The world had always told Cassian one thing: You are nothing.
In a society where eighty percent of the population was born with at least one supernatural ability, being powerless wasn't just a disadvantage—it was a curse. A blemish on humanity's magical evolution. And Cassian Vale bore that curse like a brand on his skin.
He was twenty-one. An adult by law, yet still shackled by the hierarchy of ability—a twisted pecking order enforced not by merit, but by raw power.
At Arkwell Academy, a prestigious institute for developing the gifted, Cassian was the target of every cruel joke, every sneer in the hallway, every whispered insult behind thin smiles. He had no abilities, no special lineage, no protective family name.
And worst of all?
He never fought back.
Today was supposed to be like every other—until they showed up.
"Hey, trash," came the all-too-familiar voice of Vex Marlowe, his smile as cold as the ice magic he commanded. "Still breathing? That's impressive."
Cassian didn't respond. He just kept walking, books in hand, eyes to the ground.
That was his mistake.
A foot swept out. He hit the concrete hard, the breath knocked clean out of him. Laughter erupted from the group—Vex, Reina, Kael—three students blessed with multiple powers, the elite class of elites.
"Oops," Reina said, feigning innocence as sparks danced on her fingertips. "You should really watch where you're going."
Cassian winced, slowly pushing himself up. "Just… leave me alone."
Kael leaned in, voice low and venomous. "You don't get to make demands, freak. You're lucky we even notice you."
Something cracked inside Cassian in that moment. Not defiance. Not courage.
Just a hollow emptiness. A resignation so deep, it swallowed his fear.
"I said," he whispered, "leave me—"
A fist cut him off. Then a boot. Then magic.
And then…
Then something went wrong.
Too far. Too fast. Too much.
Vex's final blast of frost hit harder than intended, and Cassian's head struck the edge of the stone fountain behind him. Blood spilled into the water, staining it crimson.
Everything slowed.
The sky dimmed.
The world turned silent.
And Cassian Vale—powerless, hated, forgotten—died.
Then the darkness blinked.
He was lying in the same spot.
Same cold ground.
Same fading pain.
But something was different. The air felt heavier. The colors too sharp. His body, too still.
And then the voices came. Not from the outside—but from within.
"The seal has broken…"
"You have bled. You have died. Now you awaken."
"Welcome back, Scion of Null."
Cassian gasped as if breathing for the first time.
His veins pulsed with fire. His heartbeat thundered like a war drum.
And in that moment, he knew:
He would never be powerless again.