When The Night Burned

In a world governed by MechaNyx, every child receives a Mech during their ninth year of school. Mechs determine more than combat ability. They define social status, opportunity, and survival. At the top are the High-Gifted, an elite class granted five-star Mechs. At the bottom are families like Rahal Zyarandani’s, branded “Metbishes” by those above them. Rahal has spent years being bullied by High-Gifted students, particularly Thomas Alectus and his friends José and Abdul. His parents, Arand and Diva, have always taught him the same lesson: stay unnoticed, stay weak enough to avoid attention, and survive. Then comes Rahal’s Ceremony. Against all expectation, Rahal is allocated Nightburner, a five-star Assault Mech with the highest damage output of any Mech in the system. Instead of being the blessing everyone expects, Nightburner becomes the source of a devastating choice. Rahal’s parents demand that he return it to MechaNyx, believing that possessing such a powerful Mech will make him a target. Rahal refuses, convinced that surrendering his only advantage would leave him helpless against those who already despise him. His decision changes everything. As Rahal is drawn deeper into the brutal world of Mech combat, the power he once believed would protect the people he loves begins to cost him more than he ever imagined. Friendships, family, loyalty, and his own sense of self are tested as Rahal discovers that surviving in MechaNyx’s world may require far more than simply having the strongest weapon. Because sometimes, getting the power you always wanted is the beginning of losing everything you wanted it for.