Kazh stood in the courtyard, gripping the wooden training staff as the midday glow of the celestial realm bathed the marble floors in gold. The other recruits watched from the sidelines, whispering among themselves.


    "Come on, Kazh," a soldier sneered, spinning his staff effortlessly. "Make me heavy. See if that does anything."


    Kazh exhaled, forcing himself to focus. His opponent was larger, faster, stronger—like everyone else in the training ranks. But he had something different. Something the others mocked.


    He planted his foot forward and reached for his power. A subtle shimmer pulsed from his hands. The air around his opponent thickened. The staff wavered in the soldier''s grip, dipping lower as if burdened by an unseen force.


    For a moment, Kazh thought he had him.


    Then the soldier grinned and lunged.


    Kazh barely had time to raise his arms before the strike hit his ribs, sending him sprawling onto the ground. A wave of laughter erupted from the watching recruits.


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    "You see?" the soldier turned to them. "What good is making something heavy when you can''t even stand your ground?"


    Kazh clenched his teeth, struggling to rise. The weight he conjured never worked fast enough. Never felt strong enough. The others could conjure blinding spears of light, weave shields of pure radiance, or move with impossible speed. And he?


    He made things... heavy.


    "Enough," a voice cut through the laughter. A commanding voice.


    Captain Seraph strode forward, the glow of his golden eyes silencing the crowd. He looked down at Kazh, his expression unreadable.


    Kazh braced for another lecture about how he lacked discipline. About how he needed to control his power better.


    Instead, the captain sighed. "You never belonged here, Kazh."


    The words stung worse than the bruises.


    The halls of the Grand Citadel shimmered under the eternal light of the celestial realm, their golden arches stretching impossibly high above Kazh’s head. He walked them alone. Always alone.


    The war beyond the realm raged on. Kazh had heard tales of it since his youth—how the celestial army fought to bring balance, to maintain order, to protect the weaker realms from falling into chaos. It was why they trained. Why they fought.


    Why they existed.


    And then, the mission came.