Darkness Descends  

Avery awakened to an uncomfortable silence. The faint hum of machinery and the gentle buzz of lighting fixtures are long gone. She sat up, heart beating, and groped for her smartphone, but the screen remained dark. The electricity went off.

She put on her jacket and dashed out into the hallway, where kids were anxious and whispering to one another. Lucas looked across the nook, his expression filled with terror.

"The entire campus is out," he explained. "No energy, no phones—nothing."

Avery felt a kick back come over her. "This isn't simply Blackthorn, is it?"

He shakes his head. "No. Word is spreading quickly. It's anywhere. People are pronouncing it as global.

Her stomach sank. An international blackout means no conversation, no era, and no resources. And if Blackthorn became the epicenter, the Architect's plan began to materialize, throwing everyone into pandemonium.