Hestian let out a long breath, the kind that carried years of dealing with impossible orders and inadequate resources. "You're not wrong. This isn't something the Academy can handle alone." He looked at Lucian with obvious reluctance. "So what do we do?"
Lucian studied the warped air above the manifestation site for what felt like an eternity. When he finally spoke, his voice was flat and final. "This stopped being Academy business the moment two hundred students vanished. Contact Head Captain Aldric directly. The King's Guard needs to know."
Hestian's eyebrows shot up. "That's jumping over half the military hierarchy. The political mess alone..."
"Won't matter if we're dealing with something that can make our strongest defenses disappear," Lucian cut him off. "You know the chain of command works for normal threats. This isn't normal."
