It’s already night time, Even for evening hours, the campus seemed too quiet, with fewer students wandering between buildings than usual. Ryo sat on his bed in the East Tower room, waiting. Morris still hadn't returned after being led away by Professor Nelron following the afternoon's incident.

  The dampening amulet felt particularly restrictive tonight. Ryo rolled it between his fingers, tempted to remove it completely. The urge to access his full abilities grew stronger as the situation deteriorated, but doing so would immediately alert anyone with magical sensitivity that he was far more than a simple tavern keeper with modest talents.

  A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. He opened the door to find Lydia, her expression tense.

  "Something's happening," she whispered, glancing down the hallway to ensure they weren't overheard. "They're calling in all the research students for an emergency session. Felix just left with his roommate – said Professor Nelron sent runners to gather everyone involved in the special projects."

  "Did they say why?" Ryo stepped back, allowing her to enter the room.

  "Only that they've reached some critical threshold." Lydia closed the door behind her. "Felix looked scared, Ryo. Said there was 'unusual energy building in the dimensional research chamber.' Whatever that means."

  Ryo processed this information quickly. "Critical threshold" matched what Morris had mentioned earlier. If they were gathering all research students, whatever the Old One influence had been building toward was happening tonight.

  "I need to get into that research session," he said, checking the secure communication crystal concealed in his belongings. No messages from Archmage Thorne.

  "How? You're not on the research track, and security around the building has increased. I saw prefects stationed at all entrances." Lydia hesitated. "Including Selene."

  Ryo considered his options. "There might be another way in. When Morris talks about his research, he sometimes mentions accessing the facilities through the library's restricted section – some kind of connected passage."

  "The deep archives," Lydia nodded. "There are rumors about tunnels connecting the oldest Academy buildings underground. But the restricted section is, well, restricted. We'd need a faculty authorization or—"

  "Or we create a distraction," Ryo interrupted, a plan forming. "Something to pull security away from one entrance long enough for me to slip through."

  "We?" Lydia raised an eyebrow. "I don't remember volunteering for this potentially expulsion-worthy adventure."

  Ryo studied her carefully. "You don't have to get involved. In fact, it might be safer if you didn't. But I need to find out what's happening in that research chamber, and I could use help creating a diversion."

  Lydia crossed her arms, considering. "My roommate Eliza is still in the infirmary because of whatever they're doing. And Morris looks half-dead already." She sighed. "What kind of distraction did you have in mind?"

  "Something magical but controlled. Attention-grabbing but not dangerous." Ryo thought for a moment. "The experimental light displays they were teaching in Advanced Illumination last week – could you reproduce any of those?"

  A small smile crossed Lydia's face. "I might have been practicing them after hours. The northern courtyard has poor visibility from the main security posts but can be seen from most dormitory windows. Set something flashy enough up there, and half the student body will be watching – including security."

  "Perfect. Can you make it last at least ten minutes?"

  "Fifteen if I layer the energies properly." She looked at him seriously. "But what exactly are you planning to do once you get in? If Professor Nelron and the others are involved in something dangerous enough to affect students this way, confronting them alone seems... unwise."

  Ryo couldn't explain his full capabilities without revealing his cover, so he settled for a partial truth. "I'm not planning to confront anyone yet. Just gather evidence – find the texts Eliza mentioned, see what they're actually doing in this research session."

  "And then what? Report to Archmage Thorne?"

  "Something like that."

  Lydia didn't look entirely convinced but nodded anyway. "The light display will start at half-past the ninth bell. That should give you about fifteen minutes before the prefects reorganize."

  "Thank you," Ryo said sincerely. "And Lydia – if something goes wrong, if you don't see me by morning, take what you know to Professor Valerian. Not Thorne, not any other administrator. Just Valerian."

  "Why her specifically?"

  "She asks the right questions," Ryo replied. "And doesn't seem connected to what's happening with the research students."

  After Lydia left to prepare the distraction, Ryo made his own preparations. He couldn't bring the communication crystal – too risky if he was caught – but he did loosen the dampening amulet slightly, adjusting it so he could access more of his power if absolutely necessary while still maintaining his cover.

  At precisely half-past the ninth bell, multicolored lights erupted in the northern courtyard. Even from his window, Ryo could see the spectacular display – ribbons of magical energy twisting into complex patterns, pulsing with rhythmic intensity. Shouts of appreciation echoed across the campus as students rushed to windows for a better view.

  Perfect.

  Ryo slipped out of his room and moved quickly through the East Tower. As expected, most students and even the residential prefect were distracted by the light show. He made his way toward the Ancient Library, staying to shadows and less-traveled paths.

  The massive library occupied one of the Academy's oldest buildings, its stone walls imbued with centuries of protective enchantments. The main entrance remained guarded despite the distraction, but a smaller side door used by maintenance staff was momentarily unattended.

  Entering required a simple manipulation of the lock mechanism – technically within the abilities of a moderately talented first-year student, though not one officially taught by the Academy. Inside, the library was dimly lit, with only emergency magical lamps illuminating the towering shelves.

  The restricted section occupied the entire west wing, sealed by additional wards and a physical barrier. Two prefects normally guarded the entrance, but as Ryo approached, he found only one remaining – the other presumably investigating the light display.

  The remaining guard was a senior student Ryo didn't recognize. He would need another distraction to get past. Looking around, Ryo spotted a research table piled with ancient tomes. With careful application of a minor air manipulation spell, he sent the pile tumbling to the floor with a resonating crash.

  The prefect immediately moved to investigate, leaving the restricted section entrance momentarily unguarded. Ryo slipped through, quickly disabling the notification ward with a precise energy disruption. Inside, the restricted section felt different from the rest of the library – the air heavier, the magical ambience more intense.

  Finding the entrance to the deep archives proved more challenging. Ryo moved methodically through the restricted stacks, scanning for any signs of hidden passages. He recalled Morris mentioning something about a "lower research repository" accessible only to special project students.

  After several tense minutes, Ryo discovered an ornate bookshelf that registered strangely to his magical senses. The books appeared normal, but the shelf itself contained embedded wards far more complex than simple protection spells.

  Pressing his hand against the wooden frame, Ryo carefully probed the magical structure. The defensive wards were sophisticated but followed standard Academy patterns – designed to keep untrained students out, not to resist someone with his experience. With precise energy manipulation, he bypassed the outer layer of protection, revealing a secondary mechanism.

  The bookshelf silently slid aside, exposing a narrow staircase descending into darkness. Ryo created a small floating light – a basic spell that wouldn't trigger alarm wards – and started down the steps.

  The staircase extended deeper than expected, eventually opening into a wide underground tunnel lined with ancient stonework. Magical lamps flickered to life as he passed, responding to his presence. The tunnel itself bore signs of regular use – the floor was worn smooth, with no dust or debris accumulating.

  Following the passage, Ryo soon heard voices echoing from ahead. He extinguished his light and proceeded more cautiously, the dampening amulet limiting his magical senses but not his lifetimes of experience moving undetected.

  The tunnel widened into a larger space that appeared to be a nexus connecting multiple underground passages. Arcane markings covered the junction walls, forming a complex directional system. One passage was marked with the symbol of the research building; another bore the administration tower's insignia.

  As Ryo examined the markings, footsteps approached from one of the connected tunnels. He quickly concealed himself in an alcove, dampening his presence further.

  Two students emerged into the junction – one Ryo recognized as a third-year from the advanced research track, the other unfamiliar. Both moved with the same disturbing intensity he'd observed in Morris, their conversations focused entirely on formulaic equations and energy measurement protocols.

  "Nelron says we're reaching alignment at midnight," the unfamiliar student was saying. "All research teams must complete their sequence preparations before the final convergence."

  "Is it true Blackwell lost control during a demonstration today?" asked the other. "The energy should not be manifesting visibly yet."

  "An anomaly. Nelron believes he was responding to another power source present during the demonstration." The student's voice took on an unsettling monotone. "The tavern keeper. Something about his energy signature requires investigation."

  Ryo tensed at the mention of his cover identity. If Nelron was specifically interested in him after the incident with Darius, his time to operate undetected was running short.

  The students continued down the passage marked with the research building's symbol. Once they were out of sight, Ryo followed at a careful distance, noting how the tunnel's magical ambience changed subtly as they progressed – growing heavier, more oppressive, with underlying frequencies that didn't belong to normal magical energy.

  The passage eventually terminated at another staircase leading upward. Above, Ryo could hear the murmur of many voices and feel the distinctive pulsing of concentrated magical energy – far more than should be generated by a normal research session.

  At the top of the stairs, a heavy door stood partially open, allowing Ryo to observe without immediately revealing his presence. Beyond lay a massive circular chamber that must occupy a significant portion of the research building's lower levels, though he'd seen no indication of this space from the surface.

  The chamber was filled with students and faculty arranged in concentric circles, each focusing on different aspects of what appeared to be an enormous magical working. In the center stood an elaborate construction of enchanted crystals and metals, forming a framework around a central empty space. The framework pulsed with energy, occasionally discharging arcs of power that contained the same unnatural purple undertones Ryo had observed in Darius's flames.

  Professor Nelron directed the proceedings from an elevated platform, his normally composed academic demeanor replaced by feverish intensity. Beside him stood Prefect Selene, her perfect posture and calm expression a stark contrast to the chaotic energy filling the room.

  Ryo scanned the assembled participants, quickly locating several people of interest. Morris was positioned in the innermost circle, his hands manipulating complex energy patterns while reciting formulas in a language that didn't belong to this realm. Darius Blackwell occupied a similar position on the opposite side, his noble bearing now completely subsumed by the same mechanical focus that affected all the research students.

  What caught Ryo's attention most, however, was the massive book on a pedestal near Nelron. Even from a distance, Ryo could see the distinctive symbols covering its open pages – geometric patterns that seemed to shift and move when viewed directly, arranged in sequences that created disgusting distortions in the surrounding reality.

  This had to be the text Eliza had mentioned – not just ancient knowledge but a direct connection to Outside forces, its very existence a violation of natural barriers between realms.

  "The alignment approaches," Nelron announced, his voice carrying an unnatural resonance. "Stabilize your sequences. Maintain the harmonic patterns exactly as instructed."

  The assembled students and faculty adjusted their magical workings in unison, creating a hypnotic synchronization that sent shivers of wrongness through the chamber. The framework at the center began to emit a low hum that vibrated at frequencies painful to human senses.

  Ryo needed to see more, to understand exactly what they were attempting to create. Moving with practiced stealth, he slipped through the door and concealed himself behind a stack of equipment near the chamber's outer wall. From this new vantage point, he could observe the central framework more clearly.

  It wasn't just a magical construct – it was a doorway. The carefully arranged crystals and metals formed a perfect dimensional gateway, designed to create a stable passage between realms. The empty space at its center occasionally rippled with distortions that momentarily revealed glimpses of something beyond – vast, impossible geometries and fragments of a reality that shouldn't be accessible.

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  This was far worse than Ryo had anticipated. They weren't just researching dimensional boundaries or communing with Outside entities – they were actively constructing a physical gateway to bring something through.

  "Sequence three, prepare for activation," Nelron called out, consulting the ancient text. "Boundary resonance must achieve perfect stability before the final invocation."

  The students in the third circle began a complex casting sequence, their movements synchronized with disturbing precision. As they worked, the air above the framework shimmered, the barrier between realities growing visibly thinner.

  Ryo knew he couldn't wait any longer. This wasn't just corruption – it was an imminent incursion. If the gateway stabilized enough for physical transfer between realms, the consequences would be catastrophic.

  He needed to alert Archmage Thorne immediately, but leaving now meant losing track of exactly how far the working had progressed. He needed more information about the ritual's structure and any vulnerabilities in the process.

  Moving carefully around the chamber's perimeter, Ryo approached a table covered with research notes and diagrams. Scanning them quickly, he recognized Morris's handwriting among others, detailing energy calculations and alignment formulas. The notes confirmed his worst fears – the gateway was designed to create a permanent connection, not just a temporary opening.

  As he examined the materials, a sudden silence fell over the chamber. Ryo looked up to find every eye turned in his direction. At the center, Professor Nelron's face twisted into a cold smile.

  "We have an uninvited observer," he announced, his voice echoing unnaturally. "How fortunate. We were just discussing the need to investigate your unusual energy patterns, tavern keeper."

  Prefect Selene stepped forward, her movements too smooth, too precise. "I told you to be careful where you looked, Ryo of Millbrook. Some knowledge isn't meant for ordinary students."

  Ryo straightened, abandoning stealth for a more direct approach. "This isn't research. It's a summoning ritual. You're creating a permanent gateway for the Old Ones."

  Murmurs rippled through the assembled students, though none broke formation or stopped their work on the gateway.

  "Old Ones," Nelron repeated, amused. "Such a primitive term for beings of such transcendent knowledge. We prefer to call them the Elder Consciousness – entities who existed before the arbitrary limitations of our reality were established."

  "They've corrupted you," Ryo stated flatly. "All of you. This isn't academic advancement – it's invasion."

  "Corrupted?" Nelron laughed, the sound echoing wrongly. "No, we've been enlightened. Shown the fundamental truths behind reality's thin fa?ade. The symbols in these texts aren't just knowledge – they're keys to understanding existence itself."

  As he spoke, the gateway framework pulsed more intensely, the empty space at its center swirling with unnatural energies. The students maintained their casting, apparently unbothered by the interruption.

  "And what do your Elder Consciousness want in return for this enlightenment?" Ryo asked, buying time while assessing potential ways to disrupt the ritual.

  "Merely access," Nelron replied. "A stable connection between realms, allowing exchange of knowledge and eventual... immigration."

  "They want bodies," Ryo translated bluntly. "Physical forms in this realm. Starting with yours."

  Something flashed across Nelron's face – a moment of doubt or fear quickly suppressed. "Temporary physical manifestation is merely one aspect of a much broader communion."

  Ryo noted that reaction. Despite the deep corruption, something of Nelron's original consciousness remained aware enough to fear the consequences of what he was helping create.

  "You've seen how it affects your students," Ryo pressed, directing his words at that remaining fragment of the professor's true self. "Morris, Darius, the others – they're being consumed by this influence. Is that the academic legacy you wanted, Professor? Students turned into empty vessels for Outside entities?"

  Uncertainty flickered in Nelron's expression before Prefect Selene stepped forward.

  "Enough distraction," she said, her voice carrying the same unnatural resonance that permeated the chamber. "The alignment approaches its critical phase. Secure him for the offering."

  Several students broke from the outer circle, moving toward Ryo with mechanical precision. Their eyes held the same vacant intensity he'd observed in Morris, their movements unnaturally coordinated.

  Ryo had a split-second decision to make. Maintain his cover completely and likely become another sacrifice to whatever was coming through the gateway, or reveal enough of his true abilities to escape and alert Thorne.

  The choice was obvious.

  As the first students reached for him, Ryo loosened the dampening amulet further, accessing more of his power than he'd allowed himself since arriving at the Academy. With a precise gesture, he created a controlled shockwave of force that pushed his attackers back without causing serious injury.

  "He's stronger than reported," Selene observed dispassionately. "Professor Nelron, the gateway requires additional energy for stabilization. Perhaps our uninvited guest could provide it more directly."

  Nelron nodded, turning to the ancient text and beginning an incantation in that same wrong language Ryo had heard earlier. The symbols on the page began to glow with sickly purple light, reaching tendrils of energy toward Ryo.

  This was no ordinary magic – it was direct Outside influence manifesting through the symbols, attempting to establish control. Had Ryo been a normal mage, even a powerful one, the corruption would have been nearly impossible to resist.

  But Ryo was far from normal. Drawing on deeper reserves of power, he created a protective barrier around himself – not the standard shields taught by the Academy, but a dimensional boundary reinforcement that specifically rejected Outside influence.

  The tendrils of purple energy recoiled from his shield, unable to penetrate. Shock registered on Nelron's face, quickly replaced by calculating interest.

  "Fascinating," the professor murmured. "You're more than you appear, tavern keeper. Your energy signature... it's not just constrained, it's fundamentally different." He turned to Selene. "Adjust the resonance pattern. Focus all secondary channels on containment."

  The students responded immediately, shifting their casting to surround Ryo completely. The air grew heavy with concentrated magical energy, pressing against his shields from all directions.

  Ryo knew he couldn't maintain his position. Even with the dampening amulet partially loosened, fighting an entire room of corrupted mages while defending against Outside influence would quickly deplete his available power. He needed to retreat, alert Thorne, and return with enough force to disrupt the gateway properly.

  The most direct escape route was blocked by controlled students. The tunnel he'd entered through remained his best option, but reaching it required creating a significant distraction.

  Focusing on the research notes he'd examined earlier, Ryo identified a critical weakness in the gateway's construction. The alignment depended on perfect stability in the third sequence – the very one currently being maintained by the circle of students.

  With careful precision, Ryo sent a focused pulse of energy into the floor beneath that circle, creating just enough physical disruption to break their concentration. The effect was immediate and dramatic. The carefully balanced energies destabilized, sending feedback through the entire system.

  The gateway framework shuddered, discharging arcs of wild energy across the chamber. Students fell back from their positions as the carefully constructed patterns collapsed.

  "Stabilize the alignment!" Nelron shouted, his composure breaking completely. "Don't let the connection fail!"

  In the ensuing chaos, Ryo made his move. Reinforcing his shields, he pushed through the disorganized students toward the tunnel entrance. Several tried to intercept him, but their movements were desperate and uncoordinated now that the ritual's precise structure had collapsed.

  Prefect Selene appeared before him, her perfect composure finally shattered. "You have no idea what you've done," she hissed, her voice fluctuating between her own and something deeper, older. "The preparation, the alignments – do you know how long it took to create the perfect conditions?"

  "Long enough to corrupt half the Academy," Ryo replied, gathering energy for what might be needed next. "It ends tonight, Selene. Whatever's influencing you, whatever's trying to come through – it doesn't belong here."

  "You know nothing of belonging," she snarled, abandoning all pretense of the perfect prefect. Her hands moved in casting patterns that belonged to no Academy teaching, drawing on energies that distorted the air around her. "They were here before your kind even existed! This realm was theirs long before it was yours!"

  She launched an attack unlike anything taught in Academy classes – raw, corrupted power shaped by Outside influence into patterns designed to unravel a target's very existence. Against a normal opponent, even a master mage, it would have been devastating.

  But Ryo had faced such attacks before, across many lifetimes. Instead of trying to block the energy directly, he shifted slightly sideways in reality – not a full dimensional step, just enough displacement to let the worst of the attack pass through where he had been rather than where he now stood.

  The corrupted energy crashed into the wall behind him, leaving disturbing distortions in the stone itself. Before Selene could recover from her surprise, Ryo closed the distance between them and pressed his hand directly against her forehead.

  "I'm sorry," he said quietly, then channeled a purifying energy directly into her mind – not enough to cleanse the corruption completely, but sufficient to temporarily disrupt the Outside influence controlling her actions.

  Selene's eyes widened in shock, clarity briefly returning before she collapsed unconscious. Ryo caught her before she hit the floor, laying her carefully aside. The momentary display of genuine power had not gone unnoticed. Across the chamber, Professor Nelron was staring at him with a mixture of fear and revelation.

  "Worldwalker," the professor whispered, the word carrying despite the chaos around them. "You're the one from Millbrook. The one they warned us about."

  That confirmed Ryo's suspicions – Nelron wasn't just corrupted; he was in direct communication with Old One entities who knew exactly who Ryo was and what he represented.

  The gateway framework shuddered more violently, the destabilized energies creating unpredictable effects throughout the chamber. Students were fleeing now, the ritual's control completely broken. Some still moved with that mechanical precision, trying to salvage what they could of the working, but most had reverted to frightened young mages way out of their depth.

  Ryo took advantage of the confusion to reach the tunnel entrance. As he prepared to descend the stairs, he spotted Morris still at his position near the gateway, face blank, hands moving mechanically through casting patterns despite the chaos around him.

  Ryo couldn't leave him like that. Making a quick detour, he grabbed his roommate's arm, breaking his concentration. "Morris! We need to go, now!"

  Morris turned empty eyes toward him, no recognition visible. "The sequence must be completed. The gateway must stabilize."

  "The gateway is collapsing, and this whole chamber might go with it," Ryo insisted, pulling harder. "Whatever they've done to you, whatever you think you're accomplishing – it's not worth your life."

  For a moment, confusion crossed Morris's face – a flicker of his true self fighting through the corruption. He looked around as if seeing the chaos for the first time, his mechanical movements faltering.

  "I don't... what's happening?" he asked, his voice suddenly his own again. "Ryo? Why are you..." His gaze fixed on the gateway framework, which was now emitting a high-pitched whine as its constituent parts vibrated beyond safe parameters. "Oh gods, the containment is failing. We have to evacuate!"

  That was enough of the real Morris breaking through to give Ryo hope. He pulled his roommate toward the tunnel entrance, other students now following as they realized the danger.

  Behind them, Nelron was making a last desperate attempt to salvage the gateway, the ancient text clutched in one hand while he manipulated energies with the other. The symbols on the pages glowed with increasing intensity, responding to his frantic incantations.

  "It's too late to stop what's coming," the professor called after Ryo, his voice echoing unnaturally. "The connection has been established, even if this particular gateway fails. They know you're here now, worldwalker. They remember what you did before, and they've prepared accordingly."

  Ryo hesitated at the tunnel entrance, torn between escaping with Morris and confronting Nelron directly. The professor's words carried a concerning implication – that this wasn't the only attempt being made to establish connection with Outside entities.

  But before he could decide, the gateway framework reached critical failure. The carefully aligned crystals shattered simultaneously, releasing their stored energy in a violent discharge that rippled through the chamber. The floor cracked, equipment exploded, and the very air seemed to tear in places as uncontrolled dimensional energies sought release.

  "Run!" Ryo shouted to Morris and the other students crowding the tunnel entrance. "Get as far from the research building as possible!"

  He followed them into the passage, the sounds of destruction echoing behind them. The tunnel itself began to shake, ancient stone groaning under magical stress it was never designed to withstand.

  They reached the junction of passages just as a rumbling collapse sounded from the direction of the research chamber. Dust and debris filled the air, magical discharges creating unpredictable effects throughout the underground complex.

  "Which way leads out fastest?" Ryo demanded of Morris, who still appeared dazed but functional.

  "Library," Morris pointed, coughing through the dust. "Shortest path to the surface."

  Ryo herded the fleeing students toward the library passage, counting as they ran past. At least twenty had made it out of the chamber, but he knew there had been many more involved in the ritual. How many remained trapped with Nelron, or had fled through other exits, was impossible to determine.

  The passage to the library remained intact despite the continuing tremors. As they ascended the stairs back to the restricted section, magical alarms began sounding throughout the Academy – automated warnings triggered by the massive energy discharge from the collapsed gateway.

  They emerged into the library to find it in chaos. The magical disturbance had triggered protective wards throughout the building, creating a cacophony of alarm signals and defensive responses. Other students and faculty were rushing toward exits, confused and frightened by the unexpected emergency.

  "Everyone out of the building!" Ryo directed, ensuring Morris and the other escaped research students were moving toward safety. "Head for the central courtyard!"

  Outside, the night sky was illuminated by magical discharges coming from the research building. Parts of its structure were collapsing inward, consumed by uncontrolled dimensional energies released from the failed gateway. Academy security personnel and faculty members were evacuating nearby buildings, establishing containment barriers around the affected area.

  In the confusion, Ryo spotted Archmage Thorne directing emergency responses, his calm authority a stabilizing presence amid the chaos. Nearby stood Professor Valerian, helping disoriented students away from danger.

  Morris grabbed Ryo's arm, his eyes clearer now but filled with horror. "What have we done? Those formulas, the gateway... it wasn't just research, was it? We were trying to bring something through."

  "Not your fault," Ryo assured him. "You were being influenced, all of you. The symbols in that text, the rituals Nelron had you performing – they were designed to corrupt gradually, to make you participants without full awareness."

  "But I remember enough," Morris said, his voice shaking. "The voices, the visions of what waited on the other side..." He looked toward the collapsing research building. "Nelron is still in there, isn't he? And Selene. And others."

  Ryo nodded grimly. "I couldn't get everyone out."

  "Ryo!" Lydia's voice cut through the noise as she pushed through the crowd. "What happened? The light display was still going when everything started shaking, and then the alarms—" She stopped, noticing Morris. "You found him!"

  "He found me," Morris corrected, still visibly struggling with the implications of what he'd been part of. "Or maybe saved me is more accurate."

  Before they could explain further, Academy security personnel began organizing evacuated students, separating them by dormitory affiliation for accounting purposes. A harried-looking prefect directed them toward the gathering point for East Tower residents.

  "We need to talk to Archmage Thorne," Ryo told Lydia and Morris quietly. "What happened tonight wasn't an accident or a research mishap. It was deliberate, and there may be other attempts."

  "Other attempts at what?" Lydia asked, but her question was interrupted by the arrival of more security staff.

  "All students report to your designated assembly areas immediately," announced a senior prefect. "This is not a drill. Follow evacuation protocols."

  As they moved toward the East Tower gathering point, Ryo noticed Darius Blackwell among the evacuees. The noble student looked disoriented and confused, the arrogance entirely gone from his demeanor. Whatever influence had been controlling him appeared to have broken when the gateway collapsed.

  The Academy grounds had transformed into a controlled emergency zone. Faculty members established containment barriers around the research building, preventing the unstable energies from spreading further. Medical staff tended to injured students, most suffering from magical shock rather than physical trauma.

  Amid the organized chaos, Ryo caught Archmage Thorne's eye across the courtyard. The older mage gave a barely perceptible nod before turning back to his emergency duties. That small acknowledgment confirmed they would speak later, once the immediate crisis was managed.

  For now, Ryo would need to play his role – the concerned but unremarkable student caught up in events beyond his understanding. But the truth of what had nearly happened tonight, and Nelron's ominous warning about other connections being established, weighed heavily on his mind.

  The Old Ones had made their move through the Academy. They knew Ryo was here, knew what he was capable of. And despite tonight's setback, Nelron's final words suggested this was just one part of a larger strategy.

  As dawn approached and the worst of the magical disturbances subsided, Ryo stood with the other East Tower students, watching Academy mages finally stabilize the collapsed research building. The immediate danger had passed, but the real threat – the network of corruption spreading through the Academy and beyond – remained.

  And now it knew exactly who stood against it.