Creation Details
Prompt: “Aetherial Dawn
Chapter one
Earth Realm – Manhattan, New York
Franklin Collins had mastered the art of being invisible.
Not in the way that mattered. Not in the way that made heroes legendary, made people gasp and whisper their names in awe. No, Franklin was invisible in the worst way possible.
He was forgettable.
At school, teachers hesitated when calling on him, like they weren’t sure if he was in their class. At home, his father—the President of the United States—was too busy shaping the world. His little sister was a media darling, the kind of kid people called a prodigy. But Franklin? He barely registered.
Because Franklin had no powers.
Not yet.
"Hey, Franklin!"
A voice cut through the noise of the city. He turned to see his classmate, Chad Channing, leaning against a streetlight, twirling his phone between his fingers.
"You're all over the news, bro."
Franklin sighed. "What now?"
Chad grinned, tapping his screen. "Your dad just gave some speech about the future of superhumans. Something about responsibility, new regulations, all that jazz. And guess who they keep showing in the background?"
Franklin already knew the answer.
Him.
Standing beside his father, looking like a lost extra in a movie he didn’t belong in. Cameras had zoomed in on his blank expression, his bored slouch. The headlines were predictable: “President’s Son—A Future Hero or Just Another Rich Kid?”
Franklin pulled his hoodie up. "Great. Love being an embarrassment on a national scale."
Chad chuckled. "Relax, man. At least you’re famous."
"Infamous."
Chad’s smirk faded slightly. "You ever think about, y’know... getting tested? For powers?"
Franklin stiffened.
Of course, he had thought about it. Every night, lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, willing something—anything—to happen. Maybe today would be the day he woke up floating above his sheets. Maybe he’d reach for a glass of water and it would come to him instead. Maybe he’d just blink and suddenly be somewhere else.
But nothing ever happened.
"Nah," Franklin muttered. "Not in a rush."
Chad didn’t push, just gave a shrug. "Well, if you do get powers, try not to go full villain. Would really mess up my betting pool."
Franklin let out a small laugh despite himself. "Noted."
But as they walked, the thought wouldn’t leave him.
What if he was never meant to have powers?
What if he was just... normal?
And worse, what if the world never let him be?
Astralis Realm – Celestia, The Royal City
The sky over Celestia shimmered with hues of lavender and silver, the twin moons casting their glow over the crystalline spires of the capital. Beneath them, the Grand Courtyard buzzed with life—diplomats, scholars, and warriors moving between the towering gardens of glowing flora.
Princess Luna stood at the balcony of the Star Palace, overlooking it all.
She was the crown jewel of Astralis. The perfect princess.
Her mother had sculpted her into an icon—graceful, wise beyond her years, a leader the people could admire. Every movement, every breath, was controlled, measured, flawless.
But inside, Luna felt like a caged bird.
"Luna," a voice called.
She turned to see Elion, her twin sister, stepping into the moonlight. Unlike Luna, Elion wasn’t bound by the expectations of royalty. Her silver hair was wild from the wind, and her emerald eyes burned with untamed energy.
"You’re brooding again," Elion said.
Luna sighed. "I’m thinking."
"You always think," Elion teased, leaning against the balcony railing. "What’s bothering you this time?"
Luna hesitated. She wanted to tell Elion the truth—that she felt trapped, that she feared she would never have the freedom to make her own choices. That sometimes, when she was alone, she felt a power inside of her, something vast and ancient, something that whispered of a destiny beyond what anyone had planned for her.
But instead, she just said, "Nothing."
Elion wasn’t fooled, but she didn’t push.
Below them, the city gleamed under the cosmic sky, a perfect world with a perfect princess.
And Luna, deep down, knew she would have to shatter that illusion one day.
Earth Realm – The Collins Estate
The black SUV rolled to a slow stop in front of the Collins estate, its engine humming quietly before cutting off completely. Franklin barely looked up as the gates—massive steel barriers reinforced with security tech—slid open without a sound.
The house loomed beyond them.
More fortress than home, it was a sleek, modern structure of glass and steel, standing cold and unyielding against the Manhattan skyline. Floodlights bathed the perimeter in white, security drones drifting overhead like silent sentinels. The front drive was paved with obsidian stone, its polished surface reflecting the golden hues of the evening sky.
Franklin stepped out before the driver could open his door.
"Welcome home, Mr. Collins," said Shaw, the lead agent, his voice as emotionless as ever.
Franklin ignored him, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie as he walked up the steps. The marble beneath his sneakers was icy despite the summer air. The second he stepped inside, the house swallowed him whole.
It was too big.
Too quiet.
The high ceilings stretched endlessly, lined with light fixtures designed to be modern but somehow felt sterile. The marble floors gleamed, untouched, as if no one truly lived here. The scent of imported lilies hung in the air, clashing against the ever-present faint smell of expensive cologne.
From the grand living room, he heard them.
His mother’s voice—smooth, controlled, laced with approval.
"Of course, darling. You are special."
Franklin slowed his steps, peering into the room.
His mother sat on the pristine white sofa, her silk blouse crisp, her posture effortless. Beside her, sprawled out with one leg over the armrest, was his little sister.
Valeria Collins.
The golden child.
Phone pressed to her ear, she lazily scrolled through her screen, her expression half-bored, half-satisfied.
"I told them I don’t just do interviews," she said flatly. "I need exclusivity. Tell them that. And no soft lighting—I don’t want to look younger than I actually am."
Franklin clenched his jaw.
His mother ran a hand through Valeria’s golden curls, smiling gently.
"The world is finally seeing your potential," she murmured.
Valeria smirked. "About time."
Franklin exhaled sharply and dropped his bag onto the floor—loudly.
Neither of them looked at him.
Not even a flicker of acknowledgment.
His hands curled into fists, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned and walked down the hall, his footsteps swallowed by the thick silence of the estate.
His room was tucked away in the farthest wing, a place no one ever ventured. He preferred it that way.
The second he stepped inside, the world changed.
The walls were a deep, endless blue, constellations shifting in slow, mesmerizing patterns across the ceiling. A collection of posters lined one side of the room—superheroes frozen mid-battle, cosmic warriors standing against impossible odds. On the opposite wall, his own sketches were pinned up—intricate renderings of planets and galaxies, some imagined, some based on real astronomical phenomena.
And then, his favorites.
A massive Post Malone poster above his desk, the singer caught mid-performance, eyes closed, completely lost in his own world. Next to it, Michelangelo, frozen in time, brush in hand, forever painting the divine.
Two artists. Two geniuses.
Centuries apart, but both speaking to something in Franklin.
Something he didn’t understand.
He sank onto his bed, staring up at the glowing nebulae shifting across the ceiling.
He wished he could stay here forever.
But the world never let him.
Astralis Realm – The Star Palace
The halls of the Star Palace shimmered with living magic, walls of enchanted crystal shifting between hues of dawn and twilight. Through the arched windows, Celestia stretched far beyond the horizon—a floating city of spires and bridges woven from starlight and song.
Below, the great forests of Astralis pulsed with energy, their canopies glittering like the galaxies above. Twin moons cast silver reflections onto the waterfalls that carved through the valleys, feeding into the rivers of liquid light that ran through the kingdom.
Luna walked slowly through the palace corridors, her footsteps barely making a sound against the polished floors of celestial marble. Golden sigils flickered beneath her feet with each step, ancient enchantments recognizing her presence.
She reached her chambers and pushed open the silver-etched doors.
Inside, her world was one of pure, celestial beauty.
The walls were woven with glowing vines, their golden petals shifting between constellations. A small waterfall of stardust cascaded in the corner, filling the air with a faint, silvery mist.
Her bed—crafted from silverwood—floated slightly above the floor, suspended by soft waves of magic. Gossamer drapes swayed even though there was no wind, enchanted to respond to her emotions.
Bookshelves stretched toward the high ceilings, their delicate glass covers etched with golden constellations. Every book contained whispers—living spells that hummed softly when touched, waiting to be read. Crystal butterflies, woven from pure energy, drifted lazily around the vanity, their wings casting scattered light across the room.
It was breathtaking.
It was perfect.
So why did she feel nothing?
A gentle knock at the door.
She turned as Queen Malia stepped inside.
Her mother was celestial grace personified—tall, draped in flowing silver robes that shimmered like woven moonlight. Her golden eyes carried the weight of centuries, unreadable, knowing, always watching.
"Luna," she said, her voice smooth as flowing water. "It’s time to prepare for lunch. We have guests arriving soon."
Luna already knew.
The leader of the Holy Knights.
And his family.
Seventeen-year-old Thalion, the golden warrior, the strongest knight of their generation.
And his thirteen-year-old brother, Magnus—brash, arrogant, too loud for his size.
Luna hid her irritation behind a serene expression. "Of course, Mother."
Queen Malia studied her in silence, then reached out, gently brushing a strand of silver hair behind Luna’s ear.
"You are the future of Astralis," she murmured. "Remember that."
And then, she was gone.
Luna exhaled softly, then stepped out into the hall, taking the long route toward the dressing chambers.
She paused.
Up ahead, through the soft glow of the palace corridors, she saw them.
Thalion and Elion.
Standing close. Hands entwined.
A quiet moment.
A secret the world wasn’t supposed to see.
Luna’s breath caught.
Elion, her twin sister. The one person who should have belonged to her entirely.
And Thalion. The one person she wasn’t allowed to want.
Something deep inside her fractured.
She turned and walked away before they noticed her.
Back in her chambers, she closed the door behind her, pressing her back against it.
Her world was beautiful.
Her world was perfect.
So why did she feel so lost?
”
Art Style: American Superhero
Color Mode: Full Color
Panels: 2
Created: