The city was restless.
Though dawn had only begun to break, the streets below the academy buzzed with unease. Whispers of the Shadowspawn attack had spread like wildfire. People spoke of monsters in the night, of students caught in the crossfire, of a mysterious blue flame that turned enemies to ash.
At the top of the academy, Kaito leaned against the balcony rail, the morning wind brushing through his dark hair. The sky glowed orange at the horizon, but the warmth didn't reach him. His hand twitched, and a thin flicker of blue fire ran across his palm before fading.
He clenched his fist. He couldn't let it slip—not again.
Behind him, the sound of footsteps broke his thoughts. Aria stepped out, her presence quiet but sharp, as always. She said nothing at first, only leaned beside him, eyes scanning the waking city.
"They're afraid," she said softly. "Not just of the monsters. Of us."
Kaito glanced at her. "Us?"
"The Circle," she clarified. "You. Me. Everyone who wields power the world doesn't understand." She turned her gaze on him, searching. "Especially you."
Her words lingered. Kaito said nothing.
The balcony door opened again, this time with the loud energy of Ryo and Mira tumbling out mid-argument, their voices bouncing off the stone. Jin followed behind, as cold and stern as ever, and Elara drifted quietly after them, flowers curling in her hair. Daxen emerged last, calm but unreadable, shadows shifting faintly around his shoulders.
The Circle stood together in the dawn light, but there was no unity in their stance. Suspicion still lingered, heavy as the air before a storm.
Daxen broke the silence. "The Headmaster has summoned us. He wishes to discuss the Shadowspawn attack… and the blue fire." His eyes slid briefly to Kaito before moving on.
The group began to move, their footsteps echoing against the marble halls.
But none of them noticed the raven perched high above, its feathers black as void, its eyes glowing faintly red. It watched them with uncanny stillness. Then, with a soundless beat of its wings, it vanished into smoke.
Far away, in a cavern of shadows, a crimson-eyed figure smiled as the raven dissolved into his palm.
"The Circle stirs. The boy burns brighter." His voice was silk and poison. "Good. Let him believe he has allies. Soon, he will learn how quickly fire consumes everything it touches."
The shadows quivered like living things as his laughter filled the abyss.
Back at the academy, Kaito walked with the Circle, unaware that every step forward only drew him deeper into the enemy's game.