Umbra Rising

Drake had spent the entire day wandering the streets, but no matter where he went, the weight in his chest remained the same. There was nothing left for him here. No home, no family, no future. The streets of his childhood were now foreign, filled with people who either feared or despised him. Even the city itself, once a place of familiarity and comfort, now rejected him at every turn.

But there was one place he had to visit before he left.

The graveyard rested on a quiet hill overlooking the city, far removed from the bustling streets. As Drake made his way up the path, the cool evening breeze carried the scent of damp earth and the faint rustle of leaves. The further he walked, the quieter everything became, as though the city itself had faded into the distance.

He had not been here since the funeral.

His mother's grave was near the center, marked by a smooth marble headstone engraved with delicate golden script. Elara Solaris. Loving Mother, Devoted Healer.

Drake knelt beside it, staring at the name for what felt like an eternity. His fingers traced the letters, memories flickering through his mind—her warm smile, the way she used to hum while reading, the way her laughter had once filled their home. She had always been the gentlest presence in his life, the one person who had made him feel safe.

Now she was gone. And so was he.

His hands clenched into fists. "What would you say if you were here?" His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. "Would you look at me like they did? Like I'm something to be ashamed of?"

The wind carried no answer.

His throat tightened. "I didn't ask for this." He swallowed hard, his gaze dropping to the ground. "I didn't want Dark magic. I didn't want to lose everything." His shoulders trembled. "But I did."

He had spent the past few days fighting against it—against the reality of his exile, against the idea that his father could truly throw him away so easily. But here, in the silence of the graveyard, he couldn't run from the truth anymore. His father had never hesitated. Celia had been too afraid to fight for him. The people he had grown up with had turned on him in an instant.

It didn't matter what he wanted.

The past was gone.

Drake exhaled shakily, his fingers brushing the cool marble once more. "I thought I'd always be here. I thought I'd carry the Solaris name." He let out a bitter chuckle. "Guess I was wrong."

He sat in silence for a long time. The sky had begun to darken, the stars blinking into existence one by one. A part of him wanted to stay, as if lingering would somehow bring him the answers he so desperately wanted. But he already knew what he had to do.

He had to leave.

Slowly, he rose to his feet. He cast one last glance at his mother's grave, forcing himself to memorize every detail.

"I won't be back," he murmured. "But I'll make sure you're not forgotten."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the only piece of his past that had ever truly felt like home behind.

As he made his way down the path, the distant glow of the docks called to him. The Academy's ships were docked there, preparing for their journey upriver.

It was time to go.

And this time, he wouldn't look back.

There was only one place left to go.

Drake climbed the worn steps leading to his mother's grave, the marble headstone illuminated by the pale moonlight. He knelt beside it, resting a trembling hand on the carved name.

"I don't know what to do," he whispered.

The wind carried no answer.

He was alone now.

But he wouldn't let that stop him.

He wiped his eyes, stood, and turned toward the distant docks.

It was time to leave.