The shadow didn't move, and that was the first thing that felt wrong. Something that big, hanging that low in the sky, should have shifted at least a little. There should have been falling debris, some shake, some sign that it was unstable. But it just stayed there, completely still, like it had always been there.
The courtyard below was a mess. Students rushed out of buildings, some running, some frozen, others just staring up like they couldn't process what they were seeing. Knights tried to control the situation, shouting orders, pushing people into groups, telling them where to go. It helped a little, but the fear was still there.
Mages had already started working. Lines of light spread across the ground as barriers formed around parts of the academy. They looked solid at first, but if you watched closely, they flickered now and then. Most people didn't notice. Aurelion did.
