At first, it was subtle.
So subtle that if one were not sensitive to the flow of blood mana, they might have mistaken it for imagination.
A faint tremor moved through the air, like the quiet hum before a storm gathers strength beyond the horizon.
The candles lining the grand hall flickered though no wind passed through the sealed chamber.
Phewsh! Phewsh! Phewsh!
The polished black stone floor seemed to vibrate ever so slightly beneath their feet.
Cain stood still at the center of it all.
His posture remained humble. His shoulders were slightly lowered. His expression was calm, almost resigned.
But his eyes slowly lifted.
And in the depths of those crimson pupils, something shimmered.
Ecstasy.
Not the loud kind. Not madness spilling out carelessly.
It was controlled. Refined. A secret delight blooming behind a mask of composure.
