man with a sword protecting a younger version of her.
???: "Hope exists beyond your resolution!"
Ignoring the pain, she pressed forward, reaching the black sword with its fiery aura. Grasping the sword's hilt, she felt its heat merge with her own energy.
Blue eyed girl: "That shouldn't be possible..."
Artoria: "My hand...!"
She grasped the hilt tighter despite the flames burning her. She lets out a yell as she starts to pull the sword out of the ground, the ground beneath her shakes as a red light shines brighter as the sword is pulled up inch by inch.
Artoria: "I won't... Let you hurt anyone else!"
She pulled the sword free from its prison all the flames within the area were absorbed by the sword and formed into something else.
SEIKEN SWORDRIVER!
Artoria: "So... This is the power I've been granted to fight..."
Artoria looks at the Swordriver and back to the winged woman.
Artoria: "I'll make sure you'll never hurt anyone ever again!"
She placed the swordriver around her waist flames erupted from the sides forming a red Swordriver belt.
Winged woman: "As long as I kill you...everything will go according to plan!"
Artoria takes out the red book and opens it.
Brave Dragon!
She closed it and inserted it into the right slot. The book glows and opens flipping through various pages, a giant version appears behind her with flames everywhere.
She pulls out the sword and the book on the swordriver opens.
Rekka Battou!
A red dragon comes out of the giant book behind her and flies around.
Artoria: "Henshin!"
Brave Dragon!
She sends out two flames slashes in the form of an 'X', the dragon flies around her covering her in a flaming twister. Before disappearing, the flaming slashes return to form a visor over the helmet.
Rekka: Volume 1
"When the brave Dragon and Rekka, the Sword of Flames unite, a crimson blade shall pierce through all that is evil!"
REKKA, THE SWORD OF FLAMES!