The sun sat centered in the cloudless blue sky, its brilliant beams radiating from its luminous form, scorching what stood down below—the pristine Blackshade estate, where nobles from all around—father and son—gathered together.
It was a special day for the nobles after all, the ceremony of rites where young men either gain the right to become warlocks or fail and are disposed of by their family. During this trial, one's mana capacity and magic are measured—those who show no signs of potential or lack the potential of a noble are discarded, stripped of their name, and thrown away.
A gentle breeze passed through, brushing against the nobles that filled the courtyard of the castle-like manor, a breeze that gave off a cold chill to all of those who were present.
"Why did it suddenly get so cold?"
A nobleman questioned, a ticked expression on his face—he was clearly becoming irritated by the long wait period and growing ever more so as time passed.
"That stupid Blackshade... what could possibly be taking him so long?"
Another asked, showcasing the same amount of annoyance while tapping his finger against his cheek.
Then suddenly, the air became thin—a pressure exuded upon all the nobles present, forcing them to their knees, and darkness... enveloped the sky, blocking out the sun's illuminating rays.
"What the...? Is this magic, but there's so much of it?"
A young noble murmured, completely overwhelmed by the magic spread throughout the atmosphere—he couldn't even manage to raise his head underneath all of the pressure—it's amazing he could even speak.
"Welcome, and thank you all for gathering together."
A voice spoke out, deep and commanding—it wasn't welcoming but rather pridefully condescending.
Standing atop a pedestal was a black-haired, dark-skinned man clad in black, shadows leaking from his body like smoke—the source of the voice. The aura he radiated was filled with his own ego, the ego of the House of Blackshade.
"Lord Blackshade, don't you think you've demonstrated enough power... I mean, look at these people—they're helpless."
A young man, with long white hair, bearing the crest of a crescent sun on his chest, said proudly, standing with an aura of light surrounding him.
"Whatever do you mean, Apollo? I was only welcoming them to my estate... that is all."
Lord Blackshade replied, the incredible pressure lifting, and the shadowy sky dissipating to once more reveal the golden light of the sun.
The crowd of nobles grasped at their throats, struggling to catch their breath from the sudden influx of air flooding their lungs. "What was that... his magical pressure?" One nobleman muttered beneath his breath.
"No way, that's just impossible. No human can be that strong. I know Lord Blackshade is recognized as the king of warlocks—but to be able to warp the atmosphere with his presence alone, forcing even other nobles to bow before him, that's just unreal." The man continued gripping onto a nearby statue to help rise to his feet.
"Gee, what a monster! Even I could barely hold myself underneath all that pressure. Then again, he is one of the five strongest in the world."
Whispered the white-haired noble—Apollo.
"Like I was saying, thank you all for coming to this year's magic assessments. We'll get to gauge new talent and witness the potential of a new era..." Lord Blackshade said, pausing, his hand gesturing towards a luminescent crystal atop the marble pedestal next to him.
"One by one, you young nobles will come up and place your hand onto this crystal—it shall measure your power and determine any magic you may possess... remember failure is not welcomed in the world of magic, and those who show a lack of magical talent have no right to become a warlock and will be stripped of their noble title."
Lord Blackshade continued, his voice echoing across the open area as if it were being enhanced by a loudspeaker. He spoke with a voice filled with pride that sent chills down the spines of those present.
Shortly after, the eager noble children gathered, standing together in a single-file line as ordered by Lord Blackshade. And one by one they approached the stand, placing their hand onto the magic crystal. When the first teen reached out his hand to the crystal, it glowed with an even brighter light than it already had, fire, water, and wind twirling above it.
"Is this good? Am I safe...?" The noble teen questioned, frantic confusion running wild through his mind, the fear of being discarded by his family taking over—he shook uncontrollably.
"Calm yourself, young one. The brightness of the crystal's glow indicates you have a high mana pool befitting a noble, and the fire, water, and wind that float above the crystal represent your high affinity towards those elements. You'll make a fine warlock, though unfortunately you don't possess any superior magic, a pity."
Lord Blackshade responded, an unsatisfied look appearing on his face. He then gestured for the next noble to approach the crystal—when he reached out for it, the luminescent glow that once filled the crystal vanished and was replaced by darkness.
The expression on Lord Blackshade's face shifted, a smirk of curiosity replacing his dissatisfaction. He leaned in closer towards the young man, "You have no mana at all, but in response you've been blessed with the rare superior magic—Anti-Magic... In all my years, I've never actually experienced it myself. Tell me, young man, what is your name?"
The boy adopted a prideful smile. Then again, who wouldn't after being praised by the King of Warlocks himself? "My name is Kage... Kage Dreadstone. It is a pleasure to be praised by someone of your status, Lord Blackshade. I only hope that I am able to live up to your expectations."
Lord Blackshade responded with a smile of his own, "Maybe one day, you'll be strong enough to give me a run for my money. A fight against someone who can cancel out magic is bound to be interesting."
Kage simply nodded in admiration before taking back his position next to his very proud father. "That's my boy, always sticking ahead of the competition—you're bound to be number one this year. Even ahead of that Blackshade, brat, I'm sure of it." Kage's father said while nodding his head with respect.
"Thank you, Father—it brings me much joy to have gained your recognition. I'm sure that I'll prove to you that I am more than worthy of it." Kage declared.
Time passed, nobles one after the other stepping up to be evaluated by the magic crystal—a few here and there were revealed to even have superior magic, but then there was that one.
A noble stepped up and placed his hand on the crystal
"Ugh, how disappointing. Your mana pool is low, and your magic is weak—to balance it out, you don't possess any superior magic at all either—a weakling like you doesn't deserve to be called a noble... get out of my sight!"
Lord Blackshade said, criticizing the young noble, a look of complete and utter disgust spread across his face.
The boy could only drop to his knees with tears flowing from his eyes and a look of despair on his face. Shivering with fear, he slowly turned his head back towards his father. "Please, Father... don't abandon me. I'm begging you!" he yelled, but there was no response, only ice-cold silence that followed.
Then suddenly, a dark mist began to enwrap the child, like he was being absorbed by the darkness—when it disappeared, he vanished with it.
"Tch! That bastard Blackshade."
Apollo mumbled underneath his breath, clenching his fist, his body emitting an aura of heat. Yet still... he did nothing—only watched.
"What happened to him...? Where'd he go?"
One of the young nobles questioned.
"Did you kill him?"
Another followed.
"Calm yourselves—he isn't dead—I just sent him into the slums of poverty, where all failures end up."
Blackshade replied, erupting a silence amongst the nobles.
"Anyway, let's continue with the ceremony—after all, it is just beginning, as it is now time for my sons to show you all true potential. Now come forth, Legion... Silas."
Lord Blackshade's words rumbled throughout the courtyard, freezing everyone in their places. With a snap of his fingers, a door constructed from shadows appeared behind him—from it, two dark-skinned young men walked out.
One had long, white braided hair that extended down to his waist, his body riddled with bruises and scars all over—the other had black spiky hair that didn't quite pass his lower back just yet—unlike the white-haired boy, he was dressed elegantly, befitting that of a noble.
"Two Sons? I thought that Lord Blackshade had only one son. But there's another? Who is this kid? He doesn't look noble-bred, illegitimate maybe... or is he adopted?"
Thought Apollo, as he struggled for an answer.
"Legion, step forward, show them what the Blackshade bloodline is capable of. And don't disappoint me!"
Legion—the black haired boy—reached out his hand towards the crystal and it began to glow with otherworldly luminosity, the elements of fire, earth, wind, and water floating above it—"
Everyone looked on in awe, their faces filled with disbelief.
"Woah! By going off his mana alone, he's more of a prodigy than I am. And his magic... to possess talent in all four elements... it's rare even amongst nobles."
Apollo exclaimed, unable to comprehend the extent of talent before him.
"Nice, good going, Legion, and you seem to even possess superior magics as well—Void magic and, like me, Shadow magic—I'm impressed. Now, Silas, it's your turn—do not let me down!"
Silas gave a nod before reaching out his hand towards the crystal, but strangely the light didn't glow—it got dimmer, and no elements appeared above the crystal either. It was the complete opposite from his brother—if Legion were the embodiment of talent, then Silas would be the embodiment of no talent at all.
"Wow, the difference in potential is like night and day. One's a prodigy and the other a complete failure... even better he's the son of Lord Blackshade, what a joke."
A noble spoke out, his tone mocking.
"So then he really must be adopted, but why would Lord Blackshade adopt some random kid? Did he think that he held some kind of power. Well I guess it doesn't matter any how he'll just be made a peasent as well. Though that is sad—to be taken in by a noble family then tossed right back out for not being sufficient enough."
Apollo murmured to himself, looking on with pity for the young man, he wanted to do something but there was nothing, he just couldn't go against Lord Blackshade, since his rule is absolute among other nobles and no one could defy him.
"What a let down, and all the work I had to put in for you to be born. You've turned out to be a waste of time—your life no longer holds any value."
Lord Blackshade said, while nodding his head side-to-side with disappointment.
"Hahah! You always were just a bastard, now you're a talentless bastard as well. What a pathetic weakling."
Legion said, his voice adopting a prideful nature similar to his father's, his tone condescending and belittling towards Silas.
"No father, It's not what it looks like I promise," Silas begged, collapsing to his knees, but Lord Blackshade did not hesitate, with a wave of his hands a shadowy mist enveloped Silas. "Don't... please don't! I can be useful, father!"
"Father...? I'm not your father, you are not a Blackshade, you are merely an experiment gone wrong. And failed experiments like yourself are meant to be discarded—" The words of Lord Blackshade, caused Silas to drop to his knees, he failed and the House of Blackshade didn't welcome failures, all the pain he suffered the training he went through just for nothing, the reality of his situation allowed for his despair to wrap his body. "—Now rot away in the forest of death."
The sound of gasping echoed across the courtyard, the nobles caught off guard. "Forest of Death...?" one murmured.
"He's really sending his own son there, a place that deadly?"
Another added.
"If he's sending his son there I wonder what he did to that other brat."
A third noble spoke out, turning his head towards the man of that child. Though the man's face was unfazed not a glimpse of emotion was depicted, "How heartless can one be. Not even concerned about his own child."
"Huh...? What was that? Child, I have no child." The unfazed noble said with a stern voice and emotionless tone.
Apollo lowered his head, a blazing aura emitting from his body, the air grew dry, nearby sources of water evaporated, and the plants and trees around began to wither.
"Woah! What's going on," screeched a panicking noble, barely holding onto consciousness, before shortly after passing out unconscious.
"Lord Blackshade—no, no Malric, you monster! How could you send that child to such a dangerous place."
Apollo exclaimed with rage echoing from his voice, but Malric—Lord Blackshade—stood unfazed, instead a smirk appearing on his face.
"It's none of your business Apollo, this is a family matter, the fates I decide for my children do not involve you... now back down!"
Apollo clenched his fist, his nails biting deep into his palms—but he did not feel the pain he was causing himself. His anger burned too hot, searing away at everything else. Though, the anger of the sun in the face of the universe is quite insignificant, Malric unleashed his aura and a freezing sensation engulfed the atmosphere, completely overwhelming Apollo's radiant aura with pure darkness.
"—Unless you believe that you can offer me a challenge?"
Malric said, waking Legion who passed out due to the overwhelming heat caused by Apollo, before then summoning a portal with his shadows that the two walked through.
"That bastard, one day I'll show him... I'm going to be the one who slays the king!"
Apollo announced, his anger discharging from him like waves of heat emitting from the sun. While he stood staring at the backs of Malric and Legion passing through the shadow door.