The garden's lively energy abruptly stilled, like the moment before a storm. The chatter that had filled the air just seconds ago seemed to vanish, leaving behind an uncanny silence. The group exchanged uncertain glances, the shift in atmosphere unsettling.
"Is it just me," Julia whispered, her voice uncharacteristically quiet, "or did it just get eerily quiet?"
"It's not just you," Lilia replied, her gaze scanning the crowd. "Something's... off."
Their attention, like the rest of the students in the garden, was drawn toward a figure walking down the central path. The air around him seemed to command silence, as though even the garden itself dared not intrude on his presence.
"Who's that?" Lucas asked, his voice low but filled with curiosity.
