Following the conflict, the campus was eerily silent. Smoke lingered in the air, curling into the night like ghostly hands reaching for something misplaced. Avery stood among the remnants, her breathing shallow, each exhale seeming like a struggle against the lethargy seizing her body. Fragments of walls and shattered glass glistened beneath the dim light. Blackthorn College had survived, albeit barely.
Lucas and Russo approached, their expressions a mix of comfort and apprehension. "Avery," Lucas muttered, his eyes examining her for injuries. "You did it." "You stopped them."
