The sterile white walls of the Awakening Chamber seemed to pulse with an unnatural light, reflecting the nervous energy that crackled in the air. It was Awakening Day, the most important day in the life of any child in the Kingdom of Veridia. Today, the System would reveal their Rank, the letter grade that would define their potential and dictate their place in society. From F-Ranks, destined for lives of manual labor and servitude, to the coveted SSS-Ranks, blessed with unimaginable power and destined for greatness, the Rank was everything.
Riven Drayke, a skinny, unremarkable boy with messy brown hair and eyes the color of storm clouds, stood alongside the other children his age, his heart pounding in his chest. He had dreamed of this day for as long as he could remember. He had imagined the possibilities, the paths that would open before him, depending on the letter that would appear above his head. He had studied diligently, trained relentlessly, and prayed to the System for a favorable outcome.
He wanted to be at least a B-Rank. That was his secret goal. B-Ranks could join the City Guard. It was an honest living that offered a place to sleep and 3 meals a day.
But beneath his aspirations lay a gnawing fear. He was an orphan, raised in the cold, unforgiving halls of the State Orphanage. He had no family name to bolster his chances, no powerful bloodline to influence the System. He was just Riven, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary dream. He tried to ignore the whispers of doubt that slithered through his mind, the voices that told him he was destined for mediocrity.
The High Priestess, a woman whose face was a mask of serene authority, raised her hands towards the glowing orb that dominated the center of the chamber. "Children of Veridia," she intoned, her voice amplified by the chamber's acoustics, "today, the System will reveal your potential. Embrace your Rank, and strive to fulfill your destiny."
One by one, the children stepped forward, their faces a mixture of hope and apprehension. As they approached the orb, a beam of light enveloped them, and a letter materialized above their heads, shimmering with ethereal energy. C-Rank. B-Rank. D-Rank. The ranks were announced, and the children were ushered to their designated areas, their fates sealed.
Finally, it was Riven's turn. He took a deep breath and walked towards the orb, his legs trembling slightly. He focused on the image of the City Guard uniform, the symbol of his aspirations, and prayed for the System's blessing.
The light enveloped him, and he felt a strange tingling sensation coursing through his veins. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the revelation. But when he opened them, he was met with silence. No letter appeared above his head. Only… nothing.
A collective gasp rippled through the chamber. The High Priestess frowned, her serene expression replaced with a look of confusion. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, her voice sharper than before.
The technicians in the control room frantically tapped at their consoles, their faces etched with panic. "High Priestess, we are detecting… an anomaly. The System is unable to identify the subject's Rank."
The High Priestess approached Riven, her eyes narrowed. "Boy, what is your name?"
"Riven Drayke," he replied, his voice barely a whisper.
The High Priestess ran a diagnostic wand over him, her brow furrowing deeper with each passing moment. "Impossible," she muttered. "There is no record of this individual in the System's database."
Suddenly, a message flashed on the screens, in stark crimson letters:
❖ RANK: ∅
❖ Status: "UNRANKED"
❖ Classification: System Error
❖ Potential: NULL
The chamber erupted in chaos. The children recoiled from Riven as if he were contagious. The High Priestess stepped back, her face contorted with disgust.
"A System Error," she spat. "An abomination. This cannot be allowed to exist."
Riven stood frozen, his mind reeling. He was not just ordinary; he was nothing. He was a mistake, a glitch in the System, a being without potential. The weight of the world crashed down on him, crushing his hopes and dreams into dust.
"Guards!" the High Priestess barked. "Remove this… thing from the premises. Cast it into the Abyss, where it belongs."
Two heavily armored guards seized Riven, their grip like iron. He struggled against them, but it was futile. He was dragged out of the chamber, past the horrified faces of the other children, past the condemning gaze of the High Priestess, out into the cold, unforgiving world.
As they dragged him towards the edge of the city, towards the gaping chasm that led to the Abyss, Riven finally understood. He was not meant to be a part of this world. He was an anomaly, a mistake, a Rank Zero.
And in a world that valued order above all else, he was simply… unwanted.
He could not help but feel the warm tear rolling down his cheek.
"I'll show you" He screamed, but no one could hear him.