Silence lingered throughout the chamber.
Every pair of eyes remained fixed upon Pythia.
She neither flinched...
...nor lowered her gaze.
Instead—
she spoke with absolute certainty.
"...The moment I witnessed it..."
She placed a hand over her chest.
"...I recognized my True Lord."
"...The One I chose to serve."
"...There has never been the slightest doubt in my heart since."
Her dark eyes slowly swept across the gathered cultists.
"...If none of you believe my words..."
"...then the solution is simple."
A brief pause.
"...Verify them."
Several brows furrowed.
Pythia continued calmly.
"...Open the breach."
"...Everything will become clear."
She gestured toward Draven.
"...That..."
"...is why we came."
"...My Lord requires the breach to be opened."
"...Once it is..."
"...all of you will witness the truth for yourselves."
Silence settled over the chamber.
The gathered cultists exchanged uncertain glances.
One finally stepped forward.
"...Ridiculous."
Another slowly shook his head.
"...Your testimony alone proves nothing."
A third spoke coldly.
"...Faith has clouded your judgment."
"...You may truly believe what you're saying..."
"...but belief is not proof."
Another raised his staff slightly.
"...For all we know..."
"...you have already fallen under his influence."
"...Or perhaps you've been deceived."
He narrowed his eyes.
"...How are we supposed to distinguish truth from madness?"
Pythia remained perfectly composed.
"...Then witness it yourselves."
The cultist answered immediately.
"...No."
"...We will not gamble the opening of a breach..."
"...on the words of a single apostate."
Another nodded.
"...Opening a breach requires tremendous preparation."
"...Resources."
"...Lives."
"...Authority."
"...You ask us to risk all of that..."
"...because you claim to have witnessed a miracle."
"...That is not enough."
Several others voiced their agreement.
"...Her claims cannot be verified."
"...Not like this."
"...The risk is unacceptable."
Only then—
did the masked elder finally speak.
His calm, aged voice echoed through the chamber.
"...Young Pythia."
"...Your conviction is genuine."
"...That much..."
"...I do not doubt."
He slowly turned his gaze toward Draven.
"...However..."
"...Conviction is not evidence."
His hands remained clasped behind his back.
"...You ask us to perform one of the cult's most sacred rituals."
"...A ritual capable of inviting catastrophe if mishandled."
"...Based solely upon your personal testimony."
He paused.
"...That is impossible."
The elder's hidden gaze settled upon Draven.
"...If this young vampire truly possesses the ability you claim..."
"...then he should have no difficulty proving it..."
"...without first asking us to place our faith in him."
Silence settled over the chamber once more.
The elder's words lingered heavily in the air.
Every cultist waited.
Their eyes remained fixed upon Draven.
He stood motionless.
His expression never changed.
Several seconds passed.
Then—
"...I don't care."
His calm voice echoed throughout the chamber.
"...Whether you believe..."
"...or not."
The elder remained silent.
Draven continued.
"...I'm not here..."
"...to convince anyone."
"...Nor am I interested in proving anything."
His crimson eyes slowly swept across the gathered cultists.
"...Believe."
"...Don't believe."
"...It makes no difference to me."
A faint pressure gradually spread from his body.
"...I only require one thing."
"...Open the breach."
One of the cultists scoffed.
"...And if we refuse?"
Draven answered immediately.
"...Then I'll make you cooperate."
Several magic circles flickered into existence once more.
The atmosphere within the chamber instantly grew tense.
The elder slowly raised a single hand.
The circles faded.
Silence returned.
His hidden gaze never left Draven.
"...You speak with confidence."
"...Yet confidence alone cannot move us."
A brief pause.
"...Nor can threats."
Another long silence followed.
Then—
he slowly turned toward Pythia.
"...Young Pythia."
"...Do you understand..."
"...what it would mean..."
"...if your claim were true?"
She answered without hesitation.
"...I do."
"...Everything the Order has sought..."
"...would change."
The elder gave a slow nod.
"...Precisely."
His gaze lowered slightly.
"...That is why..."
"...I can neither accept your words..."
"...nor dismiss them outright."
The chamber became deathly silent.
Even the cultists remained perfectly still.
The elder appeared lost in thought.
After several long moments—
he finally spoke.
"...Very well."
Several cultists immediately looked toward him.
"...E-Elder?"
He ignored them.
"...I will not authorize the opening of a breach."
A few of the cultists quietly relaxed.
"...However..."
Their expressions immediately stiffened again.
The elder looked directly at Draven.
"...Neither will I reject your request."
"...Not yet."
He paused.
"...First..."
"...I will determine whether your existence..."
"...is truly worthy of consideration."
Another brief silence followed.
"...There is a way."
Pythia's eyes narrowed slightly.
"...Teacher?"
The elder slowly nodded.
"...Deep beneath these ruins..."
"...lies something that has remained sealed for centuries."
"...A place that even most of the Order's elders are forbidden to enter."
The surrounding cultists reacted immediately.
"...Elder..."
"...Surely you don't mean—"
He raised a single hand.
Silencing them instantly.
"...If he is truly what you claim..."
"...then he should be capable of absorbing what lies within."
His voice remained calm.
"...After all..."
"...you claim he once absorbed the core of a Named Entity."
His hidden gaze remained fixed upon Draven.
"...If that is true..."
"...then what lies below should pose no obstacle."
A brief pause.
"...But if he is nothing more than another arrogant vampire..."
"...he will die."
Silence.
No one spoke.
No one dared.
Then—
the elder spoke one final sentence.
"...Follow me."
Without waiting for a response—
he turned toward the hidden passage from which he had emerged.
His robes swayed softly as he disappeared into the darkness.
The second cloaked figure immediately followed behind him.
The remaining cultists exchanged uneasy glances.
None of them understood what the elder intended.
Yet none dared question his decision.
Pythia looked toward Draven.
"...My Lord..."
"...It appears..."
"...my teacher has decided to test you."
Draven's expression remained indifferent.