The morning sun streamed downwards on the academy grounds. Noah stepped out of the dormitory, fastening his coat as he walked down the steps.
The entire campus felt unsettled. Students stood gathered in groups across the courtyards, whispering to one another as they craned their necks to see the plume of gray smoke still rising from the far side of the grounds.
Ahead, the remains of the destroyed building were visible even from a distance, standing as a blackened skeleton of stone, still steaming despite the efforts of the maintenance mages.
Dozens of staff members were stationed around the perimeter, clearing debris. Every few seconds, there would be a loud crack as the stones were being broken down into rubble.
Noah slowed, scanning the crowd. The murmur of speculation filled the air.
"They say it was caused by improperly storing a few reagents."
"No way! The safety protocols would've prevented that."
"Then what? A bomb?"
"Who'd target the academy?"
