A Murder At The Academy

Ludwig left the tower that evening, the cool night air brushing against his skeletal frame as he made his way back to the academy. The road was quiet, the usual hustle and bustle of the day replaced by an eerie stillness. The solitude gave him time to reflect, and he decided to check on something he had been saving for later.

He waved his hand, and the Umbra Codex materialized in front of him. The ancient book floated in the air, its dark pages fluttering as if alive. Ludwig's hollow eyes scanned the pages, his curiosity piqued.

The first page displayed a drawing of a shadowy creature—a mix between a cat and a dog, its form fluid and indistinct. It was the same Umbral Hound that had guarded the book when Ludwig first encountered it. The symbols surrounding the drawing were illegible, their meaning lost to him. For a moment, Ludwig felt as though the hound's glowing eyes were watching him from within the pages, its presence palpable.