As the first of the bombs fell and marked the start of the 3rd Great War. Humanity was forced to fight a war on a worldwide scale. Not among themselves, no, but against a much more terrifying enemy.
The war progressed and the lands which people used to live on were ravaged by the most destructive weapons humanity had to offer. More and more of the invaders arrived, ready to steal Earth from its inhabitants. Powerful beings, both technologically advanced and primal monstrosities, laid their claim on various corners of the world, and humans were quickly pushed to near extinction.
The first of the invaders arrived in the form of winged creatures that wielded highly advanced weaponry surpassing humanity by more than a few hundred years. They arrived claiming to be messengers of God but their undisguised contempt freely shown on their expressions told otherwise as they quickly rained hell on earth. Pretty ironic considering they had angelic aesthetics in spite of their devilish smiles.
The winged invaders were followed by demonic-looking beings. The mere heat that emanated from their bodies melted anything in sight. Even humanity's mightiest nuclear weaponry served only to bolster both their size and strength.
The 3rd world war quickly proved to be one that humans would barely participate in.
The only saving grace for humanity was that the third of the invaders didn't treat humans like how the other invaders did.
See, while the winged ones acted like they were moving into a new home and were merely cleaning out cockroaches before settling in or how the molten beasts treated humans as mosquitoes, granted really annoying mosquitoes. The new invaders gave humans a way of surviving. Although admittedly, only in the cold corner of the room.
Glowing beings that injected themselves onto earth lifeforms, including humans, gave their hosts powers that are like that of magic.
Some granted elemental powers, some telekinesis, others even elevated physical capabilities. Regardless of what it may be, humanity has now gained a new way of protecting themselves against their new enemies.
At first, no one could control their newfound powers. People's bodies would go rampant and ultimately die from it. And while physical improvements were less likely to implode upon itself. It wasn't until later on when someone took it upon themselves to create a standardized system for manipulating their powers.
The new form of energy uses to summon their magic was aptly named Mana and various safety measures were laid as foundations to create a functional Magic System.
As the system improved and the infrastructure around it developed, the norms of society also gradually blended with it. Schools began teaching magic as a special subject catered to a select few.
Of those select talented individuals are some who are cut above the rest. One of them is a girl named Nagano Ruka.
Ruka lives on the 4th of the last remaining bastion of humanity, the city of Triage. Named as a tribute to the sacrifices humans had to make to survive to this day.
Ruka is a timid child, although she didn't use to be. She was once a cheerful little girl full of smiles that cheered even others around her. It wasn't until 6 years ago when she watched someone who meant the world to her change drastically in a matter of seconds. It someone who, despite having everything, cast it all away for them.
The news said it was a typical uncontrolled Mana Surge. Ruka knew, however, that was not the case. The things he did, didn't match a regular Mana Surge.
First of all, he hasn't even gotten his first Symbiote yet. So how, as the authorities claimed, did his Mana go unstable?
Second, even if he did awaken his mana, and even if he was unable to control it, despite his past exploits on the external mana manipulation tests, he would still be able to bear with it. He was someone like that, or so at least in Ruka's eyes.
And lastly, that day... he smiled. No one smiles in Mana Surge, no one. The sheer soul-crushing pain you'd have to go through would leave you crawling on the ground. But more importantly, she had never seen him smile that way. A smile filled with unrelenting malice. A smile unbefitting of him.
It's been 6 years since then. Ruka has nearly finished high school. Right now, she's waiting for the results of her Mana Aptitude Test which will determine which university with arcade department she will be able to attend.
"Class, I know that ManaSym maybe a pretty tempting path for you but please think it over first before choosing which school you are going to enroll in. "
After giving away the results of each of the students in the class, the teacher called out to Ruka.
"Ruka, come see me later after this. Class dismissed!"
Ruka stood up and was about to follow after the teacher when one of the students near her talked to her.
"How did you do, Ruka?"
A blonde hair girl asked while smiling. But Ruka simply nodded her head and proceeded to walk out of the classroom.
The girl could only smile stiffly at the cold reception.
"I told ya she wouldn't! She's clearly too high for us."
Another girl spoke in an irritated voice. Her facial expressions also spoke volumes of her displeasure. Her glaring eyes stuck on the back of Ruka until she was no longer inside the classroom.
Amy, the blonde-haired girl, scratched the back of her head and responded back with a wry smile.
"Why do even talk to her anyway? That poverty-stricken bitch won't even look my way."
Amy glared at the girl beside her. And sternly said. "That was too far, Micah."
"Fine! But still, there's no point in try to get close to her. Why haven't you given up yet? I threw in the towel in the first month of class."
Micah shook her head in resignation. Amy just kept her silence.
"If it's because of her mana aptitude, then you should just stop. There are other people way better than her. Besides, even you're more talented than her in both mana and academics."
"I wonder about that..."
Amy muttered silently with her chin on the back of her hand.
***
"Please keep in mind what I told you. Even with your exceptional results, it's still going be difficult to enter the Arcane department of Triage Academy with a scholarship. At least pick a reasonable second choice. You should at least have something to fall back on, you've got a bright future ahead of you."
Ruka simply nodded silently at the words of her teacher, almost as if on habit.
"Have a talk about it with your sister. Alright, you can go. "
Knowing that he did his best convincing his student. He sighed in resignation with a frown on his face.
Closing the door behind her. Ruka stood outside the teacher's faculty room. She walked stiffly while still deep in thought.
As she was walking through the gates, someone called out to her.
"Yo! Why do you look so down, my sweet little sister?"
Ruka looked up at the smiling girl. The beautiful girl that resembled her patted Ruka's head.
"Let's go." The girl who claimed to be Ruka's sister said as she hooked her armed around Ruka's shoulders.
"W-where?"
"Let's eat out today, it has been a while."
Confused, Ruka stared at her sister. Wondering where she could have possibly gotten money to spare to eat at a restaurant.
"Why are you looking at me liked that?"
"How did you get the money for that?"
Ruka answered the question with another question.
"Remember the friend I told you about? I got into his team! They even lent me some money for a new symbiote. There were some leftovers from that so I figured we could..."
Before she could finish her words, their steps were halted by a black vehicle that stopped in front of them.
"Miss Makise."
"Piss off!" Makise growled at the man in a suit that got out of the vehicle as she put her little sister behind her back.
She glared angrily as the man bowed in front of her.
"Please, calm down miss. Master wishes to invite you to the manor. "
With his head still lowered he pleaded to the two. But Makise just sneered. As the man lifted his head, he sighed.
Makise grabbed her sister's hand started walking away.
"Young miss, the master has been keeping all your debts at bay, the least you can do is meet him."
Makise instantly stopped at those words and when the man saw this, he continued.
"What's done is done, and no matter what happens, the master is still your family."
Makise turned around. She snorted.
"Puhahahaha!"
That snort then turned into laughter. As if she just heard the most ridiculous thing ever.
The man frowned at her reaction.
"Family? After all, you did to us, you use the word FAMILY!?"
Makise slowly made his way to the man. Her teeth ground against itself and her fists were clenched so much that it might begin to bleed.
"Do you know what you're even spouting!?"
Her steps continued.
"Please, calm down miss. Your mana might surge and you'll end up losing your license."
He bowed once more and said, "I'll visit you in another day." before turning around and leaving.
"Don't go near us ever again!" Makise scowled at the leaving vehicle.
The two sisters for a while until Makise finally calmed down.
"Damn it! Now my mood is all messed up."
Makise took a deep breath and smiled at her sister once more.
"So, where shall we eat?" She asked.
"Can I go to big brother Jin first?"
"You're going to see him again? Ugh... okay, fine." Makise looked at her wrist.
"I'll go pick up big sis Mizuki and Ayumi first and meet you there later."
"Un. See you there!", said Ruka as she waved back at her sister while running.
***
"Yo! Big bro." Makise greeted the boy who opened the door.
"Good evening Jin."
"You're here, come in. Ruka will probably be done now." The handsome young man smiled at them. He gestured for them to enter.
He closed the door behind them and started chatting to the three.
"Mizuki came too, I'm surprised. Did you get off work early today? Day off maybe?"
The girl beside Makise was named Mizuki. She lives with the two Nagano sisters along with her own little younger named Ayumi. Sufficed to say, they were all pretty close to each other. They were closed enough that you'd mistake them as blood-related sisters, even if their not that at all.
"No, no. I took her away from her stinky boss since I wanted to go out with us three."
Makise laughed. To which, Mizuki flicked her head with her finger.
"Ouch!"
"Don't be like that. She was kind enough to let Ayumi stay there after school while I worked."
"Fine, fine," Makise answered as she rubbed her forehead.
Everyone's laughter filled the mood as they walked to the living room.
"You guys eating out? I should join then. Free food is always the best food. "
"If you're gonna join, you'll be paying!" Makise quickly responded.
"Then I'll have to pass on that." He laughed.
As everyone was sitting down, Jin asked.
"Tea for Mizuki and Makise right?"
"Coffee for me this time, please!", said Makise. Mizuki simply nodded.
"What about our tiny little Ayumi? Want some yogurt instead." Jin offered as she patted the little girl's head.
"Ah! I'm not that little for you to call me that. Also, why did you even have to add 'tiny' and 'little' together."
The little girl pouted adorably with her arms crossed. Everybody collectively laughed at the sight which server to only fuel her "fury" even more.
"To me, you'll always be little, though. That's why I added tiny, too." Jin continued to tease Ayumi.
"But that's not fair! You're taller than everyone. Even adults!" Ayumi argued, but she quickly calmed down when the dessert arrived as she savored in its flavors.
Everyone was enjoying themselves when suddenly...
"Kyaah!"
Ruka's scream rang out.
Everyone rushed to the room where Ruka was at. It was his room. The boy whose existence meant different things to the people in that apartment.
When they opened the door, the saw him, staring out of the window. His expression was extremely lonely.
And when he turned to look at them, sadness. They felt a depressing feeling pass through their bodies.
Everyone held their breaths.
He looked at every single one of them and said.
"It's been a while."