Avery strolled through the deserted corridors of Blackthorn, her footfall ringing in the silence. Shadows hung on the dividers, and a strange power lingered in the air, almost as if the campus itself had come alive and was watching her. In any event, after all they'd been through — fights, betrayals, even shifts in fact — she had a feeling that something deeper existed beyond Blackthorn's surface, which she had overlooked.
As she handed over the great library, she saw a faint glimmer behind one of the shelves, a smooth light that pulsed as if calling out to her. She ventured closer, her curiosity driving her forward, and saw an ancient e-book half-hidden under a stack of dusty books. Its cowl became weathered, with strange designs she didn't know, symbols that seemed to glow with their own power.
