"Look, I got the power of fire," a girl said with a smile, forming a ball of flames in her hands.
"What's so special about that? I was given the power to control water," a boy replied, controlling the water stored in a nearby fountain.
It was the last day of school. While the students were busy testing their newly awakened abilities, in one corner stood a thin, frail boy around seventeen years old with a sharp intensity burning in his eyes.
"Hey, Aren, I heard you failed the awakening test."
The boy walked toward Aren with mockery in his voice and a wicked smile on his face. Aren remained silent and lowered his gaze.
"So should I take your silence as a yes?" the boy said angrily, grabbing Aren by the collar.
After hesitating, Aren finally spoke.
"Yes… you heard it right, Archer."
Archer let go of his collar and burst into loud laughter.
"So that means you're a Null," Archer said, his laughter slipping out of control.
Hearing Archer laugh, the other students turned to look at them. One of Archer's friends smirked.
"What else could you expect from Aren?"
Another boy mocked him, "I already knew it. A loser like him could never pass the awakening test."
This wasn't anything new for Aren. Most people had always treated him this way and now he is officially a Null.
Nulls were those who possessed no powers at all.
"You mock those weaker than you, and I'm the loser?" Aren said, gathering his courage. But he knew the outcome wouldn't be good.
"You've got a lot of nerve, stupid Null," Archer snapped angrily and lunged toward Aren to hit him. The two boys who had been mocking Aren also stepped forward to attack him.
This had become a daily routine. First they harassed him, and when Aren talked back, they beat him. Archer glared at Aren as his hand turned into stone.
"Today, I'll end your story forever," Archer said, stepping forward to punch him.
Before anything could happen, a commanding voice echoed across the area.
"What is going on here?"
The voice carried authority. It was the school's senior teacher, Mr. Bert.
"All students, return to your classes. And Aren, come with me to the staff room."
Mr. Bert walked away, and Aren followed him. Archer stood there, watching Aren leave, anger burning in his eyes.
When Aren reached the staff room, Mr. Bert looked at him seriously.
"Aren, I hope you understand why I called you here."
Aren looked at him with confusion.
"Is this about my awakening test?"
"Yes," Mr. Bert replied. "You are a Null and you know what that means."
"Yes… I know," Aren said quietly.
Mr. Bert sat down on a nearby chair.
"Your admission to A.H.A. will go through. However, you will be placed in Group D of A.H.A."
Aren replied sarcastically,
"Honestly, it doesn't even matter to me anymore. Things will be the same there as they are here."
He looked at Mr. Bert with a tired expression, as if years of bullying had finally worn him down. Aren knew that nothing would change at A.H.A. People would treat him the same way and now he carried the label of a Null.
Mr. Bert looked at Aren and spoke in a deep yet calm voice.
"I know what you've been through. I can't help you much, but I'll say this one last time. Today, you may have nothing but a day will come when life gives you another chance. Until then… DON'T GIVE UP."
Aren looked at Mr. Bert. For a brief moment, those words reignited the courage within him. But it didn't last long. Aren knew these words could only comfort him temporarily. Reality would still be waiting for him.
As Aren turned to leave, Mr. Bert called out,
"Tomorrow, you'll leave for A.H.A. with the others. Pack all your essentials because that place is nothing less than a circus."
A circus? Aren wondered as he walked away.
On his way home, Aren kept thinking about Mr. Bert's words when suddenly someone stopped him.
"Did you really think I'd let you go so easily?"
When Aren turned around, he saw Archer furious, with the same two boys who had mocked him earlier."
Aren realized that if he didn't act now, he'd be in serious trouble. Nervously, he asked,
"Archer, what's your problem with me?"
Archer smiled coldly.
"Problem? I don't have any problem with you. Your only problem is your bad luck you're a Null. People like you don't even deserve to live."
With that, Archer turned his hands into stone and charged straight at Aren.
Seeing Archer rush toward him with murderous intent, Aren panicked and ran toward the forest. The road was surrounded by dense jungle on all sides. Archer chased after him in rage, and the two boys followed close behind.
Aren knew he couldn't run far. Archer had recently awakened he was much faster than a normal human. Sooner or later, he would catch him.
As soon as that thought crossed Aren's mind, Archer caught up and landed a brutal punch straight into Aren's stomach. Aren was sent flying and crashed onto the ground. The blow was devastating he couldn't breathe for several moments.
As Aren tried to get up, Archer grabbed him by the collar and rained punches down on him mercilessly.
Laughing like a madman, Archer said,
"What happened, worm? Why aren't you talking anymore? You had a lot to say earlier what now?"
Aren couldn't hear anything. He was barely conscious, on the brink of death. Then Archer's friends pulled him back.
"Stop, Archer. If he dies and The Order finds out, we'll be in serious trouble. Leave him."
Archer let go, but Aren's face was completely destroyed, crushed inward. As Archer came to his senses, fear crept in. He knew that if this reached The Order, the punishment would be severe.
Panicking, Archer asked his friends,
"What do we do? If anyone finds out I did this."
One of them suggested,
"He's going to die anyway. Why don't we throw him into that crack?"
Nearby was a massive fissure in the ground deep and wide. Archer thought for a moment, then said,
"Fine. He's an orphan anyway. No one will even look for him."
The three of them dragged Aren still alive and threw him into the fissure. Aren couldn't resist; he couldn't even move a finger.
Is this how my story ends? he thought.
They fled the scene. The fissure was incredibly deep. As Aren kept falling, his entire life flashed before his eyes like a film mostly filled with painful memories.
He had lost his parents long ago during the war between humans and demons. At school, he had always been bullied. Finally, Mr. Bert's words echoed in his mind:
Don't give up.
As that thought faded, Aren's eyes closed—forever.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his ears. It was soft, yet filled with authority and pride.
"What is this nuisance now? And who might you be?"
Aren slowly opened his eyes and couldn't believe what he saw. He wasn't in a dark fissure anymore, but in a completely different place: a vast, empty palace.
Before him sat a massive nine-foot-tall man on a throne, dressed in white robes.
Confused, Aren whispered,
"Where… am I?"
The man smiled wickedly and said,
"It seems the time for my freedom has finally arrived."