The very beginning of our story. The prophet Nagi tells of what is written in the stars for a pair of newborn, identical twins. Twelve years later, the girl-twin, Sarasa, plays in the sand dunes with her friend Makoto (Maa-kun). A family friend, Kakujii, comes to retrieve the two and Sarasa taunts him before Nagi finds them. He sends them back to the village after telling the two a story about the history of the area, how all of the desert used to be peaceful and green. They hurry back to the village to help with preparations, for it is Sarasa's twin brother Tatara's coming-of-age ceremony. Later that night, the ceremony begins with great celebration and lavishing of priase upon Tatara. Sarasa, obviously feeling unappreciated, leaves the procession to go look at her brother's jewelled, elegant sword. Their father catches her trying to hold the sword and hits Sarasa, who flees crying back to the desert. In the darkness and vast space of the sands, she sees lights approaching. As the torches come closer, Sarasa realizes that it is an army travelling toward her village. Kakujii, who had been sent to find her, arrives just in time to take a sword slash meant for Sarasa. While he protects her from the rage of the army generals, Sarasa looks up right into the cold eyes of the young Red Lord, high on his horse. Just as the boy orders his general to kill Kakujii and Sarasa, a figure apprears in the way of the young lord's sword. The Red Lord's arm continues its path, slashing the man's left eye horribly. As his socket bleeds [>.< Nas-tay.], he introduces himself [awk! Sorry, bad sentence, dear readers.] as Ageha. Another of the generals, Ashou, starts to complain about people being too soft-hearted [oh, go away, Ashou. Blarg.]. The Red Lord orders his army to proceed on, and Ageha asks Sarasa is she is the "boy of destiny" of rumor. She of course answers that she isn't, and Ageha disappears off into the desert. When Sarasa and the wounded Kakujii arrive back in the village, all of the people are gathered around, wailing. Maa-kun has gone forward to the army, saying that he was the Boy of Destiny whom they came for, and of course someone had killed him right then and there. Tatara is disturbed that Maa-kun gave his life away just to save him, and Maa-kun's aunt protests, saying that Maa-kun's death was not for waste. The rest of the male villagers are inspired by this and rally behind Tatara to fight for a peaceful and better land to live in.

     Three years later: the twins are both 15 years old. Sarasa passes her brother as she helps Nagi carry herbs [hey, it looks like...I don't know...] back to his house. Tatara tells Sarasa (in a nutshell) that if a time comes when he cannot be there, it is her duty to protect everyone for him. When she turns back to Nagi, the prophet says that the West Wind feels unlucky. That night, the villagers hear the sound of horses approaching. The Red Lord and his army have come to visit the village of the White Tiger once again. They storm through, looting and smashing houses, killing random villagers who get in their way. Nagi orders Sarasa to stay inside through the screams outside. Meanwhile, the army has found Tatara and their parents in the basement of their house. One of the generals holds Tatara out in the middle of the village and orders all of the villagers to watch as he cuts off Tatara's head and holds it aloft. Sarasa, looking out of a window, looks up into the eyes of the Red Lord for the second time as he kills her father. All of the villagers are preparing themselves to be slaughtered by the army, having lost their hope for a future, the boy of destiny. Sarasa weeps for her brother and remembers his words, that it is now her turn to protect their home. She takes a knife and cuts off her two long braids so she looks like Tatara and goes out against Nagi's wishes. As the dust settles, Sarasa appears and declares that as the Boy of Destiny, she will avenge the death of her sister.