The skies above Aetherion were strange that day—swirling clouds of crimson and violet crackled with silver lightning. People whispered of omens, of a crack forming in the veil that kept the realms apart. Most dismissed it as myth. But 18-year-old Kael Virel knew better.
Kael stood alone on the rooftop of the academy dormitory, his black uniform fluttering in the wind. His face, chiseled and calm, showed no sign of the storm brewing above. His dark eyes reflected no fear, only thought. At 6'7, he stood out in any crowd, but his quiet nature kept most people at a distance. That was exactly how he liked it.
The world was no longer what it used to be. After the Great Collision—a cataclysmic event two centuries ago that shattered the dimensional barriers—gods descended, demons rose, aliens invaded, and humans began awakening strange powers called Aspects. Cities floated in the sky, beasts roamed shattered earth, and technology merged with ancient magic.
Kael had no Aspect. Not until today.
His watch beeped. 11:59 PM. The 18th anniversary of his birth. The moment the stars aligned.
Then came the pain.
It started in his spine, shot through his nerves like fire, then surged to his skull with the force of a tidal wave. Kael collapsed, clutching his head. Symbols—strange, golden runes—flashed before his eyes. Chains, scales, swords, and books of judgment surrounded him in his mind's eye.
"Domain Identified: Law."
A voice echoed, cold and absolute. A force older than time whispered through his soul. He saw visions—gods kneeling, demons bound, even alien warships halted in place—by sheer force of a single will: his.
Kael's body glowed. A mark appeared on his back, etched in light—an intricate symbol shaped like a balance scale with a burning sword running through its center. He could feel it… Laws bending around him. The concept of truth, justice, cause and consequence—he could feel them all, sense them like limbs.
Then it stopped. The sky cleared, calm and blue again.
Kael stood, breathless. The rooftop beneath him had cracks now, as if it had been forced to acknowledge his awakening.
He looked at his hand, slowly clenching it into a fist.
"So this is my fate."
He didn't smile. He simply turned, descended the stairs, and re-entered the world.
Everything had just changed.