Rei

Rei is one of the first fire spirits raised by Randalph Brigsiel and the first, alongside Sera, to evolve to intermediate rank. Careful and responsible, she helps organize the growing spirit population before taking a secondary human contract with Kim Yura. She remains active during the human expedition in Chapter 209, where her detection warns the party of approaching creatures and angels.

Biography

First leader of the fire spirits

Rei is born from one of the spirit seeds supplied through the Fire Spirit King and asks to contract with Randalph, calling him father. The Tree of Origin blesses her and Sera during the agreement, consumes an Essence of Origin, and advances both directly from low to intermediate class. Because the other spirits gather around them, Rei becomes the careful leader of one of two temperament-based groups. She and Sera then welcome water-spirit seeds as younger siblings and supervise roughly one hundred thousand fire spirits when they try to fill the place left by the absent Yihi. (Chapters 171–173)

As the spirit population matures, Rei develops an adult body and an ego no longer dependent on Randalph. She asks for a human contractor so that her siblings can learn from a demonstration, then approaches Kim Yura during an attack and offers immediate protection in exchange for a contract. Rei burns the attackers, manifests before Yura, and receives authority from Randalph to proceed without his intervention. Later she is named as Yura's partner; during the expedition she senses converging creatures and angels and communicates the danger quickly enough for Yura to order a retreat. (Chapters 191–192 and 208–209)

Appearance and personality

Rei begins as a small fireball-like spirit and becomes about one and a half times larger when she reaches intermediate rank. With later growth she can assume the body of an adult girl who appears human apart from hair made of fire; during her first meeting with Kim Yura, flames gather and transform into that female shape. (Chapters 171, 191, and 192)

Rei is cautious, sincere, and proud of the name her father gave her. She speaks more carefully than the childish Sera, takes responsibility for less-developed spirits, and calmly reassures unfamiliar water spirits despite the usual hostility between their elements. Her offer to Yura is direct and lethal toward the attackers, but she remains polite once the immediate danger ends. (Chapters 171–172 and 192)

Abilities and powers

Fire manifestation and attack

Rei can move as flames, burn multiple human attackers, and condense into a visible female form after a human contract is established. Intermediate or lower spirits require such a contractor to become visible to other people, so the manifestation is conditional rather than evidence that Rei can always appear physically to anyone. (Chapter 192)

Detection and mental communication

Rei communicates directly into a contractor's mind and can detect approaching groups before the human party sees them. In Chapter 209 she identifies both creatures and angels moving rapidly toward the expedition, then relays further information that causes an immediate evacuation. The exact range and sensory mechanism are not stated. (Chapters 192 and 209)

Spirit leadership and contracts

The Tree of Origin's blessing raises Rei to intermediate class, and her early maturity allows her to lead a large portion of the younger spirits. Her first contract remains linked to Randalph, while a second contract lets her partner with Kim Yura; Randalph retains the ability to break human secondary contracts but grants Rei authority to choose and demonstrate the arrangement herself. (Chapters 171, 191, and 192)

Relationships

• Randalph Brigsiel: Rei calls him father, receives her name and first contract from him, and acts with authority he delegates.
• Sera: Rei and Sera evolve together, lead opposing but productive spirit groups, care for younger spirits, and seek human partners together.
• Kim Yura: Rei chooses Yura as her human contractor, saves her from attackers, and later provides early warning during the expedition.
• Yihi: Rei helps the spirit population fill Yihi's place while Randalph mourns her apparent loss, then later receives reports about Yihi's treatment of younger spirits.

Items

• Contract seal: Rei produces a fire-lettered seal when forming her first contract with Randalph.