"You were ordered to remain hidden until you turned adult," Felix shouted, his face pale with a mix of anger and nervousness. "Now that you have shown yourself, you must spend two more decades in hiding!" His voice cracked on the last word, and he hurriedly cleared his throat, as if that could hide his fear.
Felix's words fell on deaf ears as Maximilian continued walking forward. With every step, spider web-like cracks spread beneath his feet from the sheer pressure, and the rainwater pooled on the floor retreated from him as if it were afraid to touch his soles. Above him, the heavy rain kept hissing into vapour against his scales, leaving a thin veil of mist trailing behind him.
On the vine platform, not a single cultivator dared to breathe. Even the rain seemed louder in that silence, drumming relentlessly against the floor. Some of them clutched their chests, while others had their eyes fixed on Maximilian's back, still crossed with wounds that the rain hadn't yet washed clean.
