The sun hung high over the sprawling courtyard, casting long shadows beneath the watchful gaze of the academy's towering spires. The training grounds buzzed with the voices of cadets, the clash of wooden weapons, and the crackle of controlled magic. Among the chaos stood a woman in a sleek black coat, her posture relaxed but authoritative, eyes sharp as they swept over the gathered cadets.
Selene Kaelith was a name many cadets had begun to whisper in both awe and uncertainty. She had only arrived a few days prior, but her reputation was already solidifying. Calm, poised, and exacting, she carried herself with the confidence of someone who had seen far too much of the world—and walked away from it stronger.
"Form ranks," she said calmly, but her voice cut cleanly through the noise. The cadets obeyed without question.
