Atlas' POV
*****
9:45am, Crimson Expanse.
He drew in a heavy breath, eyes fixed on the shimmering portal before them. His partner— Inari Kuroda—was fortunately not the type to chase small talk.
She barely gave him a smile, snapping her neck and fingers like they were about to charge into war.
Because they were.
"The Witch trials this year will focus on a core principle of witchcraft," Dean Thorne was the one who spoke this time, voice booming through the field without a microphone. "Magic is not all about power. It's also about balance. Precision. And the ability to adapt with your spells and knowledge."
Subconsciously, Atlas glanced at their opponents.
White Flame's witches were two girls, both of whom seemed to be in their early twenties. One had short, chestnut hair and green eyes, while the other had long, dyed purple hair and eyes sharp like twin stars.
The girls noticed his glance and spun their necks to him simultaneously—neither of them were impressed.
