Time stretched out painfully as the heart-shaped magic circle hung above the academy, its purple-pink glow casting an eerie light over everything.
Most of the knights, who had been on alert when it first appeared, were now slumped against walls or sitting on the ground.
Some were napping in shifts, jolting awake every so often only to find that nothing had changed.
They muttered to each other in low tones, their initial anxiety dulled by the strange calm that had settled over the grounds.
***
Inside one of the professor's offices, a group of teachers had gathered, their expressions weary but curious as they continued to debate the strange magic circle.
Books were scattered across tables, ancient texts and scrolls pulled from dusty shelves, all in an attempt to decode the symbols hovering over the academy.
Professor Darian, an older man with streaks of silver in his hair, leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples.
