Atlas
The grand marble halls of Blackwood Academy had never felt colder. My footsteps echoed across the vast corridor as I walked, each step steady, measured, and forced. The polished floors gleamed under the golden sconces lining the walls, reflecting fragments of my expressionless face back at me. My reflection looked tired.
Outside the arching windows, the sky was darkened with gathering storm clouds, the gardens cast in a murky twilight. Thunder rumbled somewhere far beyond the forest, a low growl that vibrated through the stones under my feet. It felt like a warning.
I adjusted my tie as I neared the Headmaster's office, my fingers trembling slightly despite my iron grip on my emotions. The heavy oak doors loomed ahead, carved with intricate glyphs that flickered faintly. S
