The light of dawn spilled softly over the academy’s weathered rooftops, casting golden hues across the ancient stones that had endured far more than battles. They had stood through centuries of trials, magic, and blood. And now, they stood again—quiet, worn, but undefeated.
Ari stood in the main courtyard, her fingers brushing over the fractured emblem etched into the stone path. It was the crest of Alpha Academy—half faded, half broken from the chaos Seraphine had unleashed. Yet somehow, it felt more complete now than it ever had.
Behind her, the academy was stirring.
Not with the usual buzz of sparring students or professors barking drills—but with the solemn hush of survivors. The wounded were healing. The fallen were being mourned. And those who had remained—who had stood against th
