Zayd and his mother walked home in silence, The village streets were nearly empty, with most of its citizens still gathered in the resonance hall. Only a few people and guards strolled the cobblestone roads. Nodding respectfully to the chief family as they passed by.
Layla stayed close to her son, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder to. She matched his slow pace, understanding his need for quiet, searching for the right words as they made their way home.
"We're almost home," she said gently.
Zayd nodded slightly, his eyes still fixed on the cobblestone road under his feet.
As they stepped through the door of their home, Zayd headed to his room upstairs, slumping onto the bed and burying his face in the pillow. He scowled as the events of today replayed in his mind.
Layla's soft footsteps followed shortly after. She sat on the edge of the bed, her gentle hand brushing through his hair as she used to do when he was little.
"Zayd," her voice warm and steady. "I know today was hard, and I heard what people said. But listen to me."
"Mom… please," Zayd's voice cracked. "I don't wanna talk about it."
"Then just listen," she said firmly. "Look at me."
He reluctantly turned his head, expecting disappointment in her eyes. Instead, he found something else entirely.
"You think not having elements will make you less?" She raised an eyebrow. "Since when? The same kid who climb trees faster than anyone in the village? The same kid who can hide in shadows so well that even the village guards can't spot him? Those aren't elemental skills—they're Zayd skills. "
Zayd blinked, surprised.
"You're swift, Resilient. Sneaky. Clever" She poked his chest. "And those matter more than any stupid glowing orb. You don't need a rune ring on your wrist to have value. "
"But..." his voice wavered. "I'm supposed to be the chief's heir. How can I lead without—"
"Leadership isn't about glowing hands or fancy magic. She cut him off. "It's about understanding people. Watching. Listening. Adapting. And making the right decisions. And those qualities can be learned as you grow up."
"What if I bring shame to our family?" The words tumbled out, vulnerable.
"Shame?" She raised her brow. "You don't need to be like everyone else. Being unique is better. And trust me – you are."
She brushed his hair back, a gesture older than memory. "Sometimes the greatest gifts take longer to reveal themselves. And sometimes they come in forms we don't expect."
"Like what?" Zayd's voice was small, but there was a hint of curiosity now.
"I don't know," she admitted. "But that's the exciting part. Imagine having a gift so different, so unexpected, that no one sees it coming." Her eyes sparkled with something between mischief and hope.
"Our family's never been ordinary. Why should we be now?"
Zayd felt something stir inside him—not hope, not yet, but something close. Something that said 'maybe.'
A while later, as lunch was served, his father finally broke the silence. he spoke while meeting his eyes. "Meet me at the library at sunset. I've asked Elder Hakim to delve into the old archives. Perhaps we can find some precedent for your... unique circumstance."
"Yes, Father…" Zayd replied quietly.
That afternoon, Zayd went to his sanctuary in the ancient oak overlooking the mountain river. The shadows seemed deeper here. He sat motionless in his favorite spot atop a sturdy branch blending into the darkness, trying to make sense of the morning's events, the tree's shadows seemed to curl as if to offer comfort.
A mountain thrush landed nearby, completely oblivious of his presence. Zayd allowed himself a small bitter smile—even birds, with their keen senses, failed to detect him when he chose to remain hidden.
'Maybe, all I'm good at is disappearing.'
"Zayd?" Nour's voice called from below. "I know you're up there."
He considered not answering her but she was the only one who could find him when he hid in the shadows.
He sighed. "How did you know?"
"This is where you usually come when you're feeling down." She scaled the trunk with practiced ease, golden light filtering through the leaves around her.
Settling beside him, she let the silence stretch for a moment.
"You know," her voice soft but certain, "everyone's quick to call you elementless, but I don't agree with them."
Zayd turned to her, his brow furrowing. "Why not?"
She met his gaze with her grayish-green eyes. "Most people in the hall didn't notice a detail including you." She paused "The Orb reacted, it darkened. The shadows near you stirred. That's never happened before."
"So what?" frustration creeping into his voice. "I didn't receive a rune ring on my wrist. I didn't awaken any element. I'm still just a nobody."
"No! You're not," she said firmly. "Think about it. Light users were once considered strange too." she paused, choosing her words carefully. "What if that darkness means something? Something unique, something no one else has seen before? "
Zayd clicked his tongue. "You sound just like mom."
"Well, she's right," Nour said, smiling gently.
"Why don't we go ask my father at the library? He might know something."
As a distant bell tolled the evening hour. Zayd's eyes widened. "Crap! I totally forgot… my dad's waiting for me there already."
"I'll come with you," she said, already starting down the tree.
"You don't have to—"
"I want to." She dropped to the ground with a light thud. "Now hurry up, unless you want your father more upset than he already is."
They raced through the village, dodging between houses and market stalls. People cast sidelong glances at them, some felt pity for him, some stepping aside as if Zayd carried a contagious disease, and others snickered.
"What a pair," someone muttered. "The prodigy and the failure, together as always."
The library's heavy doors groaned as they entered, both breathless from running. The scent of old parchment and leather bindings filled the air, mixing with the earth's smell of stone and dust. The flickering oil lamp cast long shadows on the walls.
"You're late." His father scolded him.
"I'm sorry," Zayd muttered, lowering his gaze.
Chief Raed turned, his voice tight with controlled emotion. "Elder Hakim, what did you find?"
The elder's weathered hands rested on a stack of ancient texts. He adjusted his glasses.
"I've searched every record of resonance ceremonies, every historical account. There's no mention of someone lacking elemental affinity entirely. However…"
He paused, his gaze flickering to Zayd. "the Orb's reaction... that darkness and movement of shadows... it might mean something."
Zayd listened in silence, his chest tightening.
"Are you still planning to enroll Nour in the Order?"
"Yes, Chief. We leave next month."
"Good. While you're there, consult their scholars." Raed's voice was heavy with reluctant hope.
"Someone must have encountered a situation like this before."
"Of course," Elder Hakim nodded. "That's the least I could do."
Zayd stood silently, the words washing over him like a distant wave. The mention of Nour's departure left a sharp pang in his chest. He barely heard the rest of their conversation.
Beside him, Nour shifted closer. Not saying anything, but her presence was a quiet comfort—a small reassurance that, for now, she was still here. And yet, it only served as a reminder that soon, she wouldn't be.
"Let's go home," his father finally said. "Your mother will be worried."
Zayd nodded stiffly and followed, his steps heavy as they left the library. The sound of the door closing behind him felt final like a chapter of his life shutting irrevocably. In the back of his mind, Hakim's words lingered, circling endlessly. 'that darkness and movement of shadows... it might mean something.'
What that "something" was, Zayd didn't know. But as he walked through the dim village streets, the cold night air prickling his skin, he couldn't shake the feeling that whatever it was, it wouldn't bring comfort.
That night, sleep brought strange visions.
Zayd found himself atop a massive black roof. Above him, the sky split open, revealing a vast rift—a tear in reality itself. Purple lightning crackled around its edges, illuminating what looked like a cosmic wound with an eerie glow.
From within the rift emerged something that defied description—A swirling vortex of darkness, its edges crackling with violet energy that hissed like static in his ears. The cold seeped into his bones, and the air itself felt heavy, pressing against his chest like unseen hands.
As Zayd watched, transfixed, Black spheres began shooting out from the portal like dark stars, each trailing tendrils of shadow as they scattered in different directions across the night sky. One of them was launching in his direction. As it got closer a flash of alien text seared into Zayd's consciousness
[𐀓𐀐𐀑𐀭𐀣𐀔𐀩𐀒𐀐𐀏𐀳𐀔𐀩𐀜𐀕𐀭]
The symbols shimmered in his mind, burning themselves into his thoughts. A voice echoed from the sphere—not spoken aloud, but resonating deep within the core of his being. The words reverberated through Zayd's mind, their tone strange and unearthly. It wasn't human—its presence felt foreign, like a voice from beyond the realm of understanding.