The room had no windows.
It wasn't underground.
The air was too clean and dry for that. Still, the room had been built so that no light could enter or leave. The stone walls were bare and old, holding a deep silence within them. A long table stood in the center of the room.
Several people sat around it.
Their faces were hidden by shadows and hoods. The only source of light was a mana lamp placed in the middle of the table. Its dim glow barely lit the room.
Seven people sat at the table.
Maybe more stood in the darkness beyond the lamp's reach. It was impossible to tell.
The person who spoke first sat at the head of the table.
His voice was calm and steady.
"The timeline continues whether we are ready or not," he said. "It has always been that way. The real question is not our preparation. The question is whether we are in the right position."
"The academy?" asked the person sitting to his left.
