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Little Amiya was separated from her parents.

Their caravan was caught in a skirmish, with elite soldiers from the allied nations on one side, and on the other... Sarkaz?

The people of Terra had not seen the Sarkaz for a very long time. They were believed to be wiped out following Kazdel's destruction—or so the official narrative claimed.

Who would have thought there would be Sarkaz here?

Amiya was dozing on the back of a burdenbeast when the sound of artillery fire caused it to break free from its restraints and bolt in fear.

She held on to the reins for dear life, but at the end she was thrown off its back.

Lost in a forest and unable to find her way, Amiya was gripped by fear as the relentless artillery fire boomed around her. Terrified and disoriented, she instinctively picked a direction and started walking.

After a while, she encountered an injured Sarkaz.

'All Sarkaz are devils,' said the adults.

But all Amiya saw was a woman with pink-white hair and long horns.

The only thing unusual about her was the little black crown floating above her head.

'Hello? Are you okay?'

The Sarkaz looked up at Amiya and nodded.

But she was in bad shape, her white dress dyed red with blood.

Amiya wanted to try to stop the bleeding, but hesitated out of fear. She took shuffling steps forward, gauging the Sarkaz's reaction.

Seeing that she remained still, Amiya kept walking until she reached her and saw the terrible wound—

'Does it hurt?'

It was the Sarkaz who spoke first, looking at the scrapes on Amiya's arm with a concerned expression.

Amiya shook her head and tried to say something—she wanted to treat the Sarkaz's sword wound, but didn't know how. In the end, all she could do was put her own hand on top of the Sarkaz's hand that was pressing against the wound.

Trying to console her, Amiya did not notice the soldiers approaching, crossbows and wands raised. They had long forgotten how many of their kin they 'accidentally' killed while hunting the Sarkaz. To them, any act of kindness towards a Sarkaz was an unforgivable sin, even if it came from a child's gentle nature.

Originium Arts and bolts flew towards them.

In the face of impending death, Theresa pulled Amiya into her embrace.

May you become the hope—

Pure light emanated from Theresa and covered the entire area.

Amiya felt something go through her chest.

It should have hurt, it should have bled, just like the Sarkaz before her.

But her chest did not hurt at all. All she felt was a warm stream flowing into her heart.

She felt warm and sleepy.

When Amiya woke up again, she found herself in her parents' arms. The burdenbeast had been found, and she was safe.

It should have been a good thing. But where did the Sarkaz lady go? She looked around and saw nothing.

The artillery fire had ceased and the adults were talking about the light in the forest and the soldiers who disappeared, but she heard no word of the Sarkaz.

Bells sounded, reins were raised, and machines rumbled to life. The caravan set out again. All had their eyes forward, hoping for a better future after the war.

Amiya alone looked back at the silent forest.

'...Goodbye.'

The burdenbeast carrying Amiya slowly disappeared on the horizon.

That was the last time anyone ever said goodbye to the Sarkaz.

They were met by sword, by arrow, by death.

Their numbers dwindled even further after the fall of Kazdel, and they were never again able to form any kind of society until the end.

And when the last Sarkaz head rolled, the Sarkaz, along with their past glory, was no more.

With their common enemy destroyed, the allied nations once again fell into their own squabbles, going at the throats of their former allies with even greater fervor than they had killed the Sarkaz with. The lasting peace many had hoped for never materialized.

It wasn't many years later that they remembered the Sarkaz again.

It was obvious, wasn't it? As long as the 'Sarkaz' still existed, they had a reason to forge peace and join forces again.

And so, they chose a place to grant the name 'Sarkaz'.

When there was no one left to kill there, they made another place 'Sarkaz'.

Starting with countries on the fringe, moving on to larger and more powerful nations, and finally dividing their own kin into classes.

An unending cycle of branding and killing.

But 'unity' and 'justice' would continue to exist, as long as the 'Sarkaz' did.

A never-ending war of 'Sarkaz' killing 'Sarkaz'.

The 'Sarkaz' have entered their own epoch of tragedy.