The Color of Shadows
The world of Abberith thrives on wonder and magic, where the age of Aura Magic has propelled humanity into an era of unimaginable progress. Aura is the latent potential within most humans, enabling them to channel their will into casting spells or creating magical technology that powers an industrial revolution like no other. Each person’s Aura glows with a unique color, reflecting their abilities on the spectrum of power. But a world that shines this bright is bound to have its shadows.
The nation of Gina, a rising magical superpower, teeters on the brink of war, seeking to expand its borders to fuel its ravenous hunger for resources and maintain its Aura-driven empire. Gina is ruled by the Harrow Sect, a collection of elite Aura Knights whose mastery of magic and combat has solidified their cruel dominion. Every year, children who come of age are offered a chance to partake in The Trial, a grueling test that determines whether they can join one of the great knight sects within Gina, granting them the training and prestige needed to rise in a society where power defines freedom.
But not everyone is so fortunate. Some cannot grow their Aura, and a few- like Joker- are born with none at all. Those born without Aura are branded as a Harlequin and cast to the lowest rung of society. Joker survives in the shadows of Sing, a city built around the Harrow Sect- and a place subject to the majority of their tyranny. Here Harlequins are slaves, tools, and scapegoats, robbed of opportunity and humanity in a world that values strength above all else- acknowledged only to be the playthings of knights.
Yet beneath the city’s glittering spires and oppressive streets, the embers of rebellion begin to smolder. The Harlequins are reaching their breaking point, and the whispers of the hidden Revolution Cult grow louder. When a chance encounter pulls Joker into their secret world, he discovers a shocking truth: his parents, who he never knew, were leaders in the rebellion—martyrs who gave everything to ignite a spark of hope amongst the Harlequin.
Now, as the Harrow Sect tightens its grip on Gina and rebellion rises from the shadows, Joker must decide where he stands. Will he remain a pawn in a system designed to break him, or rise as a symbol of defiance? In a world where power is taken, not given, Joker’s path will blur the lines between survival and revolution as he faces the legacy of his parents and the potential buried deep within himself.
