A few moments after Liam delivered the final blow to Biant, the manor around them began to shatter—not in debris, but into millions of glass-like fragments, dissolving into the air. In their place, the familiar sight of the training hall returned, the illusion fading completely.
Charlotte stirred first, flexing her fingers as sensation returned to her limbs. With a grunt, she pushed herself to her feet, now free of the numbing paralysis. Beside her, Liam rotated his right arm experimentally—no stiffness, no pain. Whatever enchantment had affected them was gone.
Across the room, the rest of their eight classmates reappeared as well, scattered and disheveled. Each looked exhausted—sweaty, bruised, and barely upright. Liam and Charlotte exchanged a glance, both silently wondering what kind of mess the others had stumbled into after they'd split.
