Alex stood in front of the massive floor-to-ceiling window, sipping the last of his lukewarm tea.
He let the ceramic cup hover mid-air with a casual flick of his finger, mana weaving around it like soft ribbons before it floated gently onto a nearby tray with a soft clink.
His gaze softened, absorbing the golden light of the setting sun as it stretched across the sprawling campus grounds of Zenith Academy.
Crimson rays painted the futuristic towers and cultivated greenery in hues of fire and calm.
Peace.
Finally.
His shoulders eased. A rare moment of quiet. Of stillness. Of being alone with his thoughts.
'What a beautiful evening,' he mused. 'After such a troublesome day… it's almost poetic how peaceful this is now. Maybe I'll take a short nap. I hope no more trouble arises.'
Then came the soft chime.
{ Alex, someone is at the door. }
Zara's calm, melodic voice echoed from the apartment's audio nodes, shattering the silence like a thrown pebble across glassy water.
