The night burned red above the Veyra Clan estate — an endless dance of flame banners swaying against the twilight sky. Every tower shimmered with firelight, every courtyard pulsed with heat, and every soul within those walls bore the same element in their veins — Fire.
All except one.
Far from the laughter of the central grounds, in a half-broken hut that clung to the outer cliffs, sat a boy whose flame had never burned.
Aelion Veyra rested on the edge of his bed, his pale fingers tracing a charred insignia carved into the wood — the Veyra sigil, a blazing phoenix. He stared at it until his vision blurred.
"Born of flame, bound by flame," he murmured, repeating the clan's ancient motto. "What happens when the flame never comes?"
The question hung in the air, unanswered, as the wind whispered through cracked shutters.
Tomorrow would mark his sixteenth year the age of Elemental Awakening, when one's affinity revealed itself under the sacred crystal's light. Every youth awaited that day with pride. For Aelion, it would be his execution.
He still remembered his father's voice, sharp as molten steel.
"A Veyra without flame is no son of mine."
And his mother's tears, silent and helpless, as he was banished to the clan's edge.
Now, years later, Aelion had grown lean and quiet. His silver hair strange among the clan's crimson — shimmered faintly in the candlelight. His eyes, however, burned not with flame but with hunger —for understanding, for belonging, for something more than rejection.
He rose, stepping outside into the cold night. Beyond the cliffs stretched an ocean of red mist, the boundary between the Veyra lands and the outer realm. From here, he could see the glow of the main courtyard, where laughter echoed — the other youths celebrating early.
He clenched his fist.
"Tomorrow, they'll laugh again. But at least I'll stand one last time."
He sat cross-legged on the cold ground and began to meditate something he'd done every night since childhood. Though he possessed no elemental spark, he could still feel something faint — a strange pulse beneath his consciousness, like a rhythm out of tune with the world.
Each time he focused, warmth flickered through his veins, but the flame never stayed. It was as if something deep within him stirred… and then fell silent again, like an ancient beast sleeping behind iron bars.
He opened his eyes at dawn.
---
The next morning, the Awakening Grounds were alive with spectacle. Families gathered in rows of gilded seats. A crystalline obelisk floated in the center, glowing with an inner fire. The Elder Pyromancer, robed in crimson silk, stood beside it, his voice booming over the crowd.
"Today, the next generation of the Veyra shall reveal their flames! Let the ceremony begin!"
Cheers erupted as one youth after another stepped forward, placing their palms upon the crystal. Each time, fire erupted skyward, forming shapes of beasts and birds. Prideful murmurs spread through the crowd.
Then came Kael Veyra, Aelion's cousin — the prodigy of the clan.
"Let the heavens tremble!" Kael declared, slamming his hand against the crystal. Scarlet flame burst forth, forming a phoenix of pure fire. Elders applauded.
"A perfect manifestation!" one shouted. "The future of the Veyra Clan!"
Kael turned, smirking. "Your turn, cousin," he said mockingly. "Try not to embarrass us too much."
Aelion stepped forward. Whispers rippled through the audience.
"The talentless one?"
"He shouldn't even be here."
"A waste of spirit stones."
He ignored them. His heart pounded, but his gaze was steady. He placed his hand upon the crystal.
Silence.
Nothing happened.
He closed his eyes, reaching deeper — to the faint pulse he always felt when he meditated. But the crystal remained dead, mocking him with its cold stillness.
Snickers spread.
"Still the same useless brat."
"Can't even light a candle."
Kael laughed openly. "Maybe you're not even a real Veyra."
Aelion's hand trembled. Not from anger — but from the ache of years of humiliation crashing all at once. He tried again, forcing his will, his spirit, his everything into the crystal—
And then..
The world flashed white.
A blinding radiance swallowed the courtyard. The sky itself cracked open, thunder roaring across the mountains. The crystal shattered, scattering sparks like molten stars.
Elders shouted, shields rising in panic. "What is this energy?! It's not Fire— it's—!"
Aelion screamed as light engulfed him, his body lifting from the ground. He felt his consciousness being pulled into something infinite — a realm beyond time and element.
---
He awoke in silence.
He stood on a floating platform suspended in a void of swirling colors — blue, crimson, gold, violet — all elements blending in harmony and chaos. Above him hung seven colossal pillars of light, each pulsing with a rhythm older than creation.
A voice spoke, deep and resonant.
"At last… a soul unbound."
Aelion turned, but no figure stood there only the echo of eternity itself.
"Who… who are you?" he whispered.
"We are what came before flame and wind. We are the Origin, and you.."
A symbol appeared upon his chest, glowing with seven interlocking circles.
"you are the bearer of the Core of Infinity."
Aelion felt his breath stop. The energy inside him — once faint and chaotic now roared like a universe awakening. Every element, every law, every vibration of existence surged through his soul.
He gasped, clutching his chest as power poured through him. It was too much. His body screamed in pain, his spirit on the verge of collapse.
"To wield all is to balance all," the voice warned. "The Core grants you infinity, but chaos will consume you if you fail to harmonize."
The realm trembled. Lightning cracked across the pillars. Aelion's consciousness began to fade.
"Seek the Nexus within," the voice whispered. "Seven awakenings… Seven trials… The path of the Infinite Magus begins now."
Then everything went black.
When Aelion opened his eyes again, he was back in the awakening grounds. The crowd stared in stunned silence. The shattered remains of the crystal hovered around him like fragments of glass caught in starlight. His eyes — once gray now shimmered faintly with seven hues.
The Elder Pyromancer's voice trembled.
"What… what did you awaken?"
Aelion looked down at his glowing hands, unsure whether to be terrified or awed.
"I don't know," he said softly. "But it's not just fire."
As he spoke, faint wisps of flame, water, and lightning danced together across his fingertips a harmony that should have been impossible.
And far above, hidden among the clouds, an ancient presence stirred for the first time in millennia.
"The Core of Infinity… has chosen again."