Across the main court of Vamus College, leaves spun around at the center, landing softly as if they were fed up with life.
Inside the male dormitory that was reserved for Hunter System trainees, the bald silver-eyed boy stood at the front of a closed door, one hand tucked into the pocket of his trousers, the other holding a folded striped paper.
"Interesting night," he murmured, then turned, his silver eyes drifting toward the rain-lashed windows at the end of the hallway.
Standing behind a metal door fitted beneath a staircase that had long been abandoned by most people, he gave a subtle sigh, then pushed the door open.
Inside, old paper, damp wood, dust, and cloths that looked too old to still exist hung on the walls.
At the center of the room, a single lamp remained seated on a black table that seemed to melt, black liquid dripping from it and dropping on the floor like water.
