The first day of the second semester felt like stepping into a distant memory. After eleven months in the Well of Miasma and weeks of readjustment, returning to Mythos Academy seemed almost surreal—a slice of normalcy in a life that had become anything but normal.
I found myself noticing details I'd once taken for granted: the sleek hyperloop station with its quantum-balanced suspension tracks, the precisely calibrated inertial dampeners that made the high-speed journey feel like floating, the elegant architecture of the third-year building with its adaptive smart-glass and self-regulating environmental systems.
When I reached Room 3-A, I paused momentarily at the threshold. Ten ergonomic desks arranged in a 5×2 formation awaited their occupants, each station equipped with the latest holographic interfaces and mana-sensitive learning aids. Several of my classmates were already present, their conversations halting as I entered.
