It was a very bright day and it was the annual Festival of Awakening in Solarys, where the community gathers to celebrate the elemental ties that define their lives. The festival is a grand event, filled with elemental displays: air dancers gliding effortlessly above the ground, fire wielders creating dazzling pyrotechnics, water shapers performing fluid, mesmerizing dances, and metal workers forging art in the blink of an eye.
Jeremy, now 14, watches from the shadows, his heart heavy with envy and bitterness. As the son of a family with no elemental marks, he is used to being ignored, insulted, abused and other harsh treatments. His younger sister, Lila, clings to his hand, her innocent eyes wide with wonder. Only Jeremy knows the truth about Lila's extraordinary birth.
At the sight of the festival activities, filled with pain of not being able to participate in the activities Jeremy's mind flashes back to the moment of Lila's birth. Jeremy recalls the quiet panic that gripped their parents when the midwife screamed upon seeing the marks. The metallic sheen of the symbol on her left foot, the fiery glow on her right palm, the earthy etching on her left hand, and the swirling mark of air on her other foot, all were unnatural, impossible.
Their parents decided to hide her marks from the world, knowing the village elders would declare her a danger and cast her out,or even trying to take her life. Jeremy, only 10 at the time, promised his parents that he would protect his sister, no matter the cost.
Returning to the present, the Festival of Awakening builds to its climax: the Ritual of the Elements, where newborns are presented to the elders to reveal their elemental ties. The villagers watch eagerly as each child is lifted, their marks glowing briefly to signify their connection to a single element. Cheers erupt as each baby is recognized, and a moment of pride for every family.
Jeremy notices his parents sitting rigidly, their faces pale. They have refused to present Lila, claiming she is too young to attend. Yet Jeremy feels the weight of the stares and murmurs directed at their family. The villagers have always suspected something strange about Lila, and the absence of her initiation fuels their gossip.
The people of Solarys fears multielemetals as that was the name given to anyone who wield two or more elements. In ancient times, multielementals existed, but their powers were said to cause imbalance, leading to catastrophic natural disasters. Legends speak of the Great Sundering, a calamity where a multielemental nearly destroyed the world by unleashing uncontrolled chaos. Since then, any sign of multielemental ability has been met with swift punishment : death.
Jeremy's thoughts wander as he imagines what would happen if Lila's marks were revealed. He clenches his fists, vowing never to let that happen, he looks at his little sister, " I'll keep you safe I promise".
As the festival continues, a sudden incident draws everyone's attention. A fire wielder accidentally loses control during a demonstration, sending a flaming spiral toward a group of children. Panic erupts as parents scream and scramble to protect their kids. Jeremy instinctively pulls Lila behind him, bracing for the worst.
To his shock, Lila raises her tiny hand. Water erupts from nowhere, extinguishing the flames before they can cause harm. The crowd falls silent, stunned.
The villagers stare at Lila with a mix of awe and horror. Murmurs ripple through the crowd as they process what they just witnessed.
"She's unmarked…"
"No child without an elemental mark can do that!"
"Unless…". Seize her!!!!
"seize the child!!!...."
"Abomination!!!.."
Jeremy grabs Lila's hand and pulls her away, his heart pounding. He can feel the weight of their stares, the fear and suspicion growing with every second.
That evening, the village elders arrive at Jeremy's home. Their stern faces and authoritative presence fill the small house with tension. They demand to see Lila, claiming they have the right to test her abilities. Jeremy's parents plead for mercy, but the elders are unmoved.
Jeremy steps forward, defiant. He argues that the festival accident was a fluke and that Lila is too young for their investigation. His boldness surprises even himself, but he refuses to back down. For the first time, he feels a spark of something new within him , a determination fueled by an unknown force.
The elders leave, but their warning is clear: they will return, and any deception will not be tolerated.
That night, Jeremy lies awake, his mind racing. He feels a strange warmth in his palms and an odd sensation in his chest." this feeling is new and strange, I'm a normal boy i can't will any powers, and besides i don't have a mark!!", he said to himself, thoughts of trying what Lila did earlier filled his heart. He sneaks outside, away from the watchful eyes of his family, and tries to replicate what he saw Lila do earlier.
To his amazement, a small flame flickers to life in his hand. Moments later, a gust of air swirls around him. Shocked, he realizes that his own powers are awakening, and like Lila, they are not tied to a single element, during this moment of joy he realizes that this new discovery of his, has actually made his family's condition worse.
Jeremy knows that their family is in greater danger than ever. If the village discovers their secret, it will mean the end for all of them. But as fear grips him, so does another feeling: hope. For the first time, he sees this abilities, of controlling more than one element not as a curse but as a chance to change their world.
As Jeremy stood under the starlit sky, the flame in his palm flickering against the cool night breeze, he made a silent vow. He would protect Lila, uncover the truth about their powers, and defy the fears of Solarys. The world might s
ee them as threats, but Jeremy saw a destiny.