The world snapped back into focus in a flash of blue light.
My boots hit marble, the battlefield gone in an instant, no more blood, no more smoke, no more howling monsters. Just the polished chill of the Academy auditorium and the stunned chatter of students blinking back into existence around me.
And sitting proudly atop my head, tail flicking with smug satisfaction, was Sacha.
The little tiger yawned, stretched, and purred. "Papa did good. Mammoth went boom-boom."
I smirked. "You helped."
"Obviously," she said, grooming herself as if nothing had happened.
All around us, students were reappearing one by one, some cheering, others slumping to the floor in exhausted relief. Someone groaned nearby, "Who the hell throws their sword through space?"
I turned toward them and shrugged casually. "You're welcome for the show."
The guy just stared at me like he wasn't sure if I was serious. (I was.)
Then, the lights dimmed.
