Vahn Ardyn was seventeen years old and had no crown.
That was a problem.
In this world, crowns meant everything. They gave power, protection, status, and work. Without one, you were nothing—and nothing didn't last long. People without crowns usually didn't survive.
Vahn lived in Lowreach, where nothing ever went right.
"Eat," his mother said. "You're going to be late."
He sat at the small table and finished his porridge. The room was cramped but clean. Outside, the rift stabiliser hummed through the walls—constant, unavoidable.
"Signing is tomorrow," she said carefully.
"I know."
"You don't have to go."
"Yes, I do."
She didn't argue. They both knew why. Avoiding the academy wouldn't stop the world from noticing he had no crown.
The World as It Is
A hundred years ago, the sky cracked.
They called it Eclipsefall.
Rifts opened across the world. Creatures came through. Cities fell.
Then the crowns appeared.
No one knew where they came from. They bonded to humans and gave them the power to fight back. Over time, society rebuilt itself around them.
Now there were rules:
-If you had a crown, you were trained.
-If it was strong, you were protected.
-If you had none, you worked, hid, or died.
The Crown Tribunal controlled everything related to crowns. Academies trained users. Wardens kept the rifts contained. And Lowreach supplied bodies.
Lowreach
Vahn walked to the tram alone.
The rift sirens were quiet for once. The sky above the city showed faint cracks, like old scars that never healed. People avoided looking at them too long.
Two Wardens passed him.
One glanced at Vahn's wrist. No mark.
"Still unawakened," the man said.
"Unlucky," the other replied.
Vahn didn't react. Luck didn't explain seventeen years of nothing.
Signing Day Eve
At the tram station, students gathered in groups. Most wore academy jackets. Some had visible sigils. Others tried to hide them and failed.
Lira found him near the platform.
"You're early," she said.
"You're late," Vahn replied.
"Normal," she said. Her expression shifted. "You okay?"
"I will be."
She studied him. "You don't sound convinced."
"I don't need to be."
Lira had a crown waiting to awaken. Everyone knew it. Vahn didn't resent her. He just wished things were simpler.
What Vahn Didn't Say
Vahn had never told anyone this, but he'd always felt something was off. Not voices. Not visions. Just quiet.
Sometimes, when rifts were active, he felt calmer instead of afraid. Sometimes, when others complained about ringing or whispers, he heard nothing at all.
It didn't feel like power.
It felt like being skipped.
That night, Vahn stood by the window and looked at the academy lights in the distance.
Tomorrow, he would place his hand on the pillar.
Tomorrow, the academy would confirm what everyone already believed.
That he had nothing.
Vahn went to bed early. He slept without dreams.