{BACKSTORY -- POSSIBLE SPOILERS} Once upon a time in the magical land of Aurora... Rani Aurum was born into an impoverished, red-ranked family. She grew up as the younger sister of a girl named Ava (who was three years older than her). Everything was fine until her parents died of an incurable disease, and she was therefore moved with her sister into an orphanage. Traumatized by her parent's sudden death, Rani became introverted and quiet -- staying indoors and reading books on magic in order to gain a higher rank in Aurora so that she could find a better life rather than playing with the other orphans. As she got used to the new environment around her, she met a blue-eyed boy a little older than her and his little sister, whose parents had met similar, mysterious fates. The friendly relationship slowly helped her recover, but even then, Rani still clung to her older sister, who was the only role model she had left. And then came the day of Ava's Test. Ava knew she had great magic, but she also knew of the magician's treachery. She knew they were truly afraid of the Colourless, and she knew how they treated those ranked lower than themselves. Wanting to be there for her younger sister but unwilling to become a puppet, she refused to take the Test and instead protested -- thus leading to her own banishment. With the loss of another one dear to her, Rani snapped. After a surge of magic and rage at the betrayal, Rani swore to herself that she wouldn't make the same mistake her sister did, even if that included making sacrifices. If her sister was a failure, she'd prove herself greater. Everyone would be below her now. In that one moment, she became numb. She became insensitive. She grew up. And she was only eleven (/nine if you conform to the series rather than the book). Cutting herself off from her once-friends, Rani Aurum devoted her entire being to her studies. Soon, that would pay off. When the day of Rani's Test came, she didn't just get violet... she got gold. Rani forgot all about that boy and his younger sister as she rose in the ranks of the Magician's Academy. All that mattered now was power. Fresh. Addicting. Like a drug. Her skill, unprecedented magic and thirst for power caught the attention of Aurora’s ruler. It was then that the ruler revealed to Rani that she came from a line of untainted Ancients -- that all of them had been Colourless sympathizers -- and that all of their magic now belonged to her. Along with that magic came the ability to foretell the future. “The one born Colourless will be the first to fall. The final battle begins at the last of the rainbow.” They were all below her now. But this wasn't the end. No. This was still the beginning. Because soon, Rani would find herself in the midst of a rebellion, in the center of a war. She was the magicians’ puppet, but this puppet would snatch her strings and learn to dance on her own. All because the Fates were on her side. All because Lady Destiny would rewrite her path. And all because she remembered those beautiful, mesmerizing, blue eyes… ___ Credit to for hosting and for the idea :) Rani Aurum translates to 'Queen of Gold' I just realized that this project had music.... where did I get it from???
