Moments later,

Aria

The emergency sirens started halfway through Professor Voss's lecture.

One moment the classroom was silent except for the scratching of pens and the professor's voice. The next, crimson warning runes flashed across the walls, accompanied by a deafening alarm that instantly sent the entire room into chaos.

Students jumped to their feet. Several rushed toward the windows while others immediately began asking questions. The academy rarely activated emergency protocols, which meant whatever was happening wasn't a drill.

I was already looking outside.

A pillar of black smoke rose from the eastern forest beyond the academy walls. Even from this distance, I could feel the surge of corrupted...