The man in the dark blue robe stopped, his hands still slightly apart. One eye sharp yellow. The other a pale, ghostly cyan. Lines moved inside that strange iris like something alive.
His gaze rested on Raizen.
Then the man smiled.
It was small, polite. The kind of smile teachers used when they were about to compliment or correct you.
"Apologies" he said. His voice was warm, quiet, with that smooth, educated tone Raizen had heard from high-level lecturers at Lotus Academy. "I did not mean to interrupt your session so dramatically."
No one answered.
Everyone was waiting to see who he was.
Mina cleared her throat first.
"Professor Atman" she said. Her tone was perfectly respectful. Her shoulders were just a bit too tight. "We did not expect you out here."
"Clearly" he said. "Or you would have chosen a less breathtaking demonstration, am I right?"
His eyes flicked to Raizen.
The corner of Mina's mouth twitched. "My mistake."
Atman stepped fully into the circle.
