The air was thick with excitement, the murmur of thousands of voices blending into a hum of anticipation. At the center of the grand arena stood the massive altar, a relic from a time long forgotten. Above, the sky stretched out in hues of pink and orange as the sun began to set, casting a soft glow over the city of New Haven. It was the day every child waited for—the Awakening Ceremony, the day when those who had reached their fifteenth birthday would be chosen by their Beast, their magical companion that would define their future.Nathaniel Grayson stood among the crowd, his hands clenched at his sides. He could feel the heat of the surrounding people, the weight of their expectations pressing down on him. The bright lights of the stage illuminated the faces of eager teens, each one whispering excitedly about the Beasts they hoped to bond with. Some dreamed of dragons with scales that glimmered like diamonds. Others spoke of majestic griffins, of lions whose roars shook the earth. Nathaniel, however, felt nothing. No excitement. No hope."Don't worry, Nate. You've got this," his best friend, Max, said with a grin, clapping him on the back. "I bet you'll get something cool."Nathaniel managed a small smile but could not shake the knot of anxiety twisting in his stomach. He'd always been... different. Not like the others. His friends, his classmates—they all had something special about them. Powers, strength, or even innate talents that set them apart. But Nathaniel? He had none of that.The announcer's voice rang out, breaking his thoughts. "And now, the first participant, Amelia Watts!"The crowd erupted in applause as a confident girl with dark, curly hair stepped forward. She placed her hand on the glowing Beast Relic, a shimmering orb that pulsed with magic. For a moment, the entire arena seemed to hold its breath. Then, a brilliant light shot from the orb, illuminating the stadium in a dazzling display of gold and blue.A massive, feathered bird materialized before Amelia. Its wings were a dazzling spectrum of colors, and its eyes glowed with an intelligence that seemed almost human. The crowd cheered as Amelia grinned, her joy evident as she embraced her new companion."Congratulations, Amelia!" the announcer boomed, his voice filled with pride.Nathaniel's heart sank. He had been at the ceremony countless times before, watching as each person awakened their Beast, each one growing more powerful, more confident, while he remained a spectator in his own life. He tried to shake the feeling, but it lingered, a gnawing sense of inadequacy.Max nudged him again. "It's your turn soon, Nate. Don't freak out. Just relax."Nathaniel didn't respond. He had already started to feel the heat of the stage lights, the pressure of the crowd's eyes on him, their judgment hanging in the air. He took a deep breath as the next name was called."Nathaniel Grayson."His stomach flipped."Come on," Max whispered, giving him a final push as he walked toward the altar.Nathaniel took slow, measured steps, his eyes fixed on the relic before him. His heart pounded in his chest, and he could feel the eyes of the crowd on him. There was a strange, tingling sensation in the air, an electric hum as if the very atmosphere was charged with magic. He reached the altar and placed his hand on the glowing sphere.For a moment, nothing happened.The orb pulsed once, twice—then a flicker of light. It was faint at first, barely noticeable, but Nathaniel didn't care. He pressed harder, focusing all his energy on the relic, hoping—praying—that something would happen. A flash of color. A shape. Anything.But as the seconds dragged on, his hope began to falter.The crowd grew restless. Murmurs rippled through the stadium. Nathaniel's face burned with embarrassment. The light from the relic flickered once more, but still, no Beast appeared.A few seconds later, the announcer's voice, now tinged with concern, cut through the silence. "Uh, there seems to be... a delay. Nathaniel, are you feeling the connection?"Nathaniel's heart raced, but he couldn't bring himself to look up. He stood frozen, his hand still placed on the relic, waiting. But the moments passed, and the silence stretched on. The light from the relic faded. Nothing came.A hushed silence fell over the crowd.Something sharp twisted in Nathaniel's chest as he realized the truth. His Beast was not coming. He hadn't been chosen.Embarrassment surged through him, burning like a fire. He could feel the weight of every gaze on him—the disappointment, the curiosity, the pity. His palms went clammy, and his legs felt like they might give way.He took a step back, his face flushed with shame. The murmurs grew louder, and Nathaniel couldn't bring himself to look at anyone. He wanted to flee, to disappear into the shadows where no one could see him. But there was no escape. There was only the crushing realization that he was... nothing. He wasn't special. He hadn't been chosen by a Beast.Max quickly joined him, his face a mixture of concern and confusion. "Nate... it's okay. Maybe it's just taking longer. It happens sometimes, right?"Nathaniel nodded silently, but his thoughts were elsewhere. In a world where everyone was defined by their Beast, where magical creatures could elevate you to greatness, what did it mean to be someone without one?The announcer tried to smooth over the awkwardness. "Well, it looks like the relic didn't register a connection for Nathaniel Grayson today. Let's give him a round of applause for his bravery, everyone!"A few scattered claps broke the silence, but it only made Nathaniel feel worse.He turned away from the altar, walking back to the edge of the stage, where the others were already starting to gather. His heart thudded in his chest. He wanted to believe that this was just a temporary setback. That he could find his Beast later, or somehow forge a bond in the future. But deep down, he knew that the world he lived in wasn't kind to those who were ordinary. And right now, Nathaniel Grayson felt very, very ordinary."Don't let it get to you," Max said softly, sensing the defeat in Nathaniel's voice. "We'll figure this out, okay?"Nathaniel didn't answer. He just stared out over the sea of faces, his mind spinning with uncertainty. There was a vast, unknown world waiting for him, but he wasn't sure he belonged in it anymore.And so, as the last of the participants went through the ceremony, Nathaniel stood at the edge of the arena, feeling lost in a world full of people who had everything he lacked.But deep down, something stirred—a whisper of hope. This wasn't the end. Something in him refused to give up, even if he didn't yet know what that something was.This was only the beginning of a much larger story.