Temporal Dominion

A week had passed since the battle between Lucian and Darren.

The academy had returned to its usual rhythm—classes, training, and student rivalries—but an unease lingered in the air.

For Lucian, life had become a careful balance. He attended his lessons, trained under Professor Callen, and tried to ignore the whispers that followed him wherever he went.

Ever since that day, he had been under watch.

The professors were keeping an eye on him. The student council had taken interest in him. Even the academy's heroes-in-training—the elites—had started noticing him.

And Lucian knew why.

Darren had not recovered.

The once-powerful kinetic force user remained bedridden, his body crippled and his ability gone.

Lucian couldn't explain what had happened.

There were gaps in his memory—fragments of battle, flashes of pain, then… nothing.

It haunted him.

"What happened to me that night?"

He clenched his fists as he walked through the academy corridors.

But before he could lose himself in his thoughts—

A sudden noise erupted through the hallways.

A commotion. Students gathering around holoscreens. Voices rising in panic.

Lucian slowed his steps.

His heart lurched as he saw the screen.

BREAKING NEWS:

MYSTERIOUS GROUP DESTROYS ACADEMY OVERNIGHT—MASS CASUALTIES REPORTED

The image on the screen showed ruins.

A once-magnificent institution—Argent Dawn Academy, one of the most prestigious schools on the continent—had been reduced to rubble.

Flames still smoldered from the remains of the academy towers. The entire campus lay in ruins, bodies being pulled from the wreckage by emergency forces.

Survivors were few.

And the attackers had left behind only one symbol.

The same sigil that had been burned into Darren's chest.

An Eclipse.

The news anchor's voice was grim:

"As of this morning, we can confirm that Argent Dawn Academy has been completely annihilated. Witnesses report that the attackers moved with terrifying precision, eliminating all resistance in a single night. This was not an accident—this was a message. A declaration of war from an unknown faction calling themselves the 'Eclipsed Sentinels.' Their motives remain unclear, but one thing is certain—no one is safe."

Silence filled the halls.

Then—

Panic.

Students began murmuring in fear.

"That was one of the greatest academies on the continent…"

"They destroyed it overnight?! That's impossible!"

"If even Argent Dawn wasn't safe… what about us?"

Lucian felt his stomach drop.

He wasn't alone.

The entire academy was shaken.

The professors stood at the edges of the gathered crowd, whispering among themselves with grim expressions.

Even the most powerful students—the members of the Student Council and the Elite Division—looked uneasy.

And for the first time—

Lucian saw terror in their eyes.

—

Academy Faculty Meeting – Crisis Response

That night, deep within the academy's main tower, the faculty and council gathered for an emergency meeting.

At the head of the table, Headmaster Alden Vayle sat with an unreadable expression.

Before him, a hologram displayed the Eclipsed Sentinels' symbol.

"This is no longer a theory," Alden said, his voice calm but heavy. "The Eclipsed Sentinels have revealed themselves to the world. And now, every academy, every hero, and every nation will be watching."

One of the professors, an older woman with a sharp gaze, clenched her fists. "We have to prepare. If Argent Dawn could fall so quickly, we can't assume we're safe."

Another professor, a younger man with a cybernetic eye, exhaled sharply. "They didn't just attack—they erased an entire institution. The strongest professors, the best students… all gone in a single night. We're not dealing with some rogue group. This is calculated."

The room darkened.

Then Callen, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

"This was a warning," he said.

Heads turned.

Callen's fingers tapped against the table. "They didn't just destroy Argent Dawn. They left their symbol behind for all to see. They want us to know they are coming."

Silence.

The weight of those words settled on everyone.

Finally, Alden sighed. "Then we have no choice. We must strengthen our defenses. Increase security. And—"

His golden eyes sharpened.

"—We must find out who they're after."

—

Lucian's Dorm – The Feeling of Being Watched

Back in his room, Lucian sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his hands.

His heart still raced.

Something about the destruction of Argent Dawn… about the Eclipsed Sentinels' attack…

It all felt connected to what happened with Darren.

To him.

"They're coming."

The thought made his chest feel tight.

Lucian didn't know why, but… he had a feeling.

This wasn't just the beginning of a war.

This was something far bigger.

And somehow, he was at the center of it.

A gust of wind brushed against his window.

Lucian froze.

He felt it.

For the briefest moment—

A presence. Watching him.

But when he turned to look—

There was nothing.

Only the shadows outside.

And the lingering feeling that something had just been there.