The academy didn't sleep that night. Aurelion stood near the courtyard edge, looking up at it. Most of the damage had been cleared, but cracks still spread across the stone floor. Outside the walls, the pieces that had fallen earlier were still there, fixed into the ground like they belonged. Nothing about it felt temporary.
He hadn't really stopped thinking about the island since it appeared. Even now, hours later, it didn't feel right. It wasn't attacking, and it wasn't moving, but that didn't make it better. If anything, the fact that it stayed still made it worse.
Sally walked over and stopped beside him. She followed his gaze for a few seconds before speaking. "It hasn't moved."
"No," Aurelion said.
"That's not good, is it?"
"…No."
They stood there for a bit without saying anything else. Around them, the academy kept moving. Knights changed shifts, mages adjusted barriers, and messengers carried updates. Everything worked, but it didn't feel normal.
