The Cult’s Prize

I ducked low, weaving through the chaos, my satchel tight against my side. The portal was my only hope—if I could get through it, if I could reach the city, I could hide, survive, maybe get a letter out to Lucian. This all went beyond my feelings, beyond whatever had happened between us, and I knew if anyone could do something to stop these psychos, it would be him.

A pulse of magic exploded across the courtyard. My ears rang as the impact sent a shockwave through the crowd, knocking people off their feet. I barely managed to stay upright, my balance wavering as the ground shifted beneath me.

It wasn't just the ground, everyone was growing darker, and reality itself was warping, changing. I stumbled, gasping, as the Academy courtyard changed before my eyes. The pristine stone, the rows of chairs, the ceremonial banners, the trees that nearly glowed with mana—all of it melted away, replaced by… Oh god, I'm back at the temple.