The Academy of Balance hummed with an uneasy energy in the weeks following Thalia's sacrifice. While the convergence shone with a steady golden light, a testament to her courage, there was a gnawing tension that none could ignore. The barrier was holding, but for how long? Kael, Morgana, and Vallon, the trio who had carried the torch of leadership for decades, now faced a battle they could not fully understand.
Kael paced the training grounds, his boots crunching on the frost-kissed grass. His thoughts were a storm, swirling with the uncertainties left in Thalia's wake. The Eternal Shadow had been contained, but not defeated. The whispers of doubt lingered like a fog, infecting even the strongest among them.
"Kael," Morgana called, emerging from the shadows of the ancient library. Her sharp eyes were heavy with worry, and a thick tome was clutched in her hands.
He turned to her, his expression grim. "What is it?"
