The perimeter around the main administration building at SHU held.
Not cleanly.
But it held.
Bodies lay scattered across the outer grounds in uneven layers, dragged into partial piles or left where they fell.
Limbs twisted at wrong angles, torsos torn open, bone exposed in places where force had been excessive rather than precise.
Blood had soaked into the stone pathways and dried in dark patches, while fresh streaks marked where recent clashes had taken place.
Students and staff filled the gaps between those bodies.
Some stood on elevated ledges and railings, eyes scanning outward. Others hovered above—those capable of flight maintaining uneven positions in the air, shifting constantly to keep sightlines clear.
Their movements lacked the discipline seen at Ebon Crest. Spacing broke and reformed. Reactions came a fraction too slow or too early.
Still—
They fought.
Inside—
The contrast was immediate.
The lounge remained intact.
