Vlad had a tremendous amount of work ahead of him, so his eyes were sharp, focused, and steady. He was determined to handle any distractions swiftly, enabling him to return to the single most important task, growing strong enough to handle whatever the Void Heart Stronghold sent his way.
"Come in," he commanded calmly yet firmly.
Immediately, the gates swung open, and Valeria, Scipius, and Cato stepped forward into the room. The expressions on the trio's faces were visibly pale, a stark indication of their internal turmoil.
Their heads were lowered, deliberately avoiding direct eye contact with the Depravita of Wrath, fearful of triggering the wrathful gaze that had burned holes through dozens of Sages as if they were piles of wood.
Once they had reached a distance of approximately five meters from Vlad, they silently sank to their knees and sat submissively on the floor. Their eyes remained fixed firmly downward in an explicit display of complex submission.
