When the Central Academy students first laid eyes on Alen Flen, a man whose name carried weight across the mage world, they felt an unexpected sense of ease wash over them. Alen wasn't just another figure of authority, he was a respected officer, a man of the military who had stood against countless threats. To see him here, standing in the hidden chamber beneath the festival grounds, almost made them forget the chaos of the day.
Raze, watching the students' shifting expressions, allowed himself a rare thought: he had made the right decision. Bringing Alen into this situation gave the students something he never could, familiarity and trust.
