The air around the training grounds crackled with tension, the eerie silence shattered only by the faint pops of ice breaking.
Cruzer cast a glance over his shoulder at Marik, who lay immobilized, the frost still clinging to his body. He wouldn't be coming after him, at least not for a while. The crushing defeat had frozen him in more ways than one.
Cruzer turned to leave, ready to move on. But a slow, deliberate clapping broke the silence, the mocking rhythm sending a shiver down his spine.
"Impressive," a voice rang out, smooth and soaked in venomous amusement.
Nathan, a deputy of the Silver Serpents' college division, stepped forward, his dark eyes gleaming with cruel interest.
The smirk on his face deepened as he surveyed the carnage around Cruzer. He was flanked by members from the Iron Hawks, Night Owls, and Shadow Veil, forming a loose circle around him—predators closing in on their prey.
