After the great catastrophe—Autumn—everything changed.
The Fall marked a new era for mankind. Autumn wasn't just a chapter in history—it was a creature. Malevolent, destructive, and nearly mythical in its terror. When it was finally defeated, the world rejoiced. Peace returned, fragile yet full of hope.
All thanks to the heroes who stood against it.
Among them, three stood above the rest—the Ageless Sorcerer, the Dominion, and Lady Sentry. Sovereign Heroes, beings whose abilities defied conventional understanding. Despite their power, even they operated under the watchful eye of a single organization: the Nexlark Group.
After Autumn's Fall, Nexlark rose to become the gatekeeper of heroism. It centralized control over powered individuals, organized them into legions, and issued licenses to those who passed its rigorous training and testing. Those with natural abilities—those who could harness the energies of the world—were recruited, trained, and dispatched to defend humanity from threats both earthly and alien.
To be a hero, strength wasn't enough. You needed a license.
And to get one, you needed Nexlark.
---
The seminar had dragged from 0800 to 1100—a long slog of lectures, slides, and historical overviews. Jonathan's legs ached by the end of it.
He stretched, yawning quietly as he watched the instructor wrap up the final slide.
When does the test actually start? he wondered, stomach rumbling slightly.
As he stood, a crumpled piece of paper shot past his cheek. Reflexively, he leaned away. It struck the back of his chair and bounced to the floor.
He looked over.
A group of applicants stood in the corner, snickering. At their center was a burly young man—broad-shouldered, smirking with casual arrogance.
Their eyes met. The man jerked his head toward the hall.
Jonathan hesitated… then followed. He didn't want to provoke them, but avoiding the challenge might make him a bigger target.
They led him downstairs, where the light was dim and the corridors empty. Echoes of footsteps bounced around the cold hallway. The group stopped.
Jonathan found himself surrounded.
"You must be new," the big one said.
"Yes," Jonathan replied calmly.
"We charge a little fee for newcomers," the man said, circling him slowly. "No coin? Then you serve. We're the Green Turtle Group. We decide who gets through the assessment and who doesn't."
Jonathan's gaze scanned the group. The leader was clearly enhanced, and some of the others radiated strong energy. He could maybe take one or two—but not all of them.
Still, he wouldn't bend.
"I apologize," Jonathan said, voice firm. "But I have neither the coin… nor the interest in serving you."
The big man's smirk faded. "You got guts," he said. "Let's see how far they take you."
"I came here to be a hero," Jonathan said. "Not a servant."
For a moment, it looked like the man might strike him. Instead, he turned and waved his hand.
"Let's go," he muttered. "He'll fail on his own anyway."
They walked off, leaving Jonathan alone in the hallway. He exhaled—not from relief, but readiness.
So this is how it's going to be.
---
Later that afternoon, the applicants gathered in the academy gymnasium. Rows of students watched as one by one, people were led to a tall, rune-covered golden arch.
The assessment had begun.
The arch glowed and shifted color as each person walked through, determining the aura and potential they possessed. The brighter or rarer the color, the higher their evaluation.
"It's your turn, Lisa Emris," an assessor called.
Lisa walked with confident grace. As she passed through the arch, a brilliant golden aura erupted around her. The assessors exchanged stunned glances.
"She's a natural…" one of them whispered.
Lisa smiled proudly and strutted back to her place.
Jonathan watched from the side, unimpressed. That's when he felt someone behind him—and jumped.
He hadn't sensed their presence at all.
"What do you want?" Jonathan asked, surprised.
The young man behind him leaned casually, eyes locked on Lisa. "Lisa's strong… gets the best training, the best materials—even her outfit is made from military-grade satin blends."
Jonathan raised an eyebrow. "You some kind of pervert?"
"No! Nothing like that, seriously!" the stranger replied quickly.
"Applicants 204 and 207!" an assessor barked. "Keep it down or your assessment will be forfeited!"
"Name's Elise. Nice knowing ya!" the young man grinned—and in a blink, vanished.
Jonathan blinked, confused. Teleportation? Illusion? He didn't have time to figure it out. His group was next.
One by one, students stepped through the arch. Most were ranked B or C—decent, but unremarkable.
Then it was his turn.
Jonathan stepped toward the arch. It glowed faintly—silver—and shimmered brighter as he approached. The light pulsed, drawing him closer, until he was engulfed in a flash.
He staggered slightly, momentarily blinded.
When his vision returned, the assessors were already approaching him.
"Is something wrong?" Jonathan asked.
"There's an anomaly," one of them said, glancing at a device in her hand. "The readings… they don't match any standard aura classification."
Jonathan frowned. "What does that mean?"
"You'll be escorted shortly," the assessor said. "Until then, you're in temporary custody. Cases like yours—rankless types—are rare."
"Rankless?" Jonathan repeated.
The assessors didn't explain further.
He stood still as they guided him away from the arch.
Jonathan wasn't sure what had just happened—but he knew one thing for certain:
His path as a hero was no longer ordinary.
It had just become something… else.