Just like Sylvie, Elana sensed that something wasn't right. But unlike the princess, she had a solid reason to believe trouble was coming.
She often wandered the forest downhill, always on the lookout for something to hunt. To her, real combat was the best kind of training. Even during the mid-term exams—on the second day, no less—she was out there, training as usual. That's when she saw them.
They weren't tourists. They weren't travelers. These were trained fighters. The moment Elana got close, they vanished—erasing their presence so quickly and smoothly, it was clear they knew what they were doing. She couldn't catch them, and the academy's security hadn't found any trace of them either.
That's when it clicked. If they weren't hostile and hadn't attacked, then they must've been invited. And the school only brings in outside help when the Headmistress believes something truly dangerous is coming—something even she can't handle.
So, Elana had started preparing herself.
