The sun rose over the Solaris estate, casting golden light across the pristine white stone towers and courtyards. It was a day of celebration, a day of legacy. A day that would define the rest of Drake Solaris's life.

Drake adjusted the cuffs of his ceremonial tunic, his fingers trembling slightly as he stood in the mirror of his quarters. He should have felt excitement, maybe even pride, but instead, unease gnawed at him like an unseen force lurking in the shadows.

He had spent his entire life preparing for this moment. Every Solaris before him had wielded Light magic, the element of healing and purity. His father, Lord Solaris, was one of the most powerful Light mages in the kingdom, his golden aura a symbol of their family's strength. Drake had always assumed he would follow in that path.

And yet, doubt whispered in the back of his mind.

A knock at his door made him flinch. He exhaled sharply before answering. His sister, Celia, stood there, her expression softer than usual. Unlike him, she had already passed her Elemental Trial two years prior, proving her affinity for Light magic. She was everything their father wanted—strong, disciplined, worthy of the Solaris name.

"You're going to be fine," she said, offering him a rare smile. "We both know what the orb will reveal."

Drake nodded, forcing himself to believe it. "Yeah. Light magic. Just like you."

Celia hesitated before reaching for his wrist. "Just… don't hesitate when you step forward. Father hates hesitation."

Drake swallowed and nodded again.

She gave his arm a reassuring squeeze before stepping back. "It's time."

The courtyard was packed with nobles and scholars, all gathered to witness the next generation's attunement. The Orb of Attunement rested atop a marble pedestal, its faint glow a beacon of fate. The ancient artifact had decided the paths of countless mages before him, marking their elemental affinity with absolute certainty.

Drake kept his shoulders squared as he stepped into the ceremonial space, but his heart pounded against his ribs like a caged beast. His father stood at the head of the gathering, flanked by the high mages of the kingdom. His golden gaze was unreadable, but the weight of expectation pressed down on Drake harder than any spell ever could.

"Drake Solaris," the elder mage announced, voice carrying across the courtyard. "Step forward and receive your truth."

Drake forced his legs to move, each step echoing through the silent courtyard. He approached the orb, its faint pulsing light reflecting in his uncertain eyes. He had seen dozens of initiates do this before. A single drop of blood was all it took to reveal one's element. It was simple.

It was supposed to be simple.

He drew a small ceremonial dagger from the pedestal, slicing his palm just enough to draw a single drop of crimson. It fell onto the surface of the orb.

A heartbeat passed.

Then another.

The orb ignited—but not with golden light.

Shadows erupted within, swirling like ink in water, writhing and shifting as if alive. A cold sensation crawled up Drake's arm, unlike anything he had ever felt before. Dark magic.

The gasps from the crowd came like a rolling wave, horrified whispers hissing through the air. Drake's breath hitched in his throat, his gaze locked onto the orb as if it had betrayed him. This wasn't right. This wasn't what was supposed to happen.

His father remained frozen, his expression unreadable. But then—his jaw tightened.

"This must be a mistake," Lord Solaris said, his voice cutting through the murmurs.

The elder mage overseeing the trial frowned but remained firm. "The orb does not lie, my lord. The trial is absolute."

The murmurs grew louder, panic and revulsion spreading like wildfire.

"A Dark mage?"

"Impossible."

"The Solaris heir? Cursed?"

Drake took a step back, his stomach twisting into knots. He looked to his father, hoping, praying for reassurance. Instead, he found only cold, unwavering eyes.

Lord Solaris's expression darkened, his voice low and final. "No son of mine wields Dark magic."

Drake felt the world tilt around him.

Everything he had ever known had just been ripped away.

The morning of the Elemental Trial dawned bright and clear, the sun spilling golden light over the white stone walls of the Solaris estate. It should have been a perfect day, a day of celebration.

Drake Solaris adjusted the cuffs of his ceremonial tunic, trying to still the tremor in his hands. Today, he would step into the light of his family's legacy. Today, he would prove himself worthy of the Solaris name. He had trained for this, dreamed of it. He had no reason to feel this gnawing doubt.

Yet it clung to him like a shadow.

He had seen what happened to those who failed their trials. They weren't outright exiled, but they became lesser. Weak. Forgotten. He told himself he had no reason to worry—he was a Solaris. His family had always produced powerful Light mages. The magic of healing and purity. There was no reason his fate would be any different.

The courtyard was filled with nobles and scholars, gathered to witness the next generation's attunement. The Orb of Attunement, resting atop a marble pedestal, pulsed with faint energy, waiting to reveal the truth of his magic.

Drake's father, Lord Solaris, stood tall at the head of the gathered mages, his golden eyes unreadable. His presence alone was enough to steal the breath from Drake's lungs. To fail here would be unthinkable.

"Drake Solaris," the elder mage called, his voice firm. "Step forward."

Drake swallowed hard and obeyed, his boots echoing against the stone as he approached the pedestal. He extended his hand, hesitating for only a moment before pressing his palm to the orb's smooth surface.

A single drop of blood was all it took.

The orb ignited—but instead of the golden brilliance of Light magic, shadows bled through the sphere, swirling like ink in water. A cold, creeping sensation crawled up Drake's arm, the energy dark and alien.

A ripple of gasps spread through the courtyard.

Drake jerked his hand away, his pulse pounding in his ears. The shadows remained, twisting within the orb as if alive, refusing to be ignored.

Dark magic.

The murmurs grew louder, shock and disgust lacing the voices of those who had moments ago smiled at him.

His father's expression remained unreadable for a heartbeat longer—then, slowly, his golden eyes hardened into something cold and distant.

"This must be a mistake," Lord Solaris said, his voice void of warmth.

The elder mage shook his head. "There is no mistake, my lord. The test is absolute."

Silence pressed down on Drake like a crushing weight.

"No son of mine wields Dark magic," his father declared.

And just like that, the world he had known was gone.

The silence that followed his father's words was deafening. The crowd, once filled with whispers and murmurs, had frozen. It was as if the entire world had held its breath, waiting for what came next.

Drake swallowed hard. His throat felt tight, his heart hammering in his chest. His father's words rang in his ears—words he never thought he would hear.

No son of mine wields Dark magic.

It wasn't just rejection. It was an erasure of everything he had ever been. He had been born into a legacy of Light, raised to believe in the power of their family's magic. Now, that same legacy had cast him out without hesitation.

"This must be a mistake," Drake said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I—I've never shown signs of Dark magic before."

"The orb does not lie," the elder mage said, his face lined with sorrow. "The attunement is absolute."

Gasps and murmurs resumed, the nobles exchanging glances of horror and disbelief.

"A Solaris with Dark magic?"

"Cursed… just like the monsters."

"What will Lord Solaris do?"

Drake turned to his father, hoping for something—anything—to contradict what had just happened. But Lord Solaris didn't even look at him. His face was carved from stone, his golden eyes void of emotion.

Finally, after a long moment, his father turned to the gathered crowd. "The Solaris family has always stood as a beacon of Light," he said, his voice carrying across the courtyard. "This… aberration is not my son."

Drake felt his stomach drop, his breath catching in his throat. The words struck harder than a physical blow. His father wasn't just rejecting him—he was removing him, denouncing him before the entire court.

"No," Drake whispered, stepping forward. "Father, I—"

A sudden force struck his chest. Light magic. His father had raised a hand, and a pulse of golden energy sent Drake staggering back, cutting off his words.

He looked up, stunned, as his father lowered his hand. There was no anger on his face. No sadness. Just finality.

"You will leave this house," Lord Solaris said coldly. "You are no longer welcome in this family."

Drake's legs felt weak beneath him. The crowd parted, watching him as if he were a wild animal that had strayed too close. Some looked at him with pity, others with disgust. His sister—Celia—stood frozen in place, her hands trembling. But she said nothing.

Drake opened his mouth, but no words came.

His father turned away. "Take him outside."

The guards hesitated, as if even touching him was a sin. But orders were orders. Two of them stepped forward, gripping his arms roughly. He didn't resist. There was no point.

Drake barely had time to process what was happening before two guards grabbed him by the arms, their grips firm but not cruel. They didn't drag him away immediately, but the message was clear—he was no longer welcome here.

"Wait," Lord Solaris's voice cut through the murmurs of the gathered nobles. "Take him inside first."

The guards hesitated, then nodded, turning and leading Drake toward the towering Solaris estate. Drake barely resisted—his limbs felt numb, his mind a haze of disbelief. As they passed through the grand doors, the hush of the courtyard was replaced by the heavy silence of the great hall. The golden banners of his family hung from the high walls, their glow no longer comforting but suffocating.

The guards led him up the marble staircase, through the halls he had walked since childhood, until they reached his father's private study. The heavy oak door swung open, and they stepped inside. Lord Solaris followed, shutting the door behind them.

The moment they were alone, the air in the room changed.

Drake stood frozen, watching as his father moved toward the window, staring out at the city below. The golden glow of his magic flickered faintly around him, but there was no warmth in it.

"Do you understand what you've done?" Lord Solaris finally said, his voice quiet but laced with something cold.

Drake swallowed. "I—I didn't do anything. I never—"

"Enough." His father turned, his golden eyes like molten steel. "The moment that orb revealed your magic, you ceased to be my son."

The words landed like a physical blow. Drake clenched his fists, trying to suppress the rising panic, the fury, the devastation.

"You think I chose this?" His voice wavered despite himself. "You think I wanted this?"

Lord Solaris regarded him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, he sighed, turning fully to face Drake. "It doesn't matter what you wanted. You are what you are."

Drake's breath hitched. "You taught me that magic is a gift, that it's a reflection of who we are. So what does that say about me?"

His father's lips pressed into a thin line. "It says that you are nothing like the Solaris line."

Drake flinched, but his father wasn't finished.

"There is no place for Dark magic here. It is weak, disgraceful, and dangerous. This family has protected the kingdom for generations with Light. We do not harbor shadows." His voice hardened, the weight of generations pressing down with each syllable. "You will leave this estate by nightfall. You will take nothing with you. You will not return."

Drake's stomach twisted. "You can't just—"

"I can. And I will."

His father stepped forward, standing tall, his golden aura flaring ever so slightly. "If you have any dignity left, you will walk out of here on your own. If not, I will ensure you are removed."

The guards behind him tensed at the unspoken command, ready to act.

Drake exhaled sharply, his hands shaking at his sides. His father's face showed no hesitation, no regret. No sign that he had once called Drake his son.

Something inside him broke.

He turned toward the door, his movements stiff, his pulse roaring in his ears. He would not beg. He would not plead. If his father had already decided to erase him, then he would not give him the satisfaction of seeing his pain.

As he stepped out of the study, his father spoke one last time.

"You are no longer worthy of the Solaris name."

Drake didn't stop walking. He didn't look back.

He had always thought of his father as an unshakable force—strong, composed, unyielding. But now, Lord Solaris had proven something else.

He was willing to throw away his own son without a second thought.