The moon hung high in the sky, its pale light illuminating the path ahead as the guardians made their way toward the Academy. The journey had been long, the weight of their recent battle heavy on their shoulders, but the news Vallon had delivered about the threat to the Academy only fueled their urgency.
They had expected a brief moment of respite, a time to heal and regroup, but the enemy had proven relentless. The Duskbringers were not finished. It was as though their defeat only ignited a new fury in their ranks, one that now threatened the very heart of the guardians' stronghold. The Academy stood as a symbol of hope, of balance, but if the Duskbringers succeeded in destroying it, everything they had fought for would be lost.
Kael quickened his pace, the urgency in Vallon's voice still ringing in his ears. "How long until we reach the Academy?" he asked, glancing over at Aeris, whose face had hardened into a mask of determination.
