"Yes. I am here."
Four short words.
The calm, gentle voice seemed to carry an invisible weight. It swept gently over the plaza, yet it instantly froze all the clamor and madness.
Adrian's twisted, maniacal laughter froze on his face. The color drained from his features at a visible rate. Behind his glasses, his pupils contracted, filled with absolute terror.
"No... Impossible..." he muttered, his lips trembling. He took an involuntary step back.
He wasn't the only one.
For the first time, Ambrosius's withered body began to tremble violently. He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. A storm raged in his cloudy eyes, as if he were staring at his most terrifying nightmare.
The Old Faction Cardinals, who just moments before had worn mocking, gleeful, and callous smiles, were now all ashen-faced. They stood rooted to the spot like soulless puppets, fear coiling around their hearts like icy vines.
The Wizards from the Silver Tower were equally aghast.
