"Do not look back, Leo."
The words didn't come through the air. They poured straight into the back of my skull, freezing the blood in my veins.
A sudden, unnatural drop in temperature hit my skin like ice water. The soft, steady hum of the mana lines running through the academy walls vanished, cut off in a single instant. In the hallway ahead, the amber flickering of the wall torches went still, frozen like glass.
My heart slammed against my ribs like a wild animal trying to break its own bones. A thick wave of goosebumps rose down my arms, the tiny hairs on the back of my neck standing straight up in a rush of panic.
Sweat broke out across my forehead. Then came the quiet chuckle from right behind my shoulder. It was a smooth, low sound, utterly devoid of malice, yet carrying a weight that made my knees tremble.
"Your instincts were telling you the exact same thing, weren't they?" the voice continued, soft and terrifyingly calm. "Do not look back... or you will die."
