A long, resounding blast echoed through the forest edge.
Not from any horn or trumpet—but from a tall obelisk-like structure carved with dozens of runes, positioned near the clearing where all the participants stood. Its center pulsed with light as the sound rang out, and in that instant, every participant's bracelet flickered to life.
A faint glow surrounded their wrists, followed by a soft chime. The magic embedded within had activated—an emergency defense system that would trigger only when the user's life was in critical danger. The fail-safe. Their one and only.
Dozens of shimmering orbs floated up from another cluster of runes nearby, each engraved with sigils for vision and tracking.
Magical drones.
One orb zipped toward each participant, hovering a meter behind them.
Noel glanced over his shoulder at his assigned drone. "Well, guess privacy's out the window," he muttered under his breath.
