Elder Tyoga's tower rose at the edge of the faculty district, tall and unornamented, a dark spire that did not need decoration to command respect.
The pressure surrounding the place grew heavier with every floor they climbed. It was not the gravity of the planet, nor any visible magical force. It was simply the presence of the man who lived at the top of the tower.
The doors opened before they could knock.
Inside, the chamber was wide and minimalistic, illuminated by a warm amber glow that seemed to come from nowhere in particular.
And they were not the first ones there.
Lyra stood near the window with her arms crossed tightly, her cat ears pressed flat against her blond hair. Rivera sat quietly beside her, composed on the surface, though the tension in her posture was unmistakable. Ryzen sat on the edge of a chair as though it might explode beneath him at any moment, fidgeting nervously, his usual cheerfulness nowhere to be seen.
The entire team had already been summoned.
