Libertas Academy

This is not my story.

The voice on the recording was staticky, as though he person recording it was whispering, or in a rush. Maybe both.

I am merely the one who was tasked with telling it. Everything ended many, many years ago, and what's left of the magical community has decided it's time to share our story with all of you.

The person sounded weary, as though it was taking all their energy just to say those few sentences. It was impossible to tell whether they were old or young. There was a tone to it that made me think they'd seen a lot in their life.

If you've found this, that means you have found the Academy. Maybe you are bringing it back to life. Maybe not. Either way, you deserve to know the events that took place there so long ago and why it looks the way it does now.

The academy, as the person had called it, looked decimated. The floors were cracked and the walls were crumbling. There was a musty scent throughout the entire place, mixed with something I couldn't quite place.

The instructors and students who used to reside at the academy - at least, what's left of them - have scattered across the world, as far away from the Claim and anything magical as they can get. Most of them are no longer able to use their powers, and the others just downright refuse to.

I looked out the shattered window to my right. In the middle of the courtyard, among overgrown grass and vines, sat an empty pedestal large enough to fit a car. I'm told that's where the Claim used to be.

We suffered much loss, but then, what else would you expect from war. Many have chosen to forget - never has the Oblitus charm been put to such use. But we must never completely forget, lest history repeat itself, and I don't think our world can take that.

Death. That was the smell. The rotting decay of death. They told me the dead were buried here, out in the forest.

Of course, if history were to repeat itself, you would never see it coming. Nobody would. We didn't. If we had we wouldn't have let her in.

The voice was almost growling with frustration and anger.

We wouldn't have let in that girl-

The tape clicked off.