What if the life you were born into wasn’t decided by fate—but by a number? Centuries ago, following The War of Divided Nations, a devastating plague changed civilization forever. In the world that followed, every citizen was fitted with a bracelet said to protect them from the disease that nearly destroyed humanity in the aftermath of the conflict. But protection comes with a price. Today, those bracelets determine far more than survival. They measure a citizen’s contribution to society, define their place among six social classes, and determine how much power they are granted. Work hard. Stay obedient. Earn your points. Rise through the ranks. At least, that’s what Arix Vane has always been taught. Born into the Peasant Class with zero abilities, sixteen-year-old Arix has spent his entire life believing there’s only one direction left to go: Up. But when his father is exiled for questioning the very system they live by, Arix is left with questions no one seems willing to answ...