Every year, Earth Defenders Academy threw a party to celebrate months of grueling training for its students.
The academy's grand hall was decorated with glowing banners and colorful lights. The tables were filled with food and drinks.
The DJ blasted the latest pop hit, making the walls vibrate with energy.
Students danced, chatted, and laughed everywhere.
Everyone — except Louis Lee.
He stood quietly in the shadows at the back of the hall, his heart beating fast as he clutched a cup of soda.
He was sixteen, lean, with messy black hair, and the only student who hadn't awakened a magical gift.
He couldn't conjure fire from his fingertips, make the wind, or even levitate a pencil.
It was the year 3000, and humanity was changing.
Humans were beginning to awake powerful mystical powers.
They formed the Earth Defenders, a team of gifted superheroes sworn to protect the planet from the Veltrix—a deadly alien race intent on invading Earth.
The Earth Defenders Academy existed to find young people born with a spark of magic.
Any teenager could join, endure tough training, and if they were gifted, their powers would awaken, allowing them to join the Earth Defenders team immediately.
Of course, without the Academy's training, even someone with magical powers might never discover their abilities.
Louis should have easily discovered his magic.
Both his parents were legendary Earth Defenders, who had given their lives fighting the last Veltrix invasion when Louis was just a toddler.
For three years, he worked harder than anyone, hoping to awaken his magic so he could finally belong.
But nothing happened.
He was only good at hiding in the shadows.
He watched his classmates show off: conjuring bursts of fire, summoning spinning winds, shaping ice into giant dragons, and making the crowd cheer.
Everyone had something special—except Louis.
He slipped away from the shadows and moved to another quiet spot, near a large wall display.
"Louis?"
He turned swiftly towards the soft voice and froze, nearly dropping his cup.
A young girl was approaching him.
Nathalia Collins.
He'd had a crush on her since his first day at the academy.
Her skin was a rich caramel, and her long, wavy brown hair bounced gently with each step she took.
Her big blue eyes were bright and gentle.
She had a special smile that almost made everything feel brighter.
Her uniform was always crisp, and though she was petite, there was a graceful maturity in the way she moved.
She was, simply, beautiful.
"Nathalia?" Louis replied, trying not to sound nervous. "Hey."
She smiled, tilting her head playfully. "Are you hiding back here, or just scouting for a quieter corner?"
Louis glanced at the crowd, then back at Nathalia, not sure what to say. "I guess… the crowd's a little much for me."
"I get it." She leaned against the wall next to him, sipping her drink. "You belong here, Louis. You're amazing."
Louis nearly choked on his soda. Did she really just say that?
He blinked, startled. "Why… why would you say that?"
Nathalia's eyes were kind. "I see how hard you work. No one trains as much as you do. That takes real courage."
Louis's cheeks turned red, surprised at the kindness in her words.
He felt exposed, like she could see right through him.
He dropped his gaze, focusing on the swirling soda in his cup.
"It doesn't matter," he muttered. "Everyone here has something special. I've got… nothing. By tomorrow, I'll just be another regular kid. Maybe even less than that."
Nathalia frowned. "Don't say that. Not having a magical gift doesn't make you less. The rules are stupid. You've worked harder than half the students, Louis. Whether you believe it or not."
Louis shook his head, feeling the same shame he always did. "Everyone expected me to be something more. My parents—"
Nathalia's expression became serious, her eyes searching his as she stepped closer to him.
"Your parents were heroes, but you don't have to live their lives. You get to choose your own story, Louis. Don't let their legacy feel like a prison."
Nathalia reached out, gently touching his arm, and Louis felt his face get even redder.
"I'd like to see you again." Nathalia said, giving him a small, bright smile. "Even if you're not wearing a Defender's badge."
Louis couldn't breathe.
He couldn't believe she was talking to him like this.
She was everything he wasn't: confident, talented, and powerful. She'd discovered her telekinesis power at a younger age. By next year, she'd be a full-fledged Earth Defender, while Louis was on the edge of being expelled.
Yet, Nathalia was kind; she treated everyone with the same warmth, no matter how strong their abilities were.
It was what set her apart, making her more beautiful.
Then a shadow fell over them.
Jason Everett.
He was taller than Louis, broad-shouldered, with a blond crew cut and a sharp jaw.
A senior and famous for his sound-manipulation abilities.
Louis didn't know him well, but his reputation was enough.
Jason's glare was cold as he looked from Nathalia to Louis. "What's going on here?"
"Just talking, Jason," Nathalia replied.
He ignored her, focusing on Louis. "You think you can steal my girlfriend, loser?"
Louis's heart skipped a beat. "Sorry, what?"
"You heard me."
Suddenly, the music cut out. The crowd fell silent, all eyes on them, like a duel was about to break out. Over a girl?
"Look, man," Louis said, "I never had any intentions to... "
Nathalia stepped between them. "Jason, stop. He didn't do anything."
"Stay out of this, Nat," Jason sneered.
Louis began to hear whispers in the crowd.
"Isn't that Louis Lee?"
"His parents were Earth Defenders, right?"
"He doesn't have any powers."
"That's pathetic. He's not even gifted. Jason will crush him."
Laughter echoed through the hall, hurting Louis like he was struck with multiple daggers.
Louis swallowed. He couldn't take it anymore.
"I don't want to fight, but…" He raised his fist, driving it toward Jason. "But I'm not just going to stand here and take this sh*t."
Smack!
In a second, Louis was on the ground. His vision went blurry.
Jason had dodged his punch and landed one clean blow to his face.
"Pathetic," Jason spat. "Don't ever try that again."
Louis didn't know why he decided to start the fight.
Was it the pain, humiliation, or just seeing Jason trying to take the only person who was ever nice to him?
Louis got dizzy, and then everything went black.