10 YEARS AGO
"Help me!"
"We're under attack!"
"The Fallens are here—they'll kill us all!"
A cold night shrouded the small village near Luminastra as chaos erupted. Without warning, creatures known as the Fallens had appeared from the shadows, launching a brutal assault on the village.
Houses were engulfed in flames, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke. Screams pierced the night as people ran, desperate to escape the carnage. Women clutched their children, and families wept over loved ones who had fallen victim to the creatures' merciless assault.
There was no hope. The village was on the verge of total annihilation. Though the mages of the kingdom had been alerted, they were too late to save everyone.
The Fallens moved with terrifying speed, killing indiscriminately. Yet, for those they deemed "useful," there was a darker fate in store—captivity and enslavement.
Amidst the horror, a lone woman with her seven-year-old son tightly, her eyes darting around, searching for any possible escape route. "Come, Alon, come," she whispered, pulling him close as they hid behind a crumbling wall.
She peeked through a small hole, the flickering light from the fires illuminating her face, etched with fear.
"Alright, Alon, let's go," she urged, gripping his hand as they bolted from the ruins of their home.
They dashed towards the forest, hoping the trees would offer some semblance of safety. But as they ran, Alon stumbled on a jagged stone and fell, his small body hitting the ground with a soft thud.
The noise caught the attention of one of the Fallens, a grotesque creature that immediately zeroed in on them with chilling speed.
"Get up, Alon! Get up!" his mother cried, yanking him to his feet. But before they could flee, the Fallen was upon them. In a desperate bid to save her son, she shoved Alon away just as the creature swung its wicked weapon.
She took the full brunt of the attack, her body crumpling under its weight.
"Run, Alon! Run!" she screamed, her voice filled with anguish as the creature struck her down. Alon's heart pounded as he fled, his small legs carrying him as fast as they could.
Tears blurred his vision, but he dared not look back. He could still hear his mother's final scream echoing in his ears, a sound that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
Alon ran for hours until he reached a clearing. His tiny body finally gave out near a small hut, a fire flickering just outside.
Though he was far from his village, he couldn't shake the terror clawing at his chest. He approached the fire, hoping its warmth would chase away the cold that had seeped into his bones.
From the hut emerged a young woman with kind eyes and a soothing presence. She had blonde hair and striking blue eyes, and her voice was as warm as the flames themselves. "Hey, little boy, what are you doing here?" she asked, crouching down to his level.
Alon said nothing, his body still trembling, unable to process the horror he'd just witnessed. She tilted her head, a frown crossing her face as she studied him. "Where are your parents?" she asked, her tone shifting to one of concern.
At the mention of his parents, Alon broke down, tears streaming down his face. He was lost, alone, and terrified. The woman, sensing his pain, pulled him into a gentle embrace. "Hey… I didn't mean to make you cry," she whispered, holding him close. She knew, without asking, that this boy had just lost everything.
That night, the woman—who introduced herself as Jasmine—took him in. Over the years, she became his caretaker. They moved to Luminastra, where she found work as a medical assistant, and Alon gradually began to piece together the world around him.
He learned of the Fallens, the creatures who had destroyed his village and taken his mother. He also learned of the mages, the kingdom's protectors who had been too late to save his home.
He didn't seek vengeance, but a sense of purpose burned within him. Alon vowed to join the ranks of the mages, to take the academy exams, graduate, and someday protect others from the darkness that had shattered his life.
When Alon turned fifteen, he fully awakened his magical powers. By thirteen, he'd been able to perform basic spells, but at fifteen, his abilities manifested in their entirety. His training intensified. He often ventured into the woods to practice, honing his skills in secret.
"Lightening Magic: Electro Cutter!" he shouted one morning, watching as purple lightning crackled from his hands, slicing through the trees like a hot knife through butter. His power was raw, but he was determined to control it, to grow stronger.
One stormy night, as Alon slept, a strange presence entered his room. Jasmine awoke to the sound of thunder, rushing to check on him. But as she neared his room, she saw a figure bathed in golden light standing beside Alon's bed.
An invisible barrier prevented her from entering. She squinted, trying to make out its features, but the light was too bright. After a moment, the figure vanished, leaving Alon shaking and gasping for breath. When he opened his eyes, they glowed with a golden light before returning to normal.
From that night on, Alon sensed a new, mysterious power within him, something far beyond his understanding.
•
•
•
"Hey! I'm talking to you!"
Natasha's voice cut through his thoughts, pulling him back to reality. She shouted, her frustration palpable.
Alon blinked, as if waking from a long dream. "Uh… what did you say?"
"I said, 'What are you?'" Natasha repeated, her eyes narrowing. "The magical power you were trying so hard to suppress back there—it was off the charts. I could tell because I'm a sensory specialist. So, answer me. What are you?"
Alon turned away, his gaze drifting to the horizon. "It's simple… I am no one."
With that, he walked away, leaving Natasha staring after him, a frown creasing her brow as she tried to unravel the mystery that was Alon Chase.