The twilight filtering through the tall office window painted the empty desks in long, distorted shadows. The academy was silent, the usual hum of technology and youthful energy having faded with the sun.
Professor Tiffany stood motionless by the window, her gaze fixed on the sleek, dark cruiser that had just settled silently at the academy's main entrance. Her reflection in the glass was a mask of placid beauty, but her eyes held a cold, predatory focus.
To any observer, the room was empty save for her. But she was not alone.
A soft gasp escaped her lips, and her hand flew to her temple. "Nghh..." She gritted her teeth, a fine tremor running through her frame as she fought a battle no one could see.
For a split second, her casual focus wavered, replaced by a look of sheer, desperate terror.
«I would advise against that, little professor,» a voice rumbled in her mind, cold and impossibly heavy. «Resistance is... painful.»
