Virelia Academy's Council Tower was a needle in the sky—ten floors above the topmost lecture halls, wrapped in black glass and silence. Few students had ever seen the inside. Fewer returned the same.
Neo Mojaki was summoned before sunrise.
A quiet knock. A white envelope. A seal he didn't recognize, but expected.
He dressed calmly. Standard uniform, buttoned neatly. Journal in pocket. Chess piece in hand. He took the long route—hallways meant for staff. Cameras tracked him slower this time, less certain than yesterday.
Inside the elevator, his reflection watched him.