Rain was falling heavily.
Arin stood in front of the huge gate of the Magic Academy. His clothes were wet and old, and his shoes were almost broken.
He looked at the academy quietly.
"This is the place..." he said.
But his journey didn't start here.
Arin was born in a small, poor village. In that world, magic was everything. People with magic were respected, and those without it were treated like nothing.
When Arin was a child, he tried many times to use magic.
He watched other kids create small flames and control wind.
He tried to copy them.
But nothing ever happened.
No matter how hard he tried, there was no magic inside him.
People started calling him useless.
Even some elders in the village said, "This boy has no future."
Arin never replied to them. He stayed quiet and kept trying.
One day, a travelling mage came to the village. He tested all the children.
When it was Arin's turn, the mage looked at him for a long time.
Then he said something strange.
"This child... is different."
Before Arin could understand, the mage left without explaining anything.
Years passed.
Arin grew up hearing the same words again and again—weak, useless, failure.
But he didn't give up.
He heard about the Magic Academy, a place where the strongest students trained.
Everyone laughed when he said he wanted to go there.
"You? Magic Academy?"
"You don't even have magic!"
Still, Arin came.
And now, he was standing in front of its gate.
Around him, many students were showing their powers.
Fire burned in their hands. Wind moved around them like a storm.
They looked confident and strong.
Arin slowly looked at his own hand.
Nothing.
He felt nervous, but he didn't step back.
"Next!" a loud voice called.
Arin walked forward.
A man stood near a glowing crystal.
"Touch it," the man said. "Show your magic."
Arin hesitated for a moment.
Then he placed his hand on the crystal.
Nothing happened.
Some students started laughing.
"He has no magic."
"Why is he even here?"
Arin lowered his head.
He was used to this.
But suddenly—
Crack...
A small sound came from the crystal.
Everything went silent.
A thin black line appeared inside it.
The man's face changed.
"This... this is strange..."
Arin looked at the crystal, confused.
He didn't understand what was happening.
But deep inside him...
something had started to wake up.