The hall was unusually quiet.
Not tense.
Not formal.
Just… waiting.
A palpable stillness hung in the air, a collective anticipation amongst the gathered students.
Kael sat near the back row of the open-air assembly chamber, arms folded, one leg propped on the rung beneath his seat, finding a small comfort in the familiar posture.
Theo was beside him, somehow balancing a mana crystal between his knuckles like it was a mere coin, his expression a mixture of boredom and casual concentration.
"Do you think we'll be on clean-up duty?" Kael whispered, leaning closer, his voice low.
"Doubt it. They'd never risk you near anything that important," Theo murmured back, his eyes still fixed on the shimmering crystal.
"Harsh."
"Accurate."
Before Kael could offer a suitably sarcastic comeback, a sharp pulse of light flickered at the very center of the vast room, drawing all eyes.
From the polished floor, a silver disc rose smoothly, humming faintly.
