The academy grounds carried an unusual calm that morning, the kind that felt almost deliberate. Students moved between buildings with the usual purpose, yet conversations stayed quieter, as though everyone sensed something shifting beneath the routine.
Kael walked beside Darian and Lyra along the stone path near the central fountain, their steps naturally aligned now in a way they hadn't been just days ago. Seraphine followed close behind, listening more than speaking, her attention drifting between the conversation and the space around them.
Darian was describing how earth magic was used to reinforce watchtowers in rural border towns, illustrating with broad gestures how layered reinforcement prevented structures from collapsing during mana storms. Lyra countered with an explanation of stress distribution in long-standing barriers, her thoughts racing ahead of her words as she compared field structures to academy arrays.
Kael listened, occasionally adding a small observation, and found himself surprised at how easily the conversation flowed. It wasn't effortless, but it no longer felt like four people forced into the same space by circumstance.
The moment stretched—until a deep chime rolled across the academy.
The sound was lower than the class bell, slower, resonant enough to hum through the stone beneath their feet. Conversations across the courtyard faltered, students pausing mid-step as heads turned toward the main tower.
Darian's expression shifted. "That's not a class signal."
Lyra held her notebooks tighter. "Assembly call."
Students began moving toward the central courtyard, not in a rush, but with a quiet urgency that spread without being spoken. Instructors appeared along the paths, guiding the flow of movement with calm authority.
Kael followed with the others, the air feeling subtly heavier with each step.
They gathered before the main stairway, where the academy's white facade rose in clean lines of stone and glass. After a moment, the doors opened, and Headmaster Vale stepped forward.
He did not raise his voice, yet when he spoke, the courtyard settled into stillness.
"Students," he began, his gaze moving steadily over the crowd, "this morning's assembly concerns a matter beyond the academy's walls."
A quiet ripple passed through the gathered students.
"In the western border region, near the Edrin Range, abnormal magical fluctuations have been recorded over the past several days. Mana density has risen, and local containment wards have begun to destabilize. Beast movement has increased, and several structural barriers in nearby settlements have required emergency reinforcement."
The words were delivered without alarm, but the meaning settled clearly.
This was not a lesson.
"For generations, this academy has existed not apart from the world, but in service to it," Vale continued. "You are here not only to learn magic, but to understand how it shapes the lives beyond these walls."
Kael felt Darian straighten beside him.
"Senior instructors have already departed for the region," Vale said. "Selected containment teams will accompany them to assist in observation, barrier stabilization, and civilian support where needed. This is a supervised field exercise, not a combat deployment. You will follow instructions at all times."
Students exchanged glances, the reality of the announcement settling in.
Out there, instability did not mean a failed practice formation that could be reset.
It meant homes and roads and people depending on structures holding when they needed them most.
Team lists appeared along the courtyard wall, instructors guiding students to check assignments. Kael moved with the others, his pulse steady but deliberate.
Their names were listed together.
Containment Team Seven.
Seraphine read it without visible reaction. Darian exhaled slowly, his earlier ease replaced with focus. Lyra's eyes moved quickly across the notice, curiosity and nervousness mixing in equal measure.
Marrow approached from behind them, his presence felt before seen.
"You depart at first light tomorrow," he said. "Travel light. You are there to assist, not to impress. If you cannot follow direction, you will return immediately."
His gaze rested briefly on Kael, then moved on.
"The field does not offer second attempts," Marrow added before stepping away.
The courtyard gradually dispersed, conversations now practical rather than speculative. Some students spoke in low, tense voices, others with forced excitement. Instructors moved with purpose, organizing supplies and schedules.
Darian began listing what they would need to bring, already thinking ahead to terrain and conditions. Lyra spoke more quietly than usual, her mind clearly racing through the implications of large-scale mana instability. Seraphine walked in thoughtful silence, her expression composed but distant.
Kael walked with them, listening.
Until now, the academy had felt like a contained space where failure could be measured and repeated. Even embarrassment stayed within its walls. The world beyond had always seemed farther away, something other people dealt with while he remained caught in a narrower path.
That distance was shrinking.
They reached the path leading back toward the dormitories, their conversation turning to practical preparations. The fountain's steady hum filled the brief pauses, and the afternoon light settled softly over the courtyard stones.
Kael glanced once toward the western sky, then back to the path ahead, letting Darian's voice pull him back into the discussion as the four of them continued walking together.