Chapter 1: The Boy from Barnes

Elias sat at the edge of the village, watching the sunrise over the distant hills. Barnes, nestled in the valley with its stone houses and winding roads, was peaceful this time of day. Birds chirped in the early morning light, and the village’s familiar magic hum filled the air. Though everyone else around him had their magic abilities awakened at thirteen, Elias remained different.

At sixteen, he had no magic. No fire or wind at his fingertips. No connection to the earth or the plants. Even so, no one in Barnes despised him for it. His family, his neighbors, all treated him with the same kindness they always had. But to Elias, the weight of being different sat heavy on his shoulders.

His sister, Lina, emerged from their house with a basket of fresh bread. She was two years younger, and her magic had bloomed when she turned thirteen. Lina’s abilities were from the Nature type, specifically plant magic. She could make flowers grow with a flick of her hand and bring trees to life with a whisper. Her magic had earned her respect from the village, but Elias never felt jealous of her. He was proud—if anything, she had always supported him, even when whispers about his lack of magic grew among the children of Barnes.

“Are you heading out to the forest again?” Lina asked as she handed him a loaf of bread.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“Yeah, I’ll be in the usual spot,” Elias replied, taking the bread with a smile. “I won’t go too far.”

“You know Mom worries.” Lina gave him a teasing look. “But I guess it’s better than sitting around. You’ve been exploring more lately.”

Elias nodded. Without magic, he’d focused on training his body, honing his reflexes and strength. His exploration of the forest had become more than just an escape from the village—it was his way of finding purpose. He mapped the safe areas, learned to move silently through the woods, and became familiar with the lay of the land.

Magic was a gift most had in this world, but Elias had something else. He had determination.

As he walked through the village, the familiar sounds of magic filled the air. A child, around thirteen, was practicing with a small flicker of fire. His friends cheered as he managed to conjure a flame, a fresh sign of his Elemental power. Fire, Wind, Water, Earth—the four elements most common in Barnes.

Others in the village had Nature magic, like Lina, and could either manipulate plants or enhance their physical abilities through magic. Elias had seen farmers use their magic to grow crops in half the time or strengthen their bodies to carry massive loads.

The rarest of all were the Deviant types. Darkness, Light, and Gravity. Most people in Barnes had never seen a Deviant, and only heard tales of them from travelers.

But Elias had none of these abilities. That was why, despite the kindness of his village, he felt a burning need to prove himself. He wasn’t special—not in the ways that counted in this world.

Today, though, something felt different.