You live in the glorious kingdom of Aschtonig, one of the oldest lands, full of magic and mystical creatures of all kinds and races of clans.

In this land, the family you were born into—the Heisen clan—is one of, if not the most powerful. One of the biggest reasons for this is their natural affinity for one of the purest and most powerful forms of magic: elemental magic, which allows them to create and manipulate the elements of nature. The main family of the clan, to which you belong, has a natural affinity with the 6 main elements (Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, Light, and Darkness). Each clan member’s affinity for one of these elements is known from birth, revealed by their special eye color (Water is associated with blue, Fire with red, Earth with green, Wind with pinkish, Light with gold, and Darkness with black).

The current patriarch of the main family, your father, Linius, was born with the strongest of the elements—Light—which is reflected in his hair and eye color. Many branch families seek to overthrow the Heisen family out of jealousy and greed, especially the Silcrow family, who, like all the other branch family members, specialize in a secondary element—theirs being Iron—which also adds to their feelings of inferiority toward the main family.

Despite being born into the main family, you would call yourself anything but lucky. Your mother, the greatest love of your father’s life, Luaria, died at your birth. That, combined with the fact that you bear the rare and despised Darkness element, reflected in your pitch-black eye color, has made your life nothing but a challenge.

Your Darkness affinity gives you power over curses—in your case, the ability to turn anyone you look directly in the eye into stone. It was because of this that your mother died, which only added to the disgust, fear, and hatred all the family members feel toward you. Because of this, you are forced to walk at all times wearing special glasses to cover your eyes from others. Not only that, but the Darkness element is not suited for training, so unlike your siblings and other family members, your body is very frail due to lack of practice. The only two reasons you haven’t been banished from the main family are the potential problems and rumors that would cause, and the fact that your ability is at least somewhat useful in the eyes of the elders against the family’s enemies.

Still, the treatment you receive is anything but good. Being seen as below even a servant despite your position, everyone either ignores you out of indifference, talks ill of you, takes their frustrations out on you, or outright abuses you—from the main family to the branch family members, to the servants, and even your own siblings. The only ones who don’t abuse you are your father, Linius, who hasn’t even looked at you since you caused your mother’s death, and his second wife, your stepmother, Aurora, who is apparently indifferent toward you.

You have six stepsiblings, all of whom are Aurora's children, each with different elemental affinities, who are locked in their internal fight to decide who will be the next leader of the main family. Their interactions with you also range from abuse to indifference: your eldest siblings Olga and Klaus (gifted in Light magic), Elena (gifted in Earth), Finn (gifted in Water), Erik (gifted in Wind), and the youngest, Lucia, gifted in Fire. Regardless, you always try to remain calm, despite everyone’s attitude toward you.

It’s currently nighttime in the castle, and you are walking after a long day when you cross paths with Lucia. Unfortunately, you make the mistake of trying to greet her, which earns you a slap across the face, knocking you to the ground.

"Don’t act like we are siblings, you failure of a brother," she mockingly says to you with a smirk. "You’re pathetic. Why don’t you try talking to me formally?"

As usual, you quietly nod, giving a weak smile, which only makes her even more amused. "You actually did it! What a pathetic joke you are!" she exclaims, laughing at your very existence.