A week passed, and the skeletal frame of the Academy had taken shape—massive, awe-inspiring, and unmistakably alive with magic.
Riven and his generals stood just beyond the perimeter of the construction zone, gazes lifted to take in the towering structure that now dominated the southern plateau. Obsidian stone and abyss-glass stretched into the sky, scaffolded spires caught the morning light, and the air around the Academy buzzed faintly with restrained power.
"I still can't believe we built this much in under a month," Damon muttered, rubbing a hand over the dark circles beneath his eyes. The exhaustion clung to him like armor—but so did the pride.
"Whole kingdom hasn't slept since the first stone was laid," Krux added, stifling a yawn and blinking hard. "Pretty sure I saw one of the Guild's stonecutters casting while sleepwalking."
