The Grand Courtyard of Auravelle Palace buzzed with anticipation.
Banners fluttered. Nobles watched from marble balconies, fanning themselves and whispering behind jeweled hands. At the center stood a circle of ancient glyphs glowing blue—the World Mark Awakening Ritual.
This was the day royal children awakened their powers. The day they were ranked, praised, and judged.
Ayra stood at the back of the line, dressed in plain white. No royal crest. No escort. Her silver hair fell messily over her shoulders, and she looked more like a servant than a princess.
She didn't mind.
She already knew what would happen.
---
One by One…
Prince Revan stepped forward. Flames roared to life behind him.
> "Element: Fire. Grade: A-Class!"
The crowd clapped politely.
Princess Lira followed. A burst of shimmering light danced around her.
> "Element: Light. Grade: A-Class!"
The crowd murmured with approval.
More princes and princesses stepped forward, all awakening flashy, elemental magic. Each time, the nobles clapped louder, pride growing with each result.
Then it was Ayra's turn.
She stepped into the circle.
The glyphs lit up… then dimmed.
Nothing happened.
> "No World Mark detected," the priest muttered.
The crowd went silent. Then came the snickers.
> "Useless girl."
"Even commoners awaken some mark."
"She shouldn't even stand here!"
Ayra said nothing. She looked up at her father, King Reinhart, seated on his throne.
He didn't blink.
Didn't speak.
Didn't even look at her.
> "Ayra Velion," the High Chancellor announced, "you have failed to awaken a World Mark. As decreed by royal law, you are hereby stripped of your claim to the Velion name and exiled from the palace."
Gasps rang out—but no objections.
> "You will be sent to the borderlands immediately."
Her siblings smirked.
> "Try not to die in the wilds, Markless."
---
But In Her Mind…
> "This ritual only scans for basic magical frequency," Ayra thought, bored.
"It's like scanning for a candle and expecting to detect a sun."
She suppressed a chuckle.
> "If I unleash even 0.0001% of my energy, I'd turn this courtyard into a black hole."
Instead, she bowed silently and walked away.
No tears.
No fear.
Just a whisper to herself:
> "Let the game begin."
---
Later That Night – The Journey Begins
A small carriage rattled down a forest path. Inside sat Ayra, alone, her legs crossed and eyes closed.
She wasn't sad.
She was curious.
> "So this world is run by kingdoms, magic, and dragons, huh?" she muttered, staring up at the stars through the carriage window.
"Alright then. I'll play your little game. But I'm not playing to survive."
She smiled.
> "I'm playing to win."
---
To Be Continued…