Takeru walked through the school gates, his steps heavy. The whispers had already started. "Did you hear? Takeru's Gem is gone…" Some eyes stared in awe, others in doubt, and a few with barely concealed envy. He kept his head down, feeling the familiar weight of powerlessness press against his chest. Without his shattered Power Gem, he was just a boy among many.
At his locker, Emiko appeared, her presence a small comfort.
"Takeru… are you okay?" she asked softly, concern clear in her violet eyes.
"I'm fine," he replied, forcing a smile. "It's just… weird, that's all."
She tilted her head, studying him. "You don't have to pretend with me."
Takeru paused, the walls he'd built around himself flickering. He wanted to tell her everything—about his powers, the battle, the Dark Army—but the truth felt dangerous. Instead, he nodded and walked beside her, silently grateful for her presence.
Across the courtyard, Kaoru Shinji was leaning against a railing, his golden hair catching the sunlight. He was the perfect image of confidence, almost too perfect, and he had a reputation for being arrogant. He spotted Takeru and smirked.
"So the great Takeru Yamato… powerless now, huh?" Kaoru called. "Bet you're feeling… useless."
Takeru clenched his fists but didn't answer. Emiko's hand brushed against his arm, grounding him.
"I don't think he's useless," she muttered under her breath.
Kaoru's smirk faltered slightly. Takeru realized she had just called out his taunt in front of everyone, defending him quietly but firmly. The small act, though, sparked warmth inside Takeru he hadn't felt in days.
Later, in Class 1-A, Professor Lila Nakahara began the lesson on elemental theory. Takeru listened, though his mind wandered. He watched his classmates—new students, especially.
Mira Lestelle, a water manipulator, sat quietly at the back, sketching intricate diagrams of water flow. Her goal seemed to be mastery over strategy and illusions rather than brute force.
Ren Takumi, gliding into the room, landed lightly and grinned, his carefree attitude hiding his ambition: he wanted to surpass all wind benders before his eighteenth birthday.
Sora Kiyama, technomancer prodigy, was tinkering with a small magical device, muttering calculations. She dreamed of building a system that could detect and neutralize dark magic—a dream that could rival even the Great Mages themselves.
Akira Hoshino, shadow adept, kept to the shadows of the classroom. Quiet, observant, and deliberate, she had a singular goal: to protect those who could not defend themselves, even if it meant staying in darkness.
During paired exercises, Emiko immediately chose Takeru.
"Come on, Takeru. Let's practice water manipulation," she said brightly, unaware of how much he struggled without his powers.
"I… uh…" Takeru's voice faltered. He tried to summon even a ripple of water, but nothing appeared. Mira, watching nearby, tilted her head with curiosity.
"You're trying too hard," she whispered to herself.
Emiko frowned, noticing his failure. "Takeru… why can't you cast it?"
"Just… doesn't work right now," he muttered, feeling a wave of frustration and embarrassment. The class continued around them, and Takeru's heart sank as he realized just how powerless he truly was.
During recess, Takeru sat alone on a bench, staring at the cracked fountain in the courtyard. Emiko joined him, carrying a book she had borrowed from the library.
"You're thinking too much," she said gently, sitting beside him. "It's okay not to be the strongest. Sometimes… surviving is enough."
Takeru's shoulders slumped. "Surviving… that feels so small after everything I've seen."
She placed a hand on his arm. "Maybe. But surviving gives you a chance to grow, to learn. You still have time."
For a moment, Takeru almost admitted the truth—how much he wanted to protect her, how terrified he was of failing again. But instead, he simply nodded, letting her words seep quietly into his mind.
In the following days, Takeru began observing his new classmates more closely. Kaoru's arrogance irritated him, yet there was undeniable talent and determination. Mira's strategies fascinated him, Ren's reckless courage made him remember the freedom of flight, Sora's ingenuity sparked curiosity, and Akira's quiet vigilance reminded him of Emiko's protective instincts.
One evening, walking home alone, Takeru passed the ruins of an old training field. Shadows stretched long across the ground. A sudden memory struck him: the battlefield, the screams, the fire and darkness intertwined. His chest tightened, and for the first time in days, he allowed himself to cry.
I can't protect anyone like this… I'm powerless…
But a faint warmth glimmered in his heart. He wasn't completely alone. Emiko believed in him. And even powerless, he could learn, observe, and plan.
Takeru realized the first lesson of being powerless: strength wasn't only in magic, but in understanding, in bonds, and in knowing when to act.
As he looked up at the fading sunlight, he made a quiet promise.
I will rise again. Not just for me… for everyone I care about.
The stage was shifting. Shadows moved. Sparks of new potential glimmered in the people around him. Takeru's journey had only just begun—and though he was powerless now, he was far from defeated.