The gates of Silver-Leaf Academy were a masterpiece of magical engineering. Carved from pure white marble and infused with stardust, they glowed with a soft, intimidating light. To the common folk of the kingdom, these gates represented the ultimate dream a chance to become a high-ranking mage. But for Kael, every step past those gates felt like a step deeper into a golden cage.
Kael kept his head down, his gray hair falling over his eyes. He tried to blend into the shadows of the tall pillars, but in a school full of arrogant nobles, a "commoner" was already a target. A commoner with no mana? That was a death sentence for one's social life.
"Look at him. The 'Zero-Mana' genius is back," a voice sneered, dripping with malice.
Kael didn't flinch. He adjusted the strap of his worn-out leather bag and gripped it tightly. He could feel the eyes of the other students on his back eyes full of pity, mockery, and a cold, sharp arrogance. At Silver-Leaf, your value was measured in 'Mana Units.' A Rank A student was a god; a Rank D was a servant.
And then there was Kael. He didn't even fit into the ranks.
"Hey, I'm talking to you, trash! Did you lose your ears along with your mana?"
A heavy hand grabbed Kael's shoulder and spun him around with enough force to make his teeth rattle. It was Jax a third-year student with a chest like a barrel and a Mana Capacity of Rank B. He was the son of a minor Earl, and he made sure everyone knew it. A small, orange flame flickered on Jax's fingertips, hovering dangerously close to Kael's face.
"I heard your scholarship was almost cancelled, Kael. The Council thinks feeding a mana-less rat is a waste of resources," Jax laughed, his friends joining in behind him. One of them, a girl with a sharp nose, giggled, "Maybe he can be our target practice for the Fire-Ball class today?"
Kael looked at Jax's hand. He could feel the heat from the flame, the smell of burning ozone. Deep inside Kael's chest, something cold and ancient stirred. It wasn't the warm, glowing mana that others possessed. It was a freezing, silent void. It felt like a hungry beast, clawing at his ribs, begging to be let out.
'Not here. Not now,' Kael's mind screamed. 'If they see the black mana, the Holy Knights will execute you before sunset.'
"The Council does what it wants, Jax. Now, let go of me. I have a history lecture," Kael said, his voice terrifyingly calm.
"History? Why? To learn about the great mages you'll never be?" Jax pushed him hard.
Kael's back hit the cold stone wall of the corridor. A sharp pain shot through his spine, and for a second, his control slipped. His right hand, hidden deep inside his sleeve, began to pulse with a faint, obsidian light. The air in the hallway suddenly dropped by ten degrees. Frost began to creep across the floorboards.
The flame on Jax's finger didn't just go out it was extinguished, as if something had sucked the very life out of the fire.
Jax froze, his eyes widening. "What was that? Did you see that?"
"See what?" Kael asked, quickly tucking his trembling hand into his pocket. The icy sensation retreated, leaving his arm feeling numb and dead.
"The fire it just died. You did something!" Jax reached for Kael's collar, but his own hand was shaking. Something about Kael's eyes, a hollow darkness for just a fraction of a second, had sent a chill down Jax's spine.
"Whatever. You're lucky we're on campus," Jax spat, trying to regain his pride. He turned and walked away, but he didn't look back. Even a bully knows when they've touched something that might bite back.
Kael leaned against the wall, gasping for air. He looked at his palm. A black, vein-like mark was slowly retreating under his skin, glowing with a sickly violet hue. This was his 'Curse of the Void.' He wasn't born with zero mana. He was born with Negative Mana. While others could create, Kael could only destroy. He was a black hole in human form.
He made his way to the Great Hall for the Opening Ceremony. The room was massive, with thousands of floating candles illuminating a ceiling painted with the history of the First Mage. The Headmaster, Lord Alaric, stood at the podium. His white beard flowed like a waterfall, and his eyes were sharp enough to cut through steel.
"Students!" Alaric's voice boomed, amplified by magic. "Today, we celebrate the Silver-Leaf Trials. We seek the next generation of protectors. To lead, one must have not just strength, but potential."
Kael sat in the farthest corner, shrouded in the dim light of the back row. He just wanted to survive the day. But fate had other plans. On the stage sat the 'Spirit Seeker' crystal, a legendary artifact that could sense a person's soul-essence from across the room.
The ceremony proceeded as usual. Nobles stepped up, the crystal turned blue or gold, and the crowd cheered. But halfway through, the crystal began to vibrate. A low, haunting hum filled the hall, vibrating in the bones of everyone present.
The golden light of the crystal suddenly turned a violent, blood-red.
The Headmaster stopped mid-sentence. The teachers stood up, their hands glowing with defensive spells. "The crystal is reacting to an anomaly!" one of them shouted. "There is a forbidden presence in the hall!"
The red beam shot out from the crystal like a spear. It didn't point at the nobles in the front. It didn't point at the talented scholars. It swept across the room, faster and faster, until it locked onto a single figure in the very back.
The beam hit Kael directly in the chest.
In that instant, the cloak of 'Zero-Mana' was ripped away. The red light began to clash with the black energy hidden inside Kael, creating sparks of violet lightning that danced around his seat. The students nearby scrambled away in terror, screaming as the floor beneath Kael's feet began to crack and turn to dust.
"Him?" Jax shouted from the front row, his face pale. "The trash? How is this possible?"
Headmaster Alaric stepped down from the stage, his eyes fixed on Kael. The pressure in the room became suffocating. "You boy. I have lived for two hundred years, and I have never seen the Spirit Seeker scream in agony."
Kael stood up, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. He could feel the 'Void' rising, ready to swallow the entire hall if he lost control. He looked at his hand the black mark was now visible to everyone, glowing fiercely.
"I asked you to come forward, student," Alaric said, his hand reaching for his staff. "Tell me your name. And tell me what monster you are hiding inside your soul."
Kael looked around. A thousand eyes were watching him. Some with fear, some with hatred, but all with the realization that the boy they had bullied for years was the most dangerous thing they had ever encountered.
"My name is Kael," he said, his voice echoing through the silent hall, cold and sharp as a blade. "And I think you should step back, Headmaster. Before the shadows get hungry."
Author's Note:
The secret is out! Kael's negative mana has been revealed in the most dramatic way possible. Will the Academy accept him, or will they try to destroy him? This is just the beginning of Kael's journey from 'Trash' to the 'God of the Void.' Add to Collection now and Vote with Power Stones to unlock the next chapter! What do you think Kael will do next? Let me know in the comments!