Lyra Voss stood at the back of the Great Hall, trying to disappear into the shadows. It never worked.

Today was the annual Binding Ceremony, where every seventeen-year-old in the kingdom of Auralis received their official magic ranking. The hall was filled with glowing lights and excited whispers. Students floated small flames above their palms, summoned breezes, or made flowers bloom from thin air.

Lyra had nothing.

“Lyra Voss,” the royal Magister called.

Her stomach twisted. She walked forward slowly, feeling hundreds of eyes on her. When she reached the crystal platform, the Magister gave her a pitying look.

“Place your hand on the Orb,” he said softly.

She already knew what would happen. The same thing that happened every year during testing.

Lyra pressed her palm against the glowing crystal orb. For a moment, nothing. Then the orb flickered weakly… and went completely dark.

A wave of murmurs swept through the hall.

“Null,” the Magister announced, his voice heavy. “No measurable magic.”

Someone laughed. Others whispered the familiar nicknames: Ashborn. Hollow Girl. Worthless.

Lyra kept her face blank as she stepped down from the platform. She had perfected that expression over the years. Inside, though, something hot and angry burned in her chest.

That night, she snuck out of the city and ran into the Ashwood Forest, a forbidden place where magic was said to be wild and dangerous. She needed to scream, to cry, to break something without anyone seeing.

She found a dying tree and punched it hard.

To her shock, a spark of golden light jumped from the tree into her fist. The tree turned to ash instantly. Lyra gasped as warmth flooded through her veins — real, powerful magic.

For the first time in her life, she felt alive.

Then the memories began.

She suddenly couldn’t remember her mother’s favorite song. Just yesterday she had known it by heart.

A soft, ancient voice echoed in her mind:

“You may take the power… but something must always be given in return.”

Lyra stared at her glowing hand in horror and wonder.

She finally had magic.

And it was already starting to eat her.