Ronan stepped out of the cabin with his wand in hand, only to find flames soaring into the sky outside.
In the direction of Hoddam Academy and Dwarf Market, a raging blaze had dyed half the night sky red. The mist at the center seemed to have dispersed somewhat, and vague figures could be seen darting rapidly beneath the firelight.
Water Drop Street lay on the very outskirts of town. Ronan could not make out what exactly was happening at the source of the fire, but he could clearly feel the chaos spreading.
Many people ran out of their homes, their faces filled with fear and panic.
Old Wells hurried over through the darkness.
"What happened?"
Ronan shook his head, about to say that he did not know either.
At that moment, an even more violent boom rang out, seeming both near and far.
"Boom!"
Ronan suddenly turned to look. At the center of town, several enormous fireballs appeared, only to transform in an instant into huge rings of flame after striking something.
Even from such a distance, Ronan seemed able to feel the surging heat rushing toward him, imagining the terrifying temperatures unleashed as those fire rings spread. "A force at the level of an official wizard."
Ronan stood frozen, a shocked murmur escaping his lips.
Then all kinds of news began filtering in from ahead.
"Black robes! Black Robe Wizards from Whispering Forest are in town, killing people everywhere!"
"The Academy has fallen! The Black Robe Wizards have attacked!"
"Run!.."
In an instant, the low-ranking gray robes who had been watching and asking around on the street descended into chaos, scattering in every direction.
Though Ronan refused to believe that an institution as powerful as Hoddam Academy could suddenly be conquered overnight, there was no denying that he