The battlefield was eerily still. Smoke drifted in ragged curls, rising from the blackened earth where flames had scorched the ground and spells had collided with shadows. The stench of ash and burnt mana lingered thick in the air, clinging to the ruined courtyard of the academy.
What minutes ago had been a cacophony of roars, screams, and the crash of magic had now quieted into an unsettling silence. Only the faint crackle of dying embers remained, carried by the wind that tugged at the shredded banners above the courtyard gates.
Jae stood at a side, his chest heaving, the adrenaline of combat still buzzing through his veins.
The faint glow of his dragonfire blade flickered once more before extinguishing entirely, collapsing into nothingness in his hand. He exhaled, rolling his shoulders as though shaking off the weight of the battle.
