Riiiiiiip!
A sound like fabric being torn by giant hands filled the air, and then the world broke.
Boom!
The faculty building exploded outwards, stone and mortar from centuries of architecture hurled in every direction as something forced its way into existence from beneath.
The ground heaved upwards in a wave, cracking open like an eggshell, and from within that rupture, a tower of pure white stone drove itself into the sky.
It speared into the air in silence, which was somehow worse than if it had made any noise at all.
The sheer displacement of air sent those who had regained their feet staggering.
Dust and debris rained down in a curtain, and for a moment, nothing was visible through the cloud.
Then the crack came.
Every head turned skyward as the wards that had stood for centuries ignited, becoming visible for the first time in a long time.
