A few weeks earlier, Aedan Varros was just a kid on the brink of 17, trapped in a world that mocked him for his lack of magical talent. He was born with a knack for understanding runes and creating small magical artifacts. He had a sharp mind but when it came to conjuring magic itself, like manipulating elements like fire or lightning, he was a complete failure.In a world where magical prowess defined one's status, his inability to unleash even a spark marked him as an outcast. The lowest of the lowest.It was a Monday morning, the beginning of a new week at Velaron Academy, and Aedan already found himself in an unfortunate situation. He was hanging upside down in midair, his robe discarded a few meters away, tangled up in some tree branches.The nauseating feeling of blood rushing to his head wasn't helping. He had been suspended in the air for nearly ten minutes, helpless as the group of five students below laughed at his misfortune."Look at the runt!" one of them sneered. "Can't even float properly without someone's help! HAHAHA!"Aedan grimaced, his vision spinning. He tried to focus but the dizziness made it hard to even think straight.The leader of the group, a boy named Darian Fennor, stood a few feet away with hand that raised casually, manipulating the wind as if it were an afterthought. Darian wasn't just any student, he was a prodigy and he able to control magic without the use of a wand, something that set him apart from the rest of the academy."Still hanging around, huh, Varros?" Darian called out, smirking as he flicked his wrist and spun Aedan midair like a top. "Must be nice to be so light. I could toss you across the lake if I wanted to."The other boys burst into laughter, echoing cruelly through the academy grounds. Aedan's stomach churned with both nausea and frustration. He tried to focus and find some way to stop the spinning, but all he could do was clench his fists in helpless rage."You're wasting your time here, Varros," another student shouted. "No magic means no future. You're nothing but a disgrace to your family. They should've saved their gold and left you to sweep the streets. Or maybe became a slave."Aedan's face flushed with shame. His father – though not biological – had sacrificed so much to send him to Velaron Academy, hoping he'd find some way to unlock his magic potential. Because he had seen his talent in understanding runes.Yet here he was, hanging like a helpless rag doll, the target of every bully's taunt. Darian, with his talent and smug grin, was everything Aedan wasn't, and he made sure Aedan knew it every single day."C'mon, Darian, let's toss him higher!" one of the other boys said, clearly enjoying the spectacle.Darian's grin widened as he flexed his fingers, preparing to send Aedan even higher into the sky.But before Darian could launch him again, something inside Aedan snapped. He feels raw boiling anger that made him grit his teeth and clench his fists so hard his knuckles turned white."Put me down," Aedan growled through gritted teeth, his voice barely audible over their laughter.Darian raised an eyebrow, pretending to be surprised. "Oh? What was that, Varros? You say something?""I said... put me down!" Aedan shouted, louder this time, his voice filled with anger.Darian's smirk deepened and with a flick of his wrist, the wind currents carrying Aedan shifted sharply. Instead of gently lowering him, Darian hurled Aedan toward the ground with a force that knocked the wind out of him.Aedan hit the dirt hard, rolling a few feet before coming to a stop, his body aching from the impact."HAHAHA!"The laughter roared even louder as Darian walked over and standing above Aedan."You're lucky I didn't drop you on your head. That would've made you even more useless than you already are. Or maybe its better. Cause you're just donna be dead," said Darian.The bully walk away. Aedan lay there, bruised and humiliated. As he stared up at the sky, his mind thinking. He wasn't going to let this slide. One day, somehow, he'd show them hell.But right now, all he could do was gather what little strength he had left, push himself up from the dirt, and limp away as the boys' laughter echoed behind him.---Aedan trudged back to his room at the Academy. His body sore and his pride in shreds, again. Luckily, each student had their own room. At least here, there was no one waiting to laugh at his miserable condition or offer shallow sympathy. He hated those fake expressions they'd give him, pretending to care. In their minds, they were no different from the bullies.Just talentless and useless. That's all they saw him as. The thought festered in his mind as he shut the door behind him.He tossed his robe into a corner, its once-white fabric now caked in dirt. He winced at his reflection in the small mirror on the wall. Bruises dotted his body.After a quick bath to wash away the grime, Aedan slumped onto his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. His damp hair clung to his face as he lay there."Maybe I should just drop out," he thought bitterly. "It'd be better than this. I could get a job as a servant, or do some hard labor—carrying a mage's baggage would be better than staying here."The idea of leaving gnawed at him for a long time. Aedan couldn't take it anymore. The bullies, the mockery, and the constant feeling that he was just a burden. He thought about his father, the man who had raised him. He wasn't his real father but he'd treated Aedan as if he was. His father paying a fortune to get him into this Academy. That alone made him feel like he was drowning in guilt.There were two ways to get into the Academy: pass a rigorous test of talent, or pay an exorbitant fee. The test determined a student's raw elemental potential — something Aedan had none of.Sure, he could study runes, craft small magical artifacts, and excel in theory, but without the ability to manipulate the elements itselt, it all meant nothing. And the Academy didn't care. Knowledge could be taught, they said, but raw power? You either had it or you didn't.And Aedan didn't.The teachers barely looked at him during lessons, only nodding vaguely in his direction when he answered a question or presented his rune work. They didn't respect him and didn't care to see past his lack of magical talent. To them, he was just another talentless boy taking up space, wasting their time and the Academy's resources.Aedan clenched his fists. He hated this place. He hated the way they all looked at him, like he was worthless.After drowning in the misery like every night, Aedan then fall asleep.---The next day brought Aedan's least favorite class: Fieldwork Exploration, a mandatory lesson that took students out to the open fields near the Academy to gather herbs, observe magical creatures, or practice their magic in nature.For most students it was a welcome break from the rigid classroom routine. But for Aedan, it was a nightmare.In the open fields, there was more room for Darian and his cronies to torment him without the watchful eyes of the instructors.As they ventured further from the Academy's towering castle, the scenery changed. The dense forest loomed ahead, several kilometers away.The teacher — a disinterested mage who barely paid attention — gave them the usual instructions to spread out and "enjoy the nature," which translated to: do whatever you want as long as no one got hurt badly.Aedan's stomach churned. He already knew how this was going to go.No sooner had the teacher turned his back than Darian the so-called "prodigy" of the Academy, swaggered up to Aedan with his usual gang of followers in tow. Darian's smug grin was as sharp as ever."Hey, Varos!" Darian called, loud enough for the others to hear. "Why don't you come with us to the lake? I've got something special planned today.""Not interested," Aedan replied."Oh, you'll want to see this," Darian said, grabbing Aedan by the arm and steering him toward the lake with his cronies following closely.Aedan can not resist.They reached the lake. The water shimmered in the morning light."Alright, here we are!" Darian announced, letting go of Aedan's arm with a flourish. "Now, strip."Aedan blinked, trying to process the words. "What?""Take off your clothes," Darian repeated. "I'm going to test my new water manipulation skills, and I think you'd make the perfect practice target. We don't want your holy Velaron Academy robe dirty and wet."The other boys snickered, egging Darian on. Aedan's face flushed with anger and humiliation. They always found a way to make him feel like dirt, but this was a new low."I'm not doing that," Aedan said, his voice tight.Darian laughed, as if the idea of Aedan having a choice was the funniest thing he'd heard all day."Oh, really? You think you have a say in this? Watch closely, Varos."Darian waved his hand, and the surface of the lake rippled, then began to churn violently as he summoned water to rise in spiraling tendrils, coiling in the air like snakes ready to strike.The other boys oohed and aahed, impressed by Darian's control.But Aedan had had enough. Something inside him snapped, the weight of two years of torment pressing down on him. Without thinking and caring about the consequences, Aedan acted.Before Darian could react, Aedan dashed forward with his fists clenched tight. The distance between them closed in an instant and with all the fury he had bottled up, Aedan swung his fist straight into Darian's face.The crack of bone meeting bone echoed through the air. Darian stumbled back, shock and pain etched across his features as blood poured from his nose. He clutched his face, eyes wide with disbelief."What the—?" Darian gasped, his voice muffled by the blood trickling down his lips. His cronies stood frozen, mouths agape.Darian gritted his teeth and sending wind toward Aedan and throwing him until he hit a tree, hard."You'll pay for this!" Darian walk at him with bloodshot eyes."Shit. I think I'm gonna die today," Aedan thought.---