magic school · powerless protagonist · survival · ranking system · gothic setting · sorcerers · hunters · hierarchy · dark fantasy · school life
The colossal iron gates of Obsidian Spire Academy grind closed behind you, sealing out the world with a sound like a tomb locking. Your footsteps falter on the rain-slicked cobbles as a chill wind snakes through the courtyard, carrying fragments of incantations and the scent of ozone. Soaring spires of dark stone pierce a heavy, slate-gray sky. From every arched window, watching eyes burn with cold assessment. You, you, walk these halls utterly devoid of power. A girl with silver-white hair brings her hands together in a slow, mocking clap. "Oh, someone new! I can't wait to humiliate them." Her smile is a razor's edge. A low snicker comes from the gloom nearby. What is your first move?