I stepped through the portal thingy.
My shadow titan buddy melted back into the shadows at my feet, a quiet little hum that only I could feel.
The two guards, the Sentinels, clomped down the stairs after me.
This staircase was designed to make you feel like crap—carved from the same black rock as the school up top, with glowing silver runes that pulsed like a slow, creepy heartbeat.
It felt less like a school and more like some high-tech dungeon.
The stairs finally opened up into this huge, church-like room.
You couldn't even see the ceiling, it was so dark.
The floor was a giant circle made of more glowing runes.
Dozens of other newbies were scattered around, all wearing the same boring black training clothes.
They all stood around in little groups, looking tense and sizing everyone up.
This wasn't a welcome party.
It was a shark tank, and I was the fresh meat.
My "Aura of Fear" skill was making the air all staticky, and it worked like bug spray.
