Then he turned toward one of the professors. "Yulia," he said with urgency, "increased the strength of the academy’s barrier spells. I want double the defensive and enchantnts active imdiately."
Professor Yulia gave a firm nod. She rushed to the edge of the field, where a large magic circle had been carved into the ground.
Kneeling beside it, she pressed her palm against the glowing lines and began to chant.
Arcane symbols began to glow around Professor Yulia, etched in a large circle near the edge of the training field. Soft blue light flickered from her eyes as she chanted spell after spell, her voice low and steady.
With each word, a gentle humming filled the air, like the quiet sound of wind moving through glass. Slowly, the magical barrier surrounding the academy pulsed and shimred, becoming denser and more vibrant—it was now far stronger than before.
Sylvia stood nearby for a mont and turned to look at Principal Aldric.
"It’s already late," she said. "They shouldn’t be walking around like this... not in that condition."
Her gaze shifted toward Edwin, Elysia, and Jin. The three stood in silence—bruised, covered in cuts, their clothes torn and stained with blood. Their bodies swayed slightly, barely holding themselves up after the brutal fight.
It was clear they were on the verge of collapse.
"They need rest," Sylvia continued gently. "Let them stay in the main academy quarters tonight. It’s much closer than the dormitories, and far more secure. Their wounds are serious—they need healing, not more walking."
Principal Aldric gave her a firm nod, agreeing with her judgnt.
"You’re right," he said. "That’s the safest choice."
He stepped closer to the students, his eyes scanning each of them. Though his face was calm, there was a heavy intensity behind his expression.
"Those who are dayscolar shall stay here tonight. We’ll station elite guards outside your rooms and assign healing mages to tend to your injuries."
His gaze lingered on them for a mont longer—there was no anger, only silent respect.
"You’ve all done well... You fought bravely today," he said. "But now it’s ti to recover. Rest your minds. Heal your bodies."
Then his voice dropped lower. It was almost a whisper, but every word carried the weight of coming danger.
Principal Aldric took a step forward, his voice firm and clear as he looked directly at Edwin, Elysia, and Jin.
"You three will co with ," he said, his tone leaving no room for argunt. "You’re all injured—you need proper treatnt. But more importantly, we need to talk. What you experienced out there... it’s not sothing we can ignore."
His expression darkened slightly, and the weight in his voice deepened.
"If there’s a greater force behind this attack... soone out there targeting Arcadia... then we can’t afford to stand still. We must act—before it’s too late."
Just as he finished speaking, several healers and dics rushed into the area. So were professors skilled in healing magic, while others were students in training.
They moved quickly, checking the wounded, applying bandages, and casting restoration spells over the injured.
All around the field, students who had witnessed the battle huddled together, whispering anxiously among themselves.
"Who was that man?" one asked, eyes wide with fear.
"Why did he attack us? Did he want to kill soone specific?" another said.
"Was he alone?" a third whispered.
(That assassin... he hadn’t co by accident.), one of the professors thought.
And even though he had vanished into the forest, wounded and laughing... he would return.
Above Arcadia, the sky had shifted.
Thick, gray clouds rolled in, dimming the moonlight. The once bright academy grounds now felt heavy and quiet. Not peaceful but tense.
Blood had been spilled inside Arcadia’s walls for the first ti in years. A place once thought untouchable had been breached.
Once the situation on the training grounds had finally cald down, and the injured were being taken care of, two professors stepped forward from among the group of professors—Professor Kalden and Professor Grendar.
Kalden adjusted his clothes and said, "We can’t let him get too far," he said calmly. "That assassin fled in a specific direction. He’s wounded... if we move now, we might be able to track him."
Grendar cracked his knuckles and nodded. "He’s fast, but he’s bleeding. He won’t make it far without leaving a trail."
Professor Kalden turned to Principal Aldric. "Give us clearance. We’ll pursue him imdiately. We need to know where he ca from."
"He might be a so -called demon lord".
Principal Aldric gave a slow nod, his expression tense. "Be careful. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary. Find out where he’s going and who he’s working with. We can’t afford to lose either of you."
Grendar smirked. "Don’t worry. We’ll bring back answers."
With that, the two professors turned toward the forest where the assassin had escaped. Kalden muttered a tracking spell under his breath, and faint glowing lines lit up across the grass—marks left behind by the fleeing assassin’s mana.
Their figures quickly vanished into the growing darkness.
And so, while Arcadia tended its wounds, two of its finest stepped into the shadows—chasing the source of the threat, hoping to uncover the truth before it was too late.
Far away, in the depths of that very forest, the assassin sat on a rock, breathing heavily. His body was torn, skin cracked, and veins pulsing with a strange black light.
"Damn those brats..." he says.
His fingers tightened around a strange, glowing fragnt embedded in his wrist.
"The demon’s gift... has this much strength."
He looked toward the horizon—toward Arcadia.
"Next ti... I’ll finish the job."
So the days have gone.
A gentle warmth light drifted into the room through the window, as the morning sunlight slowly filled the space.
The soft golden light touched everything—it fell across the floor, the blankets, and even the shelves lined with bottles of potions.
Tiny specks of dust floated lazily in the air, glowing as they moved through the beams of light. Everything was calm and still, like the world was holding its breath.
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