Vance sat on the edge of the wooden bench, his palms rubbing against the fabric of his trousers. The Hall of Awakening was drafty, the high stone arches trapping the morning chill. Around him, dozens of other children shifted in their seats. Some chewed on their lips. Others stared at the ceiling.
He had spent years imagining this day. In his dreams, magic was a simple, beautiful thing. He saw himself snapping his fingers to light a hearth on a cold winter night. He imagined calling forth a gentle stream of water to fill a cup, or a soft breeze to cool his face during the humid summer months.
A heavy door at the front of the hall creaked open. A man stepped onto the raised dais. He didn't wear flamboyant robes or carry a staff of gold. He wore a simple, charcoal-colored tunic and a heavy cloak. His white beard was trimmed neat, and his eyes were sharp. This was Instructor Halloway, a man known for his clinical approach to mana.
"Listen closely," Halloway said. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried to every corner of the room. "Today, we determine your path. The Crystal of Resonance will react to your internal mana. If it glows, you have an affinity. You will begin your training. If it remains dull, you are Null."
He paused, letting the weight of the word settle.
"To be Null is not a death sentence. It means you will live an ordinary life. You may return in a year to test again. There is no limit to the attempts, though the soul rarely changes its tune after the fourteenth year."
The silence that followed was thick. Vance felt a knot tighten in his stomach.
"Alaric of House Valerion," Halloway called out.
A boy with bright blonde hair and a confident stride stood up. The whispers started immediately. People knew the name. House Valerion was famous for its ties to the crown. Alaric looked like he was claiming a prize that already belonged to him.
He placed his hand on the smooth surface of the crystal. For a second, nothing happened. Then, a roar of heat swept through the hall. A pillar of brilliant, orange-red flame erupted from the center of the crystal, licking the stone ceiling. The air grew dry and smelled of ozone.
"Flame affinity," Halloway noted, a small smile touching his lips. "And a potent one. Well done, Alaric."
Alaric stepped down, his chest puffed out.
"Cassandra Thorne," the instructor called.
A girl with long, ink-black hair stood up. She was trembling so hard her knees knocked together. She walked to the dais as if she were approaching a gallows. When she reached the crystal, she hesitated. Her fingers hovered over the glass before finally making contact.
The heat from Alaric's test was instantly replaced by a biting chill. Frost crawled across the floor, turning the gray stone white. A jagged wall of ice rose from the crystal, shimmering like diamonds under the hall's lamps.
"Ice affinity," Halloway said, nodding. "You have a natural gift for structure. You will make a fine magician."
Vance felt his heart drop into his stomach. Every success felt like a weight being added to his own shoulders. One by one, the names were called. Some kids walked away crying when the stone stayed dark. Others cheered as light filled the room.
"Vance of House Sterling," Halloway announced.
The room went deathly quiet. The whispers this time were louder, sharper.
"A Sterling? The demon hunters?"
"I heard his father killed a dragon with a single spell."
"They say the Sterlings have the purest mana bloodlines in the kingdom."
Vance stood up. His legs felt like lead. He walked toward the dais, feeling hundreds of eyes boring into his back. House Sterling was prestigious. They were the shield of the realm. A Sterling failing the test was unheard of. It was impossible.
He reached the crystal. It was cool to the touch, feeling like nothing more than a polished river stone. Vance closed his eyes. He tried to find that spark inside himself. He tried to pull on the energy his father always talked about.
Minutes passed. The hall remained silent.
Vance opened one eye. The crystal was gray. It was dull. It was dead.
'Maybe it just needs a second,' he thought. 'Just one spark. Anything.'
He pressed his palm harder against the glass, his knuckles turning white. He waited for the fire. He waited for the wind. He waited for even a flicker of light.
"That's enough, lad," Halloway said softly. His voice wasn't mean, but the pity in it was worse than anger.
"Wait, let me try again," Vance whispered. "I just... I didn't focus right."
"The crystal does not care about focus," the instructor replied. "It only cares about what is there. Currently, you are Null. You may try again next year."
Vance pulled his hand away. The spot where he had touched the stone was slightly warm from his body heat, but that was all. He walked back to his seat. He didn't look at anyone, but he could hear the hushed snickers.
The rest of the test was a blur. When it finally ended, Vance slipped out the side door. A black carriage with the Sterling crest a silver sword crossed with a lightning bolt was waiting for him. The driver didn't say a word. He just opened the door and waited for Vance to climb in.
The ride back to the Sterling estate was long. Vance stared out the window at the city of Aethelgard. He saw the towers of the Mage Academy rising in the distance. He saw the street lamps that were powered by minor light enchantments. Everything in this world was built on magic, and he was now a stranger to it.
When the carriage pulled up to Ironspire Manor, the atmosphere was cold. His father, Lord Alistair Sterling, was standing on the front steps. He didn't look angry. He looked disappointed, which was a thousand times heavier.
Vance stepped out of the carriage. He opened his mouth to speak, but his father simply turned his back and walked inside.
"Look at him," a voice mocked from the balcony.
Vance looked up. His older brother, Julian, was leaning against the railing, tossing a small ball of lightning between his hands. His sister was standing next to him, giggling behind her hand.
"The little cripple is back," Julian said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Did you break the crystal, Vance? Or was it too bored to wake up for you?"
"Leave him alone, Julian," his sister mocked. "He's probably tired from doing absolutely nothing."
Vance didn't answer. He couldn't. His throat felt like it was full of sand. He pushed past the servants and ran up the stairs to his room. He slammed the heavy oak door and slid the bolt shut.
The room was filled with books about magical theory. There were diagrams of mana circuits and scrolls explaining elemental theory. He grabbed the nearest book and threw it across the room. hitting the wall with a dull thud.
He sat on the edge of his bed and finally let out a sob. It wasn't fair. His ancestors were legends. His siblings were prodigies. Why was he the only one left in the dark? He cried until his eyes burned and his chest felt hollow.
Eventually, the exhaustion took over. He didn't bother changing his clothes. He just crawled under the blankets and stared at the dark ceiling. The world felt too big and too cold. As he drifted into a fitful sleep, the only thought in his mind was the image of that gray, silent stone.