Nico trudged through the crowded hallways of Westbrook High, clutching his backpack straps like a lifeline. His thick frame jostled awkwardly between lockers and bustling students, who hardly spared him a glance. It was as if he didn’t exist—just a background figure in the endless teenage drama that filled the halls.

He could feel the eyes of his classmates brush past him, dismissive and indifferent. Sure, they knew his name—Nico Brauer, the fat kid with no friends—but no one ever bothered to talk to him. Not unless they were making a joke at his expense.

“Hey, Brauer, you’re blocking the hallway again,” a tall, athletic senior grunted as he pushed past. Nico knew the guy—Kyle Jenkins, the star basketball player. Kyle didn’t even look back as he shoved Nico into the lockers, causing him to stumble.

Nico muttered an apology under his breath and kept walking, trying to make himself as small as possible. It wasn’t like he was surprised. It was just another day in the life of Nico.

At sixteen years old, he was a nobody. The kind of kid people ignored unless they needed someone to make fun of. While others were out on the field scoring touchdowns or showing off their talents in band practice, Nico spent his days hiding in the library, eating lunch alone, and wishing he could be anyone but himself.

He had no powers, no skills, no charm. Westbrook was full of gifted kids, but Nico? He was ordinary in every way, except for his size. And in a world where everyone seemed to be born with some sort of supernatural ability, being powerless was the worst fate of all.

Nico reached his locker and sighed, glancing at the picture he’d stuck inside—just a silly doodle of a superhero he’d drawn years ago. He used to dream about having powers, about being someone important. But as the years passed, that dream had faded. Now, he just wanted to get through high school without any more humiliation.

“Nico.”

The voice was sudden, quiet, and so close that Nico jumped. He whipped around, expecting to see some kid trying to prank him. But the hallway was empty—everyone had already moved on to their next class.

“Who’s there?” Nico asked, his voice cracking slightly.

There was no response. He frowned, rubbing his eyes and shaking his head. Maybe he was hearing things. He hadn’t slept much the night before, stuck in an endless cycle of cramming for a history test and replaying the latest insults thrown his way by Kyle and his friends.

“Nico.”

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This time the voice was louder, more insistent. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. His heart raced as he backed away from his locker, his pulse thudding in his ears.

“Who are you?” he whispered, looking around.

“I am a god,” the voice replied, a deep, resonant tone that sent chills down Nico’s spine. “An ancient one, forgotten by the world. But I have not forgotten you.”

Nico blinked, his mind racing. A god? Forgotten by the world? Was this some kind of joke? He half expected to see one of the school’s pranksters pop out from behind a locker with a camera. But no one was there.

“I don’t understand,” Nico said slowly, his voice shaky.

“I have watched you, Nico,” the voice continued, as the air around him seemed to hum with power. “You are overlooked, mocked, made small by those who do not see your potential. But I do. And I offer you a gift. A power unlike any other.”

Nico’s heart thudded in his chest. A power? Was this real? It couldn’t be. Things like this didn’t happen to kids like him. Kids like him got laughed at in gym class, not chosen by gods.

“I don’t have any powers,” Nico mumbled. “I’m… just me.”

“Not anymore,” the voice replied, as a cold gust of wind whipped through the hallway, even though all the doors were closed. “You will be able to take what others have. Copy their abilities. Their strength, their talents. Everything they hold dear, you can make yours.”

Nico’s mouth went dry. He staggered backward, feeling the weight of the words settle over him. Copy their abilities? Steal their power? It sounded… impossible. It sounded dangerous.

“What’s the catch?” he asked quietly, his mind spinning.

The voice laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that sent shivers down his spine. “Nothing in this world is free, Nico. You will take on more than just their power. You will carry their burdens, their memories, their secrets. Everything. But with great power comes great consequence.”

Nico swallowed hard. A part of him wanted to run, to pretend this wasn’t happening, to return to his quiet, invisible life. But another part of him—buried deep under layers of self-doubt and fear—wanted to say yes. To finally be someone, to finally matter.

“I… I’ll do it,” he whispered, barely able to believe the words leaving his mouth.

As soon as he spoke, the air around him pulsed with energy. A strange warmth spread through his chest, and he gasped as it surged through him, filling him with a power he’d never known before. It was overwhelming, dizzying, and for a moment, he thought he might collapse.

Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the sensation faded, leaving him standing in the empty hallway, panting and wide-eyed.

“What… what just happened?” he muttered.

But there was no answer. The voice was gone, leaving him alone with the strange new power that now pulsed within him. He could feel it—something inside him, waiting to be unleashed. It was real.

And for the first time in his life, Nico felt powerful.

The rest of the day passed in a blur, and by the time the final bell rang, Nico’s mind was buzzing with possibilities. He kept his head down, trying to focus, but the power thrumming inside him was a constant reminder that something had changed.

As he walked home, he spotted a group of kids from his class at the basketball court. Among them, of course, was Kyle Jenkins, effortlessly dunking the ball and laughing with his friends. He was everything Nico wasn’t—strong, popular, talented. He had a gift for sports, a supernatural ability that made him faster, more agile than anyone else.

Nico stopped and watched, a strange idea forming in his mind. Could he do it? Could he actually copy Kyle’s power? The god’s voice echoed in his head: You will be able to take what others have.

His hands shook as he approached the court, his heart pounding. Kyle barely noticed him—just like always. But this time, Nico didn’t care. He could feel the power inside him, waiting, ready.

And then, with a deep breath, Nico reached out—not with his hand, but with his mind. He focused on Kyle, on the effortless grace of his movements, on the power that radiated from him. And slowly, Nico felt something shift.

Kyle’s laughter faltered. He stumbled mid-step, as if something had been drained from him. Nico’s eyes widened as a rush of energy surged into him—Kyle’s energy. His strength. His speed.

For the first time in his life, Nico smiled.

This was just the beginning.