The students' eyes shifted to Michael as he posed the question, but it was Melody beside him who seemed most affected. She reached out instinctively, then hesitated—her hand hovering for a moment before retreating.
"There are many reasons someone might want to divert the flow of mana for personal gain," Magnus replied, his gaze flickering with a subtle glow. "But as for the collection of souls…" His voice trailed off, the implication left hanging in the air.
"Only someone truly depraved would resort to that," he added, a look of disgust tugging at his features.
Blake adjusted his glasses, his tone more clinical. "There are scattered records of souls being used in Ancient magic—though nothing definitive. The methods and applications remain unknown, so unless this entity is simply experimenting..."
His unfinished sentence created a weight that settled uncomfortably over the room.
