The afternoon sun filtered lazily through the high, arched windows of Mystic Academy's training hall. Students shuffled in, their chatter filling the wide space until the doors opened with a sharp creak.
Professor Noir entered.
His presence alone was enough to silence the room. Tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in simple black robes that seemed to swallow the light around him, Noir carried an air of unshakable authority.
But it wasn't his appearance that made students uneasy. It was his magic. His very aura hummed with nullification, an ability that stripped spells of their strength and left mages helpless.
He clapped his hands once.
"Today's focus: defense." His deep, steady voice rolled through the hall. "You will each demonstrate your ability to defend against an incoming strike. Spells, wards, reflexes—whatever you can muster. Let's see how prepared you are when your opponent doesn't play fair."
