Aftermath
The academy courtyard looked like a battlefield after the Void Hunters retreated. Cracked stone covered the ground, and parts of the outer wall had collapsed during the fight. Several instructors and healers rushed around helping injured students.
Kael stood near the center of the courtyard, staring at the place where the hunter captain had fallen moments earlier.
Seraphine walked toward him slowly.
"You pushed your power too far," she said quietly.
Kael looked down at his hand. Small traces of dark energy still flickered across his fingers.
"I had no choice."
Professor Valen approached them with a serious expression.
"The attack confirms our worst fears," he said.
"The Void Hunters know you exist."
Kael nodded.
"I figured."
Valen crossed his arms.
"This academy may no longer be safe for you."
Kael looked up toward the academy towers, thinking deeply.
If enemies were already attacking the academy, the situation was far worse than he expected.