Reawakened AU

The Reawakened AU is not based on any preexisting piece of media; instead, it was based off a dream of Hen's that features a selection of persecuted magic users working together to free others and flee a dangerous kingdom.

Worldbuilding
In a medieval fantasy setting, some people are born with witch-like magical powers. These people are commonly referred to as the Wakers, and due to magic being seen as a violently illegal practice, are usually captured by a special militia-like force whenever discovered and sent to a special high-security prison for the rest of their lives. However, another equally tiny part of the population are referred to as the Sleepers; they are not born with magic powers, and in fact lack any apparent magic of their own at first, but close or prolonged contact with a Waker's magic will activate a Sleeper's own dormant set of powers. Once a Sleeper's magic has "activated", or Awoken, they are referred to as the Reawakened, and are often perceived as even more dangerous by the common people because of the fact that Sleepers could be anyone in the population without any discernible differences. Both Wakers and the Reawoken are sent indiscriminately to prisons, regardless of the magical actions they may or may not have taken.

Magic users, both Wakers and Reawoken, are able to access a variety of magical powers, some being more conventionally witch-like (e.g., brewing potions, creating charms), and some more actively and aggressively magical (e.g., shooting lightning or other forms of energy from one's hands). The type and extent of this power varies depending on the individual.

Plot
Clarence is a high-ranking member of the militia in charge of imprisoning magic users, and begins the plot with the arrest of a very recently Reawoken Sleeper called Zachariah (whose magic evidently includes shapeshifting and/or impersonating others). An altercation breaks out either on the way to the prison or within the prison, at least one of the participants of which is a powerful Waker. At some point, Clarence is hit head-on with a large quantity of direct magic and blacks out, but instead of dying or suffering severe negative consequences, he finds himself beginning to undergo the process of Reawakening—as he has been an unaware Sleeper up until this point. Struck with the realization that he will certainly be hunted down by his own fellow guardsmen when this fact inevitably comes to light, Clarence realizes the unfairness of the kingdom's actions towards the Reawoken and Wakers alike, and begins a scheme to start finding magic users, but this time in order to deliver them out of the country to safety. He also begins to plan the largest and most dangerous task yet; a large-scale jailbreak. Approaching a variety of other magic users (like Hez the travelling merchant, Clancy and Augustin the reclusive wood witches, Joshua the court doctor, and Cook, a baffling Waker whose powers seem to have metamorphosed them entirely into meat) for their help, Clarence spends a majority of the story tracking down magic users and helping them escape the militia, while at the same time obtaining the help of those willing to break hundreds of their fellows out of prison.