The sun hung low over the sprawling city of Aetheris, its golden rays reflecting off the towering spires of Genesis Academy. The academy stood as a beacon of hope and ambition, its walls etched with the names of legends who had walked its halls. For Kael Ardent, however, it was a place of exclusion—a reminder of what he could never be.
Kael leaned against the rusted railing of the observation deck, his gaze fixed on the academy grounds below. Students in crisp uniforms moved with purpose, their laughter and chatter carrying on the wind. He could see the faint glow of their abilities—flames dancing at fingertips, shadows twisting around limbs, and sparks of electricity crackling in the air. They were the chosen ones, the gifted, the future of Aetheris.
And he was nothing.
"Kael!" a voice called, snapping him out of his thoughts. He turned to see his best friend, Mira, jogging toward him. Her auburn hair was tied back in a messy ponytail, and her cheeks were flushed from the climb. "I've been looking everywhere for you. You're not still brooding, are you?"
Kael shrugged, forcing a smile. "Just enjoying the view."
Mira rolled her eyes and leaned on the railing beside him. "You know, one of these days, you're going to have to stop staring at that place and actually do something about it."
"Do what?" Kael asked, his voice tinged with bitterness. "Walk up to the gates and ask them to let me in? 'Hello, I'm Kael Ardent, the Null. Can I join your academy even though I have no powers and no future?'"
Mira frowned, her playful demeanor fading. "You're not a Null, Kael. You're just... different. And different doesn't mean worthless."
Kael sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Easy for you to say. You've got a gift. You could walk into Genesis tomorrow and they'd welcome you with open arms."
Mira's ability was rare—she could manipulate time in small bursts, slowing it down or speeding it up for a few seconds. It wasn't flashy, but it was powerful, and Kael had seen her use it to get them out of more than one tight spot.
"Maybe," Mira admitted. "But I'm not going without you. We're a team, remember?"
Kael smiled faintly. "Yeah, a team of misfits."
"Exactly," Mira said, grinning. "And misfits make the best heroes."
Before Kael could respond, a loud crash echoed from the streets below. They both turned, their eyes widening as a plume of smoke rose into the sky. The sound of screams followed, and Kael's heart raced.
"What's going on?" Mira asked, her voice tense.
Kael squinted, trying to make out the source of the chaos. "I don't know, but it doesn't look good. We should—"
His words were cut off as a massive figure emerged from the smoke. It was a mechanized suit, towering over the buildings, its metal frame gleaming in the sunlight. The suit's pilot—a man with a wild grin and a shock of white hair—laughed maniacally as he unleashed a barrage of energy blasts, reducing everything in his path to rubble.
"Reavers," Kael muttered, his stomach sinking. The Reavers were a notorious gang of mercenaries, known for their brutal raids and advanced technology. They had been a thorn in Aetheris's side for years, but they had never been bold enough to attack the city's heart.
"We need to get out of here," Mira said, grabbing Kael's arm. "Now."
Kael hesitated, his eyes scanning the chaos below. People were running in every direction, their faces etched with terror. Among them, he spotted a child—a little girl—frozen in fear as debris rained down around her.
"We can't just leave," Kael said, pulling away from Mira. "That girl—she's going to get killed."
"Kael, you're not a hero!" Mira shouted, her voice desperate. "You don't have powers! You'll get yourself killed!"
Kael ignored her, his mind made up. He sprinted down the stairs, his heart pounding in his chest. The streets were a blur of smoke and fire, the air thick with the smell of burning metal. He dodged falling debris and weaving panicked crowds, his eyes locked on the girl.
"Hey!" he called as he reached her, dropping to his knees. "Are you okay?"
The girl nodded, her eyes wide with fear. Kael scooped her up, holding her tightly as he scanned the area for a safe path. The mechanized suit was closer now, its energy blasts tearing through buildings like paper. Kael's mind raced—there was no way he could outrun it.
"Hold on," he whispered to the girl, his voice steady despite the fear coursing through him. He darted into an alley, hoping to find shelter, but the suit's pilot spotted him and let out a cruel laugh.
"Run, little Null!" the man taunted, his voice amplified by the suit's speakers. "Let's see how far you get!"
Kael's breath came in short gasps as he ran, his legs burning with exertion. He could hear the suit's heavy footsteps behind him, each one shaking the ground. The alley was a dead end, and he cursed under his breath.
"Kael!" Mira's voice rang out, and he turned to see her standing at the entrance of the alley. Her hands were raised, and the air around her shimmered with energy. "Get down!"
Kael dropped to the ground, shielding the girl with his body. Mira's ability activated, slowing time just as the suit fired another blast. The energy moved sluggishly through the air, giving Kael just enough time to roll out of the way.
The blast hit the wall behind him, sending chunks of debris flying. Kael scrambled to his feet, his arms still wrapped around the girl. Mira was at his side in an instant, her face pale but determined.
"We need to go," she said, her voice strained. "I can't hold him off forever."
Kael nodded, his mind racing. The suit was too powerful, too fast. They needed a plan—and fast.
As if in answer, a strange sensation washed over him. It started as a faint warmth in his chest, quickly growing into a searing heat. Kael gasped, clutching at his shirt as the feeling spread through his body. The girl in his arms looked up at him, her fear replaced by curiosity.
"Kael?" Mira asked, her voice tinged with panic. "What's happening?"
"I don't know," Kael replied, his voice trembling. "I feel... different."
The heat reached its peak, and suddenly, Kael's vision went white. He felt a surge of energy unlike anything he had ever experienced, as if the very fabric of his being was being rewritten. When his vision cleared, he found himself standing taller, his senses heightened, his body humming with power.
The suit's pilot hesitated, his grin faltering. "What the—?"
Kael didn't give him time to finish. With a speed he didn't know he possessed, he charged forward, his fist connecting with the suit's chest plate. The metal crumpled under the force of the blow, and the suit staggered back, its systems sparking and failing.
Mira stared in shock, her hands dropping to her sides. "Kael... what did you do?"
Kael looked down at his hands, his mind reeling. He didn't have an answer. All he knew was that something had changed—something fundamental.
And his life would never be the same.
---
The streets were eerily quiet after the suit's collapse, the only sounds the crackling of flames and the distant wail of sirens. Kael stood amidst the wreckage, his chest heaving as he tried to process what had just happened. The little girl clung to his leg, her tiny hands trembling, but safe.
Mira approached cautiously, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and fear. "Kael... how did you do that? You just—you took down a Reaver suit. With your bare hands."
Kael shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know. I just... felt something. Like a surge of energy. And then—" He flexed his fingers, staring at them as if they belonged to someone else. "I don't know what's happening to me."
Mira reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "Whatever it is, it's not normal. But it's not bad, either. You saved that girl. You saved us."
Kael glanced down at the child, who looked up at him with wide, trusting eyes. He knelt, gently prying her hands from his leg. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.
The girl nodded, her lower lip quivering. "Thank you," she whispered before running off toward a group of emergency responders who had just arrived on the scene.
Kael watched her go, a strange mix of relief and unease settling in his chest. He turned back to Mira, who was already pulling out her comm device.
"We need to get out of here," she said, her voice urgent. "The authorities are going to have questions, and I don't think 'I suddenly got superpowers' is going to cut it."
Kael nodded, though his mind was still reeling. As they slipped away from the chaos, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.
---
Later that night, Kael sat on the roof of their makeshift hideout—an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The events of the day played on a loop in his mind, each moment more surreal than the last.
Mira joined him, handing him a cup of steaming tea. "You've been quiet," she said, sitting beside him. "Still processing?"
"Yeah," Kael admitted, taking the cup. "I just... I don't understand what happened. I've spent my whole life being a Null. And now, suddenly, I'm not?"
Mira sipped her tea, her gaze fixed on the distant lights of Genesis Academy. "Maybe you were never a Null to begin with. Maybe whatever this is, it was always inside you, waiting for the right moment to wake up."
Kael frowned, turning her words over in his mind. "But why now? Why today?"
Mira shrugged. "I don't know. But I do know one thing—this changes everything. You're not the same person you were this morning, Kael. And I think... I think this is just the start."
Kael stared at his reflection in the tea, the faint glow of his eyes catching him off guard. He didn't know what the future held, but one thing was certain—he was no longer the boy who watched from the sidelines.
He was something more.
And the world of Aetheris would soon know it.