Raden sat in the alley long after Master Kamebrow disappeared into the shadows, his heart heavy with confusion and disbelief.
Anti-magic. The words echoed in his mind, filling the empty space that had once been occupied by the hope of someday wielding magic like everyone else. He didn't know whether to feel relieved or terrified by the revelation. All he had ever wanted was to be like the others, to have a power that could give him a purpose. Now, the world had handed him something far different—something no one could understand, something that could very well make him a weapon... or a pariah.
The magic he had felt earlier, or rather, hadn't felt, had been like a vacuum. A void where all the power in the world should have existed. It was as if the very essence of magic itself was repelled by his being, like a magnet pushed away by another. And the thought terrified him. What if Master Kamebrow was right? What if this curse—or blessing—was more than just an inconvenience?
Raden shook his head, trying to clear the fog in his thoughts. The ghetto felt suffocating today. The gray sky hung low, blocking out the sun, and the thick coal smoke from the factories clung to the air, mingling with the stench of old fish and garbage.
Raden could hear the faint sound of clanking metal in the distance—the factories were always running, always consuming the lives of kids like him. That was what life was supposed to be: either the factories or the gangs. If he was lucky, the gangs would offer him protection from the Watch and the factory owners, but the price would be steep. And if he wasn't lucky? Well, the river had a way of swallowing up the unlucky ones.
"Raden!"
The voice pierced through the haze of his thoughts, snapping him back to reality.
He turned and saw Jay approaching, his face flushed with excitement, his eyes wide like he had just seen the world for the first time. He was grinning, and for a brief moment, Raden forgot the weight of his own problems and felt a flicker of jealousy.
"Jay," Raden said, his voice a mix of surprise and wariness. He hadn't expected to see him so soon after the test. "What's going on?"
Jay's grin only widened as he reached Raden's side. "You're not going to believe this. I passed the test. I've been selected. They're sending me to the castle!"
The words hit Raden like a slap to the face. "You—what?"
Jay nodded vigorously. "I'm going to be trained as a mage. Can you believe it? They said I've got more magic in me than most kids in the whole city. I'm going to be somebody, Raden." His voice was full of excitement, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of a future he could barely comprehend.
Raden felt a knot tighten in his stomach. Jay had always been the lucky one—the one with the charm and the gift. And now, Jay was about to leave the ghetto behind, heading toward the castle, where the world would open up to him.
"That's... amazing," Raden said, though the words felt hollow in his mouth. "You deserve it."
Jay slapped Raden on the back. "Don't act so down, man! You know what they say—the city always has room for one more soldier. You're not going to be stuck here forever."
Raden forced a smile. "Yeah. Maybe."
But inside, doubt gnawed at him. He was anti-magic. The very thing that made Jay special was the thing that had condemned Raden to this life. There was no way to hide it anymore. He was different, and no matter how hard he tried to fit in, there was no place for him in this world. Not unless Master Kamebrow had some plan for him, and even that wasn't certain.
"Look, I've got to go," Jay said, glancing over his shoulder. "They're waiting for me. But we'll talk more later, okay?"
Raden nodded, his gaze distant as Jay turned and sprinted off toward the center of the ghetto, the excitement practically radiating from him. Raden stood there for a long moment, watching his friend disappear into the crowd, feeling more alone than he ever had before.
Back at the castle, Jay's mind raced as he was led through the gleaming halls by Shara. She had said little to him since they had met, only offering the occasional glance as she guided him deeper into the heart of the empire's power.
Jay was still processing everything. He had passed. He was special. And that meant his life would change in ways he couldn't yet comprehend. He had been told there would be training, but what kind? What did it mean to be a mage? To have power?
Shara stopped in front of a large wooden door and turned to face him. "This is where you'll be staying," she said, her tone as calm and distant as ever. "It's modest, but it will serve its purpose. Your training begins tomorrow. Rest."
Jay stepped inside and surveyed the room. It was luxurious by any standard, but it felt... empty. His heart pounded with excitement, but there was an undercurrent of fear that he couldn't shake.
"Tomorrow…" he muttered to himself, sitting on the bed and running his hands over the fine linens. He could already feel the weight of the future pressing on him.
As he looked out the window, the sprawling city of Kadiean stretched below him—vast, bustling, and alive. But beyond that, there was the castle, the center of the empire. His castle.
But the more Jay thought about it, the more he realized that this life would come at a price. The mages he had seen walking through the halls—those who had power, who were untouchable—were like gods in the world.
And yet, Jay couldn't shake the feeling that power had a cost. A cost that might one day swallow him whole.
Back in the ghetto, Raden was still standing in the alley, his mind spinning.
Jay was going to the castle, and Raden had... nothing.
A few hours later, the sound of clanking boots broke the silence. The Watch was nearby. Raden quickly turned to leave, heading toward the narrow streets and alleys, hoping to avoid their gaze.
He could feel the eyes of the city on him—everyone could see his failure. It felt like the walls were closing in.
And then, from the shadows, a voice called out again.
"Raden Sora."
He froze. This time, it wasn't Jay.
It was Kamebrow.
Raden slowly turned, a knot of unease settling in his chest.
Master Kamebrow stood there, his dark eyes fixed on Raden with an intensity that sent chills down his spine.
"You're not just a failure, Raden," Kamebrow said, his voice low and smooth. "You're a key piece in something far greater than you could ever imagine. I've been sent to offer you an opportunity."
Raden swallowed. "What kind of opportunity?"
Kamebrow stepped closer, his gaze piercing. "You may not have the magic you dreamed of, but you have something far more valuable. I can train you. Use you. Shape you into something the empire needs."
Raden hesitated. Was this his way out? Was this his only chance to avoid a life of obscurity and poverty?
But even as the words danced on his tongue, he knew something wasn't right. He could feel it—the pull of something darker, something that was slowly creeping into his world.
Kamebrow was offering him power, but at what cost?
"Think about it," Kamebrow said, his voice softer now, almost coaxing. "You may not have magic, but you are still valuable. You could be my weapon."
The words echoed in Raden's mind. My weapon.
Raden stood frozen, torn between the future he had dreamed of and the dangerous path that lay ahead.
What choice did he have?