The Girl They Said Had No Power

The first time Amara Vale was called powerless, she was six years old. She remembered the room clearly. The white walls. The enormous windows. The strange silver circle carved into the floor. And the woman standing in front of her with a serious expression. "Try again," the woman had said. Six-year-old Amara had stared at the glass sphere on the table. She had no idea what she was supposed to do. "Close your eyes," the woman instructed. "Reach inside yourself. Feel the energy." Amara squeezed her eyes shut. She imagined fire. Nothing. She imagined water. Nothing. She imagined lightning shooting from her hands. Still nothing. When she opened her eyes, the sphere remained completely dark. The woman sighed. "There's nothing." Amara looked toward her mother. Her mother stood near the door, her hands tightly clasped together. "Are you sure?" her mother asked. The woman nodded. "Completely." Amara didn't understand why everyone looked so disappointed. She looked at her hands. They looked normal. Ten fingers. Small palms. Nothing special. "Does that mean I'm broken?" Amara asked. Her mother immediately crossed the room and knelt beside her. "No." "Then why can't I do what they can?" Her mother pulled her into a hug. "Because you're different." It was the first lie Amara ever believed. For the next eleven years, she heard the same explanation whenever someone asked about her abilities. Amara had none. No gift. No magic. No special bloodline. Nothing. And she learned to live with it. At least, she thought she had. At seventeen, Amara Vale had become very good at pretending she didn't care. She sat at the back of her classroom, staring through the window while rain tapped against the glass. Outside, students rushed across the school courtyard, trying to avoid the puddles. Inside, her history teacher continued talking. "According to the records, the Vale family was one of the founding families of this city..." Amara's attention immediately returned to the lesson. The Vale family. Her family. She looked down at her notebook. Her surname had always been the subject of rumors. Some people thought her family was wealthy. Others claimed they had once owned half the city. Amara had never cared. Her mother had raised her in a modest house, worked hard, and never behaved like someone from a powerful family. Besides, Amara knew the truth. There was nothing special about her. At least, that's what everyone had told her. "Amara." She looked up. Her teacher was staring at her. "Yes?" "Since you're clearly listening so carefully, perhaps you can tell us what happened to the original Vale estate." A few students laughed. Amara glanced at the textbook. "The estate burned down." "Correct." "And the family disappeared afterward." The teacher nodded. "Very good." Amara lowered her eyes. Something about that story had always bothered her. Her mother had never mentioned a family estate. Never talked about relatives. Never showed her old family photographs. Whenever Amara asked about their past, the answer was always the same. There's nothing worth knowing. The bell rang. Students immediately began packing their bags. Amara closed her notebook. Her best friend, Elian Cross, dropped into the seat beside her. "You nearly fell asleep." "I was thinking." "That's what people say when they were definitely asleep." "I wasn't." Elian grinned. "You've got that angry face again." "I don't have an angry face." "You do." "What's it look like?" "Like you're planning revenge." Amara smiled. "Maybe I am." Elian laughed. They walked out of the classroom together. Amara noticed something strange as they entered the hallway. Everyone was looking at her. Not staring casually. Watching. She slowed down. "What's wrong?" Elian looked around. "What?" "People keep staring." "They always stare." "Not like this." Before Elian could answer, a group of students walked past. One of them whispered something. Amara caught only two words. "Vale girl." She stopped. "Did you hear that?" "Hear what?" She turned around. The students were already gone. "Nothing." They continued walking. But Amara couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. When she arrived home that afternoon, her mother was waiting in the living room. That was unusual. Her mother usually worked until late. Amara dropped her bag. "You're home early." No response. Her mother was staring at an old photograph. Amara walked closer. "What's that?" Her mother quickly turned the photograph face down. "Nothing." Amara frowned. "You always say that." Her mother forced a smile. "How was school?" "Fine." "Did you eat?" "Yes." "Homework?" "Later." Her mother nodded. Amara watched her carefully. Something was wrong. "You look worried." "I'm tired." "Mom." "I'm fine." Amara sighed. She knew better than to argue. She turned toward the stairs. Then she noticed the photograph still sitting on the table. "Can I see it?" "No." The answer came too quickly. Amara stopped. "Why?" "Because I said so." That was unusual too. Her mother almost never raised her voice. Amara walked toward the photograph. Her mother stepped between them. "Amara." "What's on it?" "Nothing you need to know." "Why?" "Because some things are better left in the past." Amara stared at her. "That's what you always say." Her mother looked away. Amara climbed the stairs. She didn't argue. But she wasn't going to forget. That night, Amara couldn't sleep. Rain hammered against the roof. She lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Something about the photograph kept bothering her. At around eleven thirty, she finally got up. She went downstairs quietly. The living room was empty. The photograph was gone. Amara frowned. She walked toward the hallway. Then she heard something. A faint sound. From her mother's study. She opened the door. Her mother was standing beside the desk. Several papers were scattered across the floor. She looked startled. "What are you doing?" Her mother quickly gathered the papers. "Nothing." "Again?" "Go upstairs." Amara didn't move. One piece of paper had fallen near her feet. She picked it up. There was a symbol printed across the top. A silver circle surrounding an eye. Beneath it were three words: AETHER ACADEMY — CONFIDENTIAL Amara looked at her mother. "What is Aether Academy?" Her mother's face lost all color. "Where did you get that?" "It was on the floor." "Give it to me." Amara held it tighter. "Why?" "Amara." "Is this where I was tested when I was six?" Her mother froze. Amara's heart began beating faster. "So it is." Her mother sat down. For several seconds, she said nothing. Then she whispered: "You weren't supposed to find that." "Find what?" "The truth." Amara stared at her. "What truth?" Her mother looked toward the window. "The truth about who you are." Amara felt a strange chill. "Who am I?" Before her mother could answer, every light in the house went out. Darkness filled the room. Amara heard her mother gasp. Then came a sound from outside. Three knocks. Knock. Knock. Knock. Her mother immediately stood. "Stay here." "Mom?" "Don't move." She walked toward the front door. Amara followed. "Who is it?" Her mother didn't answer. The knocking came again. This time, harder. Knock. Knock. Knock. Her mother looked at Amara. Fear filled her eyes. Real fear. "Go upstairs." "I'm not leaving you." "Amara, please." A voice came from outside. "Mrs. Vale." Amara froze. The voice was male. Cold. Calm. "We know she's here." Her mother grabbed Amara's hand. "Run." "But—" "Now." Amara had never heard her mother sound like that. She ran upstairs. Behind her, she heard the front door burst open. A loud crash followed. Amara stopped. She wanted to go back. Then she heard her mother scream: "Take me instead!" Amara's eyes widened. She ran toward her bedroom. Her hands shook as she searched for somewhere to hide. Then she remembered the window. She opened it. The roof outside wasn't very high. She climbed out. Cold rain soaked her clothes immediately. She moved along the roof and jumped onto the lower extension of the house. Then she heard footsteps behind her. Someone had entered her room. Amara ran. She reached the garden and disappeared into the trees. She didn't know where she was going. She just knew she had to get away. The forest behind their house was usually peaceful. Tonight it felt endless. Amara ran until her lungs hurt. Finally, she stopped beside a large tree. She looked back. No one. She was alone. She pulled out her phone. No signal. "Perfect." Then something touched her shoulder. Amara spun around. A boy stood several feet away. He looked about eighteen. Dark hair. Black jacket. A silver emblem on his collar. His expression was calm. Too calm. "Who are you?" "My name is Kael." "How do you know me?" "Everyone at Aether knows you." Amara stared. "Aether Academy?" He nodded. "You're coming with me." "No." Kael looked past her. "You don't have much time." "Why?" "Because they're coming." "Who?" He didn't answer. A branch snapped behind Amara. She turned. Three figures stood among the trees. Their faces were hidden beneath dark hoods. Amara stepped backward. "Who are they?" Kael pulled something from his jacket. A silver object resembling a short blade. "Run." Amara didn't argue. She followed him. They raced through the forest. The hooded figures followed. Amara's heart pounded. "Where are we going?" "Aether." "I don't want to go there!" "You don't have a choice." "I always have a choice!" Kael glanced at her. "Then choose quickly." They reached a clearing. A massive stone wall stood before them. Amara stared. "There isn't a road." "There doesn't need to be." Kael looked at the necklace hanging around her neck. Amara touched it. She had worn it since childhood. Her mother had always told her never to remove it. "Touch the symbol to the wall." "Why?" "Because it belongs to you." Amara hesitated. Then she pressed the pendant against the stone. The wall began to glow. A silver line appeared. It formed the shape of a doorway. Amara stepped backward. "What is happening?" The stone door opened. Beyond it was an enormous academy. Towers rose into the night sky. Bridges floated between buildings. Thousands of lights hovered over the courtyard. Students walked through the grounds carrying books and glowing objects. Amara couldn't speak. Kael looked at her. "Welcome to Aether Academy." She slowly stepped through the doorway. The moment she entered, the door disappeared behind her. Students turned. One by one, whispers spread through the courtyard. "That's her." "The Vale girl." "She's finally here." Amara looked around. "Why does everyone know me?" Kael didn't answer. A woman approached them. She had silver hair and wore a long dark-blue coat. Every student immediately became silent. "Headmistress Seraphine," Kael said. Seraphine studied Amara carefully. Then her eyes fell on the necklace. Her expression changed. "You still have it." Amara frowned. "You know this?" Seraphine looked at Kael. "Did she use the gate?" "Yes." "By herself?" "Yes." Seraphine's face became serious. "Impossible." Amara's frustration exploded. "Can somebody please tell me what is happening?" Seraphine looked directly into her eyes. "Your mother never told you?" "Told me what?" "That you were never powerless." Silence. Amara shook her head. "That's not true." Seraphine turned toward the center of the courtyard. A huge black crystal stood there. "Touch the Aether Stone." Amara stared at it. "Why?" "Because it will tell you the truth." She approached the crystal. Students gathered around. Kael stood behind her. Amara placed her hand against the stone. Nothing happened. A few students laughed. "See?" "She's powerless." Amara felt humiliation burn through her. She removed her hand. Seraphine frowned. "Again." Amara tried. Nothing. Then her necklace began to glow. The crystal trembled. The laughter stopped. A c***k appeared across the stone. Then another. The entire courtyard shook. Students screamed. Kael stepped backward. "Headmistress..." Seraphine stared at the cracking stone. "No." The crystal exploded with silver light. Amara was thrown backward. She landed hard on the ground. For several seconds, everything was silent. Then a voice came from the broken crystal. A voice Amara had heard before. The night the lights went out. The night the stranger came. "The First Light has awakened." Everyone stared at Amara. She slowly sat up. "What is the First Light?" Nobody answered. Then the academy gates slammed shut. A deep bell rang through the courtyard. Once. Twice. Three times. Seraphine looked toward the gates. Her expression had changed from surprise to fear. "Lock down the academy." Kael looked at her. "Why?" Seraphine whispered: "Because they found her." Outside the gates, dozens of dark figures appeared. The same symbol from the paper in Amara's mother's study was visible on their clothes. The symbol of the Shadow Court. One figure stepped forward. His voice echoed across the courtyard. "Give us Amara Vale." Seraphine raised her hand. A wall of light appeared around the academy. "No." The figure laughed. "Then Aether will fall with her." She looked at Kael. "What do they want from me?" Kael stared at the broken Aether Stone. "We don't know." Her eyes narrowed. "Then I'll find out." For the first time that night, the fear inside her began turning into something else. Determination. She had spent seventeen years being told she was powerless. She had spent seventeen years accepting other people's version of her life. That was over. Amara looked toward the Shadow Court. "If they came for me," she whispered, "they're going to have to explain why." Deep beneath the academy, something answered. A low rumble shook the ground. The silver symbol on Amara's necklace began glowing brighter. And somewhere below her feet, a voice whispered: "Welcome home, little heir." Amara's eyes widened. She had never been to Aether Academy before. So why had something beneath it just called her home?